Moorfang's Domain


        Moorfang is the king of the czath, at least, in name. While he has relatively little power over the overall fate of his people, he has still been allowed to keep his title, and his island domain. Moorfang's island is actually a small group of islands off southwest tip of Endland, most covered by dark mangrove swamps and bayous. The ruins of fabulous sunken temples can be found throughout the island domain, bone white marble against the dark hues of the surrounding wilderness. It is the largest of these structures that the czath have overrun. Moorfang himself dwells in a curious sunken pyramid structure on the largest southernmost island, having converted it into a rude clan hall full of scared slaves, ill-gotten goods, and the mounted heads of many, many beasts. After his loyalties shifted from the Spiral to the Gorgs, however, he started following their philosophy of laziness, and has since become rather fat and obsessed with creature comforts. To this end, he has given much of his 'control' over to his eldest son, Muck. He has charged his young son with the recovery of his sacred spear, which he lost to the lutrai chieftain, Paluk, in his only attempted invasion of Cekus. He is still quite bitter about the loss, and has strong hopes that his son will cause the lutrai much suffering once he is in power.

        Unfortunately for Moorfang, however, his son has no desire to follow in his father's footsteps. The young czath merely pretends to be vicious and dull-witted, all so that his father won't suspect his true passion - poetry. How Moorfang's son became a poet is a mystery, but whatever inspired the czath prince has also given him a flair for the dramatic. Muck will often sneak off in search of inspirational landscapes, and spend long hours clumsily assembling verses and rhyming schemes. Moorfang would eat him alive if he were to find out; as it stands, all the poetry has also made Muck a total pacifist. Only his acting skill allows him to fake his way through the expected brutality of czath life.

The Sinking Pyramid

        A former temple to Arka, the earth goddess, is now the chosen lair of the czath king. The structure has only two entrances, making it highly defendable, and its sloped flanks are typically swarming with czath, who sun themselves on the dark, hot stone. Within the guarded pyramid, Moorfang surrounds himself with dull, drugged slaves and all manner of gorgish comforts, relying on his many generals to bring him news of the outside world. Ordinarily, the other czath would have turned on Moorfang at the first sign of this soft living, but the aging king is kept in power by the gorgs, who refuse to supply awsil to anyone else. This shunts most of the real power to the gorgs, who use the czath to aquire slaves, and settle disputes.

        Moorfang's lair isn't in the best shape, even for a ruin. One corner has started to sink into the earth, giving the entire structure a slight but noticable grade that increases steadily every year. Already one of the entraces is half-submerged, and yet Moorfang refuses to abandon what he considers an invincible fortress. The pyramid's central chamber was once a shrine, and the great altar has been carved into a sprawling throne surrounded by all manner of battle trophies, such as the many skulls of slain foes. Many of the king's best warriors surround him at all times, and he will occasionally have them tested by having some sort of vicious beast brought in, to be fought for his amusement.

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