People of Antediluvian: Orcs
Well Met Travelers,
Welcome to another of may worldbuilding sessions. Last week, I covered the Dracons, a race of humanoid dragons who live in a very structured society.
This week, after taking some time away from the paragons of fantasy, I return with one of the most Iconic fantasy races in existence, the Orcs.
Orcs of Antediluvian are a very different race from the orcs of other fantasy worlds, for the orcs of Antediluvian are not the typical evil orcs of other lands. Orcs of Antediluvian fall into an interesting niche, for they are deeply religious and tribal, but the vile acts committed by most orcs in most societies are done by fringe groups in Antediluvian.
Orcs are an interesting race as far as physical structure, for only a few trends carry through all of them. First, all orcs have an underbite with two tusks that protrude from their jaws. Orcs range in size from just over 5 feet to just under 7 feet. This makes orcs a very diverse race. Orcs also range in size of musculature, for some orcs are massively bulky, while others are scrawny and weak. Orcish skin tone ranges from a pale red through grey and into a deep green. Orcish eye color can be any of the typical eye colors of humans, plus they can be red and gold. Their hair tends to grow in the colors of black or white, other colors are very rare, and often earn the orc unique treatment whether beneficial or detrimental
Orcs have been put into a state of Diaspora after the end of the age of Titans, and this has meant that orcs have adapted their style to suit the environment in which they find themselves. Those orcs who live among the Shamanistic clans tend to dress in a combination of furs that they can scavenge and the clothes that they can trade with "civilized" cultures for. Orcs living among the societies of humans and other demi-humans (elves, dwarves, halflings, etc.) will dress in the clothing of the cultures that they live with, so an orc in a human village will dress in human attire while an orc among elves will dress like an elf. Orcs living in an exiled tribe are orcs as they are depicted in most fantasy worlds, and they are distrusted by almost every society, so they wear what they can gather and make for themselves.
Orcish culture is separated into two distinct groups, the shamanistic orcs and the exile orcs. I will discuss Exile orcs briefly at the end of this post. The foremost item that must be discussed in dealing with orcs is their history.Orcs were not one of the original creations of the gods. They are the second daughters and sons of the god Bugrash. His first-born were the giants who descended from the Titans, but when he saw how horrific and corrupt his children had become, he knew that he needed to create a new race of people. On an island south of the Lost Lands, in a basin created by the death throws of a titan, he created the orcs. These orcs he divided into twenty-one tribes. Among each of these tribes, he appointed a shaman to lead the orcs in times of peace. To each of these shaman, he gave his laws including the ban on arcane magic among his chosen people. He then told his people that the island was theirs, but that, save for one tribe, they were forbidden to remain there because he saw what a stable homeland did to the giants, and he did not wish for the orcs to be corrupted as well. He banished twenty of the tribes to the ends of the earth, and then returned to Elysium, making him the last of the Gods on Antediluvian at the end of the Age of Titans.
This is the foundation of Orcish culture, for because of their dispersal, orcs are forced to be wanderers without a homeland to call their own. Orcish Society is fairly egalitarian, for all orcs are equal in the eyes of their god. The orcs live in harmony with the natural world, often only building temporary villages in which they can spend their winter before moving on after the last snow melts. Orcs are very spiritual creatures, for they have created their own pantheon of worship. Their Shaman often is a shaman of one of the elements or of Mother Rayna; this is because they worship nature and the natural order. Above the elements and Rayna sits Bugrash the Overlord, King of Orc Kind. Few tribal leaders draw their power from him, but many warchiefs draw their power from him. Due to the fact that arcane magic is banned to the orcs by their god, divine and natural magic are prevalent, but arcane magics are found only among exiles and those who have left the tribe.
The last interesting feature of the orcs' culture is the pilgrimage to Titan's Tomb, the birthplace of the orcish people. Once every year, the descendants of the original 20 tribes cast into exile return to the island of their birth. A large festival is held, and all of the shaman meet with the Grand Shaman (the shaman of the tribe that lives on the island) to discuss the ways in which the orcs must live. It is at this festival that new shaman are inducted if the last shaman has died. It is also during this time that the tribes will swap members with other tribes to ensure a diversified gene pool in each tribe.
