The Druzda Khanate is a loosely organized state within the ancestral homeland of the orcs. The orcs here adhere to ancient traditions, though they have adapted to current realities and diplomatic relations with Viridia.
Geography, flora, and fauna
The Druzda Khanate encompasses a variety of biomes and climes, from the eastern shores of the Phiora Sea to the base of the Kuzal Mountains, and from the expanses of the Ezrar Grasslands to the edge of the impenetrable Adgra Deepwoods.
Druzda is largely a colder area of the world, located not far south from the Northern Wall. Summers are cool and dry, while winters tend to be harsh, driven by weather patterns off the mountain ranges Druzda is nestled between. The coastal regions are somewhat warmer and more temperate, more akin to the northern coast of Thadria.
The Ezrar Grasslands make up the bulk of the land area of Druzda. This vast, almost featureless shortgrass prairie has few inhabitants beyond herds of domesticated animals and the orc clans that keep them - few large animals remain here, though many birds, snakes, and small mammals make their homes within the grasses.
To the north, Druzda extends only a short distance into the Adgra Deepwoods. A land of fey and mysterious beasts, many of them magical in nature, the Deepwoods are host to a wide variety of dangers even the hardened orc clans find to not be worth dealing with.
Druzda extends to both the Kuzal and [[|Zagros Range|Zagros]] mountain ranges, with some small towns nestled into the foothills of both ranges. Giant mountain aurochs roam the base of the Kuzal mountains, both wild and semi-domesticated, easily large and dangerous enough to fend off the fierce mountain lions and other predators with which they share the land.
History
Though the political entities within have fluctuated over time, the land of the Druzda Khanate is seen as the ancestral homeland of most orcs.
Timeline
- Prehistory
- Though any concrete records of this have long since vanished in the many thousands of years since, it is widely held that the first orc arrival from the Darklands occurred in the Zagros mountains, from which they spread out north and west.
- Ancient orc oral traditions (or perhaps entirely fabricated legends, the orcs themselves don’t draw much of a distinction) hold that they once occupied the entirety of Thadria as well as the north and east sides of the Phiora Sea. The relative lack of physical culture associated with their nomadic lifestyles of the period make this relatively difficult to prove this either way.
- A variety of small orc states and polities existed in what is now Druzda. These typically did not last long before fragmenting back to very loose clan affiliations.
- Y6220 - The Kahd clan, under the leadership of Udzo Kahd, began a subjugation of the surrounding orc clans. The leaders of those that submit were given positions as generals, while those that resist were largely wiped out.
- Y6246 - Having conquered from the Kuzal to Zagros mountains, and north and west past the Malzul Hills, to a greater extent than Druzda today, Udzo Kahd declared himself Khan. In an effort to maintain his control, he drafted the Blood Pact and summoned the chiefs of the other clans to his camp, near modern Lo Izzar. Only half survived the meeting. The remaining half ritually scarred themselves to indicate their acceptance of the Pact.
- Y6252 - Udzo Kahd died. His son Kizash Udzo initially took the throne, but was quickly defeated by Fezir Muak, one of his fathers generals, starting the practice of succession by combat.
- Y6285 - Viridia, by this point having suffered from years of highly organized raids and attacks by the orcs on the northeast border, approached the Khan at the time, Grivkam Khur. Though the initial few envoys were flayed alive, with their skins animated and sent back to shout warning and insults, persistence wins out and an arrangement was reached. In return for “tribute”, the Khan agreed to halt raiding (or at least, raiding led by him). Additionally, Viridia was allowed to recruit certain young orcs who show their strength during the Proving Time. After Grivkuhm’s death, this arrangement was mostly kept and continues to present - though raiding that hasn’t been officially sanctioned still continues, with varying degrees of attempts to actually stop it.
Demographics
The population of the Druzda Khanate is almost entirely orc, with small human and half orc minorities.
