Clan Vaarg

[Smaw 2376]

Clan Vaarg

(An Orc will spend his entire life preparing for death)

 

 

History

 

Gijaak'Raguk had spent many decades in isolation, pursuing the Undead in a bid to fulfill his vendetta. With the aid of Shamanism, he was able to achieve some level of success in avenging his son, who had been killed and turned by dark and terrible creatures. 

 

Through immense struggle he felled many in his wake, though soon came to realise that he alone could not sate the need for their total demise. Gijaak made his way back to the civilisation he had left so long ago, a clear view in mind that would be achieved, no matter the cost.

 

Clan Vaarg serves two purposes; to assist the Uruk in reaching the afterlife, and to prevent the dead from entering a state of undeath.

 

Purpose

 

An Orc will spend his entire life preparing for his death.

 

It is through his tribulations and achievements that he earns his place in Stargush'Stroh, where his second and most important phase of existence begins. You will struggle to find an Orc who is not obsessed with the Spirits, Honour, and all aspects of Orc culture that can increase their status and strength in the afterlife.

 

It is for these reasons that Clan Vaarg exists; advisories to the Orcish population, heralds of death and transcendence, and Keepers of the Grave. The Uruks of Clan Vaarg surround themselves with death, and insist on one of three professions for all members; Grave Keeper, Executioner or Usher.

 

Grave Keeper  

 

 

These Uruk are responsible for maintaining the many graves that sprout in the wake of Orcish civilisation, preparing for burials and ceremonies and honing craftsmanship skills such as carpentry and pottery.

 

It is believed by those of Clan Vaarg that all living material decomposes and can burn to ash for the purpose of releasing the Spirit. Cremation is preferred as it is believed to hasten the process of reaching the afterlife. 

 

When a child of the clan is born, they are given a plain and simple urn, a symbol of their inevitable death and of their standing in society. Through their lifespan, they are expected to earn tokens of flesh and bone that can be traded with Grave Keepers for better urns. For this reason Grave Keepers hone the craft of pottery, and tend to dabble in carpentry and stone-crafting for the purpose of maintaining and building burial chambers and graves.

 

Grave Keepers are also responsible for carrying corpses and transporting them where the need arises. They can normally be seen on the battlefield collecting their fallen comrades in the aftermath of war. However, they are not permitted to perform burial or cremation ceremonies.

 

Executioner 

 

 

As the name implies, these Uruk are responsible for enacting judgement upon the unworthy. In a particularly brutal fashion, Uruk that disgrace their people, clan or themselves are brought a swift death, unable to redeem themselves or enter Stargush'Stroh. It is believed that once an Orc commits sin, their soul is irredeemable. 

 

These Uruk also act as the fighting force within the clan, and serve as raid leaders when the clan travels to hunt for the Undead, or any manner of Dark Creature/Magic User they deem fit. They do this frequently as it is one of the primary purposes of the clan, and work diligently to produce tools that assist in vanquishing their enemies.

 

Executioners usually practice smithing and jewel-crafting in an effort to enhance their strength and abate the influences of Dark Mages. They are seldom seen without their armour and weaponry, taking every opportunity to remove pests.

 

They are also seen guarding Graveyards, preventing any would-be grave robbers from stealing valuable items. 

 

 

Usher 

 

 

These Uruk are responsible for performing Burials, Cremations and Ceremonies to both usher the dead into the afterlife, and support the living in their quests for glory. 

 

Effectively serving as Priests, these Uruk are the most likely to adopt Shamanism. They are typically sought out for advice on matters of improving stature in the afterlife, and issue many tasks they believe to be essential for the current climate.

 

For instance, if the Uruk have a particularly bountiful year and produce many offspring, an Usher will instruct the elderly to offer their lives against impossible odds, or send the young on hunts to cull the weakest of the flock.

 

Ushers typically practice scribing or stone carving as they are tasked with writing out the details of tombstones and urns. For their part to play in Burial and Cremation Ceremonies, they are often referred to as Servants of Kor.

 

The Way of Ash

 

 

All Uruk of Clan Vaarg practice the art of Ash Painting, and believe that ash holds the properties of its source.

