Wizzar

A certain urukim returns from his own pilgrimage deep into the Earth to find his Akaal brothers had left without him "Mi guezz mi will have to hear wub happened...." he grumbles with a heavy sigh

"Thiz Olog ahm out of itz grukker... agh zoon to be without azh" the shaman grumbles, returning his focus to his haruspexy as crimson mists float about him.

Duraath: The Gnashing Marauders of Akaal Flames engulfed their entirety, the ash billowing, enveloping the environment, marking it with its deathlike grayness. From within those clouds of smoke, a laughter fitting of demons became audible, echoing about that valley. Louder and louder, the terrifying cackles taunted them, toying with their inevitable demise. Finally those wicked figures emerged, enormous beasts with claws rivaling the size of their clansmens’ blades, jagged teeth still stained red from their latest meal. The hulking hyenas drew the attention of their victims who did not even notice the large urukim on their backs. Within seconds did the slaughter commence, their flesh and bones becoming a meal for the Akaal mounts. The appearance of the Duraath began as those Akaal of the Grizhubu erected large Moruhks in the nearby grasslands. As those monuments to Throqugrizh began to decompose and rot, the large beasts first revealed themselves, in search of a meal. At first, the Akaal fought off these enormous hyena’s, guarding their sacred shrines from their carnage. However, the enlightened shamans could not remain by their Moruhks forever, a new approach was needed. And so, the priests began to leave meals of slaughtered meat for those savage beasts. Night after night, this continued, the Duraath becoming conditioned for such, quickly expecting those urukim to bring their next meal. Description From afar, these creatures look as if they are your typical hyena but larger. Duraaths are anywhere from 5-5.5 feet tall, weighing anywhere from 800-1000 lbs. The claws of the Duraath are hooked, perfect tools for piercing and tearing their prey’s skin. Their sharp teeth are jagged and designed to tear the flesh of their large prey. Duraath are primarily scavengers drawn to the bloodiest remnants of battlefields. Still, Duraath make formidable hunters with their keen sense of smell. The Duraath have a very powerful bite, akin to a typical hyena of their size. What the Duraath lack in both strength and speed in comparison to the Lur wolf, they make up for with their terrifying laughter. Taming Taming a Duraath is a very dangerous process that has become sacred within Akaal. A capable orc is sent into the cave of a Duraath to challenge one. After wrestling it to the floor, the Akaal forces the Duraath’s mouth open and presses their own flesh against their fang, allowing the hyena-like creature to taste their blood. This ritual demonstrates to the Duraath that the Akaal is superior and a worthy rider, binding the two by blood. However, this ritual does not alone maintain this relationship. The Duraath rider must continue to hunt and feed their Duraath for a time, creating a dependency on the Akaal. The Duraath are needy carnivores who will quickly abandon their uruk if not properly fed. If the Akaal successfully feeds their Duraath for two OOC weeks, the Duraath will be much less likely to turn on their rider. Still, the Akaal must continue to feed their companion or risk them running away. Redlines: Duraath are primarily meant for an event setting. Duraath function identically to horses should they be used outside of sanctioned events without OOC consent. Consent must be granted by the organizer of the event for the Duraath to be used in combat. Duraath cannot be used in CRP outside of events. This can be overridden if all parties agree. An exception to the CRP rule is if a third party purposefully attacks the Duraath. Once this occurs, the Duraath may partake in CRP. If a Duraath is killed in an event, they must be PKed Legitimate RP MUST accompany the acquiring of a Duraath, while forum posts are not required, they are highly recommended. Only one Duraath can be owned at a time unless you are breeding them. Duraath cannot be tamed or ridden by Ologs After each combat scenario, Duraath will rest for one IRL hour. Credits: Krunos10 (writer), Panashea (editor), Jihnyny (editor), DrunkPapaBear (editor)

"War against the False Light... Finally..." one Head of the Hydra rasps upon his sandstone throne, his voice echoing about the glorious temple.

What gets you to log in these days? The communities you are a part of? The RP narrative that you have going? Perhaps both? In addition, why did you get me hyped for Warhammer delves last map and where are they now?

Hello, love the lore. 1) How do we reconcile the current lore for necros and darkstalkers that require them to acquire lifeforce through darkening? (The soul of a darkstalker being that of a vacuum of entropy). 2) Do we think 4 slashing type attacks is too high a threshold for cut bone? Seems a bit high, especially given their brittle nature.

