Mahjarrat

The Mahjarrat (pronounced MAH-jer-att) are a very powerful, warlike, and long-lived race from the realm of Freneskae.^[1] The Mahjarrat have powerful innate magical powers, some of them delving into necromancy or manipulating the Shadow Realm, and all of them capable of shapeshifting and sensing the presence of another member of their race.

Although not immortal, Mahjarrat age slowly. In their usual form, they take the appearance of skeletal humanoids with gems embedded into their foreheads. They are primarily followers of the gods Zamorak or Zaros and often reference "going North." Additionally, General Khazard and his men make reference to a 'ritual' amongst the Mahjarrat performed 'in the place of half light and ice' when the planets are aligned, which may be related.

Little has been directly said about the origin of the Mahjarrat, though they likely originated on Freneskae.

The Mahjarrat came to Gielinor during the Second Age, being brought by Icthlarin and Amascut, who had ventured out into the universe looking for allies to help them in the Kharidian–Zarosian War.^[2] Under Icthlarin's leadership, the Mahjarrat became known as the Stern Judges of Icthlarin^[3] and were able to overwhelm the Zarosian invaders. However after fighting them back and securing peace, it was not long before unrest began to grow. One of the Mahjarrat defected, switching their allegiance to Zaros and the Zarosian Empire and convinced many other Mahjarrat to do the same.^[4] The Mahjarrat felt that Zaros truly understood their nature and his greater power would bring them more glory, according to Azzanadra.^[5] The Mahjarrat's betrayal caused the war to break out again.

With the Mahjarrat on Zaros' side, the Zarosians' victory was inevitable, until Tumeken ventured out on the battlefield, sacrificing himself to fend off the invaders. The surviving Zarosians were then forced to retreat.^[6]

After centuries in the service of Zaros, unrest and dissatisfaction began to grow among some of the Mahjarrat, particularly the general Zamorak, who began to plan a rebellion with some of his fellow Mahjarrat.^[7] When Zamorak got his hands on the Staff of Armadyl, he and his allies (including Hazeel and Zemouregal) began the rebellion, which resulted in Zamorak ascending to godhood, Zaros' banishment and the beginning of the end of the Zarosian Empire.

Many of the Mahjarrat took part in the following God Wars either fighting for Zamorak or remaining loyal to Zaros. Azzanadra is a particularly important loyalist of the latter, who was locked inside the Ancient Pyramid by a Zamorakian and Saradominist alliance. Sometime during the Fourth Age, Avarrockan knights were sent to eliminate Enakhra, but failed. Enakhra built a temple and seemingly renounced Zamorak, successfully luring Akthanakos and enthralled him to serve as her boneguard.

Hazeel, who oversaw present-day Ardougne, was eventually overthrown and put into a state of torpor by Saradominists led by the Carnillean family. He still maintained a group of followers, who sought to revive their master.

Jhallan, after sealing Ghorrock with Mizzarch, fell into a deep slumber, but had a nightmare and transformed into a Strange Creature.

Little is known of how many Mahjarrat were left by the time of the God Wars, but as of the Fifth Age only a handful of known Mahjarrat remain, many of them in hiding or imprisoned, with most knowledge about them faded into obscurity.

Currently, only a few Mahjarrat are known to be alive and active. During year 169 of the Fifth Age, an adventurer would play a pivotal role in releasing more of the Mahjarrat from their hiding places, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Akthanakos is a Zarosian Mahjarrat. He was imprisoned and trapped in the form of a boneguard for millennia by his rival Enakhra. He was eventually rescued by an adventurer in year 169 of the Fifth Age. He is particularly known for sometimes appearing with a camel's head similar to the members of the Menaphite Pantheon, who were also depicted as humans with animal heads. The Ugthanki camels of the Kharidian Desert are named after him.

Azzanadra is a very powerful and devout Zarosian Mahjarrat who remained loyal to Zaros after his defeat. Azzanadra took part in the God Wars to protect the loyal and punish the traitors and enemies of Zaros. Being considered an unstoppable force, it took a combined effort of Zamorakians and Saradominists to overpower and imprison him within the Ancient Pyramid, where he remained until year 169 of the Fifth Age, when he was released by an adventurer.

