Orcish Medicinal Practices

[Panashea 2644]

Orcish medicine is a mixture of practical medical procedures, herbology, and mysticism. To an uruk, pain and conflict are integral to the nature of the world, and thus illness and injury is viewed in the same lens.

 

 

 

 

Wound Treatment/First Aid

Although Uruk bones and skin are much more dense than those of the other descendent races, that does not make them immune to breakage, sprains, and bruising. An open wound is an open wound, and as such is treated in a manner similar to the other races. Bleeding wounds are either cauterized immediately or bandaged with the aid of an herbological poultice depending on the severity of the wound. Uruks are not afraid of cosmetic damage. Rarely will an Uruk receive stitches, preferring to collect the scars as trophies of their experiences. When an uruk breaks a bone, often a splint will be applied in order to set it, although Uruks are not fond of casts nor do they believe in “staying off of'' injured limbs, often ignoring or suffering through pain while going on about their day if the injury is not severe enough to cause crippling pain. Surgery is not unknown to urukind, and the violent nature of Uruk society has created a rather adept caste of surgeons skilled in removing all sorts of projectiles, although painkillers are less common than a piece of leather or some cactus green. In terms of burns, uruks traditional desert environment has allowed for the development of rather sophisticated aloe vera gelatins.

 

 

 

 

 

Herbology and Pharmacology

Uruk pharmacology is sophisticated, although there exists no unified theory amongst uruk society of which curatives are most effective. Instead, every uruk may have a set of beliefs as to which substances provide the body the most benefit passed down within the clan, from doctor to doctor, or from parents to cubs. For burns, a common cure may be aloe vera gelatin, made from boiled pig hooves and aloe vera plant. Uruks have also been known to use cow dung ash to seal wounds, as the dung ash actually has antiseptic properties which help sterilize the wound. The application of maggoty offal to wounds has also been a staple in uruk pharmacology as maggots consume rotting and necrotic flesh. Extra fermented grog also serves as another common antiseptic and a more popular one as drinking the grog first may numb the pain. Alongside the common remedies are a series of homemade combinations of drugs, herbs, animal products, and other substances which are unique to each uruk. 

 

 

 

 

 

Medicinal Theory

To an uruk, every phenomenon is in some way the work of the spirits. Infection is believed by many orcs to be the manifestation of rot spirits upon the body of a weak uruk, consuming the wounded flesh as it would those deceased animals. The presence of maggots in the flesh then slows down the progress of rot spirits as it is believed that the living critters consume the dying flesh before the rot spirits can, starving them of their food source. By pouring grog into a wound, the spirits of rot are sated and inebriated by the drink, pleasing them and driving them away. The ash hides the wound and makes the flesh distasteful to the spirits, thus driving them away as well. Illness is caused by a spiritual imbalance or other malady within or without the uruk. The soul of an uruk exists in both the living realm and in the spiritual realm, and is itself a complex entity. If an uruk comes down with a chronic illness, then the spirit of the uruk must be in some form of trouble in the spirit realm. By beseeching the ancestors for aid, the lost souls of passed family or friends may help cure the malady. If an illness is too severe, then a shaman may need to be summoned to perform a spirit walk and “find” the lost or endangered soul of an orc.

 

 

 

 

 

Orcish Humorism

Although not accepted by all uruks, a form of humorism has emerged from Orcish phenomenology. Some Uruks believe, if an Uruk’s spirit falls out of balance due to personal issues, such as an imbalance in the Glok, Fra, or Grish, physical illness may occur. Too much glok may literally cause coughs, colds, sneezing, sore throat, sinus infections, and trouble breathing. An imbalance of Fra may cause body aches, growing pains in cubs, weakness, fatigue, and nausea. A Grish imbalance could lead to fever, inflammation, shakes, delirium, or anemia. Cures for a disease causing imbalance in an Orc’s humors requires more drastic balancing measures than a simple kicking or mouth full of sand. Blood may need to be drained from the body through bloodletting, moisture drained through induced vomiting, and the body restored through violent combat. Blood may also need to be added through consumption, moisture returned through excessive consumption of cactus green and alcohol.

 

 

 

Big thanks to Dargrind for writing a lot of this and inspiring some of the ideas.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Panashea