Clan Lak

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Lak clan

The Lak clan is a clan known for their devotion to the Spirit of the swamp, Laklul. The members of Clan Lak are very identifiable due to their blue skin, a trait which is very rare to be seen outside of the clan. The Laks typically favour their clan hall to be located in the swamps and marshes around Krugmar.

 

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History of the clan.

 

The clan was founded by the well respected shaman and former Rex Shreck’Lak back in Athera after the Dom clan saw a mass of emigration due to the dishonorable actions of Rusk’Dom "the Liberator''. Once the clan arrived in Vailor, the Laks constructed their own home;  Fort Duloc, at the southern part of Shreck's swamp.  The fort was a massive plateau with a palisade poking out on the right flank. To get to the capital from the Fort, it would take a long and treacherous walk.

 

The clan has dwindled in numbers since Vailor, with very few of their members being seen around the different Goi’s since then. 

 

The most notable and big event of the Lak clan since the clans gradual decrease in number occurred very recently, on the 2nd of Malins Welcome, 1770. Shreck’Lak returned to the city after not being seen for decades upon decades. He returned with a mission from Laklul, demanding an audience with the Rex. The reason for this sudden meeting was to proposition the Rex with an important task, to fight Shreck to the death as Shreck could not think of a more honorable or worthy death than at the hands of the Rex. His old age had left him weak and frail, no position an orc of renown should reach and he could no longer serve Laklul to the best of his abilities. With a decisive fight, the founder of the Lak clan was dead

 

There have only been two Swampgoths since the passing of the ever noble Shreck’Lak. Kolaz’Lak, a Rex of Krugmar upon Arcas for a time, who ruled the clan well in the short few Cactus Weeks of his Swampgoth-hood and Rexdom, but it was not to last. Laklul visited the young uruk in a dream, calling to him to a mighty pilgrimage in the Swamp spirits name. And it was thus that Kolaz left the Rexdom and his clan, leaving the few remaining Laks in the hands of Murdok’Lak, the current Swampgoth to this day. Kolaz left Murdok with a task of great importance that he was unable to complete before Laklul called him to travel. The task being to uplift Laklul higher than ever before: a task still being strived toward.

 

 Murdok’Lak, unlike the previous Goths of the clan, is a goblin, diminutive in size, yet has managed great feats in his life. Most notably he maintained the Rexdom of Krugmar as their Rex for over three Cactus Months after the departing of Rex Ugrad’Lur. During this time Murdok’Lak led the orc people in glorious combat against the Inferi menace that plagued Arcas in its final years. With the might of an ancient relic gifted to him by foreign beings claiming to be descended from a titan named Brev, Murdok’Lak used the relic alongside the forces of the Aenguls and Decendent kind alike to strike down the traitor, Gazardiel, who had been collaborating with the Inferi demons to bring about the end of existence. With his leadership, the orcs of Krugmar managed to make it safely to the new land of Almaris, where he now rests with those few remaining of his clan, as a shaman and a guide to all orcs.

 

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Mandates of Laklul.

 

The members of the Lak clan are expected to follow the Laklul Mandates, as they believe this is how any righteous orks should live, especially a Lak.

 

I: Laks are expected to follow Krugs code.

II: Laks are to respect swamps as they are sacred in the eyes of Laklul.
III: Laks are expected to revere Laklul and hold it in high regard. However, it is encouraged to praise and follow other spirits, keeping Laklul as the priority, an example of a second spirit often praised by Lak is Anrkus, the spirit of the Sea and marine life.

IV: Laks are expected to remain loyal to the clan until their death.

V: Laks must respect fellow Laks and their property.
VII: An offense to a Lak or the Swampgoth is an offense to Laklul himself.

IX: If a Toalak dies while under the care of an orc, they will get beaten and have purple dots painted onto their face for one cactus week.

 

The punishments possible for breaking these codes are:

 

Luk - No Lak respects these orcs, and are encouraged to beat them.

Branding - For some of the lesser offences, they are branded and are treated with much less respect.

Beatings - Either individually or by a group, it has been decided that this person must bear their responsibility by being beaten.

Being left to die - As simple as it sounds, this person will be brought to the brink of death (often with broken knees, and large cuts littering the entirety of the body)  before being abandoned and left to die.

 

 

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Culture and traditions.

 

 

Trials:

 

Any possible Lak clan recruit must prove their dedication to both the Swampgoth and Laklul through a series of three trials:

 

1. The recruit must find a suitable sacrifice to Laklul, and under the Swampgoth or an elders supervision, you must sacrifice them under a shrine to Laklul.

2. Educate one non-orc of any Immortal Spirit, or even convince them to build a spirit shrine in  their home. You must record their name and bring suitable proof of teaching them to an elder or the Swampgoth.