Culture
The faith of the orcs of Druzda is a complex blend of the worship of the common pantheon, particularly Gorum, alongside the veneration of orcish demigods. Each clan has its own particular preferences in worship, but most commonly pray to Zagresh, the eldest of the orc demigods, Sezelrian the Fire Bringer, or Dretha the Dark Mother. Permanent shrines and temples are rare in Druzda, only existing in a handful of settlements - the transient nature of most of the population does not lend itself well to organized religion, and instead worship is mostly performed by action; that is, directly carrying out the tenets of the gods. The exact form this takes varies by clan as well, with each having its own traditions formed over the course of generations. Among the small human and half orc population other deities are worshipped as well, though this tends to be kept highly private.
The clan is the primary social structure of the Druzda Khanate. A clan is an extended family, and can be anywhere from a dozen to a few hundred people. Clans descend from a particular individual they hold in an esteemed position, who usually provides the clan its name - when clans get large enough, it is typical for members to split away more or less peacefully. Loyalty to the clan is paramount, and going against the clan is always punished by death.
Clan relations in the Khanate are byzantine in nature, an ever shifting network of alliances and conflicts. Alliances tend to be short lived, until conflicting interests bring them to an end. While all out war between clans is not all that common, inter-clan raiding is very widespread, for glory, resources, and captives. Raiding for captives in particular is a central part of clan dynamics, and is an odd, highly ritualized behavior - in particular, actually killing anyone during a raid for captives is highly discouraged by tradition, and some targets, like the clan leader’s immediate family, are entirely off limits. Arranged marriages are commonly used to bolster relations between clans.
There are no central written laws in Druzda. Instead, each clan holds their own particular practices with regards to what is allowed, what is punishable, and what justice means. Travellers are advised to consult a trustworthy guide, and remain cautious and vigilant. Despite this, however, there are a series of practices that are commonly held. Most famous is the Blood Pact.
The Blood Pact is not a written document, but rather a set of laws passed through oral traditions. The Pact consists of an elaboration of the following:
- The Khan: Only the strongest or most cunning orc may be Khan. As such, anyone can challenge the Khan and all must respect the results, regardless of clan affiliations or alliances.
- The Flooding Time: All inter-clan fighting is to be ceased during the Flooding Time, when the snow melts at the end of winter. This is an opportunity for all clans to replenish their food stores without conflict.
- The Proving Time: This part of the year, at the end of the Flooding Time, is to be a free for all for all orcs and clans to prove their strength and superiority.
- Inter-clan relationships: The exact details of this part of the Blood Pact is detailed and known fully only to clan skalds.
Orcish is overwhelmingly the most spoken language in the Khanate, and not a great number of orcs are bilingual. Those who are typically live in the coastal cities of Korekh, Azdoldrokh, or Lagul, as a result of interacting with outsiders more. Outside of Orcish, travellers who know Thadrian or Common are most likely to be able to communicate - although less commonplace, Druzdans fluent in Targai might also be found.
Art in the Khanate frequently incorporates religious symbolism, depicting the holy symbols of various gods. Bone carvings are especially widespread, as the material is abundant, has desirable aesthetic properties, and is easy to work with. Carvings usually take the forms of small figurines, useful items like combs or cooking tools, or as part of larger bone chimes.
The concept of an occupation is not a familiar one to most orcs of Druzda. In a culture based around subsistence living, an individual does what is required by the clan, whether that be hunting, herding, or so on. This is not to say, however, that specialized roles do not exist. Clans usually have a small cadre of members who serve as shamans or oracles, providing the clan with spiritual guidance and healing. The role of clan skald is also highly esteemed; this individual maintains an oral tradition of the clan’s history, and in times of conflicts leads the fight. Because of this dangerous aspect of their role, skalds typically keep multiple students to ensure the oral history continues in the event of one or more of their deaths.
Permanent settlements in Druzda are all quite small - though likely to swell in population at certain events or times of the year, only a minority of the population of Druzda live in sedentary communities. Settlements are almost all surrounded by a palisade or wall of some nature, built of wood, stone, or sod, depending on the available nearby resources. This serves as a crude form of protection from attack, with dwellings inside (usually made of the same material) housing the members of the clan. In cases where there is not enough space within the walls, it tends to be reserved as a place of honor for the members of higher stature.
