Jarlax

Basic Information

Alternative name(s) Origin Malakath, widespread Lifespan 80-300 Diet Carnivore Subspecies

Physical description

Height 8-9ft Distinctive features Do they have any distinctive features?

Cultural

Organisations Unknown Languages Jarlaxian Locations Malakath, near Thanasis

Out-of-character information

Image source https://www.deviantart.com/bradrigney/art/Duels-of-the-Planeswalkers-2014-Corrupted-Centaur-381457839

These creatures appear mostly humanoid with skin that tends to be shades of grey, green, or red. They have wide, gaping mouths with two rows of razor sharp teeth and long, barbed tongues. The Jarlax do not appear to have eyes and enjoy wearing the skulls of animals or victims over their faces. Beneath their masks the skin is smooth and puckered; it is believed that if a human were to gaze upon the eyeless face of a Jarlax it would induce their victim to be frozen with fear.

Jarlax are very tall and due to their activities all tend to be relatively muscular in appearance. It is hard to tell the difference between the male and females of this species, leading many to speculate there may only be one gender. Their fingers also end in very sharp, slightly curved claws that are blackish or dark red or blue in colour. Cuts from these nails can cause a range of horrific effects in their prey.

Jarlax can be predominantly found in dense forests, though they have also been known to set up their settlements underground and in mountainous caverns too.They do not have a predisposition to the light, but it seems they prefer the cooler temperatures offered by these types of habitats.

Jarlax dens suggest that they enjoy decorating their homes with the bones of enemies and use them for things such as furniture, utensils, combs, etc. alongside their strange masks. Surprisingly there is an ordered structure to their settlements which gives the impression they run as a commune, with different members of their packs tasked with certain jobs.

Superior strength, endurance and speed: Jarlax are incredibly strong and can fight or run for extended periods of time without growing tired. Some packs have been known to fight when frenzied for over four hours before beginning to show fatigue. What is truly terrifying about these creatures is their speed. They can overtake a galloping horse in a very short amount of time and can easily outrun a normal human.

Leech: Jarlax are not the simple creatures many often think them to be. When they eat their prey they are able to take on their prey’s magical abilities even if they are latent. The creature must be living in order for this transfer of power. As such they have grown very fond of consuming dragon eggs, bestowing upon them all the gifts of one of these mighty beasts.

Jarlax speak their own native tongue and Common Malakath. Some Jarlax have also learnt a crude version of Thanasian.

There are several Malakath beasts that the Jarlax breed much like humans would horses and dogs. These creatures aid the Jarlax in war and domestic life.

Ichneumon:
These rodent-like creatures are native to Malakath and are bred by the Jarlax in the same manner humans breed dogs. They have the unique ability to smell and hunt dragons - in particular their eggs. Able to borough through the ground and smell from depths of up to 100ft they can steal an egg right from under a dragons protective nose.

Ichneumon fur is also unique in that it appears to be resistant to dragon fire making them a pest dragons take very seriously.

Their smell can be disrupted by powerful sources of magic. As the Ichneumon have not been seen in Thanasis since the erection of the wall, it is believed that whatever unique magic created it is enough to keep these rodents from burrowing underneath or blind to the existence of the eggs beyond.

Screech Wings:
Giant bat-like creatures that the Jarlax bond much like the Thanasite dragon riders bond their dragons. Sporting a mighty wyvern-like body build, the Screech Wings are blind yet swift fliers, often times living closely to Jarlax communities, as a Jarlax would more often than not gain a trustworthy Screech Wing companion at a very, very young age.

Utilising their tails to hang upside down, the Screech Wings will live alongside the Jarlax no matter the condition nor where abouts of the settlement. For this reason, many groups of Jarlaxs around the world can often sprout new visibly distinguished types of Screech Wings, having a mix of black, brown, white or even red fur.

A Jarlax's bond to their Screech Wing is nigh unbreakable. It has gone so far as to produce folklore or stories about undead jarlaxs, riding upon their carrion Screech Wing companion to terrify the enemy to near death, but no proof has supported such ideas as of it being true yet. But either the case, the companionship and trust the rider and their mount has been considered sacred, even going so far as some jarlax having their younglings looked after by Screech wing carers.

Another side to this symbiotic relationship is their habits and origins. Before the kingdom of Thanasis was born, the Jarlax and Screech Wings have lived alongside each other, sharing their food and shelter, love and security for many, many generations. But after they were driven out from their sacred homeland, the Screech Wings have acquired a new taste for blood, specifically dragon blood. To the Thanasite people, Screech Wings are considered devils, as when a dragon is brought down, not only do the Jarlax feed upon it magically, but the Screech Wings feed of it directly, drinking their blood with no difference to a vampire bat to a herd of cattle.

They come in the dark of night with such terrible magic, the likes of which I believed to have belonged only to the Gods. Perhaps these are the Gods of this new land we have found ourselves upon and they come against us to defend their territory. However, they refuse to accept any gifts we leave unless it is our own children. The only gift that has ever seemed to please them more was the odd egg we discovered deep within the cavern.

~

The monsters we discovered within the mountains we retreated to might just be our only chance of survival against the creatures that hunt us like rats. It appears the odd egg we found belongs to them, and they have magics to rival that of what our people now call the Jarlax. But these beasts, godlike as they are, are afraid of the Jarlax too. We may not be able to convince them to join us. I fear if we do not, we will die.

~

The things we have had to sacrifice for this deal terrify me to my core, but the results cannot be denied. Only together can we and the dragons defeat the Jarlax. May the Goddess forgive us for abandoning her and her gifts.

Unknown.