The WarGod and You: Religion Amongst the Clan

In the beginning the clan had very little in the way of official religion. Some say it didn't exist at all, until much later. The first record of a ritual to the Wargod was Zugrak, the Clan Mojoka, placing bones, hearts, livers, and other objects of power, in patterns around the fort. Chanting mystical words, Zugrak would turn into the Guise of the Wargod and speak with His Voice. The orcs in the fort would supplicate themselves in praise of him and his power. Later, the Wargod took over Zugrak’s mind, driving him to madness. He ran around the fort bashing his head into things, drooling and babbling nonsensical words. The Wargod would transform his body, speaking briefly through the dessicated form of the ancient Mojoka, delivering his messages to his subjects. At that time, many considered the Wargod to be little more an extremely powerful demon.

The Bloodmoon tribe was the first truly religious group of orcs in the clan, and they formed one of the original tribes. The Bloodmoon tribe was first developed by Unsgub, declaring the Wargod as the supreme power and the only true guidance for the Clan. Bloodmoon orcs tend to be extremely zealous. The Bloodmoon orcs are also responsible for much of the Clan's mythology and growth of religion. Many hummies shudder when they hear that a Moonie has been declared Warboss, fot they know that such an event soon hearlds the arrival of fanatical orcs in their lands, eager to send them to meet the Wargod. The Bloodmoon tribe believes that all power springs from the heart, and so they often collect the hearts of their victims and kin alike. The Bloodmoon tribe also believes that the Wargod’s true form is that of a powerful demon. Some Moonies, such as Tug'mog and M'thorg PigStick, would poison themselves in the fort and babble and chant things to the Wargod until they died and journeyed to the Wargod Shine, gaining new flesh and purifying their spirits. Many religious orcs have made that trip. About a year after the founding of the tribe, Yug, first Namahk, coined the term Shakh Buurz, or Dark Lord, bestowing a new title upon the Wargod.

This leads to the next big religious enlightenment, which was the formation of the original Namahks. This was Yug's attempt to bring the religion to the entire clan, and not only the Bloodmoon tribe. On January 24th, Yug made the original Namahk guide, including many chants and ceremonies most of which are still in use now. The three original Namahks were Yug, Oblok, and Orkik. One their first day together they sacrificed many animals and that night was the famous attack from Da Boyz where the Wargod smiled upon the orcs and caused a ripple in time that allowed the orcs to be prepared for the attack the second time around. All of the hummies were slain and their flesh eaten by the victorious and jubilant Clan..

Story of the Formation of the Mahks (From Mahk page)

Long ago during the darkest days of the clan, when wave after wave of humans would beat down on the fort and savage orcs with only helm and axe would throw themselves on the attackers, the war god, looked down upon the fort and spoke to a Bloodmoon grunt by the name of Yug.

"YUG! LAT IZ WEAK. DESE BUUBS AGH FUUD TINGS LAT SAKRIFICE TU MEEZ, WELL . . . DEM GUD, AGH DE PRAYURS IZ FINE, BUT SHARA BLUD YUG, DAT IZ WAT LATS NEDS TU GIB." Yug cowered.

"How me du dis? Yug clomps de humies. Me gits de tribute. Iz Yug nub gibin enuf blud? Nub gruk how tu gib mur." The War God roared.

"DID MEEZ ASK FER LATS TU BLAH?? LUUK... DIS IZ DE BLUD ME WAAN!!" A image formed in Yug's mind. It was a human leading a huge army of tin covered warriors. Yug had been killed numerous times by this army and knew them well. A single thought entered his mind.

Me nub kin du dis. Lobster an dem boyz, dem clomp meez tu easi. Yug tuu weak. Another roar erupted and Yug found himself flying across a vast distance again

"DUMASH ORK! LATS TUNG WIL NUB WERK NOW AGH LAT KEEP DE BRAIN TINKING ON FUD. NUB QUESHUN DE WAR GOD!!! ME GIB LAT MISSHUN, FIND UDERS WIT DE SAME TAUTS AZ LAT. PRAYS TU MEEZ, GIB DE BLUD OV DE WEAK HUMIES AGH WARGOD WIL LEED LATS CLAN TU DE MOSS GLURIUS VIKTURY LAT HAB EBUR SEEN. TREW DETH AGH DISASTUR AGH DE BLUD OV DE CLAN, LATS WIL OBTAIN DE CONKWEST BUT ONLEE IF LATS TRULY SAKRIFICES." With that Yug found himself back in the fort. Quickly he tracked down those that shared his beliefs. The original triad of Namahks was founded. Oblok , Orkik and Yug donned the sacrificial aprons and on the night of their creation sacrificed Bears, deer, and a single human to the War God. When they had finished an unusual calm settled over the fort. Jovial and hard drinking orcs fell back and paced with furrowed brows. Nobs moved away from the front of the fort and consulted with the various Mojoka that were around. Yug felt an itch on the back of his neck and as he turned around he caught the distinct shimmer of a blue door forming near the pig pen. Out from it poured human after human led by the one Yug had seen in his vision. Orc after orc was ruthlessly cut down, some more than once right in front of an uncomprehending healer that continued to work to the War Gods instructions. All armor and weapons were stripped from the bodies and eventually the fort was silent again except for the droves of orcish ghosts that lingered there."Iz dis de sakrifice lat wanned?" Yug asked before blacking out.

