Far before the age of the Seraphim’s Domain, upon the shores of the continent, there had arrived a human-like group known as the Somatic Diviners; mystics who were accused of stealing the Breath of God. The Khuzang’aro, known primarily for their skills as bone mages, were but a small part of this group - the only surviving descendants of the Diviners in the modern era. Legends say other groups existed long ago, all united once, but fell to ruin overtime as a mysterious figure known as The Anakruthos rose to power; the question as to the soul’s will, post-mortem, emerging and the accusations of heresy following. An age of darkness fell upon the continent for some time known as the Necromancer Wars. By the time the Idro arrived to Sucra-Loca, the Khuzang’aro were a secluded and broken people who resided on Arak Island, blamed by the other species for supposedly creating and still practicing the arts of necromancy. Members of this group seldom find themselves on the mainland, but some venture to the continent in order to find the ancient temples and ruins created by their ancestors , paying homage to their kinsmen and collecting their lost knowledge, or purifying them from the corruption of The Anakruthos and the legions of the undead festering the once-hallowed grounds.

Arak Island, the homeland of the Khuzang’aro, lies to the far west of Sucra-Loca: an island with relatively poor resources save for a vast quantity of tin and silver that line many of the outlier islands west of the mainland. Harsh winds besiege the island, the Khuzang’aro nestling their homes within hidden valleys far from the shoreline, as every so often, bands of the undead emerge from the sea. As there is no shortage of grasses, grass capes are commonly worn, acting both as protection from the winds and camouflage for hunting. All Khuzang’aro people possess a mask, all unique in design and formed from a special blue clay only found in one particular cave on Arak Island. This mask is always carried with them, for if they fall in battle, their remains will be mummified; after which, their body will be given life anew through the ritual of the Unbound Breath - the mask serving as a reminder of who they once were in life.

Valuing the arts of stealth, the Khuzang’aro are masters of silent weaponry like bows and knives. Night raids against the Domain’s strongholds and refineries on Arak Island have made Khuzang’aro archers infamous - stories of their arrows being blessed with magics, allowing them to penetrate even the thickest of armor. The tips of these arrows are equipped with serrated barbs, making extraction both painful and dangerous to those they hit. Their thinner frames and use of grass capes have helped them remain hidden, even when in plain view. Some islander Khuzang’aro believe modeling their mask’s motifs off of particular animals grants them special abilities - this particular archer has modeled his mask off of the Arak Wolf, an elusive species known for its sheer silence and relentless pursuit of prey. If this archer were to fall in the midst of battle, it is thought his mummy would inherit both his and the mask’s traits as well.

Clothes made from the wool of the white ram, a mark of a tribe’s greatest warrior; upon his head a great bronze hat inscribed with ancient markings from the times of the Somatic Diviners - no two hats being the same. Tasked with descending into the deep crypts and sanctums once constructed by their ancestors, a pilgrim’s main duty lies in purifying these ancient places - slaying both undead and their Necromancer masters in the process. Their hats act both as a distinguisher of rank, but are also ancient keys that allow them to unlock certain areas of these dungeons - some of these hidden rooms containing ancient and powerful relics. When venturing onto the mainland, these pilgrims are usually accompanied by other Khuzang’aro warriors and ascetics; their duty to provide aid and protection to the pilgrim - for while the pilgrims seek only to prevent the relics from falling into Anakruthos’ hands, the eyes of the Domain and other military powers like Yanta-Yuri, the Great City-States, and the Mages of Iverhorn also envy this power for their own gain.

Some Khuzang’aro had been taken from their homelands long ago, forced by the Domain to be frontline troops when warring against the undead that roamed the mainland; a sort of penance for starting the Necromancer Wars and infesting the continent with the undead. Generations of these Khuzang’aro were kept within the ranks to help “soften-up” enemy combatants that the Domain would come to face. While the adversaries changed from the undead to rebellious territories and dæmonkind, the profession of these Khuzang’aro fighters did not - many of them growing bitter from their forced servitude. Khuzang’aro hamlets became a hub of insurrectionism as more and more of their populace managed to acquire firearms not withheld by the Domain - forcefully breaking away from Domain occupation once acquired. Culturally, mainland Khuzang’aro are different from their islander cousins - prizing rambunctiousness and shock-and-awe ambushes instead of the more stoic and tactful approach of silence. They have no inclination towards the faith of their homeland, but revere death as “the guiding hands of the warrior” - some insurrectionists charging with bomb lances against swarms of enemies, intent with both killing themselves and killing as many combatants as possible.

What lies beneath the one who dons the schandmaske, a dreaded helm made of iron that only allows the bare minimum of water and food? Crazed priests seeking the destruction of the undead or murderers and vagrants seeking atonement for their past crimes? Thin and gaunt, these men and women wander the wastes, bearing a simple wooden board etched with the number of undead they have slain. They carry whatever weapons they can scavenge, but prefer the flamethrower; the best weapon for charring necromantic flesh, and burning bones to ash. It is said once the one who dons the mask defeats one-hundred of the forces of Anakruthos - the mask will unlatch, freeing the one within and allowing them to eat their fill. However, even after culling the needed one-hundred, some find enjoyment in the task - celebrating with a great feast, but donning the schandmaske again, beginning the task once more.

The Khuzang’aro are one of the four “human” races, alongside the Golanthir, the Idro, and the Vaocani. As such, while uncommon, there have been documented cases of Khuzang’aro/Idro inhabitants of the continent - this group being referred to as the Khudro. Being the children of an interracial and intercultural union in an age where such a thing is looked down upon, many Khudro find themselves unwelcomed by both communities overall. While many feel isolated by both the Idro and the Khuzang’aro, they have been known to find solace in other Khudro; with small communities popping up across the continent - admiring close-knit familial bonds and solidarity with one another, and also valuing deep spiritual exploration of the self and of the soul. This in tandem with prizing physical strength and aptitude in order to defend their burgeoning communities. This character is based on my fiancée, Joanna’s.