A CALL TO BLOOD From deep within the Underkrug of San’Briu, a lone haruspex grips his bone-adorned ritual knife, its blade etched with the symbols of yore. He presses its sharpness against his new body, remnants of his former self sewn into its composition as its spills to mix into the gore that already decorated the room. The storyteller’s eyes rolled back into his horned skull as he released a gutteral chant of the language of shamans. Crimson illustrations hovered over his head as Dlimbok’s sacrifice allowed for the memories of the former Kukaal to come forth. And so, Ghuun’Akaal told story after story, memories of his past life being introduced to the Clan Hall, to his evolved form. A large, burned covered uruk used his war scythe to carve rows of darkspawn that dared to challenge him. A mighty Ram smashed down with its hulking warhammer to smash the skull of a bone monstrosity. The one-handed juggernaut rising before the spirit of Dominance to become his champion. The serpent of Akaal leading his nation into an era of Blood. A Ram of Thunder calling upon and guiding the storm itself. The horned Brute rising victorious in the arena of San’Velku, his form covered in his opponents blood. A half-goblin shaman aiding the urukim in clearing the darkness about the Gate of Dom. Each of these stories of Akaal passed through the air, serving both a reminder of the clan’s achievements while demonstrating that clan’s potential. KAAL AKAAL

PACT OF STONE A solemn orc trudges through silken sands. Each step shifting the grains beneath him, threatening to swallow. Colossal pillars of quartz extrude from the barren earth, providing sparse shade like oversized sundials. The orc stumbles, falling on one knee. He grits his teeth, drops of sweat from his visage staining the sands. The orc lowers a knife to his palm, slicing a shallow wound. The crimson fluid stains the sands, seeping into the white grains. “Ilzgul rar-ob, Ilzgul ghaamp-ob, golm-izg grish-izub.” Spirit of sand, spirit of earth, I offer my blood. The pale sands shift as the blood drains deep. The earth quakes as the quartz pillars snap, tumbling to the ground. Before the orc the sands give way, unveiling a great worm, The rings which made its body like marble and its teeth like crystal. “Lat. Pukhl ghung turk-lat slaium-lab.” You. Speak if you value your life. “Ilzgul, gaakh lûp-izg lat-û. Naakh-lab matûrz’dâl-ishi.” Spirit, let it be that I pray to you. Your hand in the mortal plane. The worm’s crystalline teeth shake in thought. A few moments pass, then minutes. At last the worm speaks once more, its voice echoes. “Kul-izg Numagak. Gaakh mum-izub shakrop-ub matum-lab-zi.” I am Numagak. Let it be that my mark will stay until your death. A great pressure then overcomes the orc, forcing him upon both of his knees. The orc lets out a bloody roar in pain as he feels the weight of the earth upon him. Then nothing. The orc awakes in his home, a mark upon his soul. Story written by Astrophysical

I do not like that it is necessary, however, it is necessary. +1

An unnaturally aged adunian sits upon his sandstone throne, his colorless hues fixated on his newest creations "For years we have waited for this moment. With such forces, we are now capable of real change... to stand against that which is the False Light" a smirk etches itself onto his usual monotone "The age of reckoning is now"

Epic +1

Taps his ivory cane against the stone floor, a smirk etching itself across the frail adunian's unnaturally wrinkled features "If you need aid in the battle against the False Light, do reach out to my Coven" He exhales a breath, returning to his wretched scheming.

I will try to organize my thoughts best that I can. I think that moderators are trying. I think that they do a fairly good job at issuing bans for rule infractions and appear to be fair when dealing with appeals. I do not believe that the issue exists within the individual moderators. While there are surely instances where moderators have bias or when a moderator's decision is not entirely spot on, they are only human. The larger problem is how moderation is viewed as a whole, especially on a Minecraft roleplaying server where the rules are not very developed to deal with the plethora of issues that may arise. Too many bad faith actors (by bad faith I mean those who either are targeting for OOC reasons or are acting with no care to actual IRP circumstances) are enabled by the server's inability to confront issues not covered explicitly in the rules. For example, the rules allow raiders to stay for up to an hour. However, when raiders are raiding off cooldown and staying for the entirety of the allowed duration, they are technically following the rules, yet they are acting in bad faith and are disturbing RP. This extends beyond PvP as people can skirt around RP and CRP rules to circumvent what is fair and conducive to logical and healthy RP. Still, I think PvP is perhaps the most abused system on the server when it comes to bending the rules at the expense of the server-at-large. The community needs more protection from the PvP groups who selfishly raid and pillage without enhancing anyone's RP experience (who would be better off on a factions server). Moreover, I believe the story team has degraded over time. Approaching and discussing anything with the story team is usually a dead end as they are quick to dismiss your ideas and wave you away as they do not want to deal with you. More and more, people are telling one another to not bother with asking an ST or getting permission for something as ST just are becoming more and more negative. ST bias is natural. The community is small, and the ST are volunteers who are a part of their own micro community, often leaders in such. Yet, it is very discouraging when we are told that ST exist for the community at-large, yet their efforts and attention are clearly focused on specific groups. I do not mind ST helping out their friends, but it is frustrating when individuals are denied assistance from STs who have clearly helped others with the same in the past. While they are certainly not obligated to help, this is a concerning trend. Despite being volunteers, I believe staff should be held to a certain standard of professionalism that is clearly currently lacking.

