Klomp agh Kravt

[_Grey_W0lf_ 598]

[!] A large tome is dropped off in libraries around the Realm, seemingly newly written.

 

 

 

Klomp agh Kravt

 

 

 

 

Introduction

The true ways have been lost, erased by century’s of war. But some of the ways of old have been recovered, found in old tomes spread throughout the library’s of the realms. Now, it’s time to pick up our ways, face the races and tell them that we, the Orcs of The Iron Horde, have not forgotten, and are not overshadowed by other races. That we, the sons of Krug, are not to be underestimated, not to be scoffed and most of all, not dumb in any way.

In this tome, I have compiled some of our ways of Crafting, including Smithing, Leatherworking and even Siege machines. I’ve also compiled some ways we as Orcs can fight, what weapons we traditionally used and what weapons are effective to use.

 

 

Crafting

 

Smithing

The Orcish way of crafting differs from the regular ways of crafting due to their trust in the Immortal Spirit of Industry, Forging and Smithing, listening to the name Gentharuz, the Ancestral Spirit of the forge, named Azog, and the Elemental Spirit of Metal, listening to the name Kulthark. Following the teachings of these three mighty Spirits, the Orc have managed to craft some of the largest, heaviest and most efficient and terrifyingly brutal weapons the Realms have ever seen.

 

Crafting is often done by the smarter Sons of Krugmar, primarily Goblins or Hobgoblins, though almost every bruddah can. Even our bruddah's, the Ologs, can learn it, just not to the same degree the others of our kind can.

 

Essentials

Before one can begin working on steel, they should be sufficiently prepared. It’s recommended that one gathers all these instruments before crafting, even though smithing can be done almost anywhere, at any time. One needs for example:

 

- A serie of larger and smaller hammers

- A serie of larger and smaller chisels

- A set of tongs

- A crucible

- A blazing forge

- An anvil

- Cloth or Wool

- A series of Pliers

 

Crafting Steel

The first thing one should do when creating Orcish Steel is heating a forge, and getting a large amount of iron ore, a small amount of crushed coal and one or two bones.
 

First, place the iron ore in a crucible, which then should be placed above a roaring forge, heated by mountains of charcoal. Once the steel is sufficiently melted, one should remove the slag, before putting in the combination of crushed bone and coal, mixing the molten iron and the powders thoroughly.

 

After melting the ingredients together, one should call upon the power of Gentharuz and Azog, before pouring the now molten steel into a range of molds. These molds can range from weapons and ingots to utensils and gates.

 

Forging

The alternative to creating something from scratch is to use already prepared steel to work with. The process to create something differs from the creation of the Steel itself of course, but is still watched by the aforementioned Spirits.

 

To craft for example a sword from an ingot, the blacksmith needs to take the ingot to a forge, again, heated by the burning of charcoal or other coals. The smith would then need to hold the ingot in those smoldering coals, heating the steel until it glows a bright orange.

 

After this is achieved, the crafter should take some tongs, lifting the ingot from the forge, and place it on an anvil. After this, by use of a hammer, the crafter can flatten the ingot into its desired shape and thickness. 

 

After this, one needs to most likely reheat the ingot, bringing it back to the aforementioned colouration. Now that this is done, the blacksmith can use chisels to create edges, grooves and engravings. It is also said that, by allowing oneself to bleed over the craft, the weapon or tool is bound to the crafter until it breaks, or the crafter dies.

 

A Blacksmith should always, always keep the Spirits in the back of their mind, praying to them every so often, or even offering something of equal value to the tool to ask them for help in the process.

[!] An artistic interpretation of a smithing Orc

 

Leatherworking

The usage of leather for making armour and clothing is one as old as time, and practiced by many cultures. It may be used to work with pelts, simple leathers and strings, and can be used to create the most extravagant of pieces. It may also be combined with smithing to form armours.

 

Essentials

Like Forging, for Leatherworking a variety of tools is needed. It’s recommended to at least have access to:

- An awl

- A beveler

- A burnisher

- Cutting tools

- Leather glue

- A maul

- Pricking irons

- Chisels

- A punch

- A skiver

- Sewing tools

- A cutting mat

 

Crafting

The usage of leather for the crafting of clothes and armor is something naturally found in almost every race. Though Orcs, with the help of the Spirits of Animals, The Hunt and the Spirit of Industry. For the gaining of the leather, one prays to either Freygoth, for help in finding the right animals, Votar for the skills to hunt the creatures wearing the pelts, and Gentharuz for his blessing in crafting something from the acquired hide.

