Ladrugahl

## History

At the beginning of the 5th Age, several tribes of Orcs were confided to the harsh desert due to outside persecution from other races. After several generations of having to thieve and plunder in order to survive,one major happenstance would forever change the trajectory of their culture: A tribal leader, Ko'ta Varok, discovered a buried monument filled with carvings and records; a site unlike anything his people had ever seen. After an incredulous amount of study and excavation, the monument was identified as a Netherian place of worship from the 3rd Age. After pooling through the translated carvings and texts, Ko'ta Varok and his tribe began to fiercely adopt the knowledge gained from within, and declaring Atalla, an eldritch deity from the Nether, as their god.

With their culture embracing violence, competition, and progress more than ever, Ko'ta Vorok conquered and united to the Orc tribes into Ladrugahl.

## Society and Culture

The Social Structure of Lahdrugal is unusually simplistic when compared to other nations; there are very few laws, no taxes, and only holds one position of political power: The Chief.

The Chief holds supreme power over their citizens, but it is extremely taboo to make multiple laws or declarations outside of war declarations, building projects, and over-all security. When a Chief dies (an event that is not uncommon in their warrior culture), the people nominate 13 candidates based on their leadership, cunning, and achievements. These candidates then fight one another until they yield or fall unconscious in the coliseum, proving their right to rule by outlasting the other 12.

Ladrugahl society is incredibly individualistic and based within meritocracy, where those that work hard and prove themselves worthy receive the best occupations and honorary titles, and where no laws hold any one back from their desired way of living.

### Worship of Atalla

Atalla is referred to be many names: King of Storms, Lord of Strife, Icon of Strength, Father of Monsters, the First Mage, and others. What he actually is subject to debate, at least outside of Ladrugahl. Though orcs refer to him as a god, it isn't quite the same meaning as what other civilizations refer to as a god. Judging from orc worship, it is highly likely that Atalla would be more aptly described as a deified Arch-Devil than a divine, benevolent being.

Despite the initial linguistic misunderstanding when studying Atalla, what he represents/controls is very simple to understand: He is a deity with control over storms, fire, lava, magic, and monsters, and above all, conflict. Atalla is essentially a constant force against humanity, throwing threat after threat at them. But Atalla has no intention sending humanity into extinction, rather he uses danger to cull the weak and strengthen the survivors, as he preaches that life without danger is an existence not worth living.

His symbol is an hourglass with blood red and royal purple sand halves, representing that progress leads to conflict, and that conflict spurs progress. This symbol eventually became Ladrugahl's national flag.

Orcs do not worship Atalla in a traditional sense, rather they revere him and champion his ideals: Conflict and Progress. To compete, battle, overcome an obstacle, or invent is seen as pure worship to the deity, as those events are all things that strengthen individuals, and thereby the nation.

### Language

> *’’Pri’ heke krano la’ki anok ‘tfka fu’dak ti’paso ‘hi ja’to vazi ‘we une ‘tfka phi ‘si rendya La’ki ‘fina slub ‘tfka henu ja’to ot lin yu’bek kunic ja’to bara’hunde ‘Ke Dwar’vi edi ‘si za’toni mok’turel, glatsen ‘ke moc’turel za’toni ‘we gra’zi tectru tore za’toni kri’yat Go’nome shime ‘ra’se ra’hor ‘gil asedya ‘si ‘ke shen ‘Bi forse kri’done ’ke Vel’dru ‘Hi ublex bi’ uble za’toni ja’tri ‘je vake druna yobe ‘tfka hu’pliya ja’ Vake za’toni gra’zi elif voras bi’ fi’tes tore ‘ke rok kolob, ‘vakla vake forse tavu ‘ke yerfo ‘tfka nida heke unok za’toni. If vake ‘ra’se nida ‘ke avad za’toni gra’zi, ‘pute ja’to shall ru’ti ‘e tore vake’’ Vake tavu hom’la ‘ot Atalla Pyest fu’dak toru’rendya, vake glatsen ‘ot loso ‘tfka savadin vake bi’ vake ‘raso gra’zi savadin heke ‘raso gra’zi rendya Ke tespyen veri’fide heke ‘ot obratu’’ ‘Ra sanag ki’tor Atalla rendya phi ‘si ja’to’’ ‘Hi dapu’pri ja’toni’’ Dapu’pri ja’to korsag Bi’ gasork Ot enti’pude ‘fina vasak ‘tfka forde heke fikla! Ot o’pasog ‘fina lystil, bi’ lstyil ‘fina ‘ja! Dwarne heke ho’redno ji’edno’kla ke voras, bi’ dwarne ke atali rhe’torg ja’to ‘si iktal’’*
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***Transcript of Ki’yel Ak’tul’s inauguration speech as the new Chief of Ladrugahl, in its original tongue, and common-tongue translation***

> Upon this day, I swear myself to serve you my brothers and sisters, so that our nation shall continue to grow in strength. I am proud to be a part of this people, for no others share our united will. The dwarves hide in their mountains, pleading that the mountains themselves will offer refuge from their foes. The gnomes scheme without honor, like thieves in the shadows. And worst of all…the elves. So cowardly and fearful of their own mortality, that they clasp at any power to stave off death. They have been given fertile lands and refuge from the scorching sun, and yet they all lack the ferocity to make this life their own. If they will not make the most of their gifts, then we shall rend it from them! They lack reverence for Atalla. Rather than serve an almighty deity, they plead for idols to coddle them. And though they are given comfort, we are given strength. The priests have confirmed this for generations! With each conquered challenge, Atalla’s power grows within us! So prepare yourselves my people! Ready your blades and bows. For wherever there is a battle to be fought, we shall answer the call! neutrality is stagnation, and stagnation is death! Let our warcry echo throughout the realms, and may the worthy meet them in kind!
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Orcish follows the same grammatical principles as Common, but maintains distinct differences:

* Almost exclusively built around short vowels and hard consonants
* " **'** " is the written version of the audible \**click\** that often presides in Orcish words. Common speakers often leave out these for extremely brief pauses when pronouncing Orcish words
* " **"** " is a rapid double *\*click\** used to signify an exclamatory or gain one's attention
* Prepositions are the only Orcish words that contain a \*click\* at the beginning of a word's phonetic structure, as opposed to the middle or end.
* Requires a strong amount of context and familiarity in order to understand a sentence's structure.