The Swivelers

[Sean_VEVO 1086]

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔖𝔴𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔰

𝔖𝔩𝔢𝔢𝔭 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔢𝔶𝔢 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫, 𝔬𝔯 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔦𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰.

 

Spoiler

 

 

The Swivelers, Heartlandic Mountain Uruk, or “Goblin Gangs,” of the Lowlands are a significant subculture of the Broken Bend Valley and subsequently the southern foothills, with some minor incursions into the southern birch climate. The Swivlers exist as a strange remnant of a failed Uruk raid of the Kingdom of Aaun and the Serene Republic of Lurin, and thus remain outlaws to their neighbors, enemies to their rivals, and sworn adversaries of Ferrymen.

 

A History of Swivelers

It was in the year 1908 when a small band of Uruk launched a raid upon the city of Whitespire, and finding its gates closed proceeded to torch the countryside moving to Lurin. Once in the Serene Republic they ravaged the populace sparing only an elf who claimed to be from the Kingdom of Balian, then, an ally of the Rex. Upon release, the elf begged nearby Ferrymen for aid, obliging, the Ferrymen launched an attack upon the outnumbered Uruk band who fled into the Eastern Trade Sea. Not very skilled in seafaring, the Uruk band of around 400 were forced to rely on Lurinite sailors whom they kidnapped; several ships, however, in anger, slayed their navigators. In a cruel twist of fate or divine punishment for the crime, the Uruk shipwrecked and in fear of reprisal from the Ferrymen or Aaunites made for the forests. Unbeknowced to them, they wandered into a Halfling ambush and were forced into the mountains north of the valley- entering what would become their home, the Broken Bend. The warband, at their last wits, swore allegiance to the smartest among them, Swiv’Lur; thus did they adopt the name Swiv’Lur’s gang, bastardized by the Broken Bend lowlanders, Swivelers.

 

 

 

The warband, knowing that they would be labeled craven or fools for their poor tactics during the raid in Lurin, decided to create a new life and hope in the mountains, and followed Swiv until his death in a raid into Dunfarthing for supplies. His son, Swind’Lur, the new Kapo thus declared permanent enemies of the Halfling race, and the Ferrymen until the blood feud was settled. Swind, who was a rather intelligent Goblin began trade with the Aaunites of the valley until word of Wahg came to them several decades following their settlement.

 

Despite no contact with their fellow Uruk, the Swivelers raided into Aaun from their base in the Southron hills, though the raids abruptly halted when news of their Whitewashing by the Rexdom arrived to their Kapo, who halted their raids in anger and focused upon attacking the supply lines of the Veletzian-Krugmar alliance. Surrounded by enemies, the culture grew estranged; over the subsequent decades, their isolation only furthered them from their homeland until it became somewhat unrecognizable as any culture out of the Iron Horde.

 

 

Culture

The Swiveler culture is one of deceit, honor which emboldens most Uruks is a stranger to the peoples of the Southron Foothills, and it is through the cunning that is taught from a young age to these greenskins that they remain in such a precarious region. The Swivelers follow no masters but their Kapo, and even then, loyalty among them is never guaranteed, as most if not all Swivlers aspire to be the Kapo. If you truly believe you understand the motivations of a member of the Swivelers, you are a fool. As such there is a saying amongst their people: "Never trust a frown, for the teeth are hidden!"  It has become a cultural staple to smile during an entire exchange of pleasantries unless harm is wished to be done, in which case, a frown is a tell-tale sign of intent; of course this mostly applies within the gang, and even then the pleasantry will be discarded in favor of a smile to hide ones intentions. (So the pleasantry is meaningless.)

 

Swiv believe any and all but themselves expendable, such is taught to them and often self preservation is encouraged over loyalty and honorable death. Waste is common in their society and it extends beyond the material objects collected; but also to their own allies and troops. Of course, however, the expenditure of life is done with a greater strategical purpose though the feebleminded enemies of Swiv'Lur society cannot see usually see such and focus more on tactics than true Swiv strategy.

     

Swiv wear mostly the fashion of the Heartlands as they do not possess the necessary materials for industrial textiles, though some clothiers exist among them, only the wealthiest thugs among the gang wear such novelties. The exception to this rule is the very identifiable armband worn by initiate members of the gang, the Swivel of Krahg; a spoked wheel.

 

Swiv speak in bastardized Heartlandic Blah, almost unrecognizable as Blah entirely as the traders and criminal dealers that bring most of the wealth into their gang bring back the language of those they exploit as well as the coin from their targets. (For all intents and purposes, they speak normally but with an accent and special wording.) Swiv also learned the art of skaalding from such trading and create music wherever they go, not just for morale purposes but for keeping tempo in march, as well as demoralization of the enemy. Such demoralization is refined into "Swiv-wahg" a stolen tradition from the Norlandic culture of "Flyting," wherein two opponents take turns rhythmically mocking each other; although it must be noted that despite appropriating the event the Swiv tradition is much more musical and often requires instrumentals. 

 

 

Naming Conventions

Members of the larger gang are given short, usually one-syllable names, some examples are listed below.

 

Swind | Craw

Vex  | Kut

Dawd | Fidd

Burrg | Squeeb

Rhiz | Embezz

Cull | Foww

Hydrahku | Krip

Boah | Shmugg

 

The gang name follows the given name.

Swiv Terminology

Swiv speak in complex gang terminology which is ever developing and manifesting as culture often does, and as such oftentimes come off as more foreign than their cousins; some terms are listed below.

 

Kapo - Warboss, Leader.

Goobahn - Idiot, unintelligent.

Motzahr - A fine dish of succulent cheese, most often harvested from stolen Heartlander Cattle.

Ink Instigator | Missive Moron - Someone who utilizes the notice boards and writing instead of physical action in every situation.

Petchren - Easy Pickings.

The Gang - The Swiv culture at large.

Tis thing of ours - The gang.

Affiliant - Non Uruk ally of the gang.

Flappah - A nonaffiliant, not to be trusted.

Coffah - An affiliant, to be utilized for some quality.

Honah - An affiliant, to be trusted.

Crayhone - Writing utensil often utilized for drawing offerings to affiliants.

Whizbag - Any voidal mage.

Booyahg - Any magic.

Schmoyagel - Mooching.

Goobhin - Pretending.

Coppahn - Guards (Derogatory.)

Musslehn - Guards (Not Derogatory.)

Foohglin - Soldier/Warrior

Oiashmen - Oyashiman

Azdroman - Herald, etc.

Bonelard - Lich

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Laeonathan 4003]

A Gobbo-Engineer who had not been sighted since the days of Arcas is tempted to join the fun.

[ShyDisaster 102]

[!] "Sinze when te skah did we whitewazh 'em? Or am it more like zom general whitewazhin that was sent out?", could be heard wondered out loud by Yazgurtan Kretz'Ox.