The ruling structure among the orcs is quite interesting. As I have already said, The shaman leads the clan in times of peace and is responsible for tending to the orcs' spiritual needs. In times of war, the orcs appoint a warchief to govern them. This war chief is the strongest of the tribe, this is determined by a ritual combat known as a Holmganga (which also happens to be the same manner in which orcs settle disputes). The warchief is deemed to have the favor of Bugrash and is quite often a cleric of Bugrash. These two leaders have absolute authority over their tribe, but the Grand Shaman has authority over all of the tribes.
Marriage and Funerary Customs
Orcish Marriage is an interesting system, for unlike other races, the orcs are not Strictly Monogamous. An orcish man may marry several women, and orcish women may marry many men. The only exception to this rule is among leaders. A warchief (here I use warchief and spouse as gender-neutral terms because a warchief may be a man or woman.) may have only one spouse, and that spouse can only be married to the warchief. Because the warchief is supposed to protect the tribe in times of strife, the monogamy of a warchief ensures no internal strife will prevent the warchief from doing their job. A Shaman (which can only be male) can have many wives, but his wives may only be married to him, this is because the wives of a shaman are the tribe's priestesses and natural casters. The exclusivity here is because the orcs believe that by being only married to the shaman, these women will not become corrupted by any disgraceful man in the tribe, thereby remaining pure for their duties. Orcish marriage must be conducted at a holy site to one of the deities of the orcish Pantheon (Bugrash, Rayna, Infernus, Ingan, Salis, and Voxis). The ritual involves the orcs swearing to honor one another and to avoid dishonor among their whole family. After the wedding, the ceremony must be validated at Titan's Tomb at the yearly festival.
Orcish Funerary customs involves committing the dead to the deity which their tribe follows. This means that those who worship Infernus will be incinerated; those who worship Salis are sent to the bottom of a body of water; etc. The death of a Shaman is different, however. When a shaman dies, his body must be carried around with the tribe until the next meeting at Titan's Tomb when the next Shaman can be appointed. This dead shaman is then interred beneath the Skull Temple (the skull of the titan slain by Bugrash whose death created this basin) to be raised in honor to the Deities.
Orcish Exiles
As can be seen by orcish politics, there is no place for arcane magic, so when an orc is not strong, nor a shaman, he has no option to rise through the ranks. When this happens, an orc may seek out a pact with a higher power (usually a demon). They may practice in secret for a while, but eventually, the orc will make a power-play (usually after amassing a following), which will fail. If the warlock does not die in his uprising, he will be cast out, taking most of his followers with him; this creates a tribe of orcs which has broken the Laws of Bugrash. These orcs are typically evil, and may never return to Titan's Tomb. In these Tribes, the warlock replaces the Shaman, and he usually has control over the warchief of the tribe. Each of these tribes is different in how they are run based on the warlock running the show.
I think that is all for orcs. If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments below. If you like this blog, Click follow in the sidebar.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
Welcome to another of may worldbuilding sessions. Last week, I covered the Dracons, a race of humanoid dragons who live in a very structured society.
This week, after taking some time away from the paragons of fantasy, I return with one of the most Iconic fantasy races in existence, the Orcs.
 |
| http://www.hexprimal.com/wp-content/uploads/OrcClericarticle.jpg |
Orcs are an interesting race as far as physical structure, for only a few trends carry through all of them. First, all orcs have an underbite with two tusks that protrude from their jaws. Orcs range in size from just over 5 feet to just under 7 feet. This makes orcs a very diverse race. Orcs also range in size of musculature, for some orcs are massively bulky, while others are scrawny and weak. Orcish skin tone ranges from a pale red through grey and into a deep green. Orcish eye color can be any of the typical eye colors of humans, plus they can be red and gold. Their hair tends to grow in the colors of black or white, other colors are very rare, and often earn the orc unique treatment whether beneficial or detrimental
Orcs have been put into a state of Diaspora after the end of the age of Titans, and this has meant that orcs have adapted their style to suit the environment in which they find themselves. Those orcs who live among the Shamanistic clans tend to dress in a combination of furs that they can scavenge and the clothes that they can trade with "civilized" cultures for. Orcs living among the societies of humans and other demi-humans (elves, dwarves, halflings, etc.) will dress in the clothing of the cultures that they live with, so an orc in a human village will dress in human attire while an orc among elves will dress like an elf. Orcs living in an exiled tribe are orcs as they are depicted in most fantasy worlds, and they are distrusted by almost every society, so they wear what they can gather and make for themselves.