Love unique creatures to include in RP and events, this is great! +1

The broken hobgoblin reads over announcement, a smirk creeping onto his maw "Let uz hope dat mi do nub make ah mockery ov mi anceztorz. Mi ravaged form ahm ready for its departure, let it give itz lazt klomp den" he cackles, his only clawed hand reaching forward to grab one of those broken bones for a future ritual .

In your lengthy experience as a staff member, what advice/tips/strategies can you offer for dealing with internal bias? How do you remove yourself/overcome situations where there may be bias? Do you think any decision can be made without bias in mind on a server where everyone is so connected to one another, especially with the relatively small playerbase?

TRADEMARKS

"Now dat mi haz read diz mi nub even have to go outzide" grumbles the sleeping uruk before dozing off in some caverns underneath the goi.

I appreciate the approach to the mechanics of necromancy and its capabilities that are detailed in this write-up. While there will be a cut to freeform as well as some strength in the current write-up, perhaps this will help to clarify some obscurities and vagueness in the lore. Good job friend +1

After the Warnation of Krugmar was dismantled, not all uruks remained to witness the growth of the Iron’Uzg. Disenfranchised with the acceptance of Xionism and Grizhizubu, some of the orcish people scattered across Almaris. Settling in the far north, a sturdy tribe took refuge in isolated caverns. Long nights enveloped by the cold, drowsy chills of winter, the uruks grew accustomed to and even looked forward to their protracted slumbers. Within these dreams, they found purpose, they found Dhûlrak. Decades later, these urukim return to their people, as the united Dhûlrak clan. These sleepy orcs have developed unique traditions and cultures that they developed in those harsh winters. The Dhûlrak people do not meddle in the other descendants affairs, strongly valuing the protection of one’s home, ensuring safety in their journeys into Drelthok’s domain. Because of this, the Dhûlrak clan see themselves as the bastion of the Iron’Uzg, fierce and loyal defenders of the goi. Hailing from the frozen desert, the Dhûlrak clan faced relentless winters, scarcity in resources, and dangerous wildlife. These conditions required the Dhûlrak to be loyal, brave, and patient. Each serving to define the Dhûlrak interpretation of honor. Whether it was hunting for food or preparing for the cold, the urukim of Dhûlrak needed to trust one another. If a single orc did not do their part or acted in their own self interest, it would sentence the rest to death. For this reason, the Dhûlrak developed a fierce sense of loyalty. To betray your kin is the greatest dishonor. Without both patience and bravery, surviving the north would have been nearly impossible. Food was difficult to find, a failed hunt could mean no food for days. Thus, patience was required to ensure a hunter moved at the right time, patience to wait through the winter’s storm, patience to go without food and water. On the same token, the Dhûlrak had to be brave and have the courage to endure such conditions. The Dhûlrak clan mainly worship Drelthok, the Spirit of Sleeping and Dreams. Their time spent in the cold caverns of the North led to a unique perspective on sleep and its connection to the spiritual plane. Without a lutamancer or farseer to derive meaning from the spirits and ancestors, the Dhûlrak found meaning and purpose within their dreams. A Dhûlrak orc believes that Drelthok creates both dreams and nightmares to guide them. Only by following the meaning within these dreams can a Uruk truly understand their purpose in the Iron’Uzg. For this reason, the Dhûlrak clan reveres and cherishes their sleep. It is of the utmost disrespect to wake a Dhûlrak orc unless an emergency exists. Notable lesser spirits recognized by the Dhûlrak clan are Kezt, Dazkur, and Akûla. Kezt is important to the Dhûlrak who uphold a traditional sense of honor that is often lost in the more recent generations of urukim. Honor comes from strength and sacrifice. To die in a worthy battle, especially when protecting the goi is highly respectable. Dazkur is also regarded within the Dhûlrak for this reason. Loyalty to the clan, and protecting their slumbering kin is what has allowed their unique culture to develop. Lastly, Akûla is a lesser spirit of winter and the frozen tundra, one that appears in the form of a moose. It is rumored that Akûla reveals itself in the dreams of the Dhûlrak, guiding urukim through the domain of