Mugari

Mugari, also known as urks, are a race of porcine-like humanoids renowned for their rapid population growth and ravenous appetite for war. They were originally created by the neredar Alythess to serve as foot soldiers against the titans. They were designed to replenish rapidly, and without oversight from Alythess; a feature that would later prove to be a flaw in their design. The mugari eventually grew too numerous for Alythess to manage. They rebelled and the ensuing conflict decimated Alythess's personal army.

## Overview

The mugari were created by Alythess after the titan Gen'Drezar encroached on his territory in the Physical Realms. He created the mugari to be quickly bred and ready to fight immediately upon birth.

Mugari were spawned in breeding chambers comprised of dozens or even hundreds of muddy vats. Typically each vat would birth anywhere from three to six mugari, with some reaching as high as a dozen. After birth, mugari continued to grow after each combat victory they achieve; whether that is in personal duels or large scale engagements.

The mugari species is divided into three castes: taskmasters, slaves, and soldiers. Taskmasters oversee all non-combat operations, from construction, farming, mining, and virtually anything that doesn't involve war. Slaves in turn were directed by taskmasters to perform the individual tasks; in essence, taskmasters ruled and slaves obeyed.

Soldiers were bred specifically to fight. They develop their combat ability in the vats, able to fight mere moments after birth. Fighting is as instinctual for mugari as breathing or eating is for anyone else. Mugari are able to fight with virtually any weapon shortly after birth. Beyond the initial ability to fight and kill with any weapon, mugari are then specialized depending on what is required by the tribe.

The vats from which all mugari are spawned are viewed as one would view their own children. They are looked after by a special breed of taskmaster, called vatlords or vat-masters, and are responsible for the production of new mugari. Vatmasters were expected to produce the right mugari for the situation, and to keep the mud-vats growing.

Despite their appearance and relatively simple way of life, mugari are not to be underestimated. They are capable of very quickly figuring out new pieces of technology, as was evident when they successfully captured several of Alythess's vessels. Given enough time the urks will overcome any obstacle, or learn how to operate any technology.

## Physiology

Under the domain of Alythess lies a world known as Yharan. On this small out of the way world is an extremely invasive plant species, whose sole purpose is to cover any and all hard surfaces with vine, so that it may absorb the most amount of sunlight. It is from this plant that Alythess drew inspiration for her solution to the titans.

Mugari share many common characteristics with plants. They are grown from seeds planted in the ground by vat-masters. These seeds then tendril into the soil, absorbing the nutrients required to grow new mugari. Eventually these roots begin to sprout, producing muddy cocoon-like vats. It is from these vats that new mugari are produced.

As the roots grow, they excavate large tunnels beneath the surface. It is within these tunnels that vatlords watch over the ever growing numbers of mugari. It is also here that they harvest the seeds required for new roots, which are then given to newly created vatmasters to start the process over again in a new area.

## Society

Mugari are bound together under warchiefs with the sole purpose of fighting and conquering. The Warband is the center of mugari society, with the warchief wielding supreme authority over all that happens under his domain. Beneath the warchief sit the warchief's lieutenants, the number of which depend entirely on the size of the warband.

Mugari are fiercely loyal to one another up until cowardice is shown. Fleeing a battle, even if it would result in your death, is considered cowardly and thus punishable by death. mugari leaders who flee or act in a cowardly manner are killed by their underlings, who then take up the dead mugari's position.

Authority and advancement in mugari society is based entirely on size, and whether or not you can kill the person you wish to replace. While size may earn you respect or admiration, whether you can actually kill the other mugari in your way is what is important.

Despite their war-like nature, mugari do build settlements and inhabit cities. mugari must still eat, they still take pleasure in drink, and they have a great fondness for gambling.

## Impact

The first generation of urks were star-capable marauders who sailed from one titanic installation to the next, slaughtering and pillaging as they went. They left destruction in their wake, quickly colonizing whatever hard surface they set foot on. As the years went by the mugari had grown to such a number that not even Alythess could control them. He attempted to quell his experiment by destroying all mugari vessels he could find.

When the warchiefs had learned of Alythess's betrayal, they mutinied. The mugari had served aboard many of Alythess's vessels, and some managed to successfully slaughter their demonic crews. The urks had gone rogue, and began to target virtually anything and everything for conquest. They spread across the Physical Realms like a tidal wave, and after only a few short years every major civilization in the universe had one encounter or another with the mugari.

It wasn't long before the mugari learned how to breach the Physical Realms and spread to other dimensions. Not even the elemental planes were spared from their colonization.