Mahjarrat

The Mahjarrat, also once known as The Stern Judges of Icthlarin by Menaphites such as Queen Senliten, are a warlike race, originally from the realm of Freneskae. Originally brought to Gielinor by the Menaphite god Icthlarin, they soon became the most powerful soldiers of the god Zaros. They appear in several quests.

Most Mahjarrat allied themselves with Zamorak when he betrayed Zaros. It is unknown how many still survive to this day, as Azzanadra states "Be aware, mortal, there could be as many as a hundred of us still upon this world, with dozens more returned from other realms, but equally there could be as few as ten, each as mighty as one of your armies."

Arrival in Gielinor
The Mahjarrat were brought to Gielinor from the world of Freneskae, a plane of endless war and conflict. Although the number of Mahjarrat that first arrived is unknown, it is generally believed to be much higher than those that exist today.

Icthlarin, the Menaphite god of the dead, took the Mahjarrat with him when he arrived in Gielinor. During Missing My Mummy, the Pharaoh Queen mentions an 'Oath of Obedience' which the Mahjarrat took before their arrival upon Gielinor, which means Icthlarin may not have enslaved their race, but negotiated their service, although what he offered their race in return is, at this time, currently unkown, however the Mahjarrat apparently never fully succumbed to his rule and Icthlarin never had the influence he thought. The Mahjarrats are also known as the "Stern Judges" or the "faceless ones" (due to their shape-shifting abilities) to the Desert locals.

For years the Mahjarrat served Icthlarin. Eventually, though, they came into the service of Zaros, a god that saw their value as soldiers. Two different stories tell the tale of their shift in leadership. One suggests that Icthlarin abandoned them for their violent behaviour and turned his full attention to aiding his father Tumeken. Another says that Zaros offered the Mahjarrat power in his growing empire, and that the Mahjarrat, tired of being denied war, gladly accepted.

Regardless, the Mahjarrat soon became Zaros' greatest soldiers.

Under Zaros's Rule
Zaros, with many humans, Mahjarrat, vampyres, dragon riders, demons, and other races at his disposal, soon established an unrivaled empire in eastern Gielinor. Nearly all of modern-day Misthalin, Asgarnia, northern Morytania, and the Wilderness soon came under his rule. The Mahjarrat, his greatest soldiers, reveled in the bloodshed.

The Zarosian Kingdom was one of great prosperity, but the Mahjarrat were not content. Soon they became divided and began to work towards their own ends. The most significant of these was Zamorak.

Zamorak was amongst the strongest beings to ever walk the earth. He earned himself the nickname "The Scourge of the Battlefield", ruthlessly proving his power in combat countless times. This earned him favour with Zaros, who quickly gave him the rank of general. Yet, despite this, Zamorak was not willing to serve Zaros, and even as his kingdom expanded from Senntisten, Zamorak plotted against him.

The Staff of Armadyl eventually fell into Zamorak's hands. With the assistance of individuals such as Zemouregal, Lucien, Lord Drakan, Hazeel, Viggora, and Enakhra, Zamorak developed a way to defeat the Empty Lord.

A great battle raged in Zaros' greatest stronghold. Zamorak, backed by nearly all of the Mahjarrat, attacked Zaros in the throne room. While Zamorak fought, his allies ensured that none of Zaros' bodyguards would interfere. By pure luck, Zamorak impaled Zaros with the Staff. However, Zaros was still a god, and while choking Zamorak, miraculously tripped. The staff impaled both Zaros and Zamorak, and, acting like a lightning rod, transferred Zaros' power into Zamorak. Zaros faded from existence, while Zamorak seemed to become even more real. Now a god, Zamorak went on to conquer that which Zaros had.

Under Zamorak's Rule
Despite the intense hatred between many of the gods, they all agreed that Zamorak must be punished. Even as Zamorak stood triumphant, the gods banished him from Gielinor.

Not long after his banishment, Zamorak returned, his godly powers now fully developed. Calling upon his former warriors, Zamorak declared war upon all that opposed him. Thus began the God Wars. Throughout the Wars, the Mahjarrat would prove a terrible force on the battlefield.

The Zamorakian Mahjarrat waged war upon what few Zarosians remained. Most were forced into the Kharidian Desert, where they live as bandits today. The Zarosian Mahjarrat were all imprisoned, killed, or forced into hiding.

