Chapter 30: Chapter 27 – The Grand Gathering

"The twice-a-decade gathering of orcs? It had its roots from their early days, where chieftains and shamans would discuss the future of the clans together. It had also always been the time for them to preen at one another much like rival males in mating season." - Vladislav Mork, on orcish culture.

Many pleasant benefits came freely for those that had relations in high places, Cal found. For example, she had a nice seat right at the frontmost row closest to the gathering, not packed like straws in a bundle like most other spectators - a good chunk of the Greentusk Clan must have been in attendance, on top of members from all the visitor tribes and clans. She had her seat next to Lorna while her half-brother was busy with his duties as a senior shaman of the clan.

 

The orcs simply seated themselves cross-legged on woven mats on the ground, with more influential ones seated on top of ornately embroidered carpets much like the ones she bought as souvenirs. She and Lorna were seated on one, courtesy of their familial relationship to a senior shaman, and Cal had to admit that the plush carpet was quite comfortable to sit on.

 

As the host, the Greentusk clan was the first to make their entrance. At the front of their procession was Khal-Est, who carried a banner embroidered with the clan emblem, a tree branch crossed by an orcish tusk, both in dark greens on white. The contingent also intrigued Cal with how nearly half of them - the current chieftain included - were orc-elf hybrids, while several full-blooded elves also counted themselves amongst their members. Most of them also wore formal shaman regalia, an uncommon sight in the typically warrior-dominated orc culture.

 

A succession of other clans followed, with one in particular that made it hard for her not to laugh out loud - something the spectators clearly also felt when the chuckles and guffaws that spread were considered. Clan Grandtower was a clan that had many goblins amongst its contingent - and a corresponding amount of goblin hybrids -, and their traditional ceremonial attire included a massive, completely oversized phallic codpiece, which even the female members of the contingent wore. The effect was particularly ridiculous on their chieftain - who likely had more goblin blood than anything - who wore a truly eye-boggling piece taller than he was.

 

"Oh, if only you had seen them some decades ago, you would not have been able to hold your laughter." Lorna commented with a quiet chuckle.

 

"They used to be even more ridiculous?"

 

"Clan Grandtower are devout worshippers of Vitalis and Tohrmut." Lorna explained. "However, the version they worshipped are the ones the goblins in the clan introduced. Back then they used to carry their idols with them into the gathering. I'm certain their ceremonial attire gave you some clues on how those looked like."

 

"So… giant oversized phallic idols?"

 

"For Thormut yes, the idol of Vitalis has overexaggerated chest and bottoms instead." Lorna snickered as she explained. "But that's not even the best part."

 

"There's more?"

 

"The goblins called Thormut using a different name. I believe it was…" Lorna was silent for a moment while she recollected her memories. "Biggus Dickus. That was the name they used for him."

 

Cal just lost control over herself and laughed out loud, though fortunately more than a few spectators openly laughed by now so she did not stick out like a sore thumb. It took a few minutes before she managed to rein in her laughter, and she wiped her tears before she commented on it. "I do not know whether Thormut should be flattered by that name, or smite them for blasphemy instead."

 

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"Considering that we haven't heard of any cases of goblins getting smote by the gods, maybe they felt flattered."

 

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Clan Beastfang's contingent was one of the later entrants to the gathering, and one of the few who arranged to be allowed to use a wagon for their entrance. The reason for which quickly became obvious as four auroch pulled the open wagon where Bogdan seated himself on top of the throne of bones, with the massive skull of the thunder lizard beneath his feet.

 

He wore what was considered as formal traditional wear for orc warriors of clan Beastfang, which is literally just boots, an ornately embroidered loincloth, vibrant strokes of war paint, a necklace of teeth made from the greatest prey he had slain by his own hand - one that included two massive saber-like fangs of a saber-toothed lion -, and a cape on which the emblem of the clan was embroidered by his own hands, skeletal jaws with saber-toothed fangs juxtaposed against orcish tusks, in black on red.

 

More of a surprise to Cal was that Bogdan also brought his wife on the throne, where she seated herself across his lap, yet also projected a regal dignity. The human woman wore formal dress for a shaman instead - as befitted her position as one of the tribe's shamans since she was their most powerful life-affinity mage -, which was an ornately embroidered robe with a short cape, and feather decorations for her hair. Davor and Mira were also amongst the contingent, both dressed in warrior outfits - the only difference being that Mira also had an additional chest wrap on.

 

Quite a few exclamations of awe were made during their entrance, as the gigantic skull of the Thunder Lizard garnered them the majority of the spectator's attention, whereas a couple chieftains even looked on in envy at the display.

 

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Once all the clans that chose to attend had gathered, the ceremony began. First, the gathered chieftains met in the middle of the clearing, where they shared a pipe of ashweed - one of several herbs the orcs used to make their tea, also commonly smoked by some - amongst them, as a symbolic way to declare that they gathered under a flag of truce and with peaceful intent, a holdover from the days when rival orcish clans were frequently at war with one another.

 

Bowls of salted, buttered tea were then served to each chieftain by shamans and warriors of the Greentusk, an acknowledgement from the host clan that signified their acceptance of the visitors, a gesture which were reciprocated by the other chieftains draining their bowls in one gulp, as a sign of trust to their host.

 

The formalities concluded, members of each contingent stepped forward, and launched into a dance. The shamans among them danced to praise the gods for the blessings given to their respective clans, whereas the warriors displayed a vigorous war dance, which often looked little different than a meticulously choreographed fight.

 

Music from various hand-drums and a variety of wind instruments accompanied the dance, and many of the spectators clapped their hands to the rhythm of the beat. To the center, the gathered chieftains each held a lit torch, and simultaneously threw it as one onto a pile of wood and kindling long prepared.

 

As the great bonfire was lit, so did the great gathering of the orcish clans began.

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