Orcs
Orcs are the most violent of all the races of The Howllands, all they know is war, death, and anger. Orcs appeared within the Howllands sometime between the awakening of the Dwarves and the arrival of man. In the beginning all war bands were small in population only around 300 orcs per band. But this changed when Azog The Unyielding came into the world, he was born a giant among orcs towering almost three heads above even the greatest of orcs. During his Hunt ceremony he hunted the very beast that had preyed on his band for generations a fearsome young red dragon, Azog returned to his band wrapped in the pelt of this ancient foe, the elders showered him in graces and gifts fashioning him a great war hammer from the bones and teeth of his kill, and armor from the scales and hide of it. A ear after this Azog killed his warlord and claimed the band for himself, leading them into an age of glory. To Azog everything was prey be them beast, demon, dragon, or even orc, Azog conquered all the other war bands in his youth and led them on a conquest of the ancient kingdoms of the other races nearly conquering them all in an event that is now recorded as The Great Scourge. It was the ancient dwarven kingdom of Gloom Reach that proved to be Azogs downfall as not even he could match their technological prowess. With Azog's death at the hands of Gloom Reach all the war bands that pledged their swords to is cause disbanded and fell under the rule of Azogs four children. These children known as The Sons of The Conqueror, lead these now massive war bands on a revenge campaign against the dwarves in a long and bloody war known as The War of Vengeance, this war lead to the death of three of the sons and the disappearance of Gloom Reach from the Howllands, in an event called The Disordering. The last Son of Azog pulled his forces back to the lands beyond the Sunless Mountains where they remained for hundreds of years until the time of Ar-Hissu The Mountain, a direct offspring of Azog and inheritor of his nearly his exact giant size standing roughly two heads taller than the largest of other orcs. Following in his ancestors footsteps Ar-Hissu killed a great swamp demon that had been plaguing his band for years and followed by killing his Warlord in Combat to claim the War band for himself, he then lead the other war-band to conquer the Sunless Mountains and portions of the lands beyond. Ar-Hissu's war band remained in the Sunless Mountains until the time of his sons Arzgal, Bolg and Durong who lashed out into the lands beyond the mountains in the second largest expansion of orcs called The Second Scourge, this campaign ended in the creation of four new large war band within the world. Balck Shield lead by Durong Dragon's-bane, the war band that raids the lands of The Shadow Caves. Blizzard Spear lead by Bolg The Vile, the war band carved into the frozen badlands of The Frigid Waste. And Hammer Shriek the war band that dominates the northern region of The Rueful Plains and its neighboring territories, lead by Arzgald The Skull-Crusher.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Baggi, Emen, Engong, Kansif, Myev, Neega, Ovak, Ownka, Shautha, Sutha, Vola, Volen, Yevelda
Masculine names
Dench, Bolg, Arzgald, Gimub, Ar-Benu, Gell, Feng, Henk, Holg, Imsh, Keth, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront, Shump, Thokk, Lurtz, Kruk,
Family names
Blood Ax, Black Claw, Long Fang, Dread Skull, Man-bane
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
They speak some common but primarily speak in orcish. A hard guttural language with barely any written script to its own.
Culture and cultural heritage
They are nomadic at heart but if the band is big enough they will find a place to permanently settle and expand their reach from their. Their primary drive is war and the pursuit of violence to reach their goals of becoming the top race within the Howllands.
Shared customary codes and values
Orcs value strength above all else if you are strong in battle and show a true gift at slaughter they will respect you.
Common Etiquette rules
none
Common Dress code
Orcs where the hides of what they kill be it man, beast, fae or elf. Some orcs wear the bones of mighty beasts to signify their standing within the clan.
Art & Architecture
they have no need for art and their architecture is that of a tribal society.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Young orcs are put in charge of small war parties to test their ability to lead and see if they are a solider or a commander. The Warlord of the war band is a title earned by gaining the respect and fear of all others within the band, but a warlord can be challenged for their position by any within the band be they male or female.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
When an orc child is born they are taken to the Warlord who will tests the child's resilience through a test called the culling. If the child survives the ordeal they are allowed to stay within the band, if not then they will be eaten by the warlord.
Coming of Age Rites
A young Orc proves his worth in a ritual called The Hunt, where the young orc must seek out a great beast to fight with only a small knife and return victorious or die trying. The young orc must return with the pelt and bones of this beast for the ritual to be complete.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Orcs that die in battle are taken back to the main fort and burned upon a pyre of all their life possessions. Orcs that die or sickness or disease or born still are put in a hole and buried away from the bands territory.
Common Taboos
Raising half breed children within the warband. Any half breed must be raised outside the band and try to work their way into the band to prove their true heritage to the band.
Common Myths and Legends
Orcs believe in the story of the first orc Ammon The Great who with his six other brother toppled the kingdoms of old and ruled the world as gods of war and violence.
Historical figures
Ammon The Great, Drenth The Noble, Azog The Violent, Gothmog The Clever, Bolg The Wolf, Azgald Mountain Breaker, Krusk The Bloody.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Orcs are a war loving race they have no true sense of beauty but males tend to find a female for suitable for mating if the female has scars, lots of scars both deep and light.
Gender Ideals
Orcs are simple male and female are all they need to identify each other as.
Courtship Ideals
Orcs mate they do not truly marry but the warlord has many concubines and servants that they may give to their commanders when they feel like it.
Relationship Ideals
Orcs take what they want, and do what they want with it.
Major organizations
Their are three major orc bands within the Howllands they are Hammer Shriek, Blizzard Spear and Black Shield. But they are not the only war bands within the Howllands there are many other smaller bands scattered throughout the land.
Parent ethnicities
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
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