Wizzar

HELLO LOTC! Looking for someone to play an Adunian character. He is the son of two Adunians, both sitting on the council of Cartref Mor, the Adunian settlement. The character's name is Aodhan, he is 8 years of age and has a twin sister, a third child is soon to be born. His mother, Ailsa, is the People’s Watcher and soon to be Knight. His father, Aonghus, is the leader of the adunian military and the Order of the Greymist (Adunian Knights). If you are looking for: Númenóreans-ish RP Alchemy RP Knight RP Dark vibes Chill people I would prefer to go into more detail in DMs. Please contact Raztun#7376 or CindyF|Maiyun_Waifu#83

Bumba klomps the nearest uruk.

CALL TO THE ENLIGHTENED In the old city of San’Khatun the urukim of Akaal gather to discuss the happenings of the realm. Together these shamans and haruspex decided a path forward, they would be the Light that faces the evils of darkness, paving the way for their peoples acceptance into the Stargush’Stroh. The Akaal begin their quest in search of knowledge and power, to gain the means to face the threats that hide in the shadows of men. As those spiritual urukim departed, a hobgoblin marched deeper into the scorched jungle. When the light faded into night, he returned to the Iron’Uzg, a bloodied animal held in his clawed digits. The Kukaal found his way into an empty forge, retrieving his ritual carving knife, its blade etched with strange red symbols that glowed as he worked. Wearing the newly crafted, bone-adorned armor set, Bumba walked about the city. *A splintered bone pins a bloodied missive against the blargs of those of the Akaal and its initiates* BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF AKAAL - The time has come for us to combine and expand our knowledge. Our clan has helped to pioneer this new age of flame and blood, but there is still much for us to do. We lack the information, the tools, and the numbers to start conflict with those that must be driven from our mortal realm. Our duty to Krug and to our Ancestors require us to fix this, for this age of urukim will crumble with inaction. Go out Akaal, make alliances, discover new knowledge, and craft weapons and armor that can withstand the power of dragons and demons. Individually, we do not stand a chance, but together, as united urukim, our Light will drown out the darkness. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Signed, Bumba'Akaal, Kukaal of Clan Akaal, Herald of the Heartbeat

AKAAL (“Of Light”) The Akaal serve as heralds and messengers of a new age of urukim. Many traditional clans find the Akaal’s ways to be unorthodox. Above all, the Akaal are worshippers of urukim, both those who have passed to the Stargush’Stroh and those that remain in the mortal realm. Placing much significance on the material world, the Akaal have developed rituals, customs, and practices involving blood, alchemy, and their own bodies. With less of a significance on the immortal spirits, the Akaal revere the ancestral and elemental spirits, believing that combined with the divinity of blood, they contain the means to reach the epitome of urukim, the ultimate image of Krug. With great diversity within their own numbers, the clan is connected in their purpose to shepherd the descendants of Krug into a new age of spiritualism. Immortal and Ancestral Spirits: Unlike other orcish clans, the Akaal do not worship specific immortal spirits. Instead, it is common for clan members to pick and choose the immortal spirits that they dedicate themselves. Other members renounce the immortal spirits all together, finding them to have corrupted the orcish people, leading them towards periods of dismay. The Akaal are able to reconcile these spiritual distinctions, finding greater purpose in the unification of the blood and soul of the urukim. The Akaal venerate the ancestors, taking great pride in the orcish lineage that connects them to Krug. Those who were honorable and worthy enough to cross into the Stargush’Stroh are deserving of the utmost respect and praise, the stories of their lives a testament to the greatness of Krug’s children. It is not from the immortal spirits but from the ancestors that the Akaal seek guidance, hoping to bring themselves and their brothers into the orcish afterlife. Mortalism, Grizh, and the Elemental: Recognizing their own mortality, the Akaal place great importance on the impression they leave on the material realm. Blood is regarded as sacred as it ties each orc to their ancestry. However, their adoration of blood is not only for their own. Instead, the Akaal glorify the divine embodiment of blood, drawing from its power through ritual, battle, and sacrifice. To spill the blood of the corrupted is to purify this transcendental oversoul, bringing strength and honor to the individual and to the urukim. Among the primordial aspects of nature, Akaal recognizes blood as a quasi-elemental force that exists on a similar level to the elemental. Their attention to the elemental extends beyond blood, the Akaal viewing the elemental spirits with special significance. Body as a Living Tapestry An Akaal regards the physical form of the urukim as sacred. Every scar, tattoo, and marking reveals the story of the individual, these modifications serving as badges of honor and status. To mark one's body without purpose and meaning is to desecrate your image before your kin and your ancestry. This mortal divinity extends beyond scarification, as a urukim’s blood is of high significance, only to be spilled for worthy causes such as spiritualism and war. For these reasons, you will find the Akaal riddled with marks, scars, and tattoos that chronicle the clan members life. Their rituals and practices often involve scarring and the spilling of blood. Their blood serves as their closest connection to Krug in the mortal realm and their scars serve as conduits for guidance and knowledge from their ancestors.

