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Plains Tribes

Mar 6, 2016
Plains Tribes
  • One of three distinct areas of the Orclands.

    The orcs that inhabit the vast open plains of the central Orclands exist in vast sprawling hordes inhabiting huge areas of the savannah. These tribes can grow to be as large as a thousand strong and form the bulk of the Great Khan's main forces in the war against humans and their allies.

    Plains goblins tend to have more of an affinity to the scholarly pursuits than their river or mountain kin and the shaman of these tribes are revered as particularly powerful. Shaman are also more common in this society and the practice magic is readily accepted on the plains.


    Everyday Life(top)


    Bloodmark of Kargun, Great Khan of the Orc Khanate
    PlainsTribes1.jpg

    The plains tribes of the orc nation are a nomadic people. They have been forged in hardship and warfare since their release from the bondage of slavery. They originally lived a life of hunter gathering and farming but now they are nearly all nomadic and follow the weather with their great herds of cattle and goats. The tribes name themselves after the animals that they respect or fear. The plains are vast and with so many different tribes it would be impossible to count their numbers. Each tribe, or clan as they are sometimes called, are led by the strongest and most able of their number. These leaders are known as Khans and rule by right of strength and will. The warriors spend their time training and constantly defending the tribe against all aggressors. The raid is also part of the warrior’s way of life and the plains orcs often attack neighbouring tribes to ensure that the strongest survive and prosper. The act of raiding is considered a right and is never interfered with unless a tribe has been called to serve the Great Khan or a Great Naddam has been called. When Kargun, the Great Khan calls, all must answer. Be they warrior or no, the whole tribe must take heed. Any who interfere with this calling are wiped from the plains and utterly destroyed. The Great Khan’s words are law and none may question them.

    Tradition(top)


    Each tribe or Clan has their own traditions and ways of life. There are a small number which have found the ways of farming and township to their liking. These are not shunned in anyway by the nomads, as they provide safe staging posts and haven for them as they pass through in return for bartered goods. It is not often that the Great Khan calls on these tribes to to fight as he relies on them to keep the hordes fed and equipped. Trade is done through these towns and any form of theft or threats within is punishable by public execution.
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    Daruk of the Tribe of the Plains Wolf,
    Wolf Rider of the Great Khan.

    The Naddams(top)


    The tribes have a tradition of martial gatherings called Naddams. These tournaments are events where the tribes may gather to renew alliances and resolve differences. A Great Naddam is only ever called when the Great Khan wishes to gather all of the tribes and clans together. Great games of archery, riding and all forms of warfare are played and the best craftsmen come to show their greatest work. It is here where the Khans of each tribe blood their new warriors and where the Khans select their Claws. The shaman are the spiritual voice of the Great Khan and are responsible for spreading his word at all times. It is the shaman who ensure the tribes hold to the laws of the gathering. During the Great Naddam every orc is considered to be the Great Khans guest and therefore under his protection. Anyone caught breaking this law is dealt the most painful death imaginable. In recent years since coming together under the banner of the Plain’s Wolf, all the tribes of the plains, mountain and river have been competing. The goblins are also welcome and even the Undead have been known to attend. The Haiesti elves have also been allowed to attend in the last few years although none so far have tried to take part in any of the games directly, there is no rule against them doing so however...

    The Right of Challenge(top)


    Rights of challenge happen frequently in orc society under the Great Khans leadership. All plains tribes are allowed to challenge their leaders. Sometimes leaders simply die and disappear but more often than not, a formal challenge is declared. Once that formal challenge is set there are no rules, whoever is strongest survives and the loser’s fate is in the hands of the victor. These challenges can even happen during the Great Naddam and even when the Great Khan has called the tribes to war. However, it is a foolish orc who challenges a leader when they do not have the support of their tribe.

    Crime and Punishment(top)


    The only formal laws within the plains tribes are the Khans right of hospitality at the Naddams and in trade towns. During the call to war however there is only the Khan’s will as dispensed by the shaman and his Claws. Many an orc has fallen foul of the Great Khan’s wrath for doing something which is considered an affront to the tribes or indeed the Khan himself. The right of hospitality that the Khan can extend for a guest when he or she enters his camp provides the strongest form of protection in the Orclands. If some harm befalls you whilst under this gift, there is an investigation into what happened, carried out by one of the Great Khans Claws or a shaman. The outcome of defying the will of the Khan is always severe and hospitality is broken only by those with the most to gain.

