Orscar

Since the Dusk Sea was first charted hundreds of yahren ago, the region has always been inhabited by primitive orcish tribes known collectively as Orscars. While there are no noticeable physical differences between mainland orcs of Le Bois Noir and their orscar island relatives, they have striking cultural and philosophical differences that make them distinct.

Island Orscars routinely tattoo their bodies in complex, unusual designs to symbolize their tribe as well as their accomplishments throughout their lives. Typically, young orscars are marked with the symbols of their tribe and their parents, as well as a symbol that defines themselves. As they progress in age, more symbols are added typically depicting major occurences in their lives. While numerous symbols can be read in a primitive fashion, many are unique to the individual tribe of the orc's origin...or (more often) unique to the orc him/herself. As the orscar tribes have no written language, this comes as a shocking, rudimentary recording method that eludes to a more entensive vocabulary of written words that might be used on the mainland (or by other, more remote island tribes).

A known set of symbols often seen upon an orscar will be his or her soul line. This is a line of unique, identifying individuals defeated in ritual duels by the tatooed orc throughout his or her lifetime. In most cases, the victorious orc must consume the heart of the defeated to acquire their soul, though cannibalism is a common practice among the orscars. Another known set of symbols includes the orc's "birth sigla", which includes their tribe, parents, and their own unique symbol.

Being a nautical people, orscars enjoy a strong understand of the Dusk Sea and it's specific waterways and hazards. As such, orscars tend to make for ideal pilots or navigators despite their thick and often overbearing demeanor. All orscar tribes travel in small, outrigger canoes called Akani, having build some of these catamaran-type vessels large enough to support single masts. Using these vessels, the orscars raid both shipping as well as each other throughout the Greater Rande and Le Bois Noir, most notably a place known as The Maw, which consists of the islands St. Gummes, Tal'Tiressi, and the Molar group. Near the equator, winds routinely fail just north of these islands, leaving international shipping as easy prey for the ferocious orscar tribes.

In modern times, the term "orscar" has come to describe orcs that have joined the fledgeling community of Nether's Gate, either through direct immigration or through joining any of the local pirate crews. As pirates, orscars are prized assets, and many crews offer higher shares to any that choose to join.