Luthic (LOOTH-ick), wife of Gruumsh One-Eye and mother of Bahgtru, is the only widely recognised female of the entire orcish pantheon, and thereby stands for the fundamental domestic aspects of orcish society. In that role, she is the embodiment of the perfect orc female - servile to her mate and having produced a strong warrior son for him. Thus, Luthic is deemed a lesser deity as she is considered to hold little concrete power, given the proper role of orc females is subservience to the males. However, this belies her actual influence. Luthic is clever and extremely manipulative, able to bend the will of Gruumsh to suit her purposes by subtle cajoling and playing to his ego, although she would never directly contradict his commands. Similarly, her son, Bahgtru, is fiercely loyal to her, always ready to listen to her advice and even likely to obey the commands of his mother over those of his father.
By using this subtle influence carefully, Luthic exerts her will into areas typically considered male domains within the pantheon. Further, with the harsh brutality typical of her kind and being uncompromisingly judgmental, plus a ferocious combatant, particularly when defending lairs and orc children, makes her worthy of esteem even by those who do not directly owe her homage.
Colloquially known as the Cave Mother, she is perceived as the protective embrace of the caverns that are the preferred homes of many orcish tribes. While time has seen roving war parties evolve into their own tribes and build camps, fortresses and other open settlements, all orcs subconsciously correlate caves as havens - these are Luthic’s womb, from which warriors are born and boil forth to wage war upon the other races, and her holy symbol is the orcish rune for "home", which is styled on a cave entrance.
Accordingly, it is the females of the species who almost universally patronise and cherish her. As the wife of one of the most dominant of all non-human deities, she is a pillar for one of One-Eye's three tenements - to gather and breed so your number shall flourish - and is officially recognised as the goddess of fertility, even though many male orcs look to Gruumsh as the patron of male reproduction. But to the females, by having power in an oppressively patriarchal society that is savage in its intolerance of any disrespect or demeaning of the male-centric warrior ethic, she is the pinnacle of their hope and aspirations. Less commonly known outside of orc society, she is also the goddess of beauty and sex, although orcs deem sexual congress to be first and foremost a path to breeding warriors (and slaves when applied to other races) and only secondarily a matter of pleasure.
To that extent, she is the one who brought medicine and healing as desirable knowledge to her people, although these have nothing to do with relieving suffering... Gruumsh's second and third tenements - rise up in hordes and seize that which is rightfully yours, and raid, kill and conquer - need healthy warriors. Orcish medicine has no capacity for disease and other forms of weakness, it is entirely about dealing with battle wounds to transform injured warriors to healthy ones and get them back to the field of battle as soon as possible.
Luthic is one of the most active of all non-human deities, known to dispatch avatars or followers after a great battle to administer healing to wounded warriors, especially if it sure that another battle is soon to follow. Her worshippers may be granted divine boons to bolster healing powers when they are used to aid orcs, and the Cave Mother is also likely to act, even directly, to protect the females and children of an orcish settlement if they need to flee the attacks of racial enemies. It is an inherent standing directive to all her clerics and priestesses that they observe and protect orcs engaged in fertility rites.
Luthic fears Yurtrus, with disease perceived as a weakness that disables and kills warriors outside of battle, and has disdain for Shargaas given his preference for the caverns and recesses of the deep earth is a perversion of orcs real homes. She is a tacit supporter of Illneval, as his domain off cross-breeding aligns with her objectives for the longevity of orcish interests, although the relationship is strained as Gruumsh's other lieutenant despises Bahgtru as foolish and inept. From their perspective, she is an easily dismissable figure, tolerated only because she is the wife of Gruumsh and given the bare modicum of respect to avoid antagonising him or her fiercely defensive son.
Luthic was once involved in a secret romance with Grumbar, which she used to further her influence and provide Amulets of power to four of her trusted priestesses. While Grumbar has almost no following among orcs - in fact, doing so is considered sacrilege to all members of the orcish pantheon - his patrons are considered by those faithful to Gruumsh deserving of death by cleaving and subsequent mutilation and, as a final desecration against Grumbar's earth domain, their bodies are ideally burned or cast into water to ensure they cannot return to the soil.
Symbol: Rune for "home" (cave entrance)
Animal: Cave bear
Caves
Fertility and midwifery
Healing and Medicine
Followers of Luthic observe holy days on the new moon, which is seen as symbolic of orc fertility.
The annual Feast of the Moon is celebrated by many orcs, even those who do not directly show obeisance to Luthic, to observe the change of season to winter. Orc tribes of old would retreat to their caves to shelter from the winter, and this was invariably the time when most orcish women of childbearing age became pregnant. Contemporary tribal customs rarely allow the weather to interfere with other plans, so the modern observance usually comprises the Feast, followed by a frenzied bout of impregnation over a day or two, and then a celebratory bout of intoxication.
Accordingly, the majority of orcs are born in the month of Eleasis Highsun - just after midsummer.
Gather and breed, and your numbers shall flourish.
Be strong and well, for only then are you an asset to the tribe.
Cherish the children, for they are our future.
Physical Description
Luthic's avatar stands just under 9' tall, with the powerful muscularity of a warrior but in an overtly feminine shape with notably broad hips. Devastatingly beautiful by orc standards, and not unappealing to other species either, her mien is usually ferocious, although it may soften when confronted with children, and she will usually be more tolerant of females than males although her judgements will be quick, firm and harsh under any circumstances.
Her black hair falls to her waist and is usually tied back in cornrows.
The Cave Mother's ornate metallic armour is minimal and appears more to highlight her form than provide protection, but she may carry five-bladed bear claws in each hand, or have her fingers transformed into natural but extremely long and sharp bear-like claws.
Social
Yurtus
Luthic fears Yurtrus, with disease perceived as a weakness that disables and kills warriors outside of battle.
Shargaas
Luthic has disdain for Shargaas given his preference for the caverns and recesses of the deep earth is a perversion of orcs real homes.
Illneval
Luthic is a tacit supporter of Illneval, as his domain off cross-breeding aligns with her objectives for the longevity of orcish interests, although the relationship is strained as Gruumsh's other lieutenant despises Bahgtru as foolish and inept.
From their perspective, she is an easily dismissable figure, tolerated only because she is the wife of Gruumsh and given the bare modicum of respect to avoid antagonising him or her fiercely defensive son.
Wife of Gruumsh
Mother of Bahgtru
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