Ceremonial Garb

Clan Gravnak has the best embroiderers, have you seen the stitching on Chief Nanipi's pants? How did they get so much detail into those flowers?

— overheard at a clan gathering

Summary

The garb is worn by the Orc Clan Chiefs of Paiaku during special ceremonies and gatherings, it is also worn to meet with important visitors and when on diplomatic visits to other nations. The garb is designed to show off the wealth and standing of the chief's clan, and the craftsmanship of it's people. It consists of a finely worked leather vest, finely decorated hide pants, and a cloak woven from yak's wool.

Components

Each part of the garb is crafted by the most skilled members of the chief's clan, completely from scratch. The materials are gathered, hunted, cured, crafted and assembled entirely by the clan. Each piece is a testament to the clan's wealth in skill. The materials of hide, leather and wool were chosen as these are items that all the clans have access to, no matter how small or far flung they are. It is not stipulated which animal the hide or leather is to come from, as each clan has access to different sources.

The Vest

Although made from hardened leather, the vest is more decorative than protective. The style varies between clan but the basic design is the same: a sleeveless vest with a rounded collar, and no longer than the hips. The leather can be dyed any colour or left plain, and is often intricately worked with patterns and always with clan isignia. As with each piece of the ceremonial garb, many craftsmen are involved in the creation process, and it is considered a great honour to have been part of it.

The Pants

Made from the softest hide, these pants are also a testemant to the craftsmanship of the clan, from the quality and softness of the hide itself to it's intricate decoration. The pants are long and loose, with a large decorated hem and a belt crafted from leather or wool. They are usually decorated with intricate designs made from beadwork and embroidery, depicting animals and wildlife. The hide used is often of a creature that has been slain by the chief themselves.

The Cloak

The most distinctive and significant part of the garb, the cloak tells the story of the clan chief's deeds. It is made from dyed yak wool, woven by the clan's spinners and weavers and has a banded pattern down it's length. Each band is 6 inches wide, and is coloured depending upon the deed it depicts. The first 2 bands represent the Chief's clan colours and isignia, the third band represents their society Each band after this represents deeds that the chief has accomplished during their rule.

Significance of the cloak

When Irtask entered the Hall I could tell straight away that the Orcs had sent one of their most esteemed chiefs: his cloak trailed on the ground a good two foot behind him

— Master Druid Hissip Yash

Although the entire outfit is designed to be an example of the clan's talent, it is the cloak which carries the most prestige. Over the course of a clan chief's life the cloak will grow in length as they accomplish deeds. These deeds can either be personal or for the benefit of the clan. The longer a chief's cloak the more prestige they have amongst the other chiefs. The cloak doesn't only record deeds it also records length of time served as chief. Foe every 10 years served a coloured band is added to the cloak. Different types of deeds are represented by different colours and patterns, so it possible to tell the tale of a Chief's accomplishments simply by taking the time to study their cloak.

Item type

Clothing / Accessory

A matter of honour

It is considered to be a great honour to be selected to create a piece of the Chief's ceremonial garb. As the outfit is designed to show off the best the clan has to offer there is great prestige associated with it's creation.

A variety of materials

As Paiaku covers a very large territory, with a diverse environment, there is great variety in the types of hide and leather used in the vest and pants. From whale and seal hide, to deer, to wild cats and wolves. It is often the case that the animals used for the leather are hunted by the chief themselves, especially if the chief has manged to bring down an impressive quarry.

Accessories

There are a few other items that complete the full ceremonial outfit. All chiefs will their clan torque, as they always do whenever in public. Footwear is the choice of the Chief, but is more often than not a pair of sturdy hide or leather boots. Though it is not uncommon for some to choose to go barefoot in the warmer months. Most chiefs will wear a loose cloth shirt under their vests during the summer, and in winter a hide shirt is worn instead.