Dusk of Magic

The Grove by naban55

The moon sat high, shining down on the seven robed figures sitting in a circle on the soft moss.

They murmured to each other, their voices sounding like the lowing of cattle to those unfamiliar with the language of the Brahmaur.

"The portals have been gone for three years now." A female brahmaur tossed her head, her ivory horns polished so well they gleamed in the gentle moonlight. "None seem able to bring them back."
"Three years is long enough to wait." Even in the moonlight, there was a hint of red to the very short hair covering the old male's face.
A scar ran from one eye to the beautifully etched ring in in his nose.
"What other thing could be the Dusk of Magic?" The youngest among them, a bull of middle-age, revealed the impatience of his youth.

The scarred old male looked at the other four who each said nothing.
"Very well," he rumbled. "Time to vote."
Each Brahmaur dug into a pocket to take out a purse they then dug into.
One by one, they held a closed hand in front of them over the moss. When the last one did so, the scarred elder turned his hand palm up and opened his hand.
A white painted stone gently shone in the moonlight. The other six did the same. Each hand held a painted white stone.
"It is agreed," the scarred elder said. "This is the Dusk of Magic."

T'Ar's Promise

Study the world. Learn all that you can. Prepare yourselves. For upon the Dusk of Magic shall begin the Rise of the Brahmaur.

— Mystical Decree of T'Ar, god of the Brahmaur

These words have been taught to every Brahmaur since the Days of Legend when there was no written word. Even now, the Brahmaur have never written those words. These words are too precious to be written and so must be spoken down from one generation to the next.
T'Ar's Promise is the one unifying force that formed all the Brahmaur to see themselves as a League of Clandoms. The chiefs of the clans come together every five years to choose which of them will be Emperor when the Dusk of Magic happens.

Rise of the Brahmaur

The Brahmaur have devoted themselves to warfare to train for the day they will Rise and take their place above the other races of the world.
Their immunity to magic, which is a tremendous gift.
It was also curse as they cannot heal by magical means.
This has led them to study herbalism, alchemy, metallurgy, geology, and nature to find ways to give them means to let them contend against those with magic, not just endure them.
These studious Brahmaur are called boffins and though theirs is a heavy duty, they have delivered great advances.

Perhaps their greatest discovery is the making of black powder, an explosive substance.

For generations they have not dared use it, but the ending of the portals all around the world has made it necessary to breakout their dragoon pistols to defend their clanlands.

Still a secret, are their cannons.

Also a secret are the shipyards they have managed to keep hidden from others. Soon. Very, very soon they will have a navy armed with cannons.

Brahmaur Pistol by blende12