Drelthok. Flograts (Dreamcatchers) - These orcish dreamcatchers are usually made of thorns and spiderwebs and are made to look intimidating to ward off any evil spirits that seek to interrupt or compromise their dreams. Tarbakar - A fur pillow that most of the clan use. Most Dhûlrak have many tarbakar. The pillows are considered crucial for a good sleep. Dhûrku - When the Winter is in full effect, most Dhûlrak participate in the Big Sleep. A pseudo-hibernation tradition whereby the Dhûlrak host an enormous feast before entering a drug-induced sleep for 5 full days. Kaaralai - Ceremony upon which a clan member receives their animal headdress. The exact ritual is only known among the clan. Thadumps - The Dhûlrak are known for their enormous drums, their deep sounds echoing through their caves Baung - The Dhûlrak clan has a large gong that is only to be used in emergencies to wake the sleeping orcs in the face of immediate danger. During the Big Sleep, one orc stays awake to keep watch near the gong. The Dhûlrak come in shades of brown, tan, and gray. They are average size urukim with sturdy physiques. Eye colors vary in different shades of gray, silver, blue, and brown. Their hair color comes in shades of gray, white, brown, and black. Deviation from these features is not uncommon. While settled in the northern parts of Almaris, the Dhûlrak orcs started the tradition of obtaining an animal headdress upon coming of age. This new tradition has persisted despite moving toward the warmer climate of the Iron’Uzg. The Wargoth and other Clan Members of the Dhûlrak clan don a fur headdress symbolizing their worship of Drelthok. It is not uncommon to see Dhûlrak orcs wearing other furs on their bodies as well as trophies from the animals they have hunted. To eat is to survive, and the Dhûlrak most certainly know how to eat. Often creating soups and breads to last them throughout the winter. Most seek foods that help in their deep slumber, thus eating many hearty and rich foods. One of the favorites amongst the Dhûlrak is ‘Woolize Ztew’, which is a long lasting stew that is made from a mixture of mushrooms and mammoth meat. Another cultural cuisine amongst the Dhûlrak is a special cold jelly, made from the milk of Iron Ram Goats, and specially blended with a mixture of juniper berries and mushrooms. Known amongst their kindred as ‘Gimk’, it is often a rare treat, mostly preferred to the heavy sleepers and cubs of the clan. Almost every Dhûlrak clan member wields a wooden round shield containing the clans insignia. It is not uncommon for these orcs to keep their shield on them at all times, keeping them within reaching distance even when they are sleeping. It is said that some Dhûlrak go as far as using their shields as pillows, lining them with thick furs. As for their weapons, most Dhûlrak clan members enjoy a one-handed mace or hammer. These blunt weapons are designed for knocking out their opponents, sending them into the nightmares of Drelthok. Hammers, maces, and even staves are common among the Dhûlrak. Even those who carry these large weapons keep their shield strapped to their back. 1. Flograt Creation The aspirant must craft a dream catcher. These trinkets are plenty among the clan who keeps one on them at all times, also adorning their caverns in such. The creation of one’s first dream catcher is an important step among the clan. Feathers, gemstones, bones, and hide are among the materials that can be used. 2. The Hunt The aspirant must travel north and hunt a large animal. No equipment can be brought, rather they must forge their own weapons or use their hands to hunt such beasts. Often times, it is on these hunts that aspirants acquire the fur for their first headdress, however such is not required. 3. Dream Walk An aspirant is placed in a drug-induced sleep whereby it is said they can enter the realm of dreams and become one with the clan. While the exact rituals of this trial are kept secret along he clan, it is said that those who complete it are awakened a new Uruk. If you are interested in making a Dhûlrak orc or in joining the Clan, message me on discord Krunos#7376 or ig at Krunos10 Writing Credits: Krunos10 (writer), Evonpire (Evonpire), SilvertheDM (cook/writer), Cheshire/Leyd (Drugs)

"Dezpite wub waz blahed, Borok waz ah bub'hozh Rex" the Hobgoblin mumbles to himself "He made da decizions dat da average urukim cood nub, he wielded ah burden dat was heavier than any elze. Da Stargush'Stroh will welcome him with open arms, mi ahm certain ov it" the Kukaal clenches a clawed fist "Mi will honor mi bruddahz legacy"