Orc Tribes

A village of Jungle Orcs.

The Orc Tribes are several groups of orc communities which are spread out throughout Otrag-Vakh and the Wilds of Zar. The tribes can range from small family groups to huge communities, which generally speaking, answer to no one but their own Vor, or chieftain. However, certain great leaders do emerge occasionally which unite several tribes, which are known as Vor Kal Vor, or Chief of Chiefs.

## Government

Orcs congregate into tribes, which are lead by a Vor, or chieftain, who leads the tribe, and is responsible for ensuring that the shoth, or kin, the members of their tribe, are kept safe and provided for, as well as leading them in battle against their enemies. The chieftain is advised by the Ol'kathi, the shamans, with each tribe possessing one shaman for each of the orc deities.

### Vor

As commanded by their gods, the orcs follow strength. Strength is not necessarily always a matter of how physically powerful one is, but rather relates to ones ability to achieve victory in combat, whether through brute force, skill, or cunning. To this purpose, the chieftain, or Vor in the orc tongue, must retain their title against all who challenge them for their position. One who holds the title of Vor commands great authority in the tribe, and most will follow their word without question, else they risk being beaten by the Vor, or if their transgression is truly severe, killed. However, should one of the shoth feel the Vor is leading the tribe poorly, they are able to challenge them for the position at any time, in a holy rite known as Dor'Shadak.

#### Dor'Shadak

Dor'Shadak is an ancient and sacred rite of the orcs, dating back to the origin of the race in days long forgotten. The gods decreed that the orc people must be strong, and for that, those who rule them must possess unquestionable might. This is determined by Dor'Shadak, wherein two orc warriors engage in honorable combat. Lagrash, the leader of the orc pantheon, God of Honor and War, is invoked by his Ol'kathi, so that he may bear witness to the contest, and whoever he so favors may be gifted with victory. This contest is witnessed by the entire tribe, and the two participants are allowed no outside help, with those who intervene being killed on the spot in order to cleanse the dishonor and prevent the wrath of Lagrash from descending upon the tribe. The participants are allowed no armor or weapons, being armed only with what the gods gifted them with: fists, nails, and fangs. These bouts are viciously brutal, given the Red Joy, the battlefrenzy of the orcs, prevents them from feeling pain during its effects. The battle ends when one of the warriors submits, or is either beaten into unconsciousness or to death. It is very common for the victor to kill the loser, but in the case where the loser is spared, they owe the victor Torvasheth, or a Life Debt. Furthermore, the loser and all their followers are automatically made shoth of the victor, and subject to their rule and their protection.

### Ol'Kathi

Ol'Kathi are the spiritual leaders of an orc tribe, with each tribe possessing five, one to serve as a mouthpiece for each one of the orc gods. They interpret omens sent from the gods, and the more blessed among them are given visions from the gods directly. Their duties require them to keep the Vor informed of the gods' will, and to counsel any of the shoth in need advice on the divine. This gives them a great deal of influence within the tribe, and the Vor who makes an enemy of one of their Ol'Kathi will likely not long hold their position.

Unlike the Vor, Ol'kathi do not compete for the right to attain their position. Each one is surrounded by a number of attendants, who wish to learn the ways of the god they represent. At some point during their career, the reigning Ol'kathi shall witness an omen about one of their attendants, and will recognize this one as their successor, and train them as such.

A fact of note is also that each Ol'Kathi matches the gender of the deity they represent.

## Religion

The orcs worship a pantheon of five deities, whose tenets are deeply rooted into their everyday lives. Orcs do not give sacrifices or physical offerings to their gods, instead, honoring them by following their teachings. The pantheon includes:

Lagrash, the Vor Kal Vor of all orcs, the God of Courage, Honor, and War. He is venerated and loved by all orcs, and they serve him by being honest, keeping their word, and fighting against worthy foes. He is the mate of Dul'kim, and father of Ulkas. Lagrash actively shows his favor by bestowing orcs with larger and sharper fangs.

