This page deals with religious interplay in the Orcs who live in the hills to the north of the Mulholland Delta. As always, beliefs drive behaviour - or is it the other way around? Whether gods choose people, or people choose the gods that suit them, isn't relevant here - just the relationship between the two :}

Thee central hills area is home to to a great war-band known as the Gijak Kodar Ushtar (Blood Hill Orcs in the common tongue). They are dominated by an Orog Clan calim a holding in the middle of the area, dominate the local Orc bands and demand tribute from them. They maintain control with threats of violence and a religion-based information network. Just as importantly, transgressions are punished swiftly, and violently - and local warlords often loose their heads, not just their position of authority. It took a while, but Lanishra is now considered to be the Blood Hill Orcs’ Patron Deity, and his philosophies are respected throughout the land. It doesn’t stop mad raids on ‘outsiders’ or skirmishes between the bands - But slave taking has become a way of life.

The central Orog holding has two resident religious advisors, who attend the Warlord’s council. They have deliberately been chosen, because their faiths espouse the philosophies of the Orog Clan, and there is already a replacement lined up, should anything happen to either of them.

• Orog Witch, with the ancestor Patron. generally an Orog officer, whose job is to remind the council where they came from, and who to thank for their current position, and how to add to the annals of family history.
• Orc Priest of Lanishra, the Orc god of Tyranny and Slavery. He is seen as the head orcish priest for the whole great war-band and is expected to propagate his philosophies through the other bands. However, he is only on the great council to report back to his Orog masters, rather than take an active part in the meeting.

Religion is a way to hold the warbands together, and the Orog’s insist that every warband has a priest of Lanishra present. Other Orc deities are permitted, but the priest of Lanishra reports to the head priest at the Orog compound, and everyone always knows there is an information channel back to the main holding. They also know if their priest goes quiet, the Orogs will come to see why.

• Orc Priest of Lanishra, the Orc god of Tyranny and Slavery. Every Orc Holding has a priest of Lanishra on the books, and every Orc warlord knows that they will report back to the head priest.
• Priestesses of Dretha, the Dark Mother - There are nearly always two or three low level priestesses dedicated to the goddess of motherhood and fertility. They tend to take control of the females, look after births, and encourage the females to mate whenever the boys fancy it. What leader wouldn’t want them around?
• Other Priests. Other priests are permitted in the Orc Holdings, but they change from holding to holding. They often find themselves sidelined by the Warlord, when he is reminded of the Orog’s Power by the Priest of Lanishra. It can make for some sullen and angry priests.

Ironically, the Orogs realise that they need more than straight control over the orcs if they are to succeed - and the Untouchables are their solution. Lead by a collection of priests, dedicated to range of Orc deities, the Untouchables do the stuff that Orcs don’t want to, and generally can’t, do. Their smiths make the falchions, javelins, great axes and armour that the war-band prefer - of course the bands need to raid for metals to exchange. There will also be scouts, hunters and other crafters - all under the watchful eyes of a plethora of priests … It is almost bedlam let loose, but it keeps the mavericks in one place and uses them to police one another.

• Priests - each Untouchable Holding has a unique mixture of priests from different faiths, although there is always a Priest of Lanisha and Priestesses of Dretha present to keep tabs on things. Most are adepts - but with the occasional Cleric, Druid or Witch, as appropriate.

Claimed by the Orogs of the Hills, the Delta Margin bands are only lightly policed by The Orogs, and they only pay a minimal trubute. The delta margin is Mangrove Forest, and forms the ‘international’ border with land held by other races, and the Orc bands can slip away before the Orog's can impose discipline. In the minds of the Orogs, these small, disperesed holdings are seen as border outposts and watch stations - and everyone knows that border points are difficult to control. Ironically, they don’t conduct many raids into ‘enemy’ territory, they leave that to Boys from other bands - but take a cut from whatever they bring back.

Delta Margin Bands, are mixed race, and you will find both Common and Greenskin Orcs among their number, while half-orcs are higher than in most holdings. Ironically, they also trade with the enemy, and are seen as ‘safe’ Orcs, by those in the know. However, approaching them in the wrong way, or at the wrong time, can mean sudden death.

NOTE for DM: If you find a PC is always investigating this, it looks like meta-gaming :] - increase the DC of the roll to 40+, as those who are in the know make profit from this valuable knowledge, and really don’t want to share. PC’s need to work it out in game and from adventuring in the Delta, not from asking around town.

Religion is a way to hold the warbands together, and the Orog’s insist that every warband has a priest (generally an Adept) of Lanishra present. Other Orc deities are permitted, but the priest of Lanishra talks to the head priest at the Orog compound.

• Priest of The Green, often a Witch or an Adept, they preach the importance of the delta woodlands to the band’s way of life, and how the trees and water work for them. It is more of a philosophical thing, playing on the selfish needs of the Orcs, rather than the value of nature for its own sake, and rarely includes the worship of a particular deity.
• Priestesses of Dretha, the Dark Mother - There are nearly always two or three low level priestesses dedicated to the goddess of motherhood and fertility. They tend to take control of the females, look after births, and encourage the females to mate whenever the boys fancy it. What leader wouldn’t want them around?
• Priest of Lanishra, the Orc god of Tyranny and Slavery. Every Orc Holding, associated with The Blood Hill Orogs, has a priest of Lanishra on the books, and every Orc warlord knows that they will report back to the head priest - however, they know that they can't call out a troop of Orog forces to cow the holding, so take more of a monitoring role.
• Other Priests. Other priests can be found in most Orc Holdings, but they don't often find a lot of purchase for their views.

