Moay Blood Fighters

The Moay Blood Fighters were a race of giants who lived in the southeast of the Greater Continent, in Erum and what would later be known as The Dragonlands. No settlements, artifacts, or primary sources exist; however the legend of the Moay persisted all throughout the Mage Wars. Most accounts of the Moay date back to the First Chaotic Period, and they are believed to have already been well established by the era of High Tower. Their culture would have formed sometime in the late Age of Darkness.

Description

All the stories agree that the Moay were not human. Accounts differ but it is believed they averages 7-8 feet in height, with enlarged nostrils and heavy musculature. They were strong and hearty and could easily live at high altitudes. Many accounts say they could run for hundreds of miles while wearing heavy rawhide armor. Killing one was regarded as a great challenge; which lead later researchers to speculate they may have chosen isolation.

The region in which they were said to live was at the time thick with waring dragon flights. Humans avoided the area entirely; but dragons of that time were very well-known for their hostility. That any people group could live within their territory is a testament to the fortitude and resilience of the Moay.

Magic

Lacking in primary sources the details are scant, but the Moay Blood Fighters were said to have possessed a unique form of magic. The descriptions are too precise to be a later invention, with accounts from Agras and Zathra being in agreement. The Moay used a form of Ritual Magic that involved painting forms on their faces and bodies, specialized braids in their hair, and the carrying of talismans. This imbued them with great power, and is believed to be how they survived living in such a dangerous zone. There is much speculation as to whether or not blood magic was involved, with several stories saying they used their own blood for the rituals. However, as blood-magic is a Lesser Path technique, it does not fit well with their usual depiction as noble savages. Many accounts confuse Moay rites with that of Kahdayho Emblems, but the earliest and best-established sources draw a strict distinction.

Of particular curiosity is the similarity to later, well-documented techniques. Dragon worshipers all over the Greater Continent employed ritualized body-modification in their magic. This practice was not documented until the Second Chaotic Period. However, as many of these tribes existed as far back as the First Chaotic Period, there is much speculation about a possible connection. Unfortunately lacking primary sources on the nature of the Moay, it is impossible to draw any conclusions. Further research is requires.

Legacy

That the Moay Blood Fighters existed is not in dispute. Many details seem implausible or contradictory, but many strange things exist in the misty depths of history. The Moay will join the lofty ranks of Lost Civilizations of the Greater Continent.