Dul'Kim, the Great Mother, Goddess of Healing, Fertility and Health. She is just as beloved as Lagrash, for it is she who blesses the orcs with healthy bodies and strong children. Orcs venerate Dul'kim by raising their children well, and by propagating, both with fellow orcs and with other races. She is the mate of Lagrash and mother of Ulkas. Dul'kim actively shows her favor by enlarging the breasts of females and the testicles of males.

Ulkas, the Red Lady, the Goddess of Passion, Rage, and Violence. She bestows the orcs with the drive to accomplish their goals, and blesses them with the Red Joy when they enter battle, so that they may be fueled with the burning fire of rage so as to defeat their enemies. Orcs venerate Ulkas by slaying the enemies of their tribe, and eating the hearts of the worthy fallen so as to gain their strength.

Karush, the Wanderer, the God of Wisdom, Forethought, and Strategy. Karush bestows the orcs with intuition, leading them to fortune and glory, and gifts them with the ability to plan. Orcs venerate him by seeking the wisdom of others before they act and spreading their own wisdom across the tribe. He is the brother of Dul'kim.

Riznek, the Befouler, the God of Cunning, Tricks, and Lies. Riznek is both respected and feared by the orcs, for he blesses them with the ability to lay traps for their enemies in war. However, those who partake too deeply of his blessings are apt to take trickery outside of warfare, where it is not welcome, becoming deceitful, making schemes, and abandoning honor. He is said to have been born from the dung of the other four gods, showing that excrement has its uses.

In addition to the gods worshiped by the orcs, they also share an intense hatred of Maglubiyet, the God of Tyranny and the lord of the goblinoids. They regard him as dishonorable, for his followers are perfectly willing to engage in deceit and assassination to further their goals.

## Society

Within orcs community, honor and combat prestige are all important. Ones rank in society is directly determined by their combat experience and skill as a warrior. Generally speaking, warriors who are less skilled but more experienced than those who are more skilled and less experienced are given greater prestige.

### The Blood Pool

The orcs hold to the belief that within the realm of the gods, there exists a pool of blood for each orc. Their personal Blood Pool is filled with all the blood they have shed, and all the blood they have spilled. For this reason, orcs regard taking wounds and making worthy kills as a great mark of esteem. However, the caveat exists of whether the blood they spilled was spilled honorably. Killing foes who are unworthy, such as merchants or farmers, or killing those who have not committed a wrong worthy of death, will taint the Blood Pool of an orc. Such taints can never be removed, only diluted by filling ones blood pool with the blood of the worthy, or by making great sacrifices of the body. Killing a member of ones tribe, or worse, of ones blood, will so befoul the Blood Pool that it is nearly impossible to dilute it.

#### First Blood and Clan Markings

The drawing of First Blood refers to a young orc's first kill in battle against another sentient race, or in some cases, a particularly dangerous beast. Upon drawing First Blood, an orc is considered a fully fledged adult within the tribe, and it is customary for them to take the kill to the Ol'Kathi of Ulkas, who will use the blood from their kill to paint on their markings of their clan upon their bodies, usually their cheeks. From then on, they have the right to bear these markings whenever they choose. However, it should be noted that while they may apply the markings for everyday use, it is customary for the Ol'Kathi of Ulkas to mark them for battle, so that Ulkas's energies may be more present within them. For this reason, during times of war, most members of a tribe will have themselves continually marked so that they may bear their markings should some sort of battle break out.

#### The Blood Price and Blood Debt

Orcs have two important elements which help determine when to add to their Blood Pool. When a transgression is committed against an orc, the transgressor will owe a Blood Debt, requiring a certain amount of blood to be spilled as required by the victim. The amount the victim demands is known as the Blood Price. Actions such as lying to a parent or other relative can, if one is particularly strict, incur a Blood Price of a small cut. Thievery will often incur a sizable cut, whilst certain abhorrent acts such as murder or betrayal of ones shoth, will incur a far worse punishment.

#### The Red River

Should an orc commit a horrible act, such as the murder of a shoth or the betrayal of the tribe, a more merciful Vor, not wishing for them to be subject to the horrific fate of banishment, will subject the criminal to the Red River (known as such for the rivers of blood which well from the victim's flesh). In this gruesome execution ceremony, the criminal is tied to a pole in the center of the tribe's living space. Subsequently, each member of the tribe shall inflict a cut into the traitor's flesh, beginning with the Vor, followed by the Ol'kathi, then by the criminal's parents, beginning with the elder of the two, working through their family first before allowing the wider tribe to take their turn. Should the orc still be alive by the time each tribe member has taken their cut, the order shall begin anew, and repeat until the orc is dead.

