Before the Days of Fire the strongest had always led. There had always been a sacred principle that Might makes Right in orc and goblin society. The society always put brawn over brains and in this, the progenitors of what would become the river clans failed. They did, however, evolve developing not superior intellect, but rather an imaginative cunning.
Jabbik "Deadshot" Grimnuckell.When the skies cleared and the fires died these orcs and goblins migrated to the north to escape their more thuggish cousins. They stopped at the fertile banks of the great river that bordered the Orclands and the Kingdom and there they flourished. They did, however, lack some of the basic principles such as patience. They had no patience in building and growing settlements and some became very slothful.
Their creative imaginations and their cunning brought them into contact with nearby human cultures and they learned envy and lust. They could see the growing cultures of men that had survived the Days of Fire. The traders and the wealthy elite with fancy clothes, posh gold trinkets adorning themselves, looked very attractive to the river clans. They saw it and they liked it.
The greed for the trappings of humanity steered them towards resentment and anger. Rather than being submissive to the human cultures, the river orcs played on their cunning. Using there imagination, huge barges were constructed, floating forts to house large quantities of the river clans population. And with these tentative steps, came the first ships.
Some of these ship were captured through piracy against the humans but eventually, using their own hidden coves, the junks and corsairs of the clans began to rise. The clans became armadas. This then led to the river clans learning about pride and gluttony. They greedily raided their enemies, traded spoils for more spoils with the plains and mountain clans and then proudly displayed their wealth as power.
It would have descended into utter chaos had it not been for the High Admiral Djangok, an orc warlord who codified the river clans and gave them some structure, showing them the benefits of rudimentary discipline. His charismatic declaration to the clans (and chopping several other leaders in half) forced them to take stock of what made them better than the others from the mountains and plains.
He codified the laws of the river clans, so called the code. A code that they embrace to the current day.
The code is very vague, and subject to all sorts of grog fueled fisticuffs since it was spoken and dictated into a large tome now known simply as "the Code" that essentially no one can be bothered to read.
In short it boils down to:
-You keep what you kill.
-Greed is good.
-Trust no one.
-Strive to be the best at what you do, even if what you do ain't very nice.
-Never take sides against the river boys (unless it's a matter of rank, then all gloves are off).
Clans live on any number of floating barges travelling up and down the river and along the coast line. They are huge fortified structures that act as self contained villages. The top decks might have box gardens under sails growing herbs, or shallow baths growing rice whilst children play with swords and ropes in preparation for later life.
A barge is usually ran by a Kommander, with navigators and a contingent of crew.
Life on-board a barge is a bit of an anomaly in River clan culture. Those on the barge have a very tight sense of community. They are very supportive of each other, even helping with each other's young, until it is time for them to move on to serve in the fleet and join an armada. Dying protecting a barge is singularly the most honorable act in all clan culture.
They are excellent fishers and all their culinary prowess comes from the sea. Due to being on-board a wooden vessel, open fires are risk and is fuels scarce. Many skilled knife wielding clansmen spend time lovingly preparing food (with very sharp knives!) and take great pride in the fish that they prepare. These skilled cooks are highly respected and the best of them serve the richest Kommodores and Admirals.
The barges are often supported by fast junks and fighting corsair ships. The junks are especially adept at river sailing as well as seas and navigate shallow and narrow waters. They are skilled at lightning stealth raids and the best way to begin a climb to fame and wealth is to serve aboard a successful junk. Junks are the primary way that the Great Khan mounts his raids and offensives against The Kingdom and Shieldlands forces.
Corsair ships are vessels, the clans have pirated. The hodgepodge design of most of the ships, comes from bolting many different ships together, many refitted to custom clan specifications.
To own a corsair is a symbol of power. Corsair ships are named for the leading orc or goblin who captured them. This did lead to some confusion in instances when Djangok, the three eyed bastard led a successful raid and captured an impressive five ships. Rather than numbering them, they added a further random verb; Cold Djangok, Black Djangok, Big Djangok, The Djangok and Slippery when Wet Djangok ...
Junks and corsairs are run by Kaptins. If a Kaptin takes two ships, he or she becomes a Kommodore and the first mate (traditionally) become a Kaptin of one of the ships.
The largest ships are known as dreadnoughts are the most feared sights on the water. They are huge hulking platforms of river clans and tinker engineering, with huge battle rams fashioned into twisted ugly grimacing faces. The sides bristle with spikes to hinder aggressors who wish to board. These massive ships are dominated by the Admirals and it is a status symbol that no aspiring fleet leader can be without.
Admiral Djangok controls a powerful armada with not one but two mighty dreadnoughts. However, the most powerful armada today is led by now infamous goblin admiral Jek "six guns" Ironeye. Considered the most cunning river boy in history.
