Jungle Orcs of the Mwangi
Like many races in fantasy we see orcs as being
homogenous, all the orcs worldwide are the same with the same basic stats, same
basic culture, same basic everything. On Golarion we’ve learned that there are
cultures among elves, dwarves, and the other races just like there are humans.
I’ve already looked at the
snowcaster elves,
desert dwarves, and the
cannibal halflings of the Kavaa Lands. Today I want to look at one of
the many cultural variations of the orcs.
There are a number of variations in the orcish culture.
The most commonly known orcs are the plains and hill dwelling ones of The Hold
of Belzken, but there are orc all over – and under – Golarion. There are the
darklands orcs who returned to their underground home, the desert orc of
northern Garund and Qadira, the jungle orcs of the Mwangi Expanse, the mountain
orcs of Western Avistan, and the winter orcs native to the crown of the world.
Although these separate cultures are touched upon in both
Orcs of Golarion, and their half-orc children in
Bastards of Golarion,
there is actually very little information about them.
The ones that most interest me are the jungle orcs of the
Mwangi Expanse. So this week I am going to expand upon their
lore.
History
As the dwarves pushed the orcs up into the world above
they came out onto the face of Golarion in a few places. Although most of the paths
through the darklands led to Avistan – particularly in the northern regions – a
few groups that were separated from the greater horde came up elsewhere. One of
these groups, which consisted of only three small tribes, found an unused route
to the surface that let out in the steaming jungles of the Mwangi.
Without the numbers of the horde, the tribes that would
become the jungle orcs did not have the ability to subjugate the other sentient
beings around them. They spent their first years above ground trying to scratch
out territory for themselves in an area already ripe with many deadly
predators. During this early time they also sought a trail back through the
darklands to their brethren. Many of the scouts never returned and rather than
lose more of their number, the orcs settle into their new home.
Although of one people each of the three tribes demanded
their own territory and dispersed to make their own claims on land for
themselves. The human tribes of the Mwangi, still reeling from earthfall and
the long night that still reigned over the sky, were of little consequence to
the orcs who stole pieces of their ancestral lands. The humans could do little
to fight back at the time.
The orcs survived in the darkest part of the jungles even
after the dust covered sky of earthfall cleared up. The tribal humans began to
reassert themselves but gave the orcs a wide berth. By this time the jungle
orcs lost the paths into the darklands and they began to lose bits of their own
history as older generation died out and newer ones forgot the stories of the
past.
The first threat to the orcish tribes, which now numbered
maybe a dozen from the original three, was the rise of the Shory Empire. The
humans had grown in magical and technological might and began to retake the
lands around them. Many of the humans held to their tribal ways as the orcs
did, but the leader of the Shory began to tame the land, which included
removing threats like the orcs.
By the time the last of the Shory flying cities failed,
the jungle orcs were in even more disarray. The tribes had lost many of their
numbers and even more of their already vanishing lore. But orcs are survivors
if nothing else and they began to rebuild. They had other peoples to contend
with now for territory. Tribes of savage halflings and reclusive jungle elves
began to flourish alongside the humans of the Mwangi. This is when the orcs
began developing their own culture to compensate for the loss of their
darklands traditions.
Although fierce, the orcs did not remain the most feared
predators of the Mwangi Expanse. As the worshipers of the demon lord A
ngazhan gathered in the city of Usaro and the fierce Gorilla
King lashed out in primal rage from his throne, the jungle orcs took up a
defensive posture against this new enemy. With the coming tide of the Gorilla
King’s forces the jungle orcs even made deals with the other non-orc tribes
around them, who would occasionally come to breed orc stock into their tribes
by mating with the porcine beings.
Now neither friend nor foe, the jungle orcs are
considered a natural part of the Mwangi Expanse. As long as their territory is
respected they keep to themselves. Some small amount of trade is done with the
humans, elves, and halflings. It is now not unusual to see one of the jungle
orcs on the streets of the trade city of Kibwe, or any of the other major
cities in the Expanse.
Physiology
Jungle orcs have the same physiology as their other
orcish kin. They have thick muscular builds and porcine features. Oversized
pointed teeth fill their mouths, even to the point of having tusk-like
protrusions. Although still somewhat aggressive they do not hold to the
constant warlike tendencies of their kin and as such have lost their ability to
stand in battle while grievously wounded.
What they have gained is the great olfactory senses, which aid them
immensely in their jungle homes.
Mechanical Note: Most jungle orcs give up ferocity and
weapon familiarity and gain the smeller alternate racial trait.
Family
Although the jungle orc society is slightly more
egalitarian than the more well-known plains orcs, it is still a patriarchy. The
family unit usually consists of a male and his mates. Since males have as many
mates as they can take, you can tell the most powerful male by the number of females
he surrounds himself with.
Jungle orcs do not seem to be as fecund as their other
kin. That combined with the many dangers that orcs must face every day, from
both their environment and other jungle dwellers – particularly the worshipers
of Angazhan – means that each child is important, male or female. Even half-orc children are given much more
respect than half breeds of other orcish communities.
Some families also include human members, warriors of
other tribes that come to breed half-orcs for their own people’s protection.
