Orcanos
The Orcanos, commonly known as White Orcs, are Orcs native to the Singing Islands, Ter Eira, and the northernmost regions of Lancaster.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Ghisli, Vrek, Freinor, Gretch, Tnu
Masculine names
Grul, Fgroth, Nul, Cragnor, Thun
Family names
Rather than family names, Orcs identify themselves with their clan of birth or marriage. These clan names can be easily translated into the Common Tongue of Civilized Folk and always have two parts, such as Bloody Wolf, Fierce Seal, Fanged Turtles, etc. The clan names of the Orcanos always incorporate animals.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Like all Orcs, the Orcanos speak Urzghul, or Orcish. Much like the Caronorn Halflings, most Orcanos speak in a pidgin of their own language, Common and Railek.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Orcanos are a seafaring people, whalers primarily, and this is reflected in their culture and arts.
Shared customary codes and values
Like most of the Northern peoples, the Orcanos have a Clan First outlook. Going against the Clan is social suicide and often leads to exile.
Common Dress code
The Orcanos traditionally dress in sealskin and decorate themselves with bone jewelry. Necklaces made from beads of narwhal tusk are a popular adornment for women, and men like to weave feathers into their braids.
Art & Architecture
Orcanos like to incorporate archways into their buildings, as seen in Nurgroth Nor. This curved design is commonplace in Orcanos artwork as well. Paintings are often arches made of everyday objects that form an even bigger picture.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Orcanos greet each other with physical contact, usually a light punch among friends or an arm grasp for elders. Lovers will rub noses, and children climb their parents for the first several years of life. For non-Orcanos, however, there is no contact.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
When Orcanos are born, they are immediately brought before the chief of their village to be named, and the father swears the loyalty of the child. The chief gives a name and says a blessing over the child, which is then returned to it's mother.
Coming of Age Rites
The Survival Game is done when a child reaches adulthood, the age of which varies from Clan to Clan. The young Orc is sent out to sea in a special boat and expected to come back in a week. It does not matter how survival happens, only that it does and the one under trial does not return for the week.
Funerary and Memorial customs
The Orcanos practice sea burials, despite primarily following the Dance of the Wind Spirits. The dead are tied to heavy weights, carried out to sea, and thrown into the ocean to be consumed. A day of silence is the usual custom of a village that has recently experienced a death.
Common Taboos
The Orcanos largely believe that non-Orcanos are spiritually unclean, and avoid touching them. Sometimes exceptions are made for other Orcs, but this is rare. Because of this, Northern Half-Orcs are often shunned by the Orcanos and taken in by their human parents outside of Nurgroth Nor.
Each Orcanos clan is named after an animal, and eating the flesh the 'Clan Spirit' is considered blasphemous enough to warrant a banishing.
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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