Orcs
History
In the mythic past, the orcs hailed from the eastern forests and mountains of what is now Sevnónicha, where they lived as farmers and fishermen. They shared this land with the Dręvinzyk, a race of swarthy broad-shouldered men. The Dręvinzyk were a nomadic people, whose powers of divination and mastery of horsemanship earned them a deep respect amongst the orcs.Faith, Culture, & Society
The orcs can be divided into two main ethnocultural groups: the Sulmathu orcs of Southwythe and the Varanok orcs of Ulnost.The Sulmathu
The Sulmathu orcs largely inhabit the rugged foothills of Southwythe, although some orcish communities do exist on the the temperate islands off Santa Alessa's southern coast. They are smaller in stature than their mannish neighbors, standing less than 6 feet high on average. Their skin tones range from pale greens and greys to nut brown, and the protruding fangs typical of the Varanok are less pronounced. The Sulmathu are far less averse to the use of sorcery than their Varanok cousins, utilizing a unique form of blood magic known to the Sulmathu as Sihir. It is speculated that some of the first Wythian mages to take up residence in the mountains of Southwythe trained with Sulmathu Dukun (Wythian: Shamans) to learn the art of Sihir.
Sulmathu society is divided into a small number of tribes, which ruthlessly compete with one another for dominance. So brutal is the conflict between tribes that it is not uncommon for Sulmathu leaders to hire Southwythian mercenary groups to harass and sabotage rival communities, transcending the pan-orcish feud with men. Tribes are led by councils of elders, who operate alongside their immediate descendants to manage the affairs of the tribe. The methods by which these elders are chosen varies, but the most prominent method has historically been dueling, in which those who view their mother or father as the best suited to lead will fight until one contestant surrenders or is killed. This violent style of election leads to a high turnover rate of tribe leadership, which is why the strongest tribes tend to avoid this by banning public dueling in favor of quasi-democratic votes for council seats.
The Varanok
The Varanok orcs live deep within the mountains of Ulnost, having taken up residence in many of the dwarven cities and fortresses abandoned by their creators during the Dwarven-Draconic War. They are taller and stockier than the Sulmathu, standing well over 6 feet high on average. Their skin tones are paler as a result of their mountainous existence, and they possess the red eyes and large tusks typical of orcish depictions in mannish folklore.
The Varanok divide themselves into clans, with each clan laying claim to vast swathes of the Ulnosti mountains. The concept of the clan is vital aspect of Varanok culture; one's clan is as distinct and valuable as one's bloodline, and is an integral part of an individual's identity. However, there is a strong pan-orcish identity that supersedes one’s clan in many affairs. This is largely due to the Varanok concept of viewing orcs as the Bakh Broughk, the downtrodden. Each clan, of which the number ranges from less than ten to dozens depending on regional politics and inter-clan marriages, is ruled by a Chief or Chieftain. All but the weakest Chieftain’s hold sway over various individuals, colloquially known as Captains, who assist the Chief in a variety of tasks, including managing taxes, defense, and the day-to-day affairs of the clan. These 'Captains' also traditionally govern smaller settlements directly, leaving the Chief to rule from the clan’s capital.
Distinct from one's clan is the concept of being Blooded (Ragash: Rakta). All orcs are either Blooded or Unblooded (Ragash: Rakta-mal), with rights and privileges being withheld from Unblooded orcs. These privileges can vary from clan to clan but generally include serving a Chief as a Captain, challenging the Chief for power should their authority be in question, and perhaps most importantly, taking wives and bearing children. To become Blooded, an orc must prove him or herself to be ready to take on the heightened responsibility that accompanies becoming Blooded. The traditional route is achieving glory for one’s clan in honourable battle, but alternate paths to become Blooded do exist, such as demonstrating immense talent or skill in smithing, husbandry, or other similar trades. In these alternate cases, it is common for the newly-blooded orcs to slice their own biceps upon their blooding ceremony, to show that they too have shed blood for their community.
The Third House of the Orcs
While the Varanok and Sulmathu comprise the vast majority of civilized orcs, in recent years there have been rumours of a third orcish civilization to the west of Santa Alessa. Following the Fall of Aparnovos, the fleeing Aparnovosi that would found Torelledir and Fosowbria reported seeing hundreds of campfires dotting the coast west of Mostovera, although the inhabitants disappeared into the forest long before the refugees made their landing. Even after the establishment of the rump states, the settlers incurred no hostilities from the native inhabitants, a stark contrast to the harassment from the Sulmathu's war canoes. Indeed, the rump states hardly incurred any contact whatsoever, save for the rare glimpse of a grey-skinned figure deep in the woods. Details on this elusive tribe of orcs are few and far between, although Aparnovosi scholars suspect they descend from the nearby Sulmathu.Faith of Uk'Dun
The vast majority of orcs in Wythe worship Uk'Dun, the orcish god of Order and Discipline. Religious activity manifests itself primarily in two ways: direct worship of Uk’Dun through rituals or ceremonies, and ancestor worship. The former is generally the sole form of practice of the Varanok (though exceptions do exist), while a mix of both forms is more common amongst the Sulmathu.
The Varanok observe numerous holidays and festivals throughout the year, including Yokfim (the Orcish New Year), Kulgan (the Forge Festival), and Zar-gul-rok (the Moon’s Return Festival).
- Yokfim celebrates the start of the 10-month orcish calendar, marking the day when it is said Uk’Dun brought order to the heavens by rearranging the stars. This new arrangement guided the first orcs to Dukashi-Yorn, the ancestral orcish homeland.
- Kulgan is a midsummer festival, heralding the time when the blacksmiths begin producing weapons for the autumn raids in earnest. It is traditionally celebrated with competitions of strength or endurance, and the presentation of weapons from fathers to newly-blooded sons and daughters.
- Zar-gul-rok is held the day and night of the full moon, in celebration of Uk’Dun chasing the moon back into the night sky.
The Sulmathu practice an annual ritual known as Gham-Ghazat, wherein individuals nearing the end of their life, should it have been deemed honourable, receive a blessing from their tribe’s council to fight in ritual combat against one of Uk’Dun’s chosen Gharalús. If they fight honourably before being killed by the beast, their souls are said to be transported across the land to be placed in Varanok newborns. If the soul’s passage is successful, that orc will grow to acquire the slain orc’s experiences and abilities, thus providing additional protection of the most holy orcish lands and cities. Each tribe always attempts to bless at least one individual for the ritual each year, as not providing ‘conscripts’ for the sacred rites is seen as shameful. All inter-tribal conflict is set aside for the entire month of the ritual, when the elders of every tribe’s councils gather in the city of Voldrun to conduct the tournament.