The Order of the Greymist Zealous warriors devoted to their people and their ancestors, the Order was created to ensure the strength and longevity of the Adunian people. Tossing aside traditional notions of chivalry, these knights care little for honor, courtesy, and charity. Instead those of the Greymist view most as morally ambiguous, believing that all choices are guided by selfishness and self-preservation. Reliance on others and on borrowed power is a weakness that will inevitably lead to an individual's demise. Only through one's own strength and competency can greatness truly be achieved, and through greatness, the Adunians can once again be brought to glory. Code of the Greymist Strength An individual’s physical and mental strength determines their value Faith Abandoned by the Creator, only the Ancestors can guide us Loyalty Survival of the Adunian people is of utmost importance Perpetuity A knight is bound in service both in life and in death Hierarchy I. Grey Knight Commander Leader of the Order, tasked with organizing the broader goals and purposes of the Order. They will lead the important meetings and decisions within the Order with the aid of their council. Has the ultimate say in all decisions of the Order, including membership. II. Greymist Champion Those who have proved themself most in their service as a Knight. They serve as council to the Grey Knight Commander, often acting as the mentors to Aspirants and Squires. III. Mistguard Those who have proven themselves and have achieved Knighthood. The Mistguard answers to the Greymist Champions and the Grey Knight Commander performing any tasks of the Order. Mistguard members will be expected to learn alchemy. IV. Aspirant Those seeking Knightship within the Order. Their mentor will assign their duties and obligations. V. Squire Young Adunians who wish to walk the path of the Greymist. Similar to Aspirants, they will be assigned to a Knight who shall mentor them until they come of age. Ascension to Knightship Initiation: Those seeking to join the Order of the Greymist must seek out a Grey Knight Commander. The Grey Knight Commander will access the strength and ability of the individual through a duel. Depending on the result, the Grey Knight Commander will accept or deny the individual as an Aspirant of the Order. They will be required to swear an oath to their people and ancestors before beginning their journey to knightdom. Training: At its core, the Order is structured on strength and self-motivation. Aspiring knights will be assigned to a Grey Knight Commander or Greymist Champion who will oversee and direct an individual's training. Those in charge have the discretion to remove the Aspirant from the Order at any time if they find fitting. Once the overseeing knight determines that the Aspirant’s mind and body are ready, they can begin the final step towards the Mistguard. Rite of the Greymist A secret ritual known only by those who have experienced it. The Rite will challenge the Aspirant’s mind and body as they traverse the mists of life, death, and reality itself. Those who make it through this trial shall rise to the ranking of the Mistguard and will receive a unique moniker. Squireship Squireships can begin at the age of 12, where they are assigned to a willing knight. Shadowing the Knight for the years to come, they will train in combat, medicine, and other relevant skills. The Knight will be responsible for administering the Squireship tasks and chores. Upon reaching the age of 16, the mentoring Knight has the discretion to move the Squire into the Rite of the Greymist where they will take their oaths and ascend to Knighthood. If the mentor finds the Squire is not ready, they may deem it necessary for the Squire to go through the entire process as an Aspirant. OOC Note If you are interested in joining this Knightly Order, feel free to contact me for more information! IGN: Krunos10 Discord: Raztun#7376