Ironeye worked with the goblin tinker clan to create something new. After a massive donation of treasure to the tinkers they perfected a vessel that sailed under water, nicknamed "Sinkies". Unseen and unheard by those on the surface. These vessels are only small, with the largest only holding about 10 orcs, but they have already been used in raids on human coastal settlements and ports to bypass early warning beacons and guards to great susses, giving them the element of surprise.
From his dreadnaught "Foesinker", Ironeye sits at the top of the heap and his "Sinkies", ensure that he has the edge on Djangok for now...
The path of the rogue is favoured among both Orcs and Goblins in the clans and the cunning nature of the goblin mind means that there are as many goblin corsair captains as there are orcish.
There are three significant towns in the Orclands which are river clan settlements, Tradetown, 'Aggleston and an island city in the middle of the river mouth called Port Djangok.
Tradetown is a large shanty town built on stilts on wetlands that flood. Hardy and vigorous river boys come from Tradetown, which also is renowned for its agriculture, rice, seaweeds and fisheries.
'Aggleston is a large fortification making use of local rock formations to bottleneck any land attack. It is not aesthetically pleasing at all, made from dark grey bricks and slate. Aggleston has spread up onto the nearby mountainside and work has begun crafting the mountain.
Port Djangok is an impressive bastion fortification and town settlement with two large Ports. Ships, junks, corsairs and more are regularly within the walls of the port and this place has the most renowned “Armoury of Shooters” in the whole nation.
The first place that began making firearms or shooters was a small magic users college sponsored by Admiral Shunzi. The fashion literally exploded and Magic craftsmen still come to the Armoury of Shooters to learn the craft years later.
Admiral Ironeye commissioned the six pistols which gave him his nickname from here and they are said to be the very best ever made.
Port Djangok is considered neutral territory and unclaimed by any clan fleet, therefore allowing any ship to dock there with impunity.
Wealth is power, and every orc and goblin in the fleet likes to show that they are a real river boy. To be without wealth, is to be without power and a boy without power is not a River Boy.
When River clans come together, they strut. It is perhaps a complex social ritual of posturing and posing. Strutting allows all to see who the better orc is, and fighting is common to ascertain dominance in the event of debate on who is the more powerful or wealthy.
Most crew are thugs, seaman, boaters, or marines. To be elevated to a position is to enter a ladder contest in which assassination and backstabbing is fair game. From mid-level positions like navigator, purser, cook or first mate, a crewman's first step towards becoming a kaptin. To clime to vanguard, admiral or even higher, a river boy has got to be truly skilled at watching his back and never putting a foot wrong.
Brug Quickshiv, Orc Corsair of the River Clans.Those with wealth even today, continue to ape Human Culture. As such, knee high roll top leather boots with calico pants, often split with two tone colors are worn. White or colored frilly shirts are worn, often showing stitched repairs from the hard toil and rough lifestyle (including survived knife wounds) the wearer has. Hero belts and baldrics with bananas or fancy feathered hats and often light weight leathers or heavy cloth embroidered long coats make up the average appearance. The fancier, the more wealthy and therefore more powerful. It is a wise man that NEVER make fun of a river boy's hat...
If they can’t go fancier with wealthy looking cloths, or even if they can, many orcs show their prowess with weapons. A common word in orc and goblin vocabulary is festooned. It is a common site to see an orc or goblin of the river clans festooned with weapons.
Baldrics and belts loaded with throwing daggers, the more the better. He may never use them. Equally, carrying a shooter or two, or more is enough to earn respect from fellow shipmates as symbols of his prowess.
Each weapon owned will have a story. The dagger or cudgel is the absolutely minimum a boy will disarm himself to. To be weapon less is to have no power. The first weapon he earns as a rite of passage from childhood and it will have a name.. Then there will be the first weapon they earned on there first raid.
These tales will be told over the dinner table in shared sessions.
Generally large bladed weapons like cutlass’s or brutal chopping weapons are utilized. The only exception are the Shinzu Clan, who whilst often mocked for their slender blades, often are given a berth for being the fastest and most precise slicing weapons! Orcs and goblins not on duty enjoy telling the tales of their weapons or playing games of chance, often using dice, (cards get wet!) or regale others with tales of the best deaths they've seen comrades take.
It is a great honor among the river clans for others to tell tall tales of your death. Often this means the most humorous.
Many boys do not wear significant levels of armour and may, at best, don light armour. In general, armour is heavy and a bane to those who fall over board. However, the river boy called to service to be a bodyguard or to go to war may don more significant armour.
The orc lamellar was designed to be as lightweight as possible as the marine had many tasks including swinging across ropes in a boarding action and using shooters in addition to swordsmanship. The armour was usually brightly lacquered to protect against the harsh salt water environment. To wear such armour is a symbol of great might and not many get this honour.
