In the valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, legends speak of the Mard Churail—also known as the Roi Mitoo or Heer Blas. Casanova of the macabre world, he ensnares the hearts of women.
Caught in his amorous desires, he set his eyes on a woman but her husband, a formidable hunter, enjoyed the protection of the deity Rachhali.
The Roi Mitto was bound by the time of Pishin (Midday, in Shina), for it was the only window when it could only claim the spirit of its prey.
One day, as the hunter rested under a tree after a mountainous expedition, the Roi Mitoo approached stealthily.Â
Silently, it absorbed the warmth of the hunter's body, sealing his fate. Days later, the hunter succumbed to an unknown fate.
In the aftermath, Heer Blas married the young widow. Soon after, she accused Roi of being a part of obscene rituals with the notorious witches of the valley.
Legend has it that one night, as witches and Roi revelled in their clandestine ceremonies, the wife seized the opportunity to escape.
When Roi found out, the witches soared through the night, quick as lightning, intercepting her as she was crossing a bridge.Â
They spirited her away to the secluded mountain valleys and unveiled a sacrificial slab, murdering the woman.
They beckoned to Roi, who obeyed at once. He then dismembered the lifeless form of his former wife. Variations differ, some say that he murdered her himself as well.
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