+1000000 I love shaman

"When the entirety of your position relies on an old oath, entirely ignoring the many enumerated complaints about your failing Kingdom, a moment of reflection is required" an Adunian Squire grunts, scowling at the missive before tearing it in half

Rite of the Guiding Three Roaming the hazy, volcanic terrain beyond the walls of Cartref Mor, the young, muscle-strapped Adunian collected the herbs and salt water that was required. Sweat dripped from his pale skin as he inhaled heavy breaths. His ashen gaze focused on the molten path with a fiery determination. Time passed slowly as the searing heat wore down on the young warrior, each moment more difficult than the next. His hand periodically hovered the sword that sat on his hip, hoping for his chance to prove himself. Drifting through darkness, a burst of bright orange and red light blinded his vision. The light began to fade, the crackling of a fire echoed around him as a familiar fireplace came into view. Closer and closer he floated towards the flame until it enveloped his form, his body twisting in agony as his skin blistered. Unable to produce a scream, he prayed to the Ancestors for mercy. For what felt like eternity, his consciousness suffered in fiery torment until he forced himself further into the flames. Immediately, his pain subsided as the burning visions twisted around him to reveal the burning visage of the familiar minotaur, his greatest feat. The young adunian pressed forward in the blazing desert, climbing up and down ashen black and red mountains. Eventually, he heard a growl in the near distance, a smirk etched into his face as he moved in its direction. As he rounded a hill, a beast leaped at him from behind, digging its claws across his back. The warrior shifted his form to view a snarling, badger-sized bear. Two more of these beasts approached from afar, one noticeably bigger than the others. Gripping his blade, he darted past the lava bear to leap onto a large rock. He raised his blade in a defensive posture, ragged breaths escaping his sweating form. The burning head of the bull thrashed about until its eyes became void of life. His consciousness was then carried away back to the tavern of Cartref Mor. A spectator to those who merrily ate and drank about a table, he recognized a few of his new Adunian friends. The voices of the three Ancestors whispered prayers in his subconscious as he witnessed the scene. As the voices faded, the illustration before him vanished to return him to darkness. Leaping off the stone to the right most bear, the warrior stabbed his blade deep into its neck, immediately ending its life. The other two bears pounced forward, one bit into his ankle and the other into thigh. The young adunian yanked his sword from the dead bear, swiping it horizontally, to detach a limb from the smaller lava bear. The larger bear leaped forward, clawing the adunian’s face before rolling down a hill. The young warrior’s blood and sweat dripped from his figure, forming a crimson pool at his feet. Unleashing a roar, he stabbed forward towards the smaller lava bear, piercing its head. It was not long after that the larger bear suffered a similar fate after providing one more scar to the face of the warrior. Falling to his knees, the warrior-to-be closed his eyes to offer a prayer to Elendil. Cocooned in darkness, the whispers of the Elendil, Maria, and Braen reverberated across the emptiness sending him forward, back into his physical form. The young adunian lifted his body out of the bloodied waters, his eyes looking up to the stone ceiling before shifting to his guide. Gradually, he stepped out of the tub, its crimson contents scattering across the dirt floor. The voice of Elendil rang through his head, repeating the same line over and over again. “Rise Aonghus Seragon, your flame shall be your glory”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTto5j32B-0 Transitioning to the New Age [!] A missive is left in various places throughout San’Velku, reaching the eyes of its citizenry. “Honor, worship, and blood. These three aspects of urukim culture and tradition keep us on the path to the Stargush’Stroh. In times of war, the spirits challenge our curse of bloodlust more than ever as we stand against those that are weaker in mind, body, and soul. Despite the dishonor of our foes, it is imperative that we remain true to the ideals of our ancestors. Brothers and sisters must support one another to keep our honor and bloodlust in check. Since our inception, the children of Krug have banded together in clans, many of these clans surviving the test of time. Clans have worked to develop and maintain culture, to worship their ancestors, and to dedicate themselves to those spirits they champion. Unfortunately, the older clans have over time transformed into weeds that now work to stunt the growth and potential of the new age of urukim. Members of these broken clans lack purpose and guidance under negligent Warchiefs. While we must always worship our ancestors and bring light to their wisdom and accomplishments, it is time we remove these parasitic clans from our walls. The Akaal welcomes those abandoned urukim who seek purpose and guidance to the Stargush’Stroh. You owe no obligation to a clan that has deserted you and the Iron’Uzg. Come and join a clan that has pioneered a new age of blood and flame, a clan that seeks to bring the future our ancestors dreamed of into fruition. As you begin the trials of the Akaal, we will offer you protection, enlightenment, and a baptism to begin anew.” **The missive is signed in blood** - Bumba’Akaal

