As for this excerpt - it was a bit of worldbuilding about the Orcish way of life in my world, at least in this area of the world. The group seemed to resonate with it and I felt it was a powerful bit of worldbuilding for my players and table.
Write up follows:
While Avulstein was doing what he needed to be done, House Illytch had been working with Barb and her training. Part of the Randari Accords with the Thane Ufrecta’s predecessor was that the Randari population would be treated are part of Sorton if they choose to be, and also treated apart as their growth and identity was tied to their racial background and support – a system that the Jarlborrin Hill Dwarves had learned to work with and around.
So any personage of Randari descent was allowed to spend time with their family for training purposes should it be decided that the trainee’s needs are such that it would best for them to do so. Long and short – if you’re a Randari, part of your training also involves you visiting with your family.
There is a Randari enclave about ¾ of a mile east of Sorton where a smattering of 300 or so Randari families eke out a living trapping, trading, growing, and the occasional raid when they can get away with it. It is here that Barb went back to visit her father family during the afternoon of her second day of training. Her brother, Terkus, was lounging outside the family yurt when Barb approached and the two of them engaged in a brutal yet still familial wrestling match outside. Barb had to yield after her tusks were grabbed and her face forced to the ground.
Her father Dungar, and her uncle, Spuntyr, came out and welcomed their wayward daughter home. Dungar was a large Half-Orc, pushing well past 300 lbs. and 6’ 4” in height; he was getting soft but still had a presence as the family patriarch. Spuntyr was shorter, 5’ 8”, smaller, and even though older by a year, had abrogated his position as patriarch to his younger brother years ago but still the two of them guided the family.
Her lapel pin with House Illytch’s sigil on it and her superior made clothes gave her an insight between how she was living and how her family was living. She tried to explain Horne’s shortcomings and her signing on with the adventuring group. Spuntyr seemed to get it, Terkus not so much. The younger Randari was big on the way things were, the traditional way, was still the best way. Anything else was playing into the dirty dwarven hands.
They talked about the 5 orders of Orcish honor.
Famyr – the highest and your birth family and sundry relations.
Fasted – the next highest and your extended in-laws and married family.
Worded – the next highest and those you pledge yourself to working with and for
Clannar – the next highest and your entire extended clan and clan holdings
Oricand – the last order and refers to all orc and Randari kind.
Hornes was her Worded, but she signed off with him and on with another group, Worded with them. Does not Hornes deserve better? Her family, her Famyr, still is first – if she lets her honor slip on a lesser order, does her higher order suffer? She talked about how Hornes was failing his Worded and wasn’t living up to their best interest – and a good Randari knows that honor is a two way street.
Her new group? Worth it and honorable so far. They had her back, she had theirs, and for now, everyone was on the same page. She was then reminded of an orcish saying:
Lying is an elven trait, Truth is an orcish one.
Avarice is a dwarven trait, Giving an orcish one.
Cowardice is a human trait, Strength an Orcish one.
Trickery is a gnomish trait, Honor an orcish one.
She talked about the people she worked with and her father was pleased to hear she had a “Raven” (A shaman) working with her – Avulstein. He wanted to know if she would return tomorrow as he might have a job for her and a Raven. On the way out, her Uncle stopped her and gave her a hug, letting her know that her brother is right in his own way, but that as long as she is doing what in her heart is right, she is supported by her Famyr and respected for her choices.
The evening came and Barb returned to Sorton – seeing the “riches” that the city has to offer. She also took a look at the ghetto section, the Randari Quarter, where four and five story buildings of poor quality were stacked next to one another, covering an area 10 blocks by 5, and housing over 2,000 Randari Orcs, half orcs, and half ogres living close together and in poor hygiene. She went to a weaponsmith and commissioned a Randari hand-made one of a kind spear, spending 29 nobles to have it done.
The next day was more of the same and after noon, Barb returned to the land outside of Sorton and to the east where the Randari had set up their homes. She met with her father and uncle who were entertaining a quarter-orc named Marun.
Marun was a fixer, called a “Vulture” for the League of Odin. His job was to find enterprising your orcs, half orcs, and half ogres and get them to sign for the League for 20 month contracts. They get a large signing bonus, then a small monthly stipend, and then finally a 150 noble payout at the end. The problem was many of these Randari overspend their stipend and the League makes no effort to inform them of this – so that at the end of their contract they owe the League more than their payout is – and they are forced to sign on for another 20 month contract.
Marun tries to get these Randari to understand their contracts and avoid getting trapped but many of them spend their funds quickly and are in a cycle of reupping. Until they finally come up square or are dead.
There are three orcs whose contract expires this week, and they are Fasted to Spuntyr. The eldest, Pantal has been trapped in 5 of these contracts, almost 8 years, and his two younger nephews, Duskin and Throd, had joined up to hopefully pool their efforts and resources but ended up mired in the same issue. They have 29 commons in arrears to their account and the League is strong arming the three orcs to sign up again.
Pantal is weary and doesn’t want his nephews in either. So they have been appealing to Marun to help them out of their contract. House Randall, the wealthiest House and strongest supported and benefactor to the League, refuses to have an outside entity or personage buy off the rest of any contracts so they can’t even get a loan. Pantal has been doing this for 8 years, a punching bag for fighters to train against, and it’s take a serious toll on the orc.
Marun has three copies of a Feign Death spell which needs a Raven (wizard, shaman) to cast it. He is willing to supply it to whoever is willing to take his lead and make their way into the fighting pits, talk to the three orcs, and help them to “die” – then they can take possession of the bodies and be on their way. On death the contract is fulfilled and truthfully, the League always had more Vultures and more young Randari willing to join up for the promise of coin they almost never get to see.
Barb was willing to talk to Avulstein and see if he was interested, went back to Sorton, and the wolverine was interested in the possibility. He went off with Barb back to the Randari Settlement and talked some cold turkey with the Vulture. If the orcs are “dead” and the League signs off on their EOC (end of contract), then even if they are alive later – the contract is done and over. As of now, the plan was to take the three scrolls (he now has them) and meet with Marun tomorrow after training to interview the three Randari at the fighting pit, and set up the situation to Feign them and get them out.
No comments:
Post a Comment