 

Once the hide is acquired, it first needs to be cleared, all the blood and meat scrubbed off the pelt. This can be done using either a steel wool type of brush, or a small filet knife. to not damage the hide.

 

Once the hide is cleaned, the real crafting can begin. Using a small but sharp knife one can cut the hide into smaller pieces, more fit for usage of crafting armor and weapons. After the leather is cut into the right size, one can use any of the other tools to shape and decorate the leather.

 

When crafting leather armors, one can decide to use metallic scales or plates as a second layer, attaching it to the leather for better protection while leaving maneuverability.

 

Woodworking

The skill to work with large pieces of wood is seen as simple compared to the crafting and usage of Steel, though it can be quite complicated to perfect this skill. Only through sheer dedication, persistence and a standfast belief and trust in the Spirits can one master the art of Woodcrafting. 

Where a normal descendant sees a pile of planks, logs or a tree, an expert woodcarver sees the potential for a door, a chair or a weapon. This can lead the woodworkers to often go exploring into the wilderness to find the best pieces of wood.

 

Due to our size and weight, and the current location of our city, the average piece of furniture of Krugmar is made of sturdy, often mahogany or petrified wood, giving it enough sturdiness and in some cases even a slight bit of flame resistance. There are multiple types of wood workers, mainly those who work on larger structures like houses, palisades and gates, while others work on simple furniture, and again others prefer to work on weapons like clubs. All of these however need the skill of chisel, axe and hammer to accomplish anything.

 

The Crafting of Siege Machines

Siege Machines, a very useful invention for taking over cities, levelling walls and destroying army’s. These behemoths, often made of wood and steel, vary greatly in design and function. Some of the most prominent however are listed below.

 

Keep in mind that most, if not all Siege Weapons and Machines are crafted by the Blessed Goblins of Krugmar, working with the supervision of Trokorl, the Spirit of engineering, and Gentharuz, the Spirit of Industry. These Goblin Engineers are famous all throughout the realm for their skills and blessed hands, able to create some of the most beautiful but brutal pieces of work, the most devastating creations the realms have ever seen.

 

Battle Ram

A structure used to destroy gates while also protecting the user. With its wheels, the weapon is made to be moved to the gate of the besieged city, whereafter it can be used to, as said, break down the entrance, allowing the fighters to flood in. 

A great many designs are possible of this kind of siege machine, going from a simple log with handlebars on the sides to intricate designs with roofs, and a metallic head of the ram. As long as the power behind the swings is strong enough, it can be used for destruction.

[!] An artistic interpretation of a Battle Ram

 

Catapult

Used for throwing boulders and flaming hay bales over long distances towards opponents, these powerful creations are made using strong wooden beams, ropes and metallic plating. These machines of destruction are often placed upon wheels, pulled by strong creatures of various kinds.
Trebuchets can be loaded with dead kinds of animals, spreading diseases throughout the enemy encampment or city. Alternatively it may simply be loaded with, as said before, large boulders which can flatten any wall it hits, or flaming projectiles which can do devastating damage to anything it hits.

[!] An artistic interpretation of a Siege Catapult

 

Siege Tower

The siege tower is exactly what it sounds to be. A massive, often wooden tower used to climb the wall of the enemy city. These towers can be made as high as the creator wants, as long as the tower itself does not topple over too easily.

Keep in mind that, when using these massive war machines, there always should be enough Orcs in or near it to make sure it does not get captured, attacked or destroyed before it can be used for its intended purpose.

In combination with archers and a Battle Ram, these machines can do devastating damage to any city it is used against.

[!] An artistic interpretation of a Siege Tower

 

Scorpion

Not the animals, but another devastating weapon. Much akin to a crossbow, this weapon is, unlike others of its kind, operated by only two or three Orcs at a time, only one of the Sons of Krug needing to actually interact with the weapon.

It is however a tedious process to operate one of these weapons, one having to operate the handle, loading it, aiming it and shooting it.
The weapon shoots enormous arrows, up to the size of even an Olog. These arrows can be simply made of wood, a metal arrowhead, with wings made of feathers. To do more damage however, alchemic potions may be placed on the shaft of the arrows, near the heads, so they explode when landing or hitting a target.

