Orcs/Half-Orcs
In less civilized times before the advent of Nations, the thunderous crashing of orcish war drums outside the gates was the nightmare all settlements feared, for no matter how think a wall was, nor how true the arrows flew, few primitive settlements could withstand the force of "Gruumsh" (citation needed regarded this translation) and his children. The Orcs True Creator god is unknown, as such, like most humanoid mortals, (sans the dwarves, Fae and Giants) the credit defaults to Yggdrasil.
(some Historians believe that Orcs may have served as the prototype or inspiration for Humans)
Orcs are bred for war, weilding a level of Strength that often matches Goliaths, Contrary to what one may tell you, Orcs aren't simple-minded brutes, they posses a cruel intellect reserved for direct combat, an absolute mastery in the art of dealing and being dealt pain that can date back to their discovery of sharpening rocks, it is with this knowledge ingrained to muscle memory that orcs can accuratly predict the flow of battle down to knowing exactly how much damage an attack will deal. To complement this, Orcs possess a level of awareness on their own body that surpasses some monks, knowing exactly how much damage their body and mind can take at any given time as well as their limitations, it is through this that Orcs don't believe in what we call "risks" while most people would never leap into a wall flame blocking their path in combat, fearing death by immolation an orc knows no such fear, this isn't to say an orc is incapable of seeing alternative routes, they might even direct non-orc comrades to those routes, but to an orc, the rational choice is usually the most direct route and will jump through sword at the ready with absolute faith in their relentless endurance.
During the time Gruumsh reined over his children, orc raids were often mistaken for Hulking Demons in the night, tales of zealotous monsters capable of tearing through Soldiers like stalks of wheat against the scythe were commonplace, and Gruumsh was proud of his children's reputation, ecthing every single horrifying tale onto his monsterous body. Being one of the first Orcs and their apparent Ruler from the start, much of their Culture can be traced back to him, as can each and every Orc, despite the implausibility of such a claim given how widespread they are. Even today as orcs lack a true king and have found thesmelves abandoning the tribal lifestyle in favor of joining up with the kingdoms lead by the ones they used to see as prey, (with a great interest in another kingdom's millitary programs) some traditions still endure in Orc-heavy communities.
One such example of enduring culture is an Orc's fascination with scars which they believe always hold significant meaning on life. (otherwise they'd fade away like most injuries) Taking inspiration from Gruumsh own lifestyle, scars earned in battle are seen as marks of honor, a story of their life depicting victory and glory in the form of a permenant reminder, ones they display proudly, often prefering armor that exposes their arms to display their marks. There are few things an orc loves more than battle, but recounting the tales that earned them their scars may be a close second.
The highest mark of honor an orc could ever achieve in their culture is the teh act of dismemberment in battle, from an orc's perspective, the act of losing a limb and emerging victious in a true blood-stained war regardless is seen as an act of apotheosis of their career as a warrior, mimicing the Divine Ancestor Gruumsh, who also lost a hand in war, only to bludgeon his nemesis to death with his severed arm.
Scars are more than just marks of honor however, Orcs have a different views regarding the gods of Brimir and how they communicate. The Orcs hold a firm belief that the Gods speak through pain, blood, and especially through scars. Sudden pains are seen as messages,a dull pain on the soles of ones foot is a warning of personal stagnation, a shooting pain in ones leg or knee is an omen for cowardice, and aches between the shoulderblades can warn against betrayal. After a battle, Orcish Diviners (also called, haruspices) are able to discern information and omens from their the gods and ancestors from scars, be it the ones on them, a comrade, a deceased soldier, or in some rare cases, the battlefield itself. Not all scars bring honor however, large gapping wounds along one's back are the warrior's greatest shame, moments of cowardice and unfaithfulness to their ancestor's forever burned onto them.
While Orcs have no issue worshiping the local gods in the area, the primary god for orcs tends to be the new god of fear, pain, and scars: Adren, who's, (from their perspective) much more honest and upfront in regards to how he operates. Beyond gods an orcs piety is more so focused on one's own family, ancestor's who performed great deeds are believed to attain apotheosis through their funeral pyre, joining the honored dead as what is reffered to as "the winds of war" spirits that linger on the astral plane to watch over and protect their desendants, because of this, Orcs often feel most at peace in quieter lands where the wind serves as the only source of noise. In extremely rare cases, an Orc's life was so momumentous that they're worshiped by far more than just their families, For these legendary orcs they ascend beyond the winds of war in death, into something spoken of in legends as "the Wild Hunt".
When an Orc dies the funeral pyre is often held as a local event dedicated to celebrating ones life and their impacts, after the pyre burns out ones ashes are collected and given to the deceased's next of kin, typcially to be stored in the "memorial room" many orc houses have hidden from public view. In Helheim however, a greater emphasis is placed on preserving the body after death, as such, memorial rooms are far less common in the name of space management, instead having family Masuoleoms where their remains are preserved or, should they have consented in life, reanimated to protect their home and serve the community. Richer orcs however have slightly different burial rites for their family, their basements often containing expansive and elaborate catacombs where they preserve each member in their own personal quaters for their final resting place.
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