Challenge for Kukaal *A splintered bone pins a bloodied missive against the blargs of those of the Akaal* “In the coming cactus days, I Bumba’Akaal, formerly Bumba’Izig, lay claim to the title of Kukaal. The blood speaks to me and has given me a purpose that I wish to bring into fruition. I will expand the Akaal, guiding more Urukim to the Stargush’Stroh and introducing them to the Heartbeat that envelops all” “As Skaatchnak currently represents the Izig lineage in Akaal, I plan on taking on his mantle as one of the three Kukaal. Skaatchnak has done more for the urukim than any other, pioneering a new age of flame and blood. He is my greatest teacher and closest brother for whom I hold the utmost respect. While he continues to serve our people, I believe it is time for new blood to lead” “I CALL A CLAN MEETING AT THE OLD REX PALACE IN SAN’KHATUN. LUP’KRUG, LUP’AKAAL, AND LUP’GRIZH” *The bottom is signed by a bloodied handprint*

The Scarred Haruspex scowls before marching towards the Feasting Pit "Thiz bruddah grukz nothing ov grizh agh ov thoze bruddahz that are blezzed by da Heartbeat. Diz ignorance iz dizhonorable" He continues to mumble incoherently to himself, clenching his clawed hands tightly to reveal his crimson fluids as he disappears deeper into the Iron'Uzg.

Have only had good RP experiences with your characters. Wish you the best. I cannot stress it enough, this server needs to change. Staff NEED to hold themselves to a higher standard instead of using their position as a pseudo-qualified immunity.

Worship The young, broad-shouldered Adunian marched outside Cartref Mor with a battered wooden sword in his heavily calloused hands. Dark clouds swallowed the sun, painting his surroundings in gray. Aonghus’ dull eyes focused solely on taking him towards the training field where his usual wooden victim awaited its next beating. As the young warrior positioned himself in front of the dummy, he gripped the wooden sword with both of his scarred and bruised fingers. Aonghus placed the weapon at his side, positioning one leg in front of the other. Without hesitation he began his training, entering a trance he had grown all too familiar with. The young Adunian’s body melodically struck at the statue, his mind a spectator to his own performance. This soul-like spectator focused on the form before him, specifically the veins etched across his newly-developed muscles. Cuts, bruises, and scars sprawled across his arms from all of his hard work. After a short while, his mind lost focus on his body, escaping towards deeper thoughts of his people, of the Ancestors, and of God. The near black clouds grew thicker overhead, the sound of thunder reverberated across the keep. Rain bucketed down, quickly soaking the training Adunian and his surroundings. Blood dripped from an open blister that washed away onto the dirt with the rain. However, Aonghus was no longer present with his physical form, his mind lost in thought and prayer as his body danced about the field. Praying was a new practice for the youthful Adunian. His first attempts at any spiritual connection was fruitless as he kneeled within the walls of the keep. Instead, he found success here, in a quasi-ritualistic dance with a wooden statue. As Aonghus developed his body, he felt his mind grow stronger, his connection to the Ancestors, to Elendil, growing deeper. What started as worship became an obsession, the Adunian wanted to, needed to, become stronger to achieve his purpose. And so, Aonghus continued his training until the storm slowly faded. The sun peeked through the sky, its light exposing his exhausted figure. In a sluggish motion, his sword connected with the center of the dummy and splintered into two. The young warrior looked down at his broken instrument, its handle stained with his blood. He will continue his worship after a day’s rest.