Other armours are often scavenged. Many who don armour have a mix matched Qadaq lorica or even muscled cuirass feel and style about them, but most love to fight donned in just light leathers, flappy coats and waving a big cutlass.
The smartest of the river clans often find themselves being rolled out as weapons. These are those boys who show a predisposition for magic. They serve the strongest "kaptins" and are themselves seen as "objects" of wealth and power. They are however treated with extreme civility and respect. An orc that can freeze the waters around an enemy, or hurl icy bolts, are seen as "touched" and are envied and highly sought after.
Ice magic is far more common in the armadas than fire magic. Best to avoid erratic accidents, although there are a few "firebomb" mages, and the kaptins that have them under their charge are given a wide berth ...
There are some lightning mages or "sparkies" who enjoy equal prestige to the “ice shapers.” After all, they have shown great cunning and discipline in achieving the ability to realize their imagination in magic. and besides, the river boys love to watch the enemy dancing a jig as the sparkies electrify the hulls of their ships ...
Originally there were 21 clans. Since the Days of Fire some have united, fallen or even sprung up from nowhere. There are now 7 main clan fleets that control a number of armadas. An armada being a group of allied or affiliated ships.
These seven clan fleets are, in no particular order: Bloodtong, Shinzu, Skull Jaggers, Blood Vipers, Tradetown Company, Kochs and The Sharks.
The two most infamous armadas are the Shiney Armada belonging to the Bloodtong Clan and the Slippery Eel Armada belonging to the Skull Jaggers.
The Admiral of the Shiney Armanda is Jek "six guns" Ironeye and his fleets hold sway in the waters off the coast of the Shieldlands and the waters of the Bay of Sorrows.
The Admiral of the Slippery Eel Armada is Djangok and his twin dreadnaught fleet that control the waters in the west of the great river from the Mountains of Fire to the borders of the Shieldlands.
Slippery when Wet Djangok
Originally a corsair of some age handed down through the years, is famous because of who caught it. The ship now built into a hulking dreadnaught is the flagship of the Slippery Eel Armada and is Djangok's personal vessel.
Fire Mountain
This barge has been commanded by a grizzled and scarred orc called Genji Two Stabs. So named because of his trend of killing people with two stabs with his fearsome trident. He is often seen above deck in his reddish lamellar. He doesn’t wear a horned or masked helmet that many do, instead preferring to cap his head in a black bandana. He pays his marines well, and led by his marine sergeant and personal enforcer, he is confident his loyal “first mate” and kommander will not dare seek to get promoted. Especially since his wife, is a “firebomb” known as “Hotlips” in certain circles.
The Pasty Face
A junk that suffered heavily against the humans of the Shieldlands was retreating back to the fleets with its cargo of some slaves and wealth when it was again attacked by Undead, quite by accident. With most of the crew dead, the ships cook was able to fight off the Undead to a stalemate and even barter with them. The ships sailed their separate ways with the Pasty Face renamed as such, under the new Kaptin, a dangerous knife wielding fish chef, Vorgak "Slicer" Doobok and a new White Sepulchre Undead as a prized crewman.
Foesinker
The personal dreadnaught of Admiral Jek "six guns", Ironeye is a hulking craft festooned in ballistae and catapults. Admiral Ironeye doesn't do anything by halves and anyone who suggests that he is compensating for his small stature with weapons and his inordinately huge hat is liable to be walking the plank very soon after...
Whereas the river clans will always accept the word of the Great Khan as law, they demand to be treated with respect as a nation. They are, as ever envious of the various cultures and are always striving to be seen as superior by their mountain and plain dwelling cousins.
They have a standoffish position with the grey fleets of the Undead who possess no small number of ghost ships and are seen as the greatest rivals with both admiration and envy in equal measure. Amongst all the Undead, the river orcs have good relations with the White Sepulchre, but generally do not like those of the green and their sickness.
Elves are seen as odd and out of place by the clans and as such they are not taken very seriously. It is not unknown for elves and Undead to serve on board river clan junks and corsairs but they never attain rank and only act as crewmen or specialist roles such as surgeons and crafters and can be seen as symbols of wealth...
The Orcs of the River Clans live for the most part aboard the ships that they use to ply their bloody trade. They favour leathers and shorter more manageable weapons and are especially fond of pistols and firearms. Both goblins and orcs alike fight for survival in these clans and it is common for many weapons to be concealed so as never to be caught out by an over enthusiastic rival. Powerful corsair captains tend to be more flamboyant and wear more expensive clothing and armour as a sign of their prestige.
Leathers and a more human feel to their dress and costume. There is a corsair/pirate feel with captains wearing large flamboyant hats and brightly colored sashes. Cutlass, axe and pistol are the favored weapons. Big pirate show offs who don’t like to be shown up.