[!] An artistic interpretation of a Scorpion

 

 

Fighting

We, the descendants of the First Orc, the strongest of the Creations, the sons and daughters Krug have been cursed, cursed by the bloodlust given to us by Iblees. But we can turn this curse into a blessing if we use our strength and so-called brutality to our advantage. Our tusks, our hardened skulls, our average height and our strength are something we have over any other race, and something with which we can destroy them without mercy.

 

Over the years, multiple ways of fighting have been developed, some by individuals, and some by entire Clans. These ways of fighting are used often by our Kind, just not in the ways that they were written. Those that use it often don’t know they use something that is actually named by our kind.

 

Many Spirits are named when it comes to fighting and War, but with head and shoulders above the others stand Enrohk, Kezt, Dazruk and Kor, though many other Spirits may be called upon when in a fight, depending on terrain, occurrence, enemy and type of attack. There used to be Shamans that could bend the Power of the Spirits to their will, excelling in combat, not due to their power of body, but due to their power of mind. Sadly, this power has been lost to time, and has not been recovered as of now.

 

Rrug ob Niinhorn

The rugg ob Dahâmab, or the Way of the Hippo is a fighting style inspired by hippopotami. This way of fighting is using our weight and our tusks, in combination with our strength to flatten opponents.
Often weaponless, this way describes for the user to place heavy bronze or steel plating upon their forearms and lower legs which can be used for deflecting attacks and dealing devastating damage upon the enemy. Some even armour their lower jaw, making it possible to deal heavy damage with headbuts and bites.

Using the combined weight of the plating, the arm and the strength of the Orc in question, one can throw powerful punches or kicks. This technique, in combination with bracers, is fairly effective against light armoured opponents, but anything thicker than chainmail will resist most of the damage.

This way of fighting is optimal for for example Ologs, who, with their immense weight and size, can easily dominate any opponent in a fight. Due to the way this fighting style is interpreted, this Way of Fighting is not for the more lean fighters, or those who like to analyse the opponents moves.

Masters of the Way of the Hippo are a sight to behold, their bulky forms covered in shining plates, their bulging muscles moving with extreme efficiency as they brutally slam their opponent against a wall, and sometimes even through it. If one were to fight a master of this fighting style, they better prepare themselves by bringing enough weapons to stay at a distance.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Hippo

 

Rrug ob Dolpan

Quick on your feet, and dodging over blocking, this is the Way of the Fox. This style of fighting uses lighter weapons like sabres and short cleavers to deal devastating damage in combination with short spears to keep the enemy at bay. This style of fighting is invented for the lean Orcs, those that are quick and agile, but can’t take too much of a hit.

The users of this fighting style often wear lighter armour, in combination with, as mentioned above, lighter weapons. This allows them to dodge the attacks thrown at them a fair bit of the time, opening up the opponent for a quick jab of a spear.

The weapons classically used for this style of fighting are shortswords, javelins, rapiers, cleavers and other kinds of one handed swordlike weapons, allowing for the wielders to even dual wield them.

The expects of this style of fighting are often the goblins or shorter Orcs, and it is almost like an artform to see one of the Masters of the Way of the Fox at work, dodging and weaving their way around their opponent to end up behind them, finishing the fight with a quick slice of their weapon.

If one is about to fight this type of opponent, it’s best to not rush them, give them initiative, biding your time and place them in a situation they are not trained or comfortable in. This, in turn, may allow you to turn their technique upon them.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Fox

 

Rrug ob Ulurnaur

Brutal but smart, often fighting in groups. The Way of the Wolf is one where fights are won by overwhelming force, dominating the opponent in group on group combat. This way of fighting is often seen as less honourable than others due to its reliance on others, but it is not less effective than those mentioned before or after.

Often using large shields and heavy weaponry like great axes, hammers and swords. The combination of these weapons, used by a disciplined group of warriors in a shield wall may cause the opponent to flee before the engagement even started.

When the fight has started however, it is of the utmost importance that the group is led by a competent commander, one who can keep their head cool and the legion operating as one entity. If this can be done, the group can use a number of tactics, ranging from single file lines to surrounding the enemy, attacking them from all sides and defeating them due to their overwhelming numbers and power.