A young, grey-eyed Adunian throws his bruised and bloodied fists at a padded wooden statute. Beads of sweat drips from his form to leave a glossiness on his newly developed muscles. Aonghus' gaze peers through his wooden victim as his soul wanders in search of guidance. The Ancestors will guide him to this Order, whether he knows it yet or not.

The haruspex squints at the missive "Latz iz blahin to mi dat da ztowtz lose ah honor klomp agh den immediately go into conflikt?" Bumba shakes his head "Diz iz nub juzt dizhonorable to latzelvez but diz iz dizhonorabel to da ztowt dat fought honorablee. Dey iz eithur ah bunch of globs or dey have more bloodluzt den mi own bruddahz"

"Do nub doubt latz own ztrength Xob of Wob" the haruspex speaks aloud while standing before a moving cave mural "Mi haz peep'd da ztrength of latz will agh da will of latz popo. Da Albai zhood nub undereztimate da power of latz wrath"

When did the Urukim reach their greatest height on the server and what factors contributed to this? What do you think of the current state of orcs relative to their history on the server?

Since I joined the server, I have come to realize the inevitability of OOC conflict in almost every faucet of this server, this runs especially true in PVP scenarios (raids and wars). Raids quickly become a "who violated a rules" first situation where mods are weaponized to punish/ban players by the opposing faction while wars are just OOC bickering for months until a 20 minutes PvP blob decides the fate of the nation. While I truly do sympathize with the staff who sits in the middle of all of this OOC nonsense. I believe it is largely due to server rules, the inescapable bias that staff holds, and the lack of any body or set of rules to check the power and decisions of the staff. At the end of the day, the majority of the staff and the population of the server are quite literally children/young adults. They are not trained to arbitrate conflicts and rules. In fact, I have come to realize that MANY moderators do not even know the rules themselves. This leads to inconsistent decisions on a day-to-day basis that the playerbase has trouble accepting as we all recognize and know that this happens. Additionally, it is impossible for these conflicts to be arbitrated and negotiated fairly when the server is so interconnected. Almost every staff/player has some sort of opinion going into every conflict or at least their friends do. Therefore, bias is absolutely impossible to escape. If we want wars and other similar situations to not completely suck on the server, the staff and playerbase each need to recognize a few things. Firstly, as a staff (especially a moderator), you ARE NOT a fair arbitrator of most of these situations. STICK TO THE RULES. If the rules do not adequately cover a situation, it should not be decided by the opinion of one or two people. Honestly, I do not have a solution for the playerbase issues. In these wars and raids, all I see is OOC fueled hate that influences important IRP situations. Getting involved in these situations is unfun.

Regardless of whether the paladinism community prefers the student requirement, does it fulfill its purpose? I do not entirely understand the reasonings provided. While "active degradation" of the magic surely sounds threatening, what exactly do you mean by this?

