Running of the Bulls

[Vilebranch 410]

Running of the Bulls

Spoiler

 

 

    As the descendants of Krug landed once more upon the sandy shores of Arcas, the ancient cries of forgotten beasts could be faintly heard as the horde of tusked figures marched back to their fortress home. Many things were on the mind of Skorkon, the journey he took to old lands forever changing him. But that day two old world relics were brought to Arcas kicking and screaming; with the help of trusted friends of course.

 

    Ugluk; the ancestor for which roughly a third of the Gorkil clan could trace its roots. It is this bloodline which accounts for the most skilled of it’s warriors, and the most bloodthirsty of it’s berserkers. It is within this bloodline to which an intense passion for bloodlust is unmatched even among their Gorkil brethren, who consistently suppress their urges. To be descended from Ugluk is to be rage personified, a glorious totem to savagery and violence. Only one thing could herald their rebirth; the Ugluk bulls. A breeding pair were extracted from the sparse fields of old Krugmar, from the wild herds which had been grazing there for centuries; undisturbed. Two young calves were brought back, ready to be bred once they become adults. 

 

    Invigorated with passion and idealistic vigor, Skorkon’Gorkil, successor to the Ugluk bloodline and Dominus to the Rex, approached his wargoth with a challenge. Not to press any demands, but to simply test his willpower. Inevitably, Skorkon lost his duel with the famed Targoth, but was not left alone. After a long chat Korgahk agreed to allow Skorkon greater freedom, a chance to truly test his newfound pride and ambitions. His ideals could live on.

 

DA RAGIN’ HORNZ WARBAND

 

    Da Ragin’ Hornz Warband was formed in response to a perceived lack of growth within the Gorkil Clan and within Krugmar in general. Their ultimate aim is ultimately to purge weakness and dishonor through general conflict; ranging from friendly klomps to torture in the case of outsiders. Their philosophy is known to them as ‘Da Dub Hornz’, representing the two pillars of their struggle, strength and growth. Strength, the sharp horn, refers to the individual’s quest for greatness. Growth, the long horn, refers to the individual’s ability to aid others on their quest. The idea is that both are directly linked through conflict and by butting heads with others you not only improve yourself but them as well. This extends to most aspects of life and even beyond the confines of the Goi, oftentimes going out on violence-fueled pilgrimages to enact this same philosophy upon the weaker races, killing the weak and antagonizing the strong.

 

    As inheritors of the Ugluk Clan’s legacy, Da Ragin’ Hornz continue their own customs and traditions from eras long past, including their own trials and initiation rituals. The integral variable to these customs would be the Ugluk Bull; being their main source of leather, meat, and transportation. One such tradition is known as the Zmokin’ Bezzie, a celebration following a major battle or occasion in which the weakest bull of the herd is fed large amounts of cactus and then painted green before being roasted alive in a pit with all of the warband’s members watching. Not a single piece of the creature is wasted as the uruks get high off of the bull’s rich meat.

    The trials for entering the warband are quite different to those one might expect out of joining a clan, requiring a decent amount of intelligence and brute strength to accomplish. To begin, the hopeful is handed a small calf which he must raise and feed until reaching maturity. The calf must be taken with the hopeful uruk to each of their dangerous trials, with the calf’s death marking the uruk with deep failure, their head and face painted white to symbolize this shame. First, the uruk must capture a dark creature and sacrifice them to the bronze boar, ranging from practitioners of dark magic to undead constructs. This trial both serves to represent their continued loyalties to Clan Gorkil and to express the warband’s hatred for the supreme weakness, dark magic. Once this trial has been passed the hopeful member must earn their horns, venturing out alone into the wilderness for seven days to hunt and bring back game to the Warboss. If the Warboss deems that the game is inadequate, the uruk will be allowed one more chance at the hunt. The game captured during the trial will be used for a great feast, inviting all uruks of the Uzg. This is used to represent the ultimate aim of the warband, the betterment of the orcs of Krugmar. Finally, after caring for their calf until maturity, the hopeful will be given the chance to mount it. However, they will only be allowed to be kicked off of their bull one time before being eliminated. This trial is to test the uruk’s moral character, as if they have properly cared for and fed their bull, it will have already bonded to them.

 

Upon making it through the trial, the orc will be scarred once more, this time with a red-hot brand to symbolize their entry into the warband.

 

    In times of war, Da Ragin’ Hornz will always answer the call of either the Gorkil Wargoth or the Rex of Krugmar. In these times, the warband takes on the role of elite shock cavalry, smashing into the enemy’s frontlines with their massive bulls. The Warband’s main weapons usually include axes of all sorts, however large hammers or other Gorkil weapons are not uncommon. The Ugluk warcry used by this warband are in fact not cries at all, but instead the sound of specialized horns carried into battle by each warrior. These horns were created for the express purpose of mimicking the cry of an enraged bull, stacking onto the noises of their own bulls to degrade the morale of the enemy army.

 

    The signature mount of the warband, the Ugluk Bull, has long been considered an endangered breed ever since the rapid decline of their clan after Vailor and their genocide by the Braduks in years prior. Despite this, the breed has been known to be particularly aggressive and strong. On average, the bulls average at about 220 cm in height with massive muscles being a prominent feature of the beasts. Socially, they are known to recognize sickly or weak newborn calves, leaving them to die as the herd continues on without them. Due to this, the breed is fully capable of surviving on their own in the wild without intervention by orcs, selectively breeding their own herds to achieve the strongest and largest offspring.

 

OOC: If you’re interested on joining the warband, give me a dm. Vilebranches#8810. However, atleast for now the group will be Gorkils only.

[TheNanMan2000 473]

Murak’Gorkil looked on proudly as the Orc he recruited on Atlas went on to continue the legacy of Ugluk and keep the sons of Gorkil united, yet stronger. He considered joining the Warband, however contemplated if he could keep a Warboar, Demigryph and a Ugluk Bull fed and happy by himself...

[Elite Snipes 3563]

Wargoth and Targoth Korgahk’Gorkil the Honorable would smile and with pride of what the future holds for Klan Gorkil as well honoring Ugluk “Hosh Job Brudda. May da ancestors zmile upohn us! ANG GIJAK ISHI!”