Murhad

A depiction of Asima el-Nasir, a murhad woman

**Murhan** are a mortal race native to the land of Farhan. The murhan were created by the Ash Lord at the end of the Age of Dragons to serve as mortal warriors for his demon army. Though created by demonic magic, the murhan were created to be more flexible and adaptable than their lesser demon counterparts and as such share only a few traits with their creators. Once thought of as demons themselves, the murhan have become more accepted as a members of the mortal races. Many murhan choose to hide or destroy the markers of their demonic heritage, while others choose to accept them as a point of racial pride. Though ages have passed since the time of the Ash Lord, the fearsome reputation of the murhan has traveled far and wide.

## Description

Murhan are large and distinctive, recognizable for their golden skin and long canines that often grow long enough to protrude out of the mouth. On average, murhan stand roughly a foot taller than humans and weigh anywhere from 50 to 100 lbs more. Murhan tend to be tall and stocky, with large muscular bodies, angular faces, and prominent cheek bones. Their eyes are colored in shades of yellow and brown, although bright red and black eyes can appear as a rare trait. Their hair is thick and coarse, with colors that typically range from black to brown. Murhadi ears are typically moderately sized and usually lie flat, almost flush, against the head. Some have retained the vestigial ability to close their ears by folding the outer ear over the ear canal, although these muscles are now nearly always underdeveloped, making the trait exceptionally rare. Murhan are believed to be able to live as long as humans, although the average lifespan for the species is about 10 years below that of humans.

## Ecology

Murhan are native to the isle of Farhan and as such are well adapted to extreme heat. It is believed that murhan may be more susceptible to extreme cold and hypothermia. Almost all murhan live in the various regions of Farhan, although a very small amount are known to live in other regions such as Remancia. Murhan are obligate carnivores, although they are able to consume plant matter they are unable to gain any nutrients from it. As such, plant-based foods are seen as a delicacy.

## History

The murhan were created by the Ash Lord during his conquest of the Empire of Dharr. It is said that the Ash Lord grew tired of his army of demons, who were frequently simple-minded and self-serving, and decided to experiment with magic to create new warriors. While the exact methods have been lost to time, the Ash Lord was able to imbue the sands of Farhan with life and create the first murhan. Unlike demons, the mortal murhan were flexible, adaptable, and valued their own lives, qualities that the majority of demons lacked. The murhan also displayed a strong sense of comradery with one another, allowing for stronger coordination, teamwork, and morale. Ultimately, the murhan played a key role in the fall of the Dharr Empire, and their reputation for fearsomeness quickly spread to other regions.

### The Calling

While the murhan became an indispensable part of the Ash Lord's army, the murhan were not originally created for combat. When the first waves of murhan were born, many fled from their creator and his demons, since they were born with free will unlike demons. At the time this was seen as a failure; however, it would soon be discovered to be a part of greater plan. The murhan integrated themselves into the settlements of Dharr, finding acceptance from the shaiyadi and skepticism from their dragon rulers. The murhan adopted the language of the shaiyadi, settled down amongst them, and even intermarrying, resulting in the origins of the first ansafs.

Unfortunately, the peace would not last forever. Known to the shaiyadi as the Great Betrayal, the Ash Lord used his magic to seize control over his creations, which had now spread across all of Dharr. The exact details of what this spell, the Calling, did has been lost to history. What is known is that all murhan became possessed with unwavering loyalty to the Ash Lord, simultaneously rampaging across the region, nearly destroying the empire from the inside. Neighbors, friends, and even family members turned on one another as the murhan tore through their settlements before eventually leaving to rejoin their demonic allies.

The event has had everlasting consequences and has been engraved into the collective memories of the murhan and shaiyadi both. Many murhan still fear that another Calling could yet again take away their free will, which has been cited by many as motivation for the Tahir and the widespread hatred and fear of magic. The eternal animosity between the shaiyadi and the murhan originates from this event. Of particular note is that ansafs, possibly due to the lack of full murhad blood, seemed to not be effected by the Calling. However, this also meant that when the dust settled, the ansafs were the only ones that remained for the people of Dharr to seek vengeance on.

### Freedom

The murhan continued to fight alongside demons for much of the Demonrise; however, tensions began to brew between the two groups as the murhan began to form their own identity, resenting demons for treating them as lesser beings. Eventually, near the end of the Age of Rebirth, the murhan rebelled against their creator and ultimately succeeded. The murhan founded the nation of Farhan out of the remnants of the Ash Lord's conquests. However, the murhan were soon driven out of Remancia by the shaiyadi of the other newly formed nation of Eazimran. After the conflicts, the borders have settled to what is now known as the isle of Farhan, where virtually all murhan live.

## Culture

Social perceptions of the defining traits of the murhan differs between individuals. In general, prominent demonic traits such as protruding fangs are perceived as strong, bold, and typically masculine. At the same time however, murhan that lack these traits are considered beautiful, flawless, and typically feminine. The murhan have essentially two divergent cultural values: one of the value of hardiness, strength, and tenacity; and the other of the beauty of softness, slenderness, and delicateness. Although these physical characteristics are valued and admired, an excess amount of either strong or soft traits is seen as dangerously demonic or feebly weak, respectively.