 

For instance, slaying a great beast and painting its ash upon your skin is believed to imbue its strength into you. All Uruk of the clan appear black, as they are instructed to cover themselves in ash of their chosen kill. They may also use ash to strengthen their homes, weapons, armour, etc...

 

Examples:

 

Tree Ash – Used to bolster the strength of a home or door, or any other structure

 

Flower Ash – To ward against illness and aid in the healing process

 

Descendant Ash – To further insult fallen enemies and prevent their soul from reaching the afterlife

 

Beast Ash – To imbue strength, wisdom, or any other trait associated with a particular animal

 

To achieve this, the Uruk must first extract the blood or water/sap, as this is used to bind the soul of the person/creature/plant to the ash and keep its energy in the realm of the living. The Orc will then proceed to burn what remains, combining the two ingredients into a paste which is applied to the desired location.

 

Culture

 

 

The Hunt

 

At least once a week, the Uruk of Clan Vaarg are expected to go out on excursions in order to find information on or kill creatures of darkness/black arts. They will paint themselves in their strongest ash, and will wear bones and skulls to signal their intent. 

 

When a member of the clan is killed, they direct their attention toward vengeance,  and will ensure that their target is unable to enter the afterlife. Occasionally, an Usher will demand the death of a local town so that the Uruk civilisation may increase their own numbers and maintain balance in life and death.

 

Spirit Worship

 

Clan Vaarg worship a number of Spirits that relate to their practices, namely those referenced below:

 

Kor, Spirit of the Dead – Perhaps the primary of all the deities, Kor is referenced in all aspects of Vaarg culture, associated with bones, skulls, graves, urns and other deathly symbols. For this reason, Uruks of Vaarg decorate their homes in the aforementioned in homage to Kor, the Spirit who will ultimately guide them into the afterlife.

 

Ash aside, it is common to see a member of the clan adorned head to toe in bones and skulls. These bones are often cremated alongside the Orc when he dies, so that he may take slaves into the afterlife. 

 

Scorthuz – Spirit of Cleansing, Purity and Purging – Referenced often in Cremation Ceremonies, Scorthuz is worshiped for its part to play in the cleasing of the dead, and indeed of the undead, by way of burning. When applying healing or warding ashes, Scorthuz is asked to play a part in empowering the wearer.

 

Ghorza – Spirit of Travel, Movement and Fortune Good and Bad – Ghorza is mentioned in many ceremonies, whether it be those preceding a hunt, or those requesting he aid Kor in guiding the dead.

 

Votar – Spirit of the Hunt – In homage to Votar, many Uruk wear the furs of slain beasts, calling upon his power to assist in steadfast pursuit of corrupted creatures or peoples.

 

 

NOTES

 

As the clan is still in its infantile stage, I intend to expand upon this post later down the line. I rushed this a little to get it out of my head, and will add ideas in the coming weeks. I intend to start making preparations for the introduction of this clan in game, and welcome applications via PM on either this forum or discord on Smaw #9096 if anyone wishes to help in building or getting started.

[Guzr 2050]

The Rex smiles for once, making note to find Gijaak; seemed he had use of the ork’s services.

[Gustando 1990]

I really like this, good job man.

[TheNanMan2000 473]

Wonders if this could have been added to Clan Yar rather than starting a new Clan

[𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖌𝖚𝖘𝖍 2451]

“Mi be reluctant tu congratulate a new clans rise. It be one ting to found a clan, but for it to be proper is sumtin nub peeped very often anymore. Even in da ancient days of Vailor, mi popo wus condemned for attempting to raise his own clan. But, such a ting dus nub seem to be held az a high honor anymore” the shaman, Falum, rests his large hands upon his great collection of Ancestral relics scanning through them and pondering on the great ambitions each of the Ancestors embarked upon in life “This clan in the eyez of Krug lacks a great ancestor even less of a lineage. It also lackz an true ambition for the Clansmen to perform agh immortalize dems name by. Livin lats life by too many Immortals will likely nub earn lat a great place as an Ancestor, ezpecially if lat nub have a great Ancestor to live by.” Falum clears his throat as he puts down his relics and offers worship to his Clan idols.

”Praise be to Lur, agh may da Hunt guide us”