The forest passes link War-band of the Hills with the Coastal War-Band (Known in Common as The Fjord Orcs) but they are filled with Orc bands that do not fall under the control of an Orog-lead great War-Band. Wilder, and more chaotic, these mixed-race (Common & Greenskin) bands, live, fights and hunt across the forested passes and slopes of the Northern Range. Most fled the larger warbands, and the Orog’s let them go, wise enough to get the most chaotic and rebellious Orcs out of their holdings for good. Over time, they have mellowed, and while they still raid each other and the Great War-bands, there isn’t any all out fighting. And they have the sense to trade with each other, and the Great War-bands as well. They get along is some form of happy Chaos with all of their priests as part of the main holding. Those who can craft bows are generally protected in the holdings - but game is often traded for ‘orcish’ weapons with the Great War-Bands. Falchions, Great Axes and other traditional Orc weapons are generally old, and passed down from generation to generation - claimed by whoever is strong enough to take them, of course. Orc Holdings The Forest Pass Orc holdings are bedlam, compared to the other holding. Priest of The Green, often a Witch or an Adept, they preach the importance of the delta woodlands to the band’s way of life, and how the trees work for them. It has become an important part of the Forest Orcs survival philosophy. Priestesses of Dretha, the Dark Mother - There are nearly always two or three low level priestesses dedicated to the goddess of motherhood and fertility. They tend to take control of the females, look after births, and encourage the females to mate whenever the boys fancy it. What leader wouldn’t want them around? Other Priests. There are other priests in the Forest Pass Holdings, but they vary from band to band. You never quite know what you are going to find.

The Coastal Orcs are different again. Led by an offshoot of the Orog Clan in the Blood Hills, this Great War-Band has settled coves and inlets along the coast, then raid towns and vessels along the coast, as well as into the local mountains. There are few differences between the Hill and Coastal Orcs, although Rull the Thunderer is a second preferred deity.

Orog Holding The central Orog holding has two resident religious advisors, who serve on the Warlord’s council. They have deliberately been chosen, because their faiths espouse the philosophies of the Orog Clan, and there is already a replacement lined up, should anything happen to either of them. Orog Witch, with the ancestor Patron. Their job is to remind the council where they came from, and who to thank for their current position, and how to add to the annals of family history. Orc priest of Lanishra, the Orc god of Tyranny and Slavery. He is seen as the head orcish priest for the whole great war-band and is expected to propagate his philosophies through the other bands. Orc Priest of Rull, the orcish weather and thunder deity. Many vessels have a Priest of Rull aboard, partly to appease the weather god, but also to rain lightning down on the enemy.

Orc Holdings Religion is a way to hold the warbands together, and the Orog’s insist that every warband has a priest (generally an Adept) of Lanishra present. Other Orc deities are permitted, but the priest of Lanishra talks to the head priest at the Orog compound. Orc priest of Lanishra, the Orc god of Tyranny and Slavery. Every Orc Holding has a priest of Lanishra on the books, and every Orc warlord knows that they will report back to the head priest. Orc Priest of Rull, the orcish weather and thunder deity. Many vessels have a Priest of Rull aboard, partly to appease the weather god, but also to rain lightning down on the enemy. Priestesses of Dretha, the Dark Mother - There are nearly always two or three low level priestesses dedicated to the goddess of motherhood and fertility. They tend to take control of the females, look after births, and encourage the females to mate whenever the boys fancy it. What leader wouldn’t want them around? Other Priests. Other priests are permitted in the Orc Holdings, but they are quite often sidelined by the Warlord who wants to keep his position, when he is reminded of the Orog’s Power by the Priest of Lanishra. Untouchable Holding Ironically, the Orogs realise that they need more than straight control over the orcs, if they are to succeed - and the Untouchables are their solution. Lead by a collection of Priests, dedicated to range of Orc deities, supported by the occasional Witch and Druids, the Untouchables do the stuff that Orcs don’t want to - and generally can’t do. While their smiths weapons, they are also the Warbands boat builders. There will also be scouts, hunters and other crafters - all under the watchful eyes of a plethora of priests … It is almost bedlam let loose, but it keeps all the mavericks in one place and uses them to police one another. Priests - each Untouchable Holding has a unique mixture of priests from different faiths - but there is always a Priest of Lanisha and Priestesses of Dretha a present to keep tabs on things. Most are adepts - but with the occasional Druid or Witch, as appropriate.

In the mountains, Blood orcs are particularly dedicated to the orcish god Grotaag and have a special hatred for black orcs whom they see as traitor. Black orcs worship Orcus, the Demon Lord of Undead. They fight each other ferociously, and the other orcs leave them to it.