S'Kra Mur Origins
The Origin Story - The Eight Gifts
S'Kra Mur lore tells that originally, they were created as nothing more than monsters, albeit intelligent ones. The singular purpose of this creation was to bring discord. It was not until Hav'roth and Peri'el stepped in that the creatures they once were became recognized as a people. At the time of their uprising, they were the sixth of the Seven Peoples.
The story is told that it began with Ushnish. The Serpent of Discord, ever true to his moniker, created intelligent and deadly reptilians designed to harass and torment the Humans. Hav'roth looked at the creatures, and with his brilliant intuition he saw their unfulfilled potential. He gave them the gifts of the mind, further upraising them. Peri'el watched the cold, cruel acts these creatures committed and wept. She gave them the gifts of the tail. These gifts are oft referred to as the gifts of the heart by other races. Together, they are referred to as the Eight Gifts. In more modern times, some would begin to call this the very beginnings of the Singularity.
The S'Kra Kor
Not all S'Kra received all eight of the gifts. Those that did not fell away into an offshoot group that became known as the S'Kra Kor. Their name, S'Kra Kor, means Tall People, though many S'Kra Mur would balk at calling them people at all. These creatures, brought into being by Ushnish, are said to lack the gifts of Hav'roth and Peri'el, though there are certainly enough indicators of them having received Hav'roth's gifts at least. They are often physically identified by possessing glistening black scales or by having wickedly spiked or barbed tails.
In modern times, they are known the worship the World Dragon, though which faction of Dragon Priest they tend towards is either not known or has yet to be noted. Additionally, the S'Kra Kor are reported to routinely attack the island of Taisidon.
More on Dragon Worship can be found here: Religion and Beliefs of the S'Kra Mur
The Gifts of Ushnish
- (Life) - Not recognized as one of the Eight Gifts.
- Intelligence
- Strength
The Gifts of Hav'roth (The Gifts of the Mind)
- Language
- Creativity
- Magical talent
The Gifts of Peri'el (The Gifts of the Tail)
- Honor
- Love
- Pride
The Splitting of the S'Kra Mur Homeland
- Creation of the Archipelago
The creation story of the the archipelago begins with the story of Sons of Hav'roth. Mhalush, Dhrakhh, and Zaarin each wished to wed Norayaz, the Maiden of Peri'el. The eldest, Zaarin was chosen and the two wed, however, Dhrakhh was beside himself with jealousy and rage and forged a q'zhalata.
His intent was to murder Norayaz, claiming that her union to his brother was evil and would bring the curse of Ushnish. in truth, he simply wished to kill her because he could not have her for himself.
However, Dhrakhh's q'zhalata failed and his brother Zaarin drank the poison instead and fell over, dead. The fury of Hav'roth was immense and in his rage, he shattered the homeland of the S'Kra, giving birth to the Reshalian archipelago.
With his ru'at split and the lands of the S'Kra Mur nearly destroyed, Mhalush donned the robes of the Silver Arm and led his people across the seas and to the mainland, where they traveled north and settled near what is likely present day Lake Gwenalion. It was not until the time of Shorka that the S'Kra Mur moved further north to Velaka and settled into the city of Muspar'i.
- The Lohogi'hhs'ur (Children of the One)
It is unknown when exactly this took place in the overall timeline, but the story passed down is that the Gods were angry with the S'Kra Mur and in order to appease them, a single child was placed in a basket and set into the sea as an offering.
The babe was protected by Peri'el and Eluned until his very small boat landed on the easternmost island of Qi'Reshalia. It was here that he grew into a man and when he came of age, Peri'el came to him and left him with a nest. Those in the nest eventually hatched, becoming Children of the Nest.
Why Reshalian S'Kra Mur Look Different
Another legend passed down through the S'Kra Mur tells the story of a small S'Kra Mur named Rasha'hhshekepi ((Flower of the Small Serpent)) that was instructed by Hav'roth and Peri'el to place tiny golden seashells on her entire tribe as they slept. When the tribe awoke the next day, they found that no longer did they have elongated, sloping faces, but instead, their had flatter faces, their noses only a finger's span from their eyes.
The S'Kra'ur
Much like how the S'Kra Kor came into being, it is by way of divine gifts that the S'Kra Ur came into being. The S'Kra Mur, who had not received this last gift, for the most part, accepted the tale of Rasha'hhshekepi. Though there were some that would refer to it as a disfigurement and claim the Hav'roth foisted it upon them in a display of ire. This offshoot of S'Kra persisted in calling themselves S'Kra'ur (True People). While the S'Kra'ur (or S'Kra Ur) do not physically look different from any other S'Kra Mur that are not of the Lohogi'hhs'ur ((Children of the One)) and therefore did not receive this gift, it is their discriminatory perception that leads them to refer to themselves as another kind of people.
In more modern times, those that carry this belief are few and far between.