Four thousand years into the Wars, Guthix awoke from his slumber. Seeing the horrors that had been unleashed upon his world, he demanded an end to the Wars. Zamorak was forced to leave the plane, though some Mahjarrat continue to serve him loyally even today.

Post-God Wars
By the end of the wars, only a handful of Mahjarrat still survived. Though they continued to serve Zamorak and Zaros, they became very divided in their actions.

Today, the Mahjarrat are still working towards an unknown goal, and a few can still be found in the far reaches of Gielinor. Most are now travelling "north" to complete the Rejuvenation Ritual discovered in the quest The Tale of the Muspah.

Abilities
Legends tell of the Mahjarrat's many great powers, although whether they are shared by all Mahjarrat or only apply to certain individuals is unknown.

The Mahjarrat live incredibly long lives, to the point where they are nearly immortal. Even some of those that arrived in the Second Age still live, and the rest are suspected to have died in combat. The Mahjarrat Azzanadra refers to himself as old, his arrival in Gielinor occurring between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago. However, how old he was when he arrived is unknown.

Magically, the Mahjarrat are second to none, and can use magic without the assistance of runestones. Not all use magic primarily, but with training they are nearly unstoppable. For instance, some can cast spells that prevent the victim from aging, but at the cost of making them nearly entirely immobile. They use this to their advantage, torturing and starving their victims for hundreds to thousands of years. They are also capable of preventing wounds from healing, inflicting pain with their minds, raising the dead, and placing themselves in a sleep that, in time, can heal even the most severe of wounds. Records also tell of single Mahjarrat darkening the skies with living blood and clouds that take on dangerous forms and block the sky. Those particularly skilled are known even to possess the ability to hide Godly energy from detection and traverse the Realm of Dreams. They are also some of the original users of Ancient Magicks.

Physically, most Mahjarrat are very strong. Many can easily shatter bones with their bare hands and defeat many armed humans. Their essence seems to be bound into the four elements Smoke, Blood, Ice and Shadow, as both Azzanadra and Akthanakos have been captured by binding their essence in four diamonds representing those elements.

There are rumours that they are the original users and makers of the powerful Dragon equipment that is now in use today, though Fairy Aeryka in Zanaris claims that it was made by the Necrosyrtes. There is speculation that the Necrosyrtes could be the Dragonkin, or that it could simply be another name for the Mahjarrat.

They seem to have two forms, an animal or human based form, and a lich (undead) form. This allows for multiple fighting styles and more easy concealment.

Lucien


Lucien is a mysterious man who first appears in the city of Ardougne, by the Flying Horse Pub. He is a mage who dresses in long black robes and a hood, and he has a limp. He is apparently very evil, as the Wise Old Man of Draynor Village is mortified when you tell him of your adventure concerning him.

Lucien is not liked by the Mahjarrat who still follow Zaros (Azzanadra calls him a 'dog'), so it is likely he sided with Zamorak. At least some Mahjarrat followers of Zamorak also distrust him now (Zemouregal has refused to ally with him), perhaps because they are aware of his current plans.

Lucien is well aware that Mahjarrat can become gods (Zamorak has done so) and plans to become one himself. He also has been raising an army of undead and intends to use it to overrun Gielinor.

In the Temple of Ikov quest, players can choose to help or block Lucien from obtaining the Staff of Armadyl. Shortly before the God Wars began, this staff was involved in the event that banished Zaros and deified Zamorak. In the quest, he gives players his pendant, granting them access to the Chamber of Fear. During the quest players may switch to follow Armadyl and murder Lucien, or steal the Staff of Armadyl and hand it over to Lucien. Even if players kill Lucien, he reappears in Ardougne after the quest, as a simple death is not nearly enough to destroy him. If players prevent Lucien from obtaining the staff in the quest, he later recruits Movario to steal it for him, as revealed in the Armadyl communique.

In the While Guthix Sleeps quest, players discover that Movario, on Lucien's behalf, is searching for a powerful source of energy in the Tears of Guthix cavern. It is revealed that this energy comes from the Stone of Jas. Lucien is discovered to be raising an army of undead in the Wilderness near his camp. The Crux Eqal, an alliance of Guthix-worshiping druids, the Guardians of Armadyl, and the Saradominist Temple Knights, is organized to attempt to stop Lucien. Eight powerful heroes are sent to confront Lucien, who easily defeats them and kills six outright, including Hazelmere, a powerful gnome mage, and Cyrisus, a hero at level 99 abilities in all melee-oriented combat skills.

