The Haranai
The Haranai (huh-RAW-nai, /hə.'ɹɑː.nai/) are a group of legendary heroes who are strongly associated with the Chozashi Desert. The title of "Haranai" is passed down from person to person, although more often than not, there are gaps of several years between one Haranai and then next. It is believed that the spirit of the desert itself chooses these individuals to be its champion and represent the desert to the people who live there.
Haranai vary greatly in personality, stated purpose, appearance, and even species; however, what they all have in common is that they possess two legendary magical items; the longbow Windrunner and the Cloak of Sands. These symbols appear to be gifts of the desert itself, and have powerful abilities that allow them to perform incredible feats of magic.
Notable Haranai
The Dawn Haranai was the first known Haranai and is also called the First Haranai because of this. Very little is known about this figure, if indeed they truly existed. According to legend, the Dawn Haranai became lost or was abandoned in the desert as a child. On the brink of death, a being appeared to them - a humanoid figure formed entirely out of shifting sands. This figure offered the child a sip of a water and a long cloak to shield them from the harsh wind and sun. This cloak was the Cloak of Sands, and the Dawn used its power to protect and defend the inhabitants of the desert. They were said to appear at dawn as if by magic, fading into existence like a mirage, and in battle they seemed faster than the wind itself. The Dawn hunted down and slew many of the bandit gangs that roamed the desert in those times. The Pearl Haranai founded the city of Mandjula and the Patrician system. Prior to the Patricianship, Mandjula was ruled by a corrupt tyrannical king, who grew wealthy off of the suffering of the poor. The Pearl saw this injustice, and gathered together a group of loyal followers. They fought the king and his army, and the Pearl eventually slew him. Instead of taking the role of king, the Pearl instead set himself up as the Patrician, and together with his followers organized the heads of the families that would later become the ruling families of Mandjula. In some versions of this story, the Pearl Haranai was not the one who slew the tyrant king; there was a Haranai before the Pearl, sometimes called the Serpent Haranai, who organized the rebellion against the king, and gathered their loyal followers together. As the Serpent and the king fought one-on-one, it quickly became apparent that the king would be no match for the Serpent. With a plea for his life, the king dropped to his knees in surrender. However, when the Serpent bent down to offer him mercy, the king lashed out with a poisoned blade and sunk it deep into the Serpent's side. Despite this mortal wound, the Serpent fought on, and eventually slew the deceitful tyrant. But the blade had done its terrible work. With their dying breath, the Serpent summoned their most trusted follower to their side, and bequeathed to him Windrunner and the Cloak of Sands, begging him to protect the city in their stead. This follower became the Pearl Haranai. The Iron Haranai fought the Iron Cobra, a terrible mechanical beast that was terrorizing the mountainous regions of the desert. He tracked down and slew the creature, scattering its parts to the four winds, so that it could not re-form and once again wreak havoc. There are many tales of Haranai slaying dangerous beasts; most of them are either attributed to the Iron, or are deliberate attempts by subsequent Haranai to emulate his heroic deeds. The Haranai is not always a symbol of hope or heroism. The Midnight Haranai was once one of the most feared figures in the whole of the Chozashi desert. She was a kobold with midnight-black scales, who claimed that the city of Mandjula was a scourge upon the desert, and that all trace of that civilization must be wiped clean so that the wilderness could retake the land, as was its right. She often struck in the dead of night, attacking caravans attempting to enter or leave the city, and slaughtering all who opposed her. In the end, it is said she was killed by a powerful mage, who hypnotized her into a magical slumber and killed her while she slept.
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