These human family members are perhaps treated the worst – especially the
females – as a means of showing they are worthy of the orcish blood their
tribes seek. Regardless of how the orcs within the tribe treat the human “family
member,” the orcs would never let outside forces bring harm to these temporary
kin.
Society
The tribal society of the jungle orcs is very insular.
They are exceedingly territorial and take great pride in what land they can
claim and hold. Because of so many outside forces are aligned against them, the
orcs still have a war-like attitude and all members of the tribe are trained
for battle. This tends to be more defensive than offensive, although some of
the larger orc tribes still raid the lands around them.
The society is highly patriarchal and all the chiefs and
warleaders of the tribes are male. Most of the warriors are male as well,
although some females – usually those who cannot bear children – may become
powerful warriors in the tribe. Unlike other tribes, where the roles of females
are limited to breeding stock, the jungle orc women are not tossed aside as
easily. Some even become prized with doctors and shaman.
Tattoos and piercings play a large role in the society of
the jungle orcs. When jungle orcs reach maturity they get their first tatto,o
which is more like a series of elaborate and excruciatingly painful markings.
These tattoos denote that the young orc is ready to become a full-fledged
member of the tribe and is of age to begin mating.
Jungle orcs will add to their initial rite of passage
tattoo as they perform great deeds through their short lifetimes. You can tell
a jungle orc has lived a life of great meaning – to the orcs at least – by the
number of tattoos they have. Some of the greatest chiefs and warleaders are
covered head to toe in body art. And in places where tattoos are not present an
orc may decorate themselves with horns, thorns, or wooden pins thrust through
their body.
Strength rules all in the jungle orc tribes. Cheifdoms are
not passed down through family lines, they are taken by the next strongest
successor. Usually a chief will die in battle, most often against the minions
of the Gorilla King, but some chiefs
live to an older age and will see their right to lead challenged by younger,
stronger orcs. When a chief can no longer hold his own in battle, he is no
longer chief and he is usually dead.
Alignment and
Faith
Because the jungle orcs have by necessity been forced to
actually deal and even trade with many of the other races of the Mwangi
Expanse, their need to kill for killing’s sake has dwindled. Although on the
whole the tribes will never be considered good, they also are not wholly evil.
Chaotic Neutral tends to be the most common alignment among the jungle orcs for
that reason.
Beings separated from the greater orc horde and the loss
of their history has turned the jungle orcs away from the traditional orcish
god. Many of the tribes worship Gorum as the deity of strength and battle,
paying particular care to appease him before battle with the Gorilla King’s
forces. Mostly, however, they have turned to animism as a form of religion.
Orc holy men tend to be witch doctors and shaman who pray
to the forces of the world. The uses fetishes and totems to bind spirits and
gather power for their tribes. These spirit talkers are both respected and
feared for the power they can wield. Unlike other positions of power, women and
half-orcs often become powerful religious guides for their tribes.
Relations
Jungle orc’s dealings with the other inhabitants of the
Mwangi jungle are strained at best. Sometimes they war and sometimes they
trade. Usually, as long as they come peacefully, jungle orcs are allowed into
some of the larger human settlements to trade. Even then they are given a wide
berth by most and are watched carefully by the city’s guard.
Each tribe will have its own relationship with the other
orc tribes, and non-orc tribes. So to say the jungle orcs are friends with this
group and not with that does not truly encapsulate the varied of relationships
that can be had. The closer a group is to the territory claimed by a jungle orc
tribe the more likely that tribe is to be met with hostilities.
The only truly universal relationship among the orc
tribes is an intense hatred for the Gorilla King and his assorted simian
minions. All jungle orc tribes are prepared for battle against the followers of
the Demon Lord Angazhan. If there is anything that can make the jungle orcs
ally with just about anyone, it is the forces of the city of Usaro.
Adventurers
Because of the small size of the tribes, adventurers are
not that common among the jungle orcs. Some young jungle orcs do feel the call
to leave the tribe and seek their own fortune but these are few and far
between. Those that do choose the adventuring life are often overwhelmed by all
that the outside has to offer.
Barbarians and
rangers are probably the two most common routes that jungle orcs take as adventurers.
Fighters and more scout-like
rogues and slayers aren’t unheard of. Magical acumen is not common
among jungle orcs in general, especially more studied traditions such as
wizards and magus. Some of the more intelligent orcs become
alchemists who build on the
jungle orcs tradition of poison making.
Those who can wield magic tend to be divine casters.
Shaman,
clerics, and druids have a deep tradition among the
orcs. Because their power is so well respected, they rarely make their way out
into the world. Those that do set out from the tribe find that their powers can
garner them much respect in an adventuring party.
Looking for some interesting new character ideas, or
enemies for your Mwangi based adventure? Now you can add the jungle orcs to
that list. I quite enjoy these culturally different group of traditionally
homogenous creatures and I hope you do too. I’m going to make myself a jungle
orc character now.
What kind of cultures for other races would you like to
see? Would you use these jungle orcs in your Golarion campaign? Would you adapt
them to your homebrew world? This is just a short write up, but what other
information would you like to see about the jungle orcs?
Has the CRB expanded your views on what an orc can be?
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