3. Swear your allegiance to Laklul and the clan under the shrine of Laklul.

 

There is one overlaying trial with both born Laks, and those who are initiated into the clan:

 

1. You must travel into the nearest swamp and retrieve something which you believe you could both make a weapon and a piece of clothing out of. For example: wood for a club or seaweed for a necklace.

 

However, for those born into the clan there is a very different set of trials:

 

1. You must choose your Toalak from a tadpole, rather than a juvenile.

2. Build a small totem or shrine to Laklul.

 

Clan Hierarchy:

 

Swampgoth.

The Wargoth and head of the clan.

 

Chieftain.

Second in command of the clan, and will fill in if the Swampgoth is absent. They are personally chosen by the Swampgoth.

 

Berzerker.

Warriors who have proven their dedication to the clan, proven themselves to be competent in leading raids and battles should they need to.

 

Zealot.

Slightly above Devoted, the higher ups of the main force.

 

Devoted.

The main force of the clan, the generic and base rank.

Initiate.

Those who show interest in joining the clan, or have only just done so.

 

Traditions:

 

The Wargoth of the Lak clan is referred to as the Swampgoth, rather than Wargoth, to stress the importance of Laklul within the clan. The Swampgoth is only the leader of the clan because the Spirit of the Swamp deems it so.

 

Laklul was pleased at the Lak clan’s devotion to him, and his cause; it is not known whether he created the Toalaks in his image, or he took on the image of a Toalak. Regardless, Toalaks are giant colossal toad-like creatures which are a staple of the Lak clan and are used commonly as mounts within the swamps. Laks are given a juvenile Toalak upon entering the clan. They are expected to raise the Toalak until it’s an adult, which they can use as a messenger or even a mount if it’s big enough. Clan born Laks however do not receive a grown Toalak, instead an infant Lak is expected to venture into the blessed swamps and find a Toalak tadpole to claim as their own. Once named a tadpole is the sole responsibility of the Lak kub to raise and protect. Should the tadpole die on the watch of the cub the cub is to be punished harshly for they have not only failed the clan but failed Laklul himself as Toalak’s share the appearance of the great Laklul. The punishment fitting this failure is branding, specifically a Toalak will be branded onto the back of the hand to not only make the neglect of their duty obvious to all but to also serve as a constant reminder of what that tadpole should have become.

 

Laks favour the swamp to any other environment, if one is close enough to Krugmar they’ll often choose to live there rather than in the main city. If they choose to live in the main city, they may choose to live underground and choose to decorate their houses in a fashion which would resemble the swamp.

 

Laks are encouraged to travel about and preach about Laklul to both orcs and non-orcs. While they are mainly encouraged to preach of Laklul, they are also meant to preach about other respectable spirits. While Laklul must always remain as a Laks favoured spirit, they are encouraged to also praise Akathro, Greater Elemental Spirit of Water, and Bregthar, Greater Elemental Spirit of Earth.

 

Laks who choose to take the path of shamanism are encouraged to do so by learning elementalism, specifically water and earth.

 

Activities:

 

Swamp based games, e.g. mud wrestling, spear fishing, crocodile hunting and anything else which could bring enjoyment.

While hunting is not a big focus for the clan, they typically hunt lizards and other swamp predators for fear that their toads may get eaten.

 

Festivals in the name and in dedication of Laklul. These are hosted somewhat infrequently, but when they do, the Laks put a lot of effort into it and try to make it a big spectacle.

 

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Spiritual Crusaders:

 

While not a core component of the clan, there were those within the clan who decided to take their dedication a step further than all others. These are Laks who wish to fight to prove their dedication to the spirits and Laklul. To some they could be viewed as the enforcers for the shamans, using their might and strength against those who do not believe in the spirits. 

 

They are handpicked by the Swampgoth and directly overseen by them. These are individuals with extensive knowledge of the spirits, and have devoted their lives to them and the task of spreading spiritualism. They spread the belief to those outside of the goi, resorting to force if they believe necessary. In their eyes, people who follow other religions like canonism and aspectism are heathens, especially those of aspectist belief, as the aspects stole the power that Laklul deserves.

 

The spiritual crusaders often walk around in very light armour, carrying a club which they use to beat the belief into non-believers, and a small scripture with lists of spirits’ names and their domains alongside prayers for them.

 

 

((Lak clan’s now looking for new members, and looking to grow back to what it once was. Add me on discord or respond if you’re interested, Frog Father#0877))

 

Spoiler

Credit goes out to my man NinjaClimb for making the og post awhile back before he got yeeted from Lotc. I just added some more recent history and removed some small things. Cleaned it up yada yada. Thanks for reading!