Bilrach is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for his name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire lists him as alive, Zamorak's second in command, and his last known location as Senntisten. According to Zemouregal's Mahjarrat notes, Bilrach is of average power, and has yet to make an appearance ahead of the approaching Ritual of Rejuvenation.

Enakhra is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat. Enakhra had feelings for Zamorak and built a temple in his honour in the distant Kharidian Desert. When she showed it to Zamorak, he was uninterested and more interested in a weapon that could kill a god. Saddened by Zamorak's rejection, Enakhra remained in the temple and did not come out. At some point, she managed to lure her rival Akthanakos to her temple, where she trapped him as a boneguard. Many years later a crusade of knights from Avarrocka came to kill her, but she easily overpowered them and trapped the only survivor in the temple. Years later a Zamorakian mage and an adventurer uncovered the temple that had disappeared into the sand. Enakhra's hold over Akthanakos was broken, and they both left the temple for the North.

Hazeel is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat warlord. Hazeel was one of Zamorak's closest allies and participated in the betrayal of Zaros and the following God Wars. In the Fourth Age, Hazeel established a Zamorakian state in what is today central Kandarin, with Hazeel ruling the place that would eventually become Ardougne. In the early years of the Fifth Age a Saradominist resistance led by the ancestor of the Carnillean family managed to sneak into Hazeel's mansion and kill him. However, being a Mahjarrat, Hazeel proved difficult to kill and he entered a state of torpor, from which he was unable to wake up. Hazeel's body was hidden by the Cult of Hazeel in the sewers outside the city, where they tried to awaken him. In the year 169 of the Fifth Age an adventurer either foiled the attempt to resurrect Hazeel, or helped in restoring him.

Jhallan is a mysterious Zarosian Mahjarrat met during Secrets of the North. Initially he is met and fought as the Strange Creature in the Ghorrock dungeon, but he reverts back to his original form once defeated. Apparently he took on the form inadvertently as a consequence of having a nightmare. Before the player can talk further with him, he's captured and teleported away by an assassin. According to Zemouregal's Mahjarrat notes, he is one of the weakest of the Mahjarrat.

Kharshai is a Mahjarrat whose last known location was Senntisten. Searching the golem for his name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire reveals he fled Senntisten during an investigation into his loyalty. His current status is unknown. According to Zemouregal's Mahjarrat notes, Kharshai is of average power, but has disappeared, and did not attend the last Ritual of Rejuvenation.

General Khazard is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat, although his followers think of him as an undead human maniac. He is currently involved in a conflict with the gnomes of the Tree Gnome Village. He's also running the Fight Arena in the centre of his camp, where kidnapped victims and slaves are pitted against dangerous monsters. After capturing the nobleman Justin Servil, and his son Sammy, an adventurer faced Khazard's monsters, and Khazard himself, in order to free them. Khazard would later try to get revenge on the adventurer by luring them into a trap, but this plan failed. He wields some power in the Shadow Realm.

Born towards the end of the God Wars, Khazard is the youngest Mahjarrat and son of Palkeera.

Lamistard was a Zamorakian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for his name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire lists him as alive, and his last known location as Annakarl.

Zemouregal described Lamistard as being "fairly weak", and as such was a priority for sacrifice. Initially failing to appear at the 16th Ritual, Lamistard was found by Zemouregal in the basement of his fortress, where he would be taken prisoner and would later end up being sacrificed.

Lucien is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat and necromancer. Lucien was responsible for an infamous attack on Varrock in Year 154 of the Fifth Age, where he attempted to invade the city with an army of undead. The city was prepared with a sufficient amount of runes and the invasion was surprisingly quickly ended. After his failure, Lucien decided to seek out the powerful artefact the Staff of Armadyl to increase his power, and asked an adventurer to infiltrate the Temple of Ikov to retrieve the staff. The adventurer either brought the staff back to Lucien or allied with the Guardians of Armadyl and struck Lucien down. He has hired the treasure hunter Movario in order to find artefacts of power for him, allowing him to seize not only the Staff, but also the Stone of Jas, making him tremendously powerful and threatening.

Mizzarch was a Zarosian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for his name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire lists him as alive, and his last known location as Ghorrock.

Mizzarch was described by Zemouregal as being "rather weak" and that his fellow Zarosian Mahjarrat did not consider him to be much of an ally. He was terminated in Gielinor's 15th Ritual.