The nomadic clans are known for their lack of pickiness in residences. While tents are the most common dwelling, caves, overhangs, or ancient ruins will all be repurposed as necessary. Stitched together out of animal hides, tents are usually large but low, and lacking in lighting. While decor is often sparse, most clans ornament their dwellings with bone chimes that chronicle their hunts or defeated enemies.
The cuisine of the orcs of Druzda is not precisely renowned for its complexity. The meat of whatever creature could be found is by far the largest part of the diet, usually roasted over a fire or prepared in a similarly simple method. Particularly during the lean winter months, stews become more common, as a method of making the most of what is available and making food from inedible parts. In any case, the food of Druzda is not something non-orcs, or orcs more acclimated to other cultures, are likely to appreciate.
Most travel throughout Druzda is done on foot or on the backs of various creatures. There are almost no roads in the Khanate, as movement is too free form for roads to be practical - outsiders who bring in carriages quickly find them impractical, mired down or broken by rough terrain. Most nomadic clans use pack animals for moving their belongings, and also possess wild beasts that have been tamed to be rideable.
The practice of Viridia’s recruiting of young orcs during the Proving Time is not universally looked upon favorably. Many orc clans view working under a human military as being beneath them, and refuse to take part. Nevertheless, the “tribute” that’s paid in return sways enough. Few are recruited per year, rarely more than a few dozen at most.
Though they are no longer used, some orc clans still retain knowledge of how to build and use the great siege engines that were once feared by the cities of the Aban Steppe. In the past these siege engines were utilized to extract tribute from the settlements along the Steppe Route, though within the last few hundred years these towns and cities are too well-defended for the orc clans to meaningfully threaten without facing a heavily punitive response.
There are no formal educational institutions in the Khanate. Orc children learn skills required for life from their parents and peers. As a result, the Druzdan orcs are masters of the skills necessary for subsistence living, but do not commonly possess extensive knowledge of history, mathematics, or the like. Literacy rates in the Khanate are, compared to the rest of the world and the surrounding regions, quite low.
Druzdan clothing primarily consists of the skins and furs of hunted animals, fashioned into armors or coverings for warmth. Wearing the hides of rare or dangerous creatures is seen as a mark of one’s skills and status, and clan leaders sometimes wear the hides of dragons, dire bears, or the like. Some orcs incorporate clothing from Rovakhit, Abanir, or Thadria into their outfits as well.
Government
The primary political unit of Druzda is the clan - an orc’s loyalties lie first and foremost with their extended family. As such, most clans act in the best interest of their clan, regardless of the broader political situation.
The title of Khan, at this point, brings with it little actual power but a great deal of prestige. In the past, the Khan was responsible for organizing warbands against their neighbors, but this practice was stopped as a condition of the establishment of the alliance with Viridia - much to the ongoing discontent of many. These days, the title of Khan is sought after as a way of bringing glory to one’s clan.
The position of Khan is established by combat, and is thus usually held by an orc of great strength or cunning. By tradition, any challenger that desires the position can challenge the current Khan to single combat to the death, with the victor taking the Crown of Bones. Any method of combat is allowed, whether physical or magical, but customs vehemently discourage any underhanded behavior.
Because of this method of succession, very few Khans ever die of old age. The crown typically changes hands in an interrupted staccato pattern. Usually when a Khan is defeated and replaced, their successor is quickly challenged by a series of other ambitious orcs. Each only possesses the crown for only a short period of time until the strongest challenger arrives, and the situation stabilizes for a time.
The Khanate has no permanent capital, as the home of the current Khan’s clan serves as the capital instead. For some clans this may be a permanent settlement, but frequently it means the “capital” is actually just wherever the nomadic camp happens to be at the moment. Under Khan Drahul Krahn, the current capital is Qodkul. Nestled in the foothills of the Zagros mountains, Qodkul is the ancestral home of the Krahn clan.
Economy
The majority of the population of Druzda lives nomadically, hunting whatever they require, though a number of clans also keep domesticated herds. The southern clans sometimes supplement this by raiding and extorting caravans passing over the northern reach of the Zagros range. Subsistence living is by far the most common means to survival within Druzda, and the Khanate has little in the way of an organized economy.