THE TERRITOK ORCS
Demonym: Territok
Governance:
The Territoks are led by their Chieftain, who maintains leadership through a demonstration of continued responsibility. Challenges to leadership are settled through physical feats. Second to the Chieftain is the tribe Shaman, and who outranks who is a matter of some debate. Typically, profane matters fall to the Chieftain, while the Shaman has the final say in sacred matters. If an agreement cannot be made over the subject, seniority wins, as the higher in age an orc gets, the more respect they command from the others of the tribe.
Current Chieftain: [open]Current Shaman: [open]Geographic Location:
Southwestern Terrin Mountain range
Borders:
The Territoks are nomadic, with no set borders, but a travel pattern that moves from a large valley in the Thunderblack Mountains and down into the Serha plains. Late springs and summers are spent up in the valley, and the tribe begins its movement southeast when autumn begins to arrive. They'll remain in the plains through the winter and into early spring.
Ethnic Diversity by Percentage:
95% Orc, 5% Other, who they also see as orcs. Being part of the tribe precludes any physical differences.
Appearance:
The Territok orcs, thanks to a steady diet of protein as well as access to milk and hardy nuts and fruits, grow huge. Hard work often results in huge amounts of muscle. The average lifespan of a Territok orc is about 70 years, though they may reach nearly a century.
The Territok orcs tend towards grey-brown to grey-green skin, giving them an almost rocky hue. They also practice scarification, making neat networks of lines and dots across their faces and upper bodies, sometimes inserting stones to raise the scars even further. This process is incredibly painful, but also a mark of personal pride and self-worth - to flinch is to show weakness, and often that weakness is permanently displayed in your scars. Scarification begins when an orc reaches adulthood, and the first scars are a very large point of pride in a young orc's life.
Their hair is dark and thick, which they often let grow long and manage via twists and braids wrapped up into one another. For special occasions, they may adorn their hair with brightly colored powders and ornaments. Their eyes typically range in light blues and greens.
Tusks are common, though their growth depends on many factors like genetics, age, and nutrition. If a tusk is knocked out, it won't grow back, so some orcs take to using rocks or metals to substitute lost tusks.
Heights for male orcs usually average around 7.5 feet, while females average around 7 feet. Both sexes sport bony protrusions from their elbows, which continue to grow throughout their life and must be regularly whittled down. They usually use the mountain rocks or nearby trees for this, and it's easy to see where the orcs regularly stay or travel by the marks left behind during this kind of grooming.
Their style of dress changes some depending on the season, but is often a combination of leathers and furs. Men and women both typically forgo shirts, the better to move and also display their scars. Instead, they'll wear wraps of cloth or leather around their biceps as decoration. They wear hide pants, often with fur or leather loincloths fixed with thick belts.