When the player discovers the Stone of Jas in the Ancient Guthix Temple deep in the Tears of Guthix Cavern, Lucien appears and takes the stone. With the Staff of Armadyl and the Stone of Jas, Lucien seems likely to attempt to become a god. At the end of the quest, it is strongly suggested that Lucien will soon free the powerful and evil Dragonkin so that they can attack the 'weaker races' of Gielinor.

Akthanakos


Akthanakos is involved in the Enakhra's Lament Quest. He at first appears to be a God having the head of a camel, but in the end of the quest his head turns into a skull showing he is dead. It is unknown if he simply has a camel's head or if it is simply a helmet but most lean towards thinking it is a camel's head since Mahjarrat are shapeshifters thus making no need for a helmet.

Akthanakos fought his rival, Enakhra, in a temple that she built dedicated to Zamorak in the Kharidian Desert. He was transformed into a Boneguard when he was defeated. At the end of the quest, Akthanakos' true allegiance is revealed during a cutscene and he actually follows Zaros instead of being a God himself. He is a Mahjarrat and was against Zamorak's rebellion against Zaros. Akthanakos teleported after the cutscene to a place known as "the north", which has been mentioned several other times.

The aggressive ugthanki camels are named after Akthanakos.

Azzanadra
Azzanadra is an ancient Mahjarrat from the second Age with incredible magical powers who followed Zaros, and always was loyal to him. Most information we have on him is from the Desert Treasure quest. He is the original user of the Ancient Magicks in RuneScape. When Zaros was defeated, Azzanadra continued to fight against the forces of Zamorak and Saradomin to try and help save Zaros's House and he was found to be immortal, so they locked him in a pyramid and bound his essence into four Diamonds, which players must retrieve in the Desert treasure quest to release Azzanadra from his prison. There is controversy about whether Azzanadra has died or not. When found he is seen floating with no legs and somewhat transparent leading many to believe he is dead and a ghost but not only can the player speak with him without a ghost speak amulet, but he speaks as if he is still quite alive. He has a purple jackal headdress (confirmed by Jagex) and he wears purple chest armour, Azzanadra was imprisoned for 3 millennia however he lost feeling of time during his imprisonment

Enakhra


Enakhra is the only known female Mahjarrat who follows Zamorak and helped rebel against Zaros. In the Enakhra's Lament Quest, it is shown that she knows Ancient Magic. She defeated Akthanakos (see above), her rival when he entered the temple that she built dedicated to Zamorak. At the end of the Enakhra's Lament quest the freed Akthanakos and Enakhra teleport to "the north" to continue their battle.



Hazeel
Hazeel is a follower of Zamorak. He was almost like a brother to Zamorak. Many years ago he was warlord of the region that is now Ardougne. He was later killed by an ancestor of Ceril Carnillien who later claimed his estate. In the Hazeel Cult Quest, players have a choice to revive him or leave him imprisoned. Joining the Cult and reviving Hazeel has been more productive with a larger reward. If the player sides with the Cult of Hazeel and listens to him, he says something similar to "I must go and make preparations with my fellow Mahjarrat to the North."

Zemouregal


Zemouregal is a Mahjarrat follower of Zamorak. Not much is known about him, and only first appears in-game in the Defender of Varrock quest. Zemouregal confronted Arrav in the Land of Dreams and tried to steal his famous and powerful shield. He eventually launched an assault on Varrock with the aid of an army of the undead. He nearly won, but was stopped eventually by Arrav. Arrav, by saving the city, also sacrificed himself. Zemouregal killed him and fled with his body, to resurrect him and use him as his general.

Zemouregal returns in the Defender Of Varrock quest, and is first seen in the Chaos Temple Dungeon with Arrav by his side as well as Sharathteerk. These three attack Varrock Castle, and at the end of the quest Zemouregal heads for "The North".

Zamorak
Zamorak was not always a god but was once a Mahjarrat. How he became a god was once not known, and the specifics are still a bit fuzzy. However, it is now known by talking to ghosts involved with a revolt which he led.