### The Bloody Praise

A holy orc custom exists regarding the treatment of the dead after a battle. It is believed among the orcs that an individual's strength is held within their blood, where it has been gifted to them by their goddess, Ulkas. In repayment for her gift, the orcs must ensure that the strength Ulkas imparts is not put to waste. As such, when a member of an orc's shoth is slain in battle, it is customary for another of their tribe to devour their hearts, so that their strength may remain within the tribe. The right of devouring the heart of a fellow tribe member is usually given to whoever was closest to them, be it a parent, sibling, mate, or friend. Furthermore, it is also customary to eat the hearts of enemy orcs who one has personally slain. This custom is rarely observed for other races, but if a human, dwarf, or other creature demonstrates particular valor or skill, orcs will desire to honor them by eating their heart, which leads to them being perceived as barbaric monsters by other cultures.

### The Sacred Oath

Given the significance of honor in orc culture, giving one's word is regarded as a most solemn act, not to be given lightly. Those who tell lies are looked upon with scorn, but those who break their oaths are made pariahs within society, shunned and outcast. For this reason, oaths are never sworn lightly, and according to orcish custom, they should be made beneath the open sky, for the gods to bear witness.

### Courtship and Parenthood

Orcs do not engage in the practice of marriage. Instead, they take mates for as long as they wish. Most often, a pairing occurs when two prospective mates evaluate each other on their honor, skill in combat, and known victories, if they find each other suitable, will choose to become mates. Alternatively, if one member of the pair does not find the other suitable, oftentimes the spurned orc will attempt to prove their prowess by sexually assaulting the other. Should they demonstrate their skill and courage by overpowering their partner, this most often endears them enough that the other will agree to become their mate.

Once a mating has been agreed upon by the couple, they will announce their status as mates publicly to the rest of the tribe. For the duration of their time together, any attempts at romantic passes towards either shall incur a Blood Debt to the other partner. However, should the more prominent of the couple seek to take additional mates, this is seen as entirely reasonable, with the belief that it allows for more powerful potential tribe members to be born.

It is also entirely acceptable for an orc to have multiple mates at a time, and is not uncommon for orcs of great prestige to have a sizable harem of mates. Members of such harems are known as mate-brothers if several males are mated to a single female, or mate-sisters if several females are mated to a single male.

When it comes to children, orcs are of the belief that the more offspring they can successfully raise, the better. Children who survive to adulthood are a great mark of acclaim for an orc, as it demonstrates that they were strong enough for their offspring to grow to their fullest. While children are being raised, they will be instructed in the skills their parents possess, and if their parents separate sometime during their childhood, they will have their time split between them. Furthermore, the mate-brothers or mate-sisters of one of their parents may also assist in their training.

### Lifestyle

#### Housing

Orcs typically live in small tribal villages, with small, primitive huts serving as their homes. The orcs of the deserts typically construct these villages from adobe and clay, and will usually settle in desert oases or along rivers, while those native to the jungles often use wood and other plant materials, often constructing homes on wooden platforms attached to the great trees within the Wilds of Zar.

#### Activities

Orcs typically spend their time divided between roaming the land in search of worthy combat or hunting, and living in their villages performing necessary activities such as preparing meat for consumption and storage, or crafting clothing and weapons. Due to the egalitarian nature of orc society, these tasks are performed by both males and females.

## Economy

Orcs place little value on the so called precious metals used as currency by other races. Instead, they trade solely in items of more practical use, such as animal hides, iron, and herbs. Orcs are rather technologically primitive, and have yet to learn the art of smelting, and thusly will make generous offers for bronze, iron, or steel weapons and tools. Furthermore, they also remain largely ignorant to the ways of agriculture, and while they are known for herding animals, they are not familiar with the planting of crops. Both orc men and women are known to work as weavers, woodcarvers, and hunters.