If one is faced with a group of Wolf Fighters, the best thing they can do is stay at a distance, using the aforementioned Scorpions or heavy warbows to pick off the stronger looking fighters before engaging in close range combat. The alternative is finding a group of larger size, or attacking them with even more force. These two tactics are risky however, having a large chance of still losing to an excellent organised group of Wolves.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Wolf

 

Rrug ob Muruk

The Way of the Bear entails dealing devastating damage with claw-like weapons, overwhelming the opponent using brute strength and the lust for blood. This Way of fighting is often seen employed by the so-called Wendigo’s of Klan Lur, and it focuses on releasing the animalistic side of a fighter.

As said, this style of fighting employs metallic claws or gauntlets with claw-like fingers. These fighters are often seen grappling the opponent, be it beast or descendant. They fight up close, and use the claw-like appendages to dissect the opponent, often aiming first for the weapons of the enemy. They can use their metal gauntlets to catch and take control of the opponents weapons, turning them against them. Besides their clawed weapons, they use brutal weapons like heavy axes and clubs, causing extreme damage while keeping the enemy alive as long as possible, making it possible to toy with their prey.

The armour of these rogue warriors is moderately heavy, consisting often of heavy cloth or light plate, defending them from most attacks while also giving enough manoeuvrability.

A Bear Warrior is marked by their scars, and the more scars they have, the more honour they’ll get when walking into the Stargush’Stroh, the Realm of the Dead. It is a rare occurrence that a Muruk Warrior runs from a fight, rather falling in combat than showing cowardice in the face of battle.

When facing a Warrior of the Way of the Bear, it’s best to stay out of reach of their claws, getting behind them or shooting them from afar. This can be done best by heavy warbows or crossbows.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Bear

 

Rrug ob Ûsfiil

Dodging and out thinking the opponent with the least effort possible, this is the Way of the Owl. These fighters prefer to stay at a distance, using swords in combination with warbows and rideable creatures to move their way over and around the battlefield.

These warriors, often Goblins or Hobgoblins, use their shorter stature to ride horses, wearing lighter armour, but using heavy bows to rain down a hailstorm of arrows and potions on top of the enemy legions. One Owl Fighter can, if given enough terrain, take down a whole squad of opposing warriors were he to dodge and weave his way around their attacks.

If someone manages to get close to one of these warriors however, they would not find the cowering archers often found in other armies. They would find well trained goblins, armed to the teeth with daggers, swords and handaxes. These smart warriors fight much akin to the Fox Warriors, dodging the attacks instead of outright blocking them, preferring to redirect the attacks back at the opponent.

An Owl Warrior is often the advisor or the tactician of an army, scanning and scouting the terrain to make optimal usage of it and the troops to crush the enemy as efficiently as possible. The Warriors of the Owl often follow the Spirit of Intelligence, Theruz, using their brains to plan ahead and predict the opponent’s moves before they happen.

To defeat an Ûsfiil Warrior, one needs to be unpredictable, getting as close up as possible to bring the fighters out of their comfort zone.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Owl

 

Rrug ob Âmulfrûm

This Way of fighting, the Way of the Calm Mind focuses on controlling the entire body, and is also called Hûn’Zna by those familiar with the Gorkil Klan and their practices. This fighting style focuses on using one's limbs as extensions of their mind, first calming it before mastering the technique. In one of the books of the Gorkil, the one listed below, is written by a master of Hûn’Zna¹.

[!] An artistic interpretation of the Path of the Calm Mind

 

 

Sources

¹ Hun'Zna - Orcish Martial Art - Clan Gorkil - The Lord Of The Craft

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/167636-h%C3%BBn%E2%80%99zna/

The Branches of The Clan - Clan Lur - The Lord Of The Craft

 

 

Spoiler

Credits

Dutch - Advice on Layout, checking & ideas

Mannamannaa - Ideas

Panashea - Ideas & checking

Jihnyny - Ideas & checking

Drunkpapabear - Checking

Evonpire - Old Blah translations

TheAmazingSewer - Old Blah translations

CombatRoleplay  - Artistic dividers

 

I liked writing this piece, and it helped me understand some more of the Orcish Culture and Community. I hope I haven't stepped on anyone’s toes, and if there is any advice feel free to give it to me.

 

[Jihnyny 2567]

Good work bruddah