#lofm.encyclopedia

[kaatiba]

Legends of Mourra ✧ An Encyclopedia

↳ The Âras is an antelope with many-branched, black horns of a material similar to ebony, and when the wind passes through them it creates a haunting musical sound. Its hide is dun coloured and striped with glimmering white. It is a peaceful creature, and ranges in size from that of the daintiest antelopes to as large as the hardy draft horses of Diara to, according to unsubstantiated rumours, as large as the largest trees of the mysterious Khadra Wood it calls its home. Indeed, many suspect its size changes according to its will. The Xyl do not hunt it, for it is considered a sacred animal. Children are said to be lured into the forest’s depths by the music of its horns, and when they return—if they return—they’re always a little strange afterwards. In reality, the children that are found are returned home by the Xyl, who sedate them with a harmless elixir so they do not remember their journey, in order to keep the location and other details of Xyl settlements a secret from outsiders. [Inspiration: the kudu, Shadhavar/Âras from the Wonders of Creation, the Forest Spirit of Princess Mononoke (1999), the white stag of Arthurian legend, megafauna, and this tumblr post by @iguanamouth​​]

original images via: Jack van Belzen on Unsplash

lofm taglist (open!): @poetinprose​​​, @jellybeanswriting​​​, @treesandwords​​​, @sculpture-in-a-period-drama​​​

[kaatiba]

Legends of Mourra ✧ An Encyclopedia

↳ Al’Amain is a south-eastern kingdom with the strongest naval force in the country of Khaldun, and was established shortly after Mourra’s founding, making it the second oldest of the Three Kingdoms. It is known primarily for its exceptional oud, ships, and timber due to its proximity to the Khadra Wood, for it alone has trade agreements with the Xyl, who call the Khadra Wood their home and who are the only people that can safely harvest from the Wood.

Al’Amain is also known for its pearls and glass beads. In general, it is an incredibly wealthy kingdom, with an established naval trade with Ubar and Sinia (two lands of the far East).

Al'Amaini fashion tends to be flowy, multilayered, heavily beaded, and very colourful. They tend to wear long tunics paired with wide-legged trousers and elaborate turbans, regardless of gender. Al'Amaini's do not generally practice polygyny, unlike Mourrans and Numanis.

Al’Amain and Mourra have long been sister-kingdoms and close allies. It is Sirin’s birthplace, and she and Haitham (the king of Mourra) were betrothed at birth. At a young age, Sirin was brought from Al’Amain to live in Mourra and learn all she needed to be queen.

Al’Amain is ruled by Sirin’s grandmother Bilqis with her king-consort Salahadin, himself a Mourran and Haitham’s grand-uncle. Al’Amain’s rulership is through matrilineal primogeniture.

[Inspiration: Fatimid Caliphate, the Amazigh (Berbers), Tunis, and the Rain Queen of Balobedu]

original images via: Bas Glaap, Haythem Gataa, Janik Lierfeld, Khalil Yamoun, Kirill Pershin, Marin Tulard on Unsplash

lofm taglist (open!): @poetinprose​, @jellybeanswriting​, @treesandwords​, @sculpture-in-a-period-drama​

general writing taglist (open!): @muddshadow​, @lockejhaven​

[kaatiba]

Legends of Mourra ✧ An Encyclopedia

↳ The Anqa’ is a pure white, crane-like bird with two pairs of wings, a golden crest, and a beak and talons of gold. Her voice is the most beautiful in all of Creation, moving even stone to tears. It is said that the folk hero Bilal’s voice was nearest to hers in beauty.

The Anqa’ lives in the Garden of the Sun at the summit of Jabal Qaf, which no other being can ascend. Her tears heal all ailments and poisons, and her wings fan the flames of the sun at her enemies. She is characterized as a wise and merciful creature and has a lifespan of thousands of years.

Near the end of her life, she lays a single egg of white marble ribboned with gold, from which her successor will hatch only upon her death—for the shell of her egg is softened by the white fire of her immolation. Rarely sighted, she is considered a harbinger of good fortune and great change.

[Inspiration: the Anqa’ from The Wonders of Creation, the phoenix, the firebird, golden-crested cranes]

original images via: Peter Neumann, alan braeley on Unsplash

general writing taglist (open!): @lockejhaven, @muddshadow

lofm taglist (open!): @jellybeanswriting, @treesandwords

[kaatiba]

Legends of Mourra ✧ An Encyclopedia

↳The Elyoud are a race of giant, winged beings that reside upon Jabal Qaf, that mystical mountain that serves as a gateway between the realms of the Seen and the Unseen. They are said to be very beautiful, extraordinarily long-lived, and generally benevolent to humankind, though they tend to be fey in nature nevertheless. They are ruled by a queen, and she is always succeeded by a favoured daughter. In the Diaran Empire, they are regarded as demigods and venerated as such.

Rarely do the Elyoud leave their mountain for anything but battle against the djinn. Their preferred weapons are bow and spear, but they fight with the sword as well. All their weapons blaze with an unearthly fire that is fatal to the djinn. It is said any arrow fletched with a feather from the wing of an Elyoud will never miss its mark. Their mounts are the winged steeds the haizum, which are wild and will submit to no hand but theirs.

[Inspiration: Pari, Elioud, Nephilim, the Fair Folk]

original images via: Samuel Ridge, Possessed Photography, Duncan Sanchez on Unsplash

general writing taglist (open!): @lockejhaven​​

lofm taglist (open!): @muddshadow​​, @hyba​​, @jellybeanswriting​​, @treesandwords​

[kaatiba]

Legends of Mourra ✧ An Encyclopedia

↳ Djinn are beings of smokeless fire whose true forms are invisible in the mortal realm, and who range in nature from mischievous to malicious. They have societies, rulers, and genders, as well as shapeshifting abilities and magic. It is they who taught humanity magic.

They are generally attracted to impurity, despair, violence, and alcohol, which allows them to access, prey on, or influence humans. They are capable of possession but can be driven away and rebuffed by purity of body and state and by verses from the Book of Revelation, either recited or worn as a protective talisman. Efficacy depends on the strength of the djinn and the spiritual strength of the invoker.

Djinn can also be commanded and controlled, either by magic or by one who has the spiritual strength to master them, but they are inherently tricksters and will always try to harm or subvert both their masters and any commands given to them.

Their domain lies beyond Jabal Qaf, but they often slip into the mortal realm and cause trouble on the earthly plane through various access points. Their sworn enemies are the Elyoud.

[Inspiration: Islam]

original images via: Kevin Escate, Vladislav Nahorny,  Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

general writing taglist (open!): @lockejhaven​

lofm taglist (open!): @muddshadow​, @hyba​, @jellybeanswriting​