Oloris
Introduction
To the south of Veska, a vast rainforest combines with the rivers of the Olorian Delta to create the dense water realm of Oloris. The rich tropical forests of Oloris is the home to a vast interconnected tribal network of peoples, the Olorians. The Olorians are a tall, dark skinned, slender people who wear the Dukke, long rust coloured cloaks, woven with preserved barks that also serves as armour. All Olorians originally descend from the Inyharuk, or the first clan, who served the Vannic Empire three millennia ago. The empire at its height was able to colonise the northern reaches of the The Olorian rain forests.
Society
There are nine great Olorian clans (Desp-el-oruk, Lin-yruk, Taeli-yrk, Sasaz Aruk, Ol-ruk, Trao-Daruk, Soliruk, San Har Haruk, Yeori-Aruk) and all have relatively cordial relations with one another. This is the result of an oral tradition amongst the Olorians called tenganyuk. There are few who know the complete tengani, the long story of both the Olorians and the world itself, but those who have mastered it are revered across the deltas. Most Olorians know part of the tenganyuk, and understand the interconnected nature of the tribes as a result. Every three years, a meeting of the clans at the start of each rain season is called at Tian, the great lake at the heart of Oloris. Olorian chiefs meet on large interconnecting houseboats that form a temporary floating city for several weeks until tribal disputes, territorial issues and cooperation on external matters are decided. The Veskans whose kingdom neighbours Oloris look upon the Olorians as being poorly organised, feckless and lazy. This is because Olorian families often split into two, with poorer relatives being left to tend rice fields and to farm fish, with others being able to sail across the country to visit the shrines of ancestors and to spend months becoming more attuned to the spirits of the forest and the gods. Some Olorians have left the waters and have built large cities in the tree canopies, keeping themselves safe from the predators that stalk the jungle. Olorians have an uneasy relationship with a race of leathery skinned squat jungle dwellers, the Jaraki. These hunter and tracker beings emerged during the Sundering, the flow of magic back into the earth having awoken them from a long slumber. After many battles with the Olorians, they have agreed to share the forests and respect each other, though relations are still punctuated with fear and mistrust. Along the coastline of the Olorian delta, old Ghothar and Veskan slaving fortresses are a bitter legacy of the wars that have been waged against Oloris in the past and the fact that Olorians have been mercilessly exploited by their northern neighbours. Oloris is one of the parts of Aestis where the religion of Aruhvianism never penetrated. Instead the Olorians have come to worship a pantheon of their own spirits and demigods, which inhabit everything from the pools, ancient trees and mountains to the family hearth. One spirit that all Olorians believe in, however, is Mortuki, the black fish; this wicked spirit of the waters comes as a vast black fish overturning boats and devouring their occupants, or sometimes as a dark eyed child, luring Olorians to death and madness in the swamps.History
Oloris is one of the oldest societies in Aestis and the ancient scholars of the Vannic Empire wrote copious volumes about the peoples of the delta, many of whom became the loyal servants of the Van. When the Vannic Empire fell and was replaced by the Arc Empire there was little interest in further colonising the great expanses of the Olorian rain forests, Arc’s emperors saw it as a place where entire armies could succumb to fever, hunger and madness. The Olorians have rightly seen the hard, impenetrable terrain of their ancestors as one of their best defences. In the three centuries after the -1100, when the twin states of Ghotharand and Veska became established, Oloris found itself under far greater threat than at any point in its history. The Ghothars were particularly keen to find fresh sources of labour for their dying farms and salt flats in the cold north, having tried and failed to enslave the native Elsari peoples. Raiding parties established slave fortresses along the coast and rivers. They were sometimes joined by the Veskans in this bloody endeavour (during periods of truce between the Veskans and Ghothars). Slavery came to an end in -781 when Yaltredanath, an escaped slave girl led a revolt along the delta. She marched an army of escaped slaves to Tian, where the tribes had gathered and demanded that the chiefs of the Olorians unite and act to salvage the honour of the nation. The tenganyuk tells that after she shamed the old men of the Olorian peoples into action she burned every ship, every outpost, every fortress belonging to the Ghothars and the Veskans along the coast, an act known in Olorian lore as the ‘wings of fire’. The Choruki River was said to run black with the blood of Ghothars, but in her moment of triumph, an Olorian chief from the Lin-yruk tribe took revenge at his humiliation at Tian, and plunged his blade into her back. The Ghothars and the Veskans never returned to Oloris and now deny the existence of the slave forts, but the liberation of Yaltradeneth is part of Olorian national identity.Places of significance
