Murf’ar

Legend

“Mightiest of  Trackers among all the Humans.”

Skjald El Mary

 

History

Murf’ar is one of the few Half-Human with Kobold blood known to exist and was born in the Kobold settlement of Utrûng at the shores og Lake Parâzir in Uhmzel. The only son of a Human father who is said to have been an Alchemist of the Moss'ari people and a Kobold mother.

Exactly how his father ended up with the Kobold of Clan Utrûng is unclear but he was one of the greatest Moss’ari Alchemists, if not the greatest, who have ever lived. Zizu who knew him and attended the naming, have told me that Fumibulr did not plan for the child, but while he studied there, Agginatook fell in love with him and they married. The first ever marriage between Kobold and Moss’ari, and to much surprise for everyone they where blessed with a child.

Skjald Ulrich

 

The lad was named Murf’ar, which means ‘Nimble at foot’ in both races native language, and as the child grew into a lad it became obvious that the marriage and name was destiny come true. Murf’ar became an exceptional Ranger and an excellent Herbalist and Alchemist.

Seemingly one with nature and eager to learn he travelled the dense rough-lands and foothills of Uhmzel”. His knowledge of landscape, flora and alchemy soon made him friends with many a karavan leader, Herbalist and Apothecary. But as years passed he began to outgrow other Humans, and townsfolk began to stare and keep distance. Thus, it became increasingly harder to go unnoticed and also gain new friends, but his skills secured a steadily growing reputation -and he was easy to find when in town.

At the age of 30 he was beyond 2 meters high and a hulk of bone and muscle, yet agile like few of his size. In 1161, when became 50, he had gained the towering height of 211 cm, and he was a massive mountain unmatched in height by any Human.

Skjald Vinotis

 

During one of his caravan guide jobs he had to lead them all the way into Sloviit and in one of the highland passages a huge blizzard was coming in for the caravan. Studying the weather, he suggested they should take shelter in Greypeak Caves, there was just about time to reach it safely. The leader agreed and they turned south and as the first hard gusts hit them and hail began hammering down, they entered safety -they thought.

It turned out that a odd mixture of Human, Drakk Alfar, T'Aurs and weird pig-faced was holding a meeting there. And contradictory to old custom when travelers was hit by storms and blizzards, these seemingly didn’t want news of their meeting to spread so they attacked… when the fray was over, only one stood alive.

Severely wounded Murf’ar started to treat himself and then he carefully examined the opponents. Taking every document, ring, amulet, emblem, and one of the pig-faced heads. He began to walk down from the highlands, keeping a extremely keen eye on the paths ahead and often looking back over his shoulder. Those 3 T’Aurs had been quite a match for him and he was exhausted, wounded and couldn’t stop the bleeding from those damn Drakk Alfar poisoned cuts. Luckily he was able to counter the poison, but he knew it was but a matter of time and stamina, so he walked and walked.

Skjald El Mary

 

When he woke he looked into a couple of bright blue girls eyes, in a smiling face topped by beautiful golden hair. Then he noticed that he was in, what seemed a hastily made shelter of branches and leaves. The girl, nude to the skin, had cleaned his wounds and put herb and leaves paste into the cuts. His first thought was not how he ended here, or her odd appearance, but that the Drakk Alfar cuts had stopped throbbing and didn’t bleed anymore. Whatever the paste, he had to learn, so he pointed at the cuts with the paste and pulled up his shoulders meanwhile opening hands in an outward gesture. And then he fainted.

Uncertain for how long he was out, he had an odd feeling when he finally came to his senses. Something had happened while he was in a haze but he couldn’t place it. Yet he was in the shelter he remembered, and beside him was two small stacks of leaves, some berries and a few roots. Which made him think of that golden skinned girl, but she was nowhere to see. So he got up, dressed and went outside, and stood beside a lake he knew he had not seen before. He told me he never figured if he walked here, or had that little girl carried him here, and was there not a dog at her side?

Skjald Sejrik

 

When he gained his senses he realized his bag with all proof was gone, maybe lost in the travel maybe taken by the golden girl. No matter it was seemingly lost. So, he began scouting and travelled south as he thought the high mountain spires at the left seemed familiar. As he went on he came to realize that the left mountains had to be Zilhugs Peaks and at the left at the other side of but woodlands laid The Ihrrim Range, with Greaypeak Caves on the other side, So, had he really wandered all the way up into Fogwald. And might that had been Mirror Lake with the island of Kistal he had seen in silhouette out at the damp waters. If so, there was for sure something to tell his father at their woodland lodge.

He wandered for some days and finally came back into Uhmzel and a week later he trod at known paths. One evening he entered a small town and approached one of his usual buyers of herbs to see if he could get shelter and news. To his surprise the Herbalist had been murdered some weeks ago, by people who was asking for Murf’ar. They also told him that 3 others he normally dealt with had faced the same fate. Horrified he asked if anyone would sell him a horse based on trust and payment later, a old Blacksmith on his way home to Fogwald said he could spare one of his packers as he was light on goods. A deal was made and Murf’ar rode it as hard as possible without killing it.

Returning home, he found their house burned, his father killed and mother gone. Devastated he knew this had to be allies of those who had ambushed them. Most likely too late to save anyone who the enemy had as targets, so he decided to focus on tracking them down instead of warning anyone -he wanted revenge for this cruelty.

So as 1161 faded, so did Murf’ar, into the rarely trodden paths and natures shadows.