When he came to Yug found himself surrounded by Oblok and Orkik again. They looked around the fort, at the fully armed orcish warriors and then Yug realized the War Gods plan. Quickly large crates were contructed and scattered all over the fort and orcs crowded in where the hole had opened. There were some that didn't think the humans would be stupid enough to try their attack again but Yug knew. The hole opened again, and unable to move, scores of humans were slain. Lobster's own head was hoisted high in the fort before being secreted in Digdug's personal box of heads. From this one event Yug finally understood his purpose and long after Orkik and Oblok returned to the War God side, Yug continued to refine and improve on the will of WarGod

After the Mahks, the next notable event in the Clan's religious history, came with the formation of the Thrak-ghaash tribe, a second tribe that worships a different view of the Wargod (Ghaashakh or Fire Lord). ScumGlug was responsible for the formation of this new tribe, which was made after the downfall of the BlakBluds. The Thrak-ghaash believe that the Wargod’s true form is the Fire Elemental. This is a very different view from that of the Bloodmoon tribe, and has led to several conflicts between the two. With the founding of the second religious tribe, the power of the Wargod grew and his favour was upon the Clan.

As the Clan grew, the Mahks heard from the Wargod about Urucku.  Urucku would be an orcish system of virtues that would help the Bludlines better follow the WarGod's desires. See the Shadowclan urucku page for more info.

Each tribe has it's own beliefs in how they should do the Wargods bidding.  In fact the Wargod has many names that tribes call him:  Shakbuurz (Dark Lord) to the Moonies, Ghaashak (Fire Lord) to the Thrak-Ghaash tribe, Uzgoth (Land Master) to the Throquats and Trug'ulu (Wargod in old speech), but all serve him in their own way. One belief is that once orcs have proved themselves worthy to the Wargod a portal called "the blakrok" will open up and the Wargod will come forth and strike down all unbelievers in his path in an event called the Orkorok.

Known Religious Artifacts:

-Digdug's olig:

During Digdug's time as Warboss, it is said he possessed a crossbow blessed by the WarGod of incredible power.  This crossbow was  known to have killed enemies of the Clan with one bolt.  This Olig was surely blessed by the WarGod, but seems it was lost to the ages.

 

-Delaz hammer ob da Shakh Buurz (as told by Delaz):

Me was huntin in da woods last moon wen me found a nice fat pig. Den, somtin strange 'appen. Wen me reached in me pack me pulled out one o' me sledge 'ammers stead o' me womp.

"Dat odd." me sayed. Den somtin stranger 'appened. Wen me hit da pig it go BOOM! Pig guts was all over me! "Whoa! Dat nub normal." Me stared at da 'ammer. Nub cud see any mojo on it. Nub strange markin er anytin. Me decided to take it back to fort 'n ask mak'r bout it cuz dey make 'ammers all da time.

On me way back to fort a shardie come out cursin 'n swingin at me. "Oi! Shardie me got somtin to show lat!" 'E scream "Ouch!" wen me busted open 'is 'ead wit one hit. After hittin 'im a few more times 'e turn into wet, squishy mess. "Me like dis 'ammer!", me sayed.

Wen me got to da fort me told udders bout da 'ammer. Some go "hmmmm... me wanna see dis 'ammer werk. Hit me.". "Okee" me sayed. BOOM! "Aiiieeee! Dat hurt!" "Lat okee?", me asked. "Lat look a lil shorter dan before. Har Har!" Da udder Bloodmoons sayed da 'ammer must been blessed by da Wargod. Me sayed dat maybe he give it to me to go get revenge on da humies at da beach. After sayin dat me cud hear wheels start turnin in Azog's 'ead.

Later me found UrFixr. Me gave 'im all da 'ammers in me pack to look at. "Dese all normal.", 'e sayed to me. "Hrrrmmm... How bout dis ash?" Den me 'anded 'im da speshul 'ammer. "It look like udder 'ammers." 'E 'eld it in 'is 'and. "As 'eavy as udder 'ammers." Den he wacked da anvil wit it. BANG! Sparks flew 'n da anvil broke in two! "Gah! Dat was me gud anvil!" 'e cried. "Yub, dis speshul 'ammer. Nub lose it." After dat some orcs come up to me 'n ask if me wanna go get revenge on beach humies. "Yub! Let's go." On da way to da beach me ask who gonna lead. "Delaz lead.", Azog sayed. "Okee. Me got plan. We go meet at ruins near beach." We had some truble but, we got dere witout any orcs dyin.