Rho
Rho is an ancient and largely abandoned city. It is built on a series of waterfalls deep in the jungle and is only visited by Olorians intermittently. When there is a particular tribal or spiritual reason to go to Rho, Olorians will do so. However, they tend to stay away from the city as much as possible on the instruction of tribal elders and mystics. The city was built by the Van, it was the furthest outpost of their empire and scholars of Vannic history are at a loss as to why they chose to build a city in the jungles of Oloris. The city exists on multiple different tiers and terraces along a cliff face and water endlessly cascades through it. Olorians treat the place with reverence and see it as a giant temple or holy site, to occupy it permanently would be to sully it. Jaraki steer clear of Rho as well, perhaps knowing that to occupy the city would be to risk war with the Olorians.Coravell
Coravell is the site of the Ghothars greatest shame, it was the largest slave port in Aestis and saw hundreds of thousands of Olorians kidnapped and taken to Veska and Ghotharand, of whom thousands died on the voyage. The Ghothars abandoned Coravell when they faced revolt from Yaltradeneth. It is now a place of suffering and memories; Olorians see it as an evil site and refuse to set foot there, though the Jaraki have no such qualms and have colonised part of the city. The immense suffering that took place at Coravell has had a distorting effect on reality, with cracks appearing between the Mortal Realm and the Red Waste. Do you want more lore? Get weekly updates on World Anvil and the Arclands Blog straight to your email inbox, PLUS our list of fifty mysterious trinkets to delight and enchant your adventuring party. Get your copy here.A Fire in the Heart of Knowing
Our debut Arclands novel is available here. Read A Fire In the Heart of Knowing, a story of desperate power struggles and a battle for survival in the dark lands of Mordikhaan.The Olorian Torrok
The history of the Torrok, the Olorian spear, is intrinsically tied to the history of the Olorians themselves, each type of Torrok reflecting the trials, triumphs, and traditions of its people.Origins of the Torrok
The Torrok's origins trace back to the early days of the Inyharuk, the first clan. As the Olorians began to establish their society amidst the dense water realm of Oloris, they needed tools for survival and defense against the wild environment. Thus, the first Torrok was born, crafted with the resources at hand - the sturdy wood from the rainforest and sharp stones from the riverbeds. This earliest spear would eventually evolve into the Petani Torrok, the farmer's weapon and tool, symbolizing the Olorians' symbiotic relationship with their environment.The Emergence of the Prajurit Torrok
When the Vannic Empire began its colonization of Oloris, conflicts emerged between the colonizers and the Olorians. The Inyharuk were initially forced into servitude, but they didn't submit quietly. The emergence of the Prajurit Torrok is deeply connected to this period. This Torrok became a symbol of resistance and rebellion, its design optimized for combat against the encroaching forces.Torrok during the Ghothar and Veskan Slavery Era
During the era of Ghothar and Veskan slavery, the Olorians were subjected to horrendous conditions. This was the time when the Ratna Torrok came into being, a symbol of unity and defiance in the face of extreme adversity. The gems and gold used to create the Ratna Torrok were looted from the oppressors' fortresses, representing the fight and spirit of the Olorians. Yaltredanath, the escaped slave girl who led the revolt, famously wielded a Ratna Torrok during her liberation march.Sundaleng and Pandhita Torrok
The Sundaleng Torrok, used for ceremonies, came to exist during the period of the nine great Olorian clans. It became a way to solidify peace and cordial relations between the clans, featuring prominently in the tenganyuk ceremonies. Similarly, with the increased reverence for the tenganyuk, the role of scholars and sages grew, leading to the creation of the Pandhita Torrok. Those who had mastered the complete tengani often wielded this Torrok, and it was seen as a symbol of wisdom and spiritual connection.Torrok in the Current Era
In the present, the different types of Torrok continue to play significant roles in Olorian society. The Pandhita Torrok, Sundaleng Torrok, and Ratna Torrok are wielded by those in spiritual, ceremonial, and leadership roles, while the Prajurit and Petani Torrok are used by warriors and farmers. The Torrok, in its various forms, serves as a symbol of the Olorians' rich history, resilience, and their deep connection to their environment and traditions.
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