Palkeera was a Zamorakian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for her name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire lists her as alive, and her last known location as the Kharidian Desert.

She died near the end of the God Wars, shortly after giving birth to General Khazard.

Ralvash was a Zamorakian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for his name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire lists him as alive, and his last known location as Carrallanger.

Zemouregal described Ralvash as being a Mahjarrat of "average power", "ugly", and that "his eye sockets [were] too close together". Ralvash was terminated in Gielinor's 17th Ritual.

Sliske is a devious Zarosian Mahjarrat described as the 'serpent-tongued' and delving in the shadows, known as a deceiving and plotting trickster. Sliske was responsible for giving the Barrows brothers their powers and equipment; he followed the Saradominist brothers on their crusade into Morytania to liberate the land from Lord Drakan. They were formidable warriors and pushed through Drakan's lands until they reached the walls of Meiyerditch, where Sliske removed their powers and thus the brothers were slaughtered and the crusade failed. Sliske raised the brothers from their burial tombs as undead wights, claiming them as servants of Zaros. He also tricked Ashuelot Reis into releasing Nex from the Ancient Prison. He also conjured an elaborate scheme that allowed him to sabotage his supposed ally, Azzanadra, and hinder Zaros' return, whilst also allowing him to steal the Elder Horn, which was hidden away by the Forgotten Four.

Trindine was a Zarosian Mahjarrat. Searching the golem for her name during Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire reveals she was dispatched to Kharid-et, failed to return, and is presumed to be deceased.

Wahisietel is a Zarosian Mahjarrat mentioned during Secrets of the North. During the God Wars he brought the news that the Zarosian capital had fallen to the Zarosians stationed in Ghorrock. It is implied that he is still alive.

Zamorak is the god of chaos and ascended from Mahjarrat to divinity by stabbing his master Zaros with the Staff of Armadyl. Zamorak was a great general in the Zarosian Army and skilled in melee combat, but not so much magic. Having been in Zaros' service for many years, Zamorak began to grow dissatisfied and began to plot a rebellion with other Mahjarrat and high-ranking members of Zarosian society. When Zamorak was brought the mythical Staff of Armadyl, he and his accomplices launched their attack, which led to Zaros' fall and eventually the God Wars, a long series of conflicts lasting about four thousand years. Zamorak was eventually banished from Gielinor by Guthix, who awoke and established the Edicts of Guthix to keep all gods of noteworthy power away.

Zemouregal is a Zamorakian Mahjarrat, a necromancer and the infamous enemy of Avarrocka (current day Varrock). He was one of the Mahjarrat who decided to rebel along with Zamorak. Zemouregal is particularly skilled in necromancy and attempted to lay siege on Varrock with an army of undead in the Fourth Age, but was fought off by the legendary hero Arrav and his magic shield. Although his invasion failed, Zemouregal succeeded in killing Arrav and resurrected him as an undead slave, intending to use him in a future scheme, which was foiled during Defender of Varrock.

• In RuneScape 3, the name "Mahjarrat" means "children of Mah", as they were created by the Elder god Mah, who also created Seren and Zaros. After Zaros left Mah, she began unintentionally to dream the Mahjarrat into existence. This weakened her, and Seren ultimately taught the Mahjarrat the Ritual of Rejuvenation, which in its original state was for the purpose of sacrificing one of their members to restore Mah. However, these rituals did not fully restore Mah, who began to dream more monstrous and instinctual beings into existence, ultimately causing Seren to also leave her behind. In Old School RuneScape, the Memory of Seren's dialogue appears to be referring to this time period.
• In RuneScape 3, General Khazard is revealed to be the son of Zamorak.
• The Emblem Trader is implied to be working for or otherwise allied with one of the Mahjarrat, as when you sell him an archaic emblem, he will say "Thank you. My master in the north will be very pleased."
• According to Hazeel, the Mahjarrat ability to sense their fellow Mahjarrat is obscured near the ritual site.^[8]

v t e Mahjarrat
Zamorakian	Bilrach Enakhra General Khazard Hazeel Lamistard Lucien Palkeera Ralvash Zamorak Zemouregal
Zarosian	Akthanakos Azzanadra Jhallan Mizzarch Sliske Trindine Wahisietel
Unknown allegiance	Kharshai