Den me told dem me great plan. "We hide in ruins while we send orc into village to lure out humies. Wen dey come out we clomp dem do death!" Me only needed ash orc as bait but, Grishnak 'n Azog so eager dey both go into village. Soon me heard clompin 'n mojo. Me look up from hidin spot 'n see Azog 'n Grishnak leadin da humies rite to us. "Wait... dey is gettin close...wait... dey almost 'ere... Now!"

Wen me put da Wargod's 'ammer in me 'and it get life of its own! Wen tin humie come at me wit great big clomper BANG! da 'ammer broke 'is arm. 'E screamed 'n me laffed. Den 'e try to swing again. BANG! 'is udder arm broke. 'E tried to protect 'imself from us but, he nub got any gud arms left. 'E try to run away but, me crushed 'is tin hat 'n 'e flopped on da ground like a fish. Hoowah!

Udder humies saw dey was in deep dung 'n try to run too. Dey nub run fast 'nuff cuz we sent most of dem to da Wargod includin a horse. One humie tink he was clever by shootin ligz from 'is porch. 'E nub looked so clever wen mojokas 'n ligz'r filled 'im full o' holes. Nudder stoopid humie tried to hide in a corner. Some orcs grabbed 'im 'n held 'im while me beat on 'im wit da sacred 'ammer. Me beat on 'im til all was left was a crumpled ball o' tin wit blood oozin outta it. Hoowah! After dey was all dead er runawayed we stripped da bodies naked, spat on dem, 'n left 'em fer da crows.

Some orcs did die servin da Wargod but... *weighs large bag of gold coins in his hand* me nub can remember deir names. It nub important.
Hoowah! Da Wargod had 'is revenge on da nubbelievers dat moon. Hoowah Shadowclan!

-Shakh Buurz Ghaash Drum

The story of the Ghaash Drum:

A human named Eric the Red learned of the existence and the fabled War Drum of Fire and made a long and arduous search for its location. He finally found it on the Ice island, held by a guild led by a human known as 'spammy'. He passed the information along to the Clan and Yug immediately knew from the description that this could be none other than the Ghaash Drum, mystical drum of the Wargod. This sacred artifact had been long possessed by a rival clan of orcs who inhabited the Cove Orc Fort but had been lost when they were overrun by an army of hummies. It was high time that the Drum rested with its rightful owners, the Shadowclan!

With help from Glug Ughurk (the current Warboss at the time) Yug formed a war party and enlisted the help of the mojoka so that they could visit the island and parley with the humans, for the drum was kept deep inside a forboding fortress whose locks could not be broken. After some negotiation and trading of gold and jewels the drum was passed over to the Clan in a brief ceremony. The orcs returned home victorious and much celebration ensued. The Drum was kept by Yug for a bit then placed on a vendor-slave so that all could pass by and view it. It was then loaned to Scumglug and Smugruk for a Thrak-Ghaash ceremony and eventually put on another vendor-slave who died in a mysterious accident leaving the Drum on the ground for who knows how long. But the Wargod smiled on the orcs, for Smugruk happened to notice it and recovered the Drum before hummies could steal it. Then came the Great Challenge. Both the Moonies and the Ghaashies claimed the Drum was theirs by right. The Moonies challenged the Thrak-Ghaash for its possession and a glorious battle was fought at the Undead Keep in which the Bloodmoon Orcs emerged victorious and re-gained control of the Drum.

For the longest time, the Drum was stashed in secret hiding places to keep it safe and eventually, placed in the Orcpost. Lamentably, the Orcpost collapsed during an earthquake one fateful day and the Ghaash Drum was lost. Though it has since been recovered, stories vary on how it re-appeared. The most common tale is that of Gi'mar receiving a vision from the Wargod, leading the Horde into a deep cavern beneath the earth and finding the Drum amongst the treasure trove of an Ancient Wyvern. Others whisper that the Drum had been stolen by an unscrupulous human who kept it locked away in the hummie town of Britain, out of the reach of the Clan, and that the Nobs were forced to negotiate a ransom for its return. Whatever the truth may be, the Drum is now safely in the hands of the Clan again, and kept safe until a time comes where its powers are needed again.

The Kab'lar is the book telling of the creation of the first orc, Yawek, and of his journeys. The kab'lar is the used by the Mahks to preach the word of the wargod. The Mahks have learned the ancient speech, the language the book is written in, only Mahks and nobs have the skills to understand the book. There are rumors of other books, or other parts of the Kab'lar, but none of them have been discovered yet. The book was found on the Third level of Covetous, were Yawek currently resides inside the solid walls of the dungeon.

Another portion of the Kab'lar - the "Sut'yer" was given to Morgul in covetous by a sharkuu orc named Narguthra.  It is written entirely in the ancient speech and G'Haarg the Namahk and Morgul are hard at work trying to decipher it's meaning.