    Shaman and the Ritual of the Flags(top)


    Shamans are part of the tribes but stand out as figures of respect and awe due to their ability to contact the demons. This is most easily observed when battle is joined between tribes. In this instance as long as the shaman does not attack any other orc he is left alone. It is often said that the strongest will decide what is right and what is wrong. If an orc disagrees with a decision then he or she should act on it. The Great Khan never refuses a challenge. There exists a tradition which seems to have come from the shaman of the Great Khan. The ritual of the flags. The Great Khan’s shaman lord places a flag outside the current residence of their leader. There are three coloured flags each with a different meaning. Each flag denotes the temperament of the Leader and how safe it is to approach him. None but the shaman of the Plains Wolf are able to divine which flag to place but each flag, white, red and black seem to describe the level of anger or aggressive temperament of the ruler at any given time.

    The Khan's Claws(top)


    The Great Khans Tribe is the Plains Wolf. Many say that Kargun Khan is linked to the demons. Some say he is a demon. However, nobody is altogether sure. What is certain is that he is the strongest orc alive and has managed to gather to his banner the entire orc nation. He is a ruthless, violent, passionate and kind leader, but the one thing which is agreed by all is that his will and his words are law. Each Khan, and Kargun himself, has a personal guard of his most trusted warriors known as the Claws. Those most favoured carry a curved dagger as a mark of their status and, when absent from their master, their words are those of the Khan. However, there have been times where one of these Claws have openly abused the power of the Khans and have felt the full force of their masters wrath and often the anger of the whole tribe.

    Style and Dress(top)


    The Plains tribes have historically tended to wear leather armour and furs. This has started to change since the coming together of the Khanate. Many have started to collect the weapons and armour of the human armies when they have fallen on battlefields. Some have even been made in house by the tinkers and these are often much sought after. Weapons tend to be well made and culturally the bow is usually used for hunting and fighting from the back of the giant wolves. The plains orcs ride these due to the absence of horses in their lands. Hierarchy in the plains is based on age. Elder war leaders and shaman are looked upon with respect. They have earned their place by surviving long enough to reach an age that most orcs never achieve. Tribal tattoos and markings are common and the use of bone and other materials as decoration and adornment is a sign of status. Plains orcs tend to have a reddish tint to their skin that comes with a constant exposure to the sun on the flat plains of the Orclands. Goblins from the plains tend to be skilled hunters or craftsmen. They use their cunning to stalk prey and craft the tools of war necessary for the continuing war effort. Goblin shaman are seen in the same light as their orc counterparts and it is more about the age of the figure than his raw power that determines ones place in plains society. When the call of war resounds across the Orclands it is the plains tribes that are the first to answer. The vast hordes gather in their thousands to fill the ranks of the Great Khan's army. They are not the fierce and unstoppable fighters of the Mountain Kin-bands or the cunning killers of the River Clans but the plains tribes make up for this in their seemingly inexhaustible numbers. It is these numbers that the Great Khan intends to use to wash away the Kingdom and its allies in a wave of cleansing conquest.

    Appearance(top)


    The nomadic tribes of the plains travel across the Savannah in vast numbers and the need for mobility and speed necessitates light and functional clothing and armour. Constant exposure to the southern sun makes the complexion of these orcs and goblins darker. Everything used is functional but designed for killing quickly with as little fuss as possible. Being nomadic, plains orcs tend to travel lighter than their mountain cousins and tend to prefer lighter armour and clothing that allows room to breathe and move in the warmer climate. This is especially true further south, closer to the desert regions. They understand the value of full amour though and those who come to the Vale are as likely as other orcs or goblins to wear metal armour.

    Inspiration(top)


    A nomadic, Mongolian style is the general aim here, based on tribes that live closely with the land and are always on the move between settlements in the vast plains of the Orclands. Another comparison that could be drawn is that of the Dothraki from Game of Thrones, (except wolves instead of horses)...
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