The Six Clans of K’dath-Mal

Mhordul clans usually consist of several different families, distant relatives, and several members who are not related by blood to anyone in the clan at all, but rather are members through marriage or a type of adoption (The Zhyrath Kehr Ritual) where the Venator of the clan can officially take someone into the clan, if they are proven worthy. In fact, some of the relations between different families within a clan can be so distant as to be forgotten completely. Thus, two members of the same clan choosing each other as mates is not unheard of, as long as it is proven that they are not in any way closely blood-related.

During the days of K’dath-Mal, clans had certain aspects which they were renowned for, whether it be for having produced excellent Warriors, Medicine Men or the like. Now, however, there are rumours of small clans being created without any clear unifying factor other than survival.

The Six Clans of K’dath-Mal are as follows.


Clan Gharzon

Clan Founder: Gharzon, the Battlerager, a Berserker who, it is estimated, lived ten generations ago. Gharzon is said to have united several smaller and weaker clans during a period of constant war with an enemy that has long since been forgotten. It is believed that they were forgotten because Gharzon’s forces utterly decimated them. Tales of Gharzon are legendary, as it is said that he was over seven feet tall and stronger than five men when enraged. One such tale speaks of Gharzon in his sixtieth year, when his mate, Haeryl, was slain by spiteful enemies of Gharzon who no longer believed the old man was capable of battle. Gharzon, upon discovering his mate’s fate, flew into an unending rage and single handedly slew both the one responsible, and the fifty men that served him.

Clan Situation: being one of the clans directly responsible for the civil war among the Mhordul, most of the members of Clan Gharzon are now deceased. Those that still live have chosen paths of their own as the clan no longer exists.

Nickname: Battleragers.


Clan Cor’thak

Clan Founder: Cor’thak, the Wolfrider, believed to have lived only three generations ago, is considered to be the one who started gathering all the seperate clans to discuss uniting the Mhordul people into one large tribe, even though this did not happen until some time after the death of Cor’thak. It is told that atop his Dire Wolf, he once rode to each of the seperate and numerous clans across Khaeros in one night, to spread the word of unification. His people, along with their wolves, were key in keeping communications open between the separated clans, as well as carrying with them trades of goods and equipment on behalf of the workers of various clans. It is unknown how Cor’thak originally managed to control a creature such as the dire wolf, but to this day dire wolves have become the favoured mount of all Mhordul.

Clan Situation: Clan Cor’thak, having always been one of the most organized clans among the Mhordul, still exists, even though its numbers have dwindled considerably. Today they have returned to a nomadic lifestyle, but are still trying to preserve the Mhordul ways, as well as to maintain communication between the separate groups.

Nickname: Wolfriders.


Clan Ourok

Clan Founder: Ourok, the iron fisted, was a bare-handed fighter of mythical proportions. It is told that Ourok’s clan is an offshoot of Clan Gharzon, who split off around five generations ago during a time of inter-clan strife. While also following the path of the Warrior, Ourok aimed for more than just letting himself go berserk in combat and hoping it went well. So he and his people developed a far more controlled and precise method of hunting: a Mhordul form of Martial Arts that still exists today. Relying less on pure speed and dexterity as say, a Khemetar or Azhuran martial art, the Mhordul form is far more focused on devestatingly hard strikes utilizing the knees and elbows, as well as the fists along with precise strikes to sensitive parts of an opponents anatomy, such as the windpipe. It is said that Ourok once slew a dragon with his bare hands, although people outside of Clan Ourok tend to see that as an exhageration.

Clan Situation: Engaged in a ferocious struggle with the other clans and even moreso with Clan Gharzon, almost all members of Clan Ourok have met their deaths during the civil war, putting and end to their clan’s existance.

Nickname: Ironfists.


Clan Jhyral

Clan Founder: one of the more unexpected clans to be found in Mhordul society was founded by a female, Jhyral, the Boneweaver, six generations ago. Unlike the other clan founders, Jhyral was not a legendary hunter by any means. Rather, she was a highly skilled crafter of bone and metal. It is told that during a time of war between the seperate clans of Mhordul, the hunters were overly hard on any Mhordul who lacked the ability to pick up a weapon and fight along side them. This resulted in over a decade of Mhordul workers being rather opressed within their own clans. That is until Jhyral got many of them together to fight back the only way they knew how, which was to seperate from their respective clans and halt all supplies. Needless to say it did not take long for the hunters to realise how much they needed the workers if they planned to hunt at all. In the end, all matters were resolved, but Jhyral and the workers who followed her remained as a seperate clan, even though they did supply the others once again. Sometime later, Clan Jhyral had extremely close ties with Clan Cor’thak, who would take their crafts to all the other clans for them in exchange for their own supplies. Clan Jhyral and Clan Cor’thak still retain a close relationship to this day.

Clan Situation: Along with the remnants of clan Kheldar and their Venator, Calebros, Odran and what was left of the Jhyral have settled outside the ruins of K’dath-Mal, where they helped the Medicine Men to turn the surrounding forts into communal installations. Currently, they maintain a merchant outpost by the Mhordul docks, where they trade mostly with Mhordul.

Nickname: Boneweavers.


Clan Vathek

Clan Founder: Vathek, the Shadow Walker, was a notorious Mhordul hunter who, it is said, could come upon his enemies from seemingly out of nowhere to deliver one quick yet fatal blow before they even knew what had happened. It is unclear how long ago Vathek lived, or when he founded his clan. Some members of the clan insist it was no less than twenty generations ago, while others claim it was as recently as eight generations ago. But such is the way of Clan Vathek: to keep others guessing. While most Mhordul hunt as the wolf or bear, ferociously and head-on, Clan Vathek is likened to the snake who slithers silently through the grass, unseen until its venomous fangs have already hit their mark.

Clan Situation: even though Clan Vathek played an active role in the civil war, its battle was mostly against itself, as its members saught to dispose of one another in a backstabbing bloodfest. As Clan Gharzon and Clan Ourok, Clan Vathek is no more.

Nickname: Shadow Walkers.


Clan Khel’dar

Clan Founder: Khel’dar, the Mystical, was a Medicine Man of immense power and nearly unheard of age for a Mhordul. It is said that Khel’dar was the one to whom the gods told their names, so the age of the clan is practically unfathomable. Many of the rituals and herbal mixtures used by Medicine Men today are believed to have been created by Khel’dar, or at least his close descendants. Tales speak of Khel’dar still actively serving as the chief medicine man well into his eightieth year, which is remarkable when one takes into consideration the fact that the average Mhordul usually does not live past their sixtieth.

Clan Situation: Clan Khel’dar is, nowadays, arguably the most important and respected clan, as their Medicine Men and Women, guided by Calebros, have become a beacon of hope to a yet primitive sort of organization and order. Settled outside the ruins of K’dath-Mal, they seek to aid their ex-tribe members both physically and spiritually.

Nickname: Mystics.