Murkhish Daun

Avg. Height: 5'10"

Avg. Weight: 180 lb

Avg. Lifespan: 100

Physical Characteristics:

Eyes:	Somewhat slanted, primarily hazel to rich brown in hue, often flecked with accents of russet, teal, emerald, or gold.
Hair:	Straight to naturally wavy or even tightly curled; almost uniformly dark brown or black, though reddish hair appears occasionally.
Skin:	Golden, or often darker tones ranging from warm ruddy tans to deep walnut browns.
Body Type:	Men have powerful build, women curvaceous tending toward plump.
Clothing:	Intricately patterned silk brocades and brightly printed cotton fabrics; wide-legged pants and long close-fitting jackets, tunics or vests; turbans and jewelry. Desert dwellers wear heavier clothes, headbands and scarves.
Notable:	Women are regarded as status symbols and prizes, and are lavished with jewelry.

Region: Ziguran

Languages: Common, Murkhish

Stat Adjustments:

Strength	4
Reflexes	3
Endurance	4
Dexterity	3
Reasoning	5
Wisdom	4
Will	4
Intelligence	4

Special: Bonus to Mechanisms learn rate.

Branching from the original Abraxian daun, the murkhish daun dominate the eastern half of Ziguran, their cities filled with color, light and music. They celebrate the body and revere the arts, especially dance, and it is not unusual for a man to take numerous wives. Women are regarded as status symbols and prizes, and are lavished with jewelry made of fine ivory and emeralds, both of which are harvested in the southern part of the continent. Murkhs are also noted as traders, scientists, inventors of gadgets, and masters of the magical arts.

Most murkhs live in either glittering coastal cities such as Omadurin or Athkara, or in the vast desert lands of the interior. Ruled by a dey and his kålifah (successor), the government of the murkhs is something between a monarchy and a dictatorship. A vizier, who holds counsel with the lesser adir and their kålifahs, advices the dey. The army of the murkhs is more for show than actual use and consists of one hundred soldiers for the dey and kålifah's personal use, with another three thousand designated for actual fighting. If war were to break out, the government would rely on the mercenary services of the sere gharkins and the inventive mechanical talents of the ruttle gnomes.

Though the murkhish daun share Ziguran with the Sunjo daun, the il'lthye houses of de Nox'Ascenti and xul'Abraxas, the sere gharkin, ruttle gnomes and druim'dwer of clan Teriaslin, fighting on a large scale is not an issue for the inhabitants of the huge continent. Each race has called their area home for so many generations that there are few disputes over land-owning, while religion generally encourages the strength of the group rather than the individual. The landscape of Ziguran discourages the mass movement of armies, for riding across desert or through dense jungle is expensive, slow and often times fatal. Generally, the murkhs of the desert live in pleasant harmony with the mesa-dwelling ruttle gnomes and the wandering sere gharkins. Their urban counterparts endure a somewhat less friendly relationship with the dark elves of House xul'Abraxus with whom they share an intense interest in the magical arts. Outside threats are dealt with swiftly and efficiently by the murkhish Sicarii, those called the "dagger-men." While little is known of their structure and organization, including whom they serve, it is a fact that they have worked with the dey to dispose of citizens of other countries.

Making their homes in huge colorful tents and traveling from city to city in caravans, never sojourning in one place for very long, the Brez'ah, Ugheizan and other desert dwelling murkhs are nomadic, yet most groups have long since established roots at the edges of the desert, forming communities of rabu herders, persimmon growers, and farmer of grain. Sheltered by the long narrow ridges of polished red granite which protrude from the sands of the eastern desert, Ughezian homesteads dot the landscape, shaped typically like trunkated pyramids with stucco-covered sides and topped by their distinctive swirled and pointed cone-shaped roofs.

Murkhs tend to be golden skinned, though darker skin tones ranging from warm ruddy tans to deep walnut browns are also common. The men are powerfully built, but shorter than most other daun, and the women are curvaceous tending to plumpness. Their eyes are usually somewhat slanted and primarily hazel to rich brown in hue, often flecked with accents of russet, teal, emerald, or gold. Murkhish hair is straight to naturally wavy or even tightly curled and is almost uniformly dark brown or black, though reddish hair appears occasionally.

Murkhish costume seems to blend the influence of long ago contact with the Bijapuran culture with an indigenous style all its own. In the cities, both sexes favor intricately patterned silk brocades and brightly printed cotton fabrics. Women have mastered the artful and alluring effects that can be achieved through the use of the sheerest of fabrics. Both sexes wear wide-legged pants and long close-fitting jackets, tunics or vests. Men wear turbans, while women veil their heads and faces and are fond of elaborate jewelry. Murkhs of both sexes wear colorful sandals or low slippers made of woven strips of leather or of beaded and embroidered fabrics. The toes of these shoes curl into the characteristic pointed tip utilized with such grace by their famed dancers. The costume of the desert dwellers is quite different. They favor heavier clothing woven in bright geometric patterns, both sexes adopting the practical gharkin style of wearing long hooded robes over vest coats or simple tunics. The hooded cloaks, as well as thick fabric headbands and head scarves all help the members of these hardy tribal desert cultures to resist the effects of the intense equatorial sunshine.