Haruspex Medical Practices: A haruspex involved in medicine builds upon the traditional orcish practices. The haruspex views healing and treatment from a unique lens centered around two key ideas. First, the body is a living canvas that tells a story about oneself. The healing process is part of this story, therefore scars and marks that result from treatment are viewed positively. Additionally, inflicting different types of wounds upon an injured person’s body will work to cleanse the individual. Overtime, these haruspex have developed a few peculiar treatments based on these beliefs. Trepanation: Trepanation is the practice of making holes through the skull of an individual. Using a thick steel needle and a mallet, the haruspex digs holes into the heads of their patients. Generally, the haruspex will only make one hole in the head of an individual, however in more dire situations, the haruspex may make more. A haruspex must be careful to not drive the needle into the brain of the patient, as this could lead to quite severe medical consequences including death. There are many applications for this very legitimate medical practice. It is used for headaches, head trauma, potential psychological issues, and other head-related medical problems. Outside of treating the more tangible/material medical issues, trepanation has spiritual purpose and significance. Head-related medical issues are thought to be rooted in bad spirits. These spirits forced their way into the minds of these unfortunate patients. The medical haruspex believes that trepanation forces these troublesome spirits out of mind by creating exits in the skull. For this reason, sewing up the patient's head after the procedure is key. This prevents the spirit from reentering the mind of the patient and continuing their evil influence. Bloodletting: Bloodletting is the process of drawing blood from a patient for healing purposes. The haruspex does not utilize this procedure for any injury that has already resulted in scarring or blood. Instead, bloodletting is typically used to treat illnesses that are not visible on one's body. These include, but are not limited to, body aches, weakness, and sickness. There are two primary ways that the haruspex draws the blood; (1) A blade; (2) The use of leeches. Leeches are less common as the haruspex can make better use of a victim’s patient's blood through other means. A medical haruspex often carries a special ritual blade for their work, using them in these bloodletting procedures. To perform this procedure, the medical haruspex focuses on drawing blood from their patients veins. It is common for these spiritualists to draw enough blood to lead to dizziness and fainting. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent or cure illnesses that are in the body. Blood can become tainted by evil magic, spirits, and other things. Bloodletting developed as a means to counteract this interference by cleansing the patient's blood. Additionally, the scars created by bloodletting are viewed highly by the haruspex who views the body as a living canvas. Scars illustrating both the successes and struggles in one's life. Consuming Raw Meat: Raw meat is an essential step towards recovery! Poor health is an indication that an individual’s crimson ink is running low. The haruspex believes raw meat is a means to replenish a patient's vital life essence, allowing their bodies to continue serving as their living canvas. For this reason, a patient under the medical haruspex’s care should expect to eat a lot of raw animal meat and, quite possibly, their blood! Of course, this practice should continue past recovery. Every uruk should strive to eat at least 1 pound (16 ounces) of raw meat every day if they wish to stay healthy. Cooked meat can suffice but only if taken in higher doses.

Haruspex Medical Practices: A haruspex involved in medicine builds upon the traditional orcish practices. The haruspex views healing and treatment from a unique lens centered around two key ideas. First, the body is a living canvas that tells a story about oneself. The healing process is part of this story, therefore scars and marks that result from treatment are viewed positively. Additionally, inflicting different types of wounds upon an injured person’s body will work to cleanse the individual. Overtime, these haruspex have developed a few peculiar treatments based on these beliefs. Trepanation: Trepanation is the practice of making holes through the skull of an individual. Using a thick steel needle and a mallet, the haruspex digs holes into the heads of their patients. Generally, the haruspex will only make one hole in the head of an individual, however in more dire situations, the haruspex may make more. A haruspex must be careful to not drive the needle into the brain of the patient, as this could lead to quite severe medical consequences including death. There are many applications for this very legitimate medical practice. It is used for headaches, head trauma, potential psychological issues, and other head-related medical problems. Outside of treating the more tangible/material medical issues, trepanation has spiritual purpose and significance. Head-related medical issues are thought to be rooted in bad spirits. These spirits forced their way into the minds of these unfortunate patients. The medical haruspex believes that trepanation forces these troublesome spirits out of mind by creating exits in the skull. For this reason, sewing up the patient's head after the procedure is key. This prevents the spirit from reentering the mind of the patient and continuing their evil influence. Bloodletting: Bloodletting is the process of drawing blood from a patient for healing purposes. The haruspex does not utilize this procedure for any injury that has already resulted in scarring or blood. Instead, bloodletting is typically used to treat illnesses that are not visible on one's body. These include, but are not limited to, body aches, weakness, and sickness. There are two primary ways that the haruspex draws the blood; (1) A blade; (2) The use of leeches. Leeches are less common as the haruspex can make better use of a victim’s patient's blood through other means. A medical haruspex often carries a special ritual blade for their work, using them in these bloodletting procedures. To perform this procedure, the medical haruspex focuses on drawing blood from their patients veins. It is common for these spiritualists to draw enough blood to lead to dizziness and fainting. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent or cure illnesses that are in the body. Blood can become tainted by evil magic, spirits, and other things. Bloodletting developed as a means to counteract this interference by cleansing the patient's blood. Additionally, the scars created by bloodletting are viewed highly by the haruspex who views the body as a living canvas. Scars illustrating both the successes and struggles in one's life. Consuming Raw Meat: Raw meat is an essential step towards recovery! Poor health is an indication that an individual’s crimson ink is running low. The haruspex believes raw meat is a means to replenish a patient's vital life essence, allowing their bodies to continue serving as their living canvas. For this reason, a patient under the medical haruspex’s care should expect to eat a lot of raw animal meat and, quite possibly, their blood! Of course, this practice should continue past recovery. Every uruk should strive to eat at least 1 pound (16 ounces) of raw meat every day if they wish to stay healthy. Cooked meat can suffice but only if taken in higher doses.