He used to be a Mahjarrat general of the army of the great god Zaros until he and some of his close followers decided to rebel, and betray Zaros. Using the Staff of Armadyl, which he obtained through a series of circumstances mentioned in more detail during the Ghostly robes miniquest, Zamorak was able to stab Zaros in the back with it whilst his close followers (including Hazeel, Drakan, Zemouregal, a human warrior named Viggora, and some others not mentioned by name) fought off Zaros' body guards. He stabbed Zaros in the back with the staff but this did not do much at first other than sending Zaros into a blind rage. Even though Zamorak was a Mahjarrat, who originate from a plane of eternal war and thus are powerful fighters, Zaros was still able to beat him.

However, when Zaros had him in his grasp of a throat and was ready to deliver the death blow, he tripped, thus causing the Staff of Armadyl to impale Zamorak as well as him, allowing Zaros' power to flow through the staff, and into Zamorak. After this, Zaros faded out of the dimension while cursing all humans involved in the revolt to be invisible ghosts for the rest of eternity, and Zamorak seemed more solid, although he did not become a god until a short time later.



Jhallan
Jhallan is a Mahjarrat that is first met during the quest The Tale of the Muspah. Although Azzanadra first talks about Jhallan, not much was known about him or his whereabouts until now. He is first frozen inside ice in the form of the Muspah, a mythical creature in Majharrat lore, but when released from the ice, he transforms to his skeletal form. He is extremely weak when woken, and talks about the Mahjarrat ritual and how it'll help him regain strength. He asks for the player to take him to a place where nobody will find him, but still within range of the ritual so that he can regain his powers. Jhallan's allegiance is to Zaros.

He claims he saw the beginning of the God Wars, when the Wilderness was still a serene paradise.

Sliske
Sliske was an ally of Zaros during the God Wars. According to The Fall of Six, a tale describing the fall of the barrows brothers, some players believe Sliske gave the barrows brothers their powers, and lead to their downfall, (though this is purely speculation). Azzanadra describes him as 'Sliske the serpent-tongued, who delves the shadows'.

The 'S' found on the Enchanted top could be linked to Sliske (seeming as purple is associated with Zarosian Mahjarrat and the symbol on both are the same).

General Khazard


General Khazard and his pet hellhound Bouncer are slain during the Fight Arena quest. He can be found after the quest north of the agility log near Sinclair Mansion, but is only visible when wearing the Ring of visibility.

Kharshai
Kharshai was neutral during the God Wars, and Azzandra speculates that his neutrality has earned a prison such as his, since he feels no trace of him on Gielinor.

Others

 * Mizzarch, Lamistard and Ralvash and are listed by Azzanadra, as being Mahjarrat who "faced the Void" during a ritual in The North.


 * Muspah was mentioned by the Chaos Elemental, and was suspected to be another imprisoned Mahjarrat with possible ties to Sliske, but turned out to be Jhallan.


 * Lucien's daughter is mentioned in the Temple of Ikov quest. Lucien seems to regard her as weak. It is unknown if she really exist, or if he made her up.

Trivia

 * It is unknown how Mahjarrat is pronounced. Based on Postbag from the Hedge Issue 31, it is inferred that the word is pronounced Mah-Jor-Raht.
 * Using the "Mah-Jor-Raht." pronunciation the literal arabic language translation of this would be "trapped one's" or "trapped people."
 * It looks like most of the Mahjarrat are heading to "The North". Enakhra, Akthanakos, Hazeel, Azzanadra or Zemouregal are just some of those who say this. Previously it was speculated that The North could be a term to their homeland or Lucien's base. Conversations with various Mahjarrat during quests indicate that some ritual takes place there to restore the power of the Mahjarrat at the expense of the life of one of their number.
 * Jhallan indicated that this ritual takes place somewhere just north of the Ice Path on Trollweiss Mountain.
 * It is worth noting, that several Mahjarrat have different coloured eyes. Lucien and Zemouregal's red eyes are possibly a family trait, considering they are cousins, whilst Akthanakos possesses pale blue eyes (seen when in his camel headed from), and his rival Enakhra, whilst seen in her human form, appears to possess Green eyes, although since many of the Mahjarrat (including Akthanakos, Enakhra, Azzanadra and Hazeel) are yet to be viewed in their 'updated' Lich form, it is unknown if this has any relevance.
 * Hazeel has similar facial markings as the Oracle, notably the three red stripes on their faces. This has lead to speculation of her status as a mahjarrat, although the same could be said for the Tribesmen on Karamja, Vannaka and the woman in West Ardougne, as they too sport the same three red stripes.