Skjald Sigurd

 

Its said that in 1166 he stood, aside a well known hood…

When king Leoandry II got his ring, Murf’ar joined another…

And spies around the non-born Realm, began to drop as flies…

Flayed of skin and set on pike, Horned, Human and shorties alike…

He got revenge, but the plots known only by Gods…

Skjald Kazumix

 

I’ve heard that not only did Murf’ar search for those responsible for the Ambush, but also the golden girl and the Blacksmith. Both was nowhere in Fogwald. Odd thing though, was that the golden girl and the missing Blacksmith might have been under the same roof in 1162. But she left towards Udring a week before the Blacksmith went southward. Some said they might had been lovers, because when she left a infant child stayed behind. And him being so much older than that young lass, quite the gossip.

But in the summer of 1168 he heard that a golden skinned woman with fair hair had claimed the island of Halkistal, so he decided to go there and see if he might recognize her. After all it had only been 7 years, so he went there. And when he stood at the shore of Mirror Lake, memories came to him, Had they really, could it be true…

He hired a boat and was sailed across and hastily left the bridge. walking into Halkistal he knocked before he bowed down and entered. Inside he stood face to face with Deepminded and indeed he recognized her. But, as he was to speak, she said, “Welcome Murf’ar, to Halkistal, please sit down“. Then she placed food and ale at the table and told him to help himself as she had to fetch something.

When she came back, feet and cloak wet at the rim, she laid a old weather-worn backpack at the table. “This is yours I believe, I’m sorry but I forgot all about it and had to find myself first. I have never looked inside. The odd skull, is outside, in a sack of its own“. Then she went into the back and he started to examine the contents. After a few hours alone, he placed 5 Silvers at the table and left. Never to return to Halkistal as he knew it was true, but a thing of the past.

And he had a urgent task ahead, 7 years delayed.

Skjald Ulrich

 

I’ve heard from several people that Murf’ar was seen busting the faces of a drunken gang of sailors in 1168, in Port Antwerda in Grebi. What he did there is unclear to us all, but maybe it was merely ship-shift as he was seen celebrating new years eve in Arul, the most northern of harbours in Tornix. From where he sailed to Ashenhall to meet with Zizu, as he believed he might have knowledge about the items he carried.

I think its a sad slip that he didn’t show the content to Deepminded back then, as she might had figured The Great Invasion brewing. But he did not, yet Zizu luckily could set some of the bits and pieces straight. He remembered when he as a lad had heard his father speak with Kanziganthir about the war that broke out between T’Aurs and Drakk Alfar. They had never spoken nor done things together since that forced truce, but that war was from 736 – 739. So, this ambush Murf’ar survived, seemingly ended 402 years of racial hostility. Or maybe it was merely renegades and usurpers of those races. He didn’t recognize any of the emblems or seals, and had never seen a skull like the one brought along, but maybe Kanziganthir could.

So they took a short break, and had something to eat. And after a couple of hours a small silvery chiming was heard and as Zizu turned around, Kanziganthir stepped out of a large mirror with yellow glowing frame. “I felt your call old friend, what’s the urge?”.

Murf’ar told me this was his first experience with the The Eight Mirrors and Astravel, and despite him being quite curious he also was somewhat in awe. This man, Kanziganthir had according to Zizu experienced the war between his foes those hundreds of years ago. As the rest of us, he wondered how old this legend actually was. But, more important things was afoot.

Going through things Kanziganthir recognized some of the emblems and seals, and even knew the language two of the documents was written in. When the came to the skull, he lifted it gently up and almost whispered, “So after a thousand years, I see your faces again…“. Then he turned towards his host and Murf’ar, “If this is what I think it is, it bodes ill for our plans. But please tell of this to no one until I know more“. With a nod from both, he stepped back into the mirror, still with the skull in hand.

Murf’ar dident see that skull shape again until 1277 when Pigryn swarmed The Realm. But had he been with Setils Dark Needles and not Bergon's Borgians. He would have seen some, heads, as Kanziganthir in 1171 approached Setil and hired his Dark Needles to bring him every Pigryn or proven collaborator they could find. It sure was an odd bond, between Setil and the forces of Black Oak.

Skjald Valgrif

 

As years passed tracks of his parents murderers faded as did the number of surviving who had participated. So Murf’ar began to wonder what happened to the  Blacksmith who had crossed his path in more ways than one. He never found the old man, as his tracks was lost in northern Tusla. There, in 1197, in the hamlet of Kalmor, he had died. Those who had buried him remembered nothing of the child the people of Fogwald had mentioned.

Skjald Ulrich

 

In 1252 he became Steward of Uhmzel. A title he held and served with honor until he in 1273 resigned to study mechanization. And to do so he stayed a while at Grimsborg, then Grindaa and finally in 1276 went to the Free City of Muldum. Where, I believe, deliberately met Mino and he might have discussed the items scavenged from that ambush so many years ago. The next day Mino was gone.

A while later, standing at a lathe in Mino's Owing working on a tool for alchemy. Noise broke out at the gates, alarms sounded and down the streets Pigryn hacked their way through children, females, workers and guards alike.

F.F. Jaeger told me that he saw Murf’ar grab his bow and quiver, and a huge halberd. Then he charged the incoming flood and vanished in a spray of blood, limbs and heads. And no one saw Murf’ar again until the Battle of Weeping Plains, were many thought he died. But, since rumors of his appearance has begun to circle.

Skjald Vinotis

 

Special

Half Human and Kobold.