Haruspex Medical Practices: A haruspex involved in medicine builds upon the traditional orcish practices. The haruspex views healing and treatment from a unique lens centered around two key ideas. First, the body is a living canvas that tells a story about oneself. The healing process is part of this story, therefore scars and marks that result from treatment are viewed positively. Additionally, inflicting different types of wounds upon an injured person’s body will work to cleanse the individual. Overtime, these haruspex have developed a few peculiar treatments based on these beliefs. Trepanation: Trepanation is the practice of making holes through the skull of an individual. Using a thick steel needle and a mallet, the haruspex digs holes into the heads of their patients. Generally, the haruspex will only make one hole in the head of an individual, however in more dire situations, the haruspex may make more. A haruspex must be careful to not drive the needle into the brain of the patient, as this could lead to quite severe medical consequences including death. There are many applications for this very legitimate medical practice. It is used for headaches, head trauma, potential psychological issues, and other head-related medical problems. Outside of treating the more tangible/material medical issues, trepanation has spiritual purpose and significance. Head-related medical issues are thought to be rooted in bad spirits. These spirits forced their way into the minds of these unfortunate patients. The medical haruspex believes that trepanation forces these troublesome spirits out of mind by creating exits in the skull. For this reason, sewing up the patient's head after the procedure is key. This prevents the spirit from reentering the mind of the patient and continuing their evil influence. Bloodletting: Bloodletting is the process of drawing blood from a patient for healing purposes. The haruspex does not utilize this procedure for any injury that has already resulted in scarring or blood. Instead, bloodletting is typically used to treat illnesses that are not visible on one's body. These include, but are not limited to, body aches, weakness, and sickness. There are two primary ways that the haruspex draws the blood; (1) A blade; (2) The use of leeches. Leeches are less common as the haruspex can make better use of a victim’s patient's blood through other means. A medical haruspex often carries a special ritual blade for their work, using them in these bloodletting procedures. To perform this procedure, the medical haruspex focuses on drawing blood from their patients veins. It is common for these spiritualists to draw enough blood to lead to dizziness and fainting. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent or cure illnesses that are in the body. Blood can become tainted by evil magic, spirits, and other things. Bloodletting developed as a means to counteract this interference by cleansing the patient's blood. Additionally, the scars created by bloodletting are viewed highly by the haruspex who views the body as a living canvas. Scars illustrating both the successes and struggles in one's life. Consuming Raw Meat: Raw meat is an essential step towards recovery! Poor health is an indication that an individual’s crimson ink is running low. The haruspex believes raw meat is a means to replenish a patient's vital life essence, allowing their bodies to continue serving as their living canvas. For this reason, a patient under the medical haruspex’s care should expect to eat a lot of raw animal meat and, quite possibly, their blood! Of course, this practice should continue past recovery. Every uruk should strive to eat at least 1 pound (16 ounces) of raw meat every day if they wish to stay healthy. Cooked meat can suffice but only if taken in higher doses.