The Blood of Dorak
The Throne of the Elements by Abe Taraky
Clan Specifics
Unlike more standard clans, the Blood of Dorak is not a clan your born into but rather one you join or are 'recruited' into. The clan is made up of orcs from other clans who are either dissatisfied with their original clans way of life/leadership or those who have been disgraced in the eyes of their original tribe and seek a means to restore their honor. As such this clan tends to be more strictly and militarily organized and structured than other clans, sort of like the Roman legion combined with the French Foreign legion.Naming
Orcs of the Blood do not take suffix names to extol their personal victories. Rather they all have prefix rank names and their rank only increases when they achieve victory, glory and feats of leadership in battle that are recognized by a council of warriors.Religion
The clan as a whole still fiercely retains their devotion to their shamanistic spirituality. Individual members are encouraged to continue to revere their original tribes totem or to find a new totem to revere if they seek a new start. 'Fighting with no spirit' or being 'totemless' is considered extremely bad luck and those who avow such views seldom find that their compatriots have their backs on or off the field of battle.Society
Along with their more rigid organization comes a more structured view on society and war. War Marshal Gronark heavily supports a more structured society, with mass organized production of food, trade goods, weapons and armor and such. Their clan would be much more lawful than the standard orc clans and operate with an almost Klingonlike sense of honor. Death in glorious battle is the best way to die staring your enemy in the eye and taking them down with you, earning glory and victory for your name and clan. They eschew the use of poisons or diseases as valid weapons saying that they are cowards tools, weapons used when your too scared to stare your foe in the eye and prove your strength over them.Warfare
Siege warfare is a valid tool though since the deprivation of resources to your enemy is not only a sound tactic but it gives an often smaller force a chance to choose to die valiantly in battle. Should the siege go long enough that the enemy starves, their cowardly deaths are on their own heads since they could have come out and fought like true warriors far before reaching that point. Orcs of the Blood will take prisoners who surrender in battle. Acknowledging another's superior skill over themselves is not dishonorable as long as you have given your absolute best to fight. Such prisoners are taken by the Blood as thrall's and used like slaves. These thrall's are treated well as hey have to some degree proven themselves in combat and can usually earn their freedom in 5-10 years with loyalty and diligence. There are even codes of conduct that will punish any who mistreat a thrall for no reason as it is seen as 'unnecessarily damaging a clan resource'. Punishments range from a cash fine in minor cases to reduction of rank in extreme ones.Punishments
Loss of all rank in The Blood will result in facial branding and expulsion from orc lands in most cases up to torture and execution in the case of betrayal of the clan, cowardice on the field of battle or murder (which is treated vastly differently than say a sanctioned duel to the death). Duel's to the death are heavily discouraged but are recognized as a necessary evil when both parties agree to such. Murder is considered non sanctioned killing of any orc, whether they are of the Blood or not. Self defense in such cases leads to investigation but usually mild punishments (30-50 lashes) at most if the accused is found not guilty of inciting the attack.Originally designed by Gilfalas on the Paizo forums.
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