Races of Darkfall Mahirim of the Tribelands

Mahirim of the Tribelands
By the light of the Ghost Moon, mahirim packs strike deep into enemy territory, plundering and killing without mercy. They vanish as quickly as they came, leaving devastation in the wake of their lightning raids.
The mahirim are a fierce race of predators, whose society has only recently moved towards civilization. And while they may have cities and laws now, they retain the wolf-eyed wildness, the finely honed instincts, and the uncaring cruelty of their pack-hunting ancestors.
The Tribelands The mahirim homeland is located in the Northwestern part of Agon's main continent. To its east lies the dwarven kingdom of Dvergheim, while the elven republic of Mirendil lies to the south. Across the Sarthan Sea to the north lies Niflheim, an icebound but resource-rich continent which is coveted by both mahirim and dwarves.

The Tribelands consist mainly of rolling hills interspersed with large forests of relatively sparse-growing, deciduous trees. The wilder regions are home to an abundance of prey animals, as well as large monster populations. Gnolls have always been common in the Tribelands, while a growing threat is posed by the Moon Cult, a twisted race of ex-mahirim humanoids who worship a demigod called the Moonbeast.
Red MoonThe mahirim capital sprawls across a chain of grass-clad islands within a lake in the central region of the Tribelands. With its low, wooden buildings nestled among tall autumnal trees, Red Moon gives an impression of being a compromise between the forces of nature and those of civilization.
The Red Moon skyline is dominated by a strange semi-organic and vaguely egg-shaped structure called the Moontower, which has been constructed using a gargantuan slab of rare and precious moonstone. The tower is older than the city which surrounds it, and none now know why it was given such a strange and unique shape. The Moontower is sacred to the worshippers of Theia, and a large temple complex lies in its shadow.

Mahirim player characters start their career in one of three starting villages, which all lie within easy walking distance of the capital.
Culture and religionThe mahirim worship Theia, which is Agon's second moon, called the Ghost Moon. They see their celestial deity as a goddess with many different aspects, including Theia as a warlike conqueror, and Theia as huntress and bringer of nature's plenty.
Until quite recently, the mahirim were a race of nomadic hunters and raiders who carried their possessions with them between ephemeral seasonal camps. The ongoing development towards civilization was set in motion by a prophet-king called Amurran, who had a vision of the Tribelands as a modern and powerful nation state. Though the prophet-king is long dead, his work is continued by the Elders of Red Moon, an organisation whose power is felt everywhere in the Tribelands.

Movers and shakersPlayers participate in Tribelands life through quests offered by six* powerful organisations, which all seek to further their own, more or less sinister agendas.
The Elders of Red Moon founded the Tribelands capital, and inspired by the workds and works of the prophet-king Amurran, they thens set about civilizing the primitive and nomadic mahirim. Their work continues to this day, as they seek to turn the Tribelands into a culturally advanced, militarily powerful nation.
The Long Claw see the mahirim as hunters, all others as prey. The group's raiding parties strike mercilessly against the settlements of other races, killing and looting with relish. The Long Claw are traditionalists who want to keep the mahirim race strong, untamed and ferocious. There are frequent disagreements between the Long Claw and the Elders
The Circle of Neith is a mysterious group who worship the blue moon Neith, claiming that it is the source of all magic on Agon. The Circle are spellcasters who take a special interest in magical items and ancient artifacts. Uncommonly for mahirim, they are also highly interested in the history of their own race and the world in general.
The Wolfmasks are an order of elite warriors who serve as enforcers for the Elders of Red Moon. Named for their characteristic face-covering helmets, the Wolfmasks commonly deal with internal trouble in the Tribelands, but are sometimes dispatched on occasional hit-and-run missions into enemy territory.
The Ghost Pack claim that, if you want to prove yourself as a master hunter, you must do so against the fiercest, most dangerous creature on Agon. The Ghost Pack are a group of mahirim who hunt other mahirm, for the challenge and to satisfy their own twisted desires.
The Cult of the Moonbeast worship and old and sinister deity, who occasionally manifests in the Triblands to hunt and kill anything that strays into its path. His Cult seek to emulate the ferocity and unpredictability of their primal god, and though once mahirim, they have mutated into a shape more pleasing to him.
What makes the mahirim special?When standing erect, mahirim move with the same speed as members of the other races. However, when not engaged in combat, they can switch to all fours and run with the speed of a horse. Since they don't really need them, the mahirim don't breed mounts of their own, but they may buy or take those belonging to other races.
Only mahirim mastersmiths can make Ghost Claws, a weapon which is made using an extremely rare resource called moonstone. Ghost Claws have a strange affinity with Theia, the Ghost Moon, and as that satellite waxes and wanes, so does the magical power which surrounds each claw like an eldritch aura.
Given their warlike, somewhat arrogant nature, and their long history as semi-nomadic raiders, it should not surprise anyone that the mahirim have few friends. They do, however, have a grudging respect for the equally warlike orks, who they see as strong and capable warriors. Though they can theoretically join and form clans with members of all other races, they prefer to ally with orks and other mahirim.
* Some of these groups will not be active yet when Darkfall releases. They will be added later as parts of post launch content patches.
How the mahirim see the world:"If I am stronger, I will take what is yours. If you are stronger, you will take what is mine. This is the natural order of things." - Yulane the Proud, Long Claw raider
"That which cannot defend itself should not be suffered to live. Weakness is an insult to the gods, and Theia bids us remove all weaklings from under her gaze." - Merdan the Brave, Wolfmask agent
"Since they are helpless to stop our raiding parties, imagine how our sickly neighbours would fare against a united army of the Mahirim. The day will come when such an army sweeps all before it, clearing the way for our rightful mastery." - Ylmon the Wise, Elder of Red Moon

How others see the mahirim:"Sit! Fetch! Play dead! They are not even fit to serve as our pets, and will be put down like the scabby mongrels they are!" - Naeva Darkshroud, Alfar from Shoal
"I respect the Mahirim as hunters and as warriors, but their culture is despicably cruel and primitive. If they would but submit to Mirdain teaching, we could civilize those simple-minded brutes." - Derheil Silverglade, Mirdain from Charybdis
"Of all non-orks, the Mahirim are the least pathetic and puny. In fact, Orks sometimes ally with that noble race of predra... pedrato... hunters. If the Mahirim are extra nice, Ashaka may even spare them from the Big Burning, hehe." - Azog Elfstrangler, Ork from Flaming Skull
"To a Mahirim, the world is a hunting ground full of prey such as you and me. They value nothing outside their own strange culture, and the only way to deal with them is by the sword." - Moirna Fernway, Human from Sanguine
"You can forget about your dragons and your gargantuas, the second most dangerous thing in the world is a Mahirim raiding party. They are fast, agile and strong, and they fight with the ferocity and cunning of born predators. What? Well, the most dangerous thing in the world is clearly an angry Dwarf. Which is why you should shut up and buy me a beer." - Iarlgrim Snowshield, Dwarf from Ymir's Tear