 |
| http://78.media.tumblr.com/23afc9c895cbb915d9e9f5099119f4a7/tumblr_inline_mj8ecqVkMJ1qz4rgp.png |
This is the foundation of Orcish culture, for because of their dispersal, orcs are forced to be wanderers without a homeland to call their own. Orcish Society is fairly egalitarian, for all orcs are equal in the eyes of their god. The orcs live in harmony with the natural world, often only building temporary villages in which they can spend their winter before moving on after the last snow melts. Orcs are very spiritual creatures, for they have created their own pantheon of worship. Their Shaman often is a shaman of one of the elements or of Mother Rayna; this is because they worship nature and the natural order. Above the elements and Rayna sits Bugrash the Overlord, King of Orc Kind. Few tribal leaders draw their power from him, but many warchiefs draw their power from him. Due to the fact that arcane magic is banned to the orcs by their god, divine and natural magic are prevalent, but arcane magics are found only among exiles and those who have left the tribe.
The last interesting feature of the orcs' culture is the pilgrimage to Titan's Tomb, the birthplace of the orcish people. Once every year, the descendants of the original 20 tribes cast into exile return to the island of their birth. A large festival is held, and all of the shaman meet with the Grand Shaman (the shaman of the tribe that lives on the island) to discuss the ways in which the orcs must live. It is at this festival that new shaman are inducted if the last shaman has died. It is also during this time that the tribes will swap members with other tribes to ensure a diversified gene pool in each tribe.
 |
| https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d6/f0/e1/d6f0e1936ff06cc4b5bef86f4f62011c.png |
Marriage and Funerary Customs
Orcish Marriage is an interesting system, for unlike other races, the orcs are not Strictly Monogamous. An orcish man may marry several women, and orcish women may marry many men. The only exception to this rule is among leaders. A warchief (here I use warchief and spouse as gender-neutral terms because a warchief may be a man or woman.) may have only one spouse, and that spouse can only be married to the warchief. Because the warchief is supposed to protect the tribe in times of strife, the monogamy of a warchief ensures no internal strife will prevent the warchief from doing their job. A Shaman (which can only be male) can have many wives, but his wives may only be married to him, this is because the wives of a shaman are the tribe's priestesses and natural casters. The exclusivity here is because the orcs believe that by being only married to the shaman, these women will not become corrupted by any disgraceful man in the tribe, thereby remaining pure for their duties. Orcish marriage must be conducted at a holy site to one of the deities of the orcish Pantheon (Bugrash, Rayna, Infernus, Ingan, Salis, and Voxis). The ritual involves the orcs swearing to honor one another and to avoid dishonor among their whole family. After the wedding, the ceremony must be validated at Titan's Tomb at the yearly festival.
 |
| http://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/508494-movie-trailer.jpg |
Orcish Funerary customs involves committing the dead to the deity which their tribe follows. This means that those who worship Infernus will be incinerated; those who worship Salis are sent to the bottom of a body of water; etc. The death of a Shaman is different, however. When a shaman dies, his body must be carried around with the tribe until the next meeting at Titan's Tomb when the next Shaman can be appointed. This dead shaman is then interred beneath the Skull Temple (the skull of the titan slain by Bugrash whose death created this basin) to be raised in honor to the Deities.
Orcish Exiles
 |
| http://img00.deviantart.net/cb8e/i/2015/115/4/6/gul_dan_by_luciuscaudill-d8r0zd7.png |
As can be seen by orcish politics, there is no place for arcane magic, so when an orc is not strong, nor a shaman, he has no option to rise through the ranks. When this happens, an orc may seek out a pact with a higher power (usually a demon). They may practice in secret for a while, but eventually, the orc will make a power-play (usually after amassing a following), which will fail. If the warlock does not die in his uprising, he will be cast out, taking most of his followers with him; this creates a tribe of orcs which has broken the Laws of Bugrash. These orcs are typically evil, and may never return to Titan's Tomb. In these Tribes, the warlock replaces the Shaman, and he usually has control over the warchief of the tribe. Each of these tribes is different in how they are run based on the warlock running the show.
I think that is all for orcs. If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments below. If you like this blog, Click follow in the sidebar.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
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