Sivatag Orc

The orcs of Sivatag are a rugged people, living in harsh conditions with little freshwater. Primarily nomadic, these orcs wander Sivatag, primarily surviving by herding camels and hunting game.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Sivatag orcs almost exclusively speak Orcish. This has no written script, with traditions being passed down through stories and song. A handful of Feyher Szin can speak rudimentary Elvish, picked up during small raids across the Great Divide.

Shared customary codes and values

Nomadic Life

Orcish life is centered around the camel and the yurt. Traveling vast distances, bands of orcs will carry their belongings on camels across the desert. These camels provide sustenance to the orcs as well as transportation. Yurts are circular tents, made up of wooden or bone lattice covered in either hide or wool felt. Orcs use seal oil lamps for warmth and light during the night.

Conflict

I am against my brother, my brother and I are against my cousin, my cousin and I are against the stranger. - Orcish Proverb

The above proverb summarizes orcish life, with orcs commonly warring amongst themselves. Bands of the same clan skirmish with one another, but will unite against an outside threat from another tribe.

Honor

The concept of honor is important among orcs, with those who fail to uphold their duty to family, clan, tribe, etc. are shunned from society. Those who commit serious transgressions are exiled, being branded with a large X across their foreheads. These orcs and their descendants are called the Zintelen, living in the most inhospitable parts of the desert.

Religion

Orcs worship Orozlan , a powerful chimera locked away in the Otherworld. Orozlan has three heads, only one of which is awake at a time. Each head represents a different facet of life, granting boons to its worshippers. The goat represents life, worshiped by shepherds and parents. The lion represents honor and glory, worshiped by tribal leaders and warriors. The dragon signifies rage and strength, venerated by the most violent of orcs. Upon death, orcs join Orozlan in the Otherworld, resting until they are reborn to battle on.

Eternal Cycle

Each head of Orozlan remains awake for 60-70 years before falling into a deep slumber. This cycle greatly influences the orcs. The current cycle is Or (Goat), wherein orcish populations grow, preferring trade over violence. This is followed by Lan (Lion), in which the orcish tribes band together to launch large assaults on nations bordering Sivatag. The final period is Oz (Dragon), in which orcs turn against one another, fighting for territory and plunder. Orcs dream of the Great Awakening, in which Orozlan is returned to the material plane, fully awakened with all heads working together.

Major organizations

The orcs of Sivatag are nomadic, moving across the desert in small bands. Through familial ties, these bands makeup a clan, which in turn with other clans make up a tribe. Five tribes roam Sivatag, each with their own unique cultural heritage. Orcs without a tribe are termed the Zintelen, living on the outskirts of society. Elder orcs proficient with magic join the Wise Ones, a pan-tribal organization that provides guidance to tribal leaders.

Feyher Szin - White Color

The Feyher Szin live along the Great Divide in the easternmost portion of Sivatag. The shortest orcs, the Feyher Szin are renowned for their cliff dwellings. Starting at a young age, these orcs learn to climb up large cliff faces. The Feyher Szin often launch small raids on settlements across the Divide, taking whatever they can back to their homes. This has given them more exposure to Khalon than most other tribes, with some Feyher Szin learning rudimentary Elvish.

Kek Bor - Blue Skin

Living along the northern coast of Sivatag, the Kek Bor live off the ocean. Taller and lankier than other orcs, the Kek Bor are adept swimmers. Orcs of this tribe often harvest pearls from the seafloor, making ornate jewelry. Fur seals migrate south during winter months, breeding along the Sivatag coastline. The Kek Bor hunt these seals for their meat and fur, turning their blubber into oil which is used by orcs of all tribes for heating and light.

Komor Meg - Black Murder

The Komor Meg live in the most arid parts of Sivatag, surviving where other life cannot. These orcs spend most of the day resting within caves or rock outlooks. At night, the Komor Meg emerge to hunt for whatever food they can find. They rely on dowsing to find freshwater beneath the sands. The Komor Meg are infamous for their ritualistic cannibalism, eating both their dead and their slain foes. They believe those they feed on live on through them and that they gain some of the powers of those they consume. They do not let any part of a kill go to waste, drinking blood and using bone for tools and artwork.

Mez Jogan - Lime Mace

The Mez Jogan live in deep canyons located in southern Sivatag. The only orcish tribe to practice agriculture, the Mez Jogan grow crops along the banks of the rivers which flow in the canyons. Along with edible crops, the Mez Jogan also grow hemp and thornapple. Thornapple is a hallucinogen, sometimes taken by orcs wishing to communicate with Orozlan. It must be prepared very carefully, as it can be deadly.

Zold Fogar - Green Teeth

Centrally located in the middle of orcish lands, the Zold Fogar are renowned nomadic shepherds, raising camels in large quantities. These camels provide wool, leather, milk, and meat for orcs across Sivatag. Zold Fogar craftsmen excel in turning camel wool into fabrics with detailed patterns. The Zold Fogar are the most populous tribe of orcs, with members often travelling across Sivatag transporting goods on the backs of their camel caravans.

Zintelen - Colorless

Those orcs unfortunate enough to be cast out of society face difficult odds for survival. Orcish bands often will kill Zintelen on sight, while others ignore them completely. Most die within a few weeks of being banished, but small groups of Zintelen have formed, replacing their former families with each other. A handful have children, but few of these survive to adulthood. Those that do are still treated as Zintelen, but some have been able to blend in and hide their origins, joining another tribe.

Wise Ones

The Wise Ones are the orcish mages of Sivatag that provide guidance to the orcish tribes. Giving up their ties to their individual clan and tribe, an orc chosen to be a Wise One undergoes rigorous training. They learn much about Orozlan, and can travel freely across Sivatag without worry of attack.

Encompassed species

Related Organizations