funeral practices Orcs send the bodies of their dead to Muth la in the same state they entered the world—naked. Corpses are cremated or left upon the ground (te far Muthz la—on Muth la’s breast). In the latter case, the body is placed within Muth la’s Embrace (see separate entry), preferably under a tree.
gabaibuk noun—Thin, soft cloth woven from thistledown.
gatuub noun—An orcish stew made with mutton and dried fruit.
goblin noun—Another human word for “orc.” This term is mainly used in the western kingdom.
Goblin Wars proper noun—The human name for the orcs’ attempts to retake their lands after the washavoki invasion. Savagely fought by both sides, this conflict lasted several generations. Most of the fighting was in the form of raids. When it ended, no orc settlements remained south of the Urkheit Mountains.
gold—See “yellow iron.”
grandmother noun—The human translation for muthmuthi. This term refers only to the maternal grandmother, who is a revered figure in orcish families. The paternal grandmother is called minmuthi and is considered a more distant relation.
Great Mother noun and proper noun—As a proper noun, it is the translation of Muth Mauk, the orc queen’s proper name. It is also used as a term for a queen.
hai adverb—Yes.
hanmuthi noun—A circular room with a central hearth that is the heart of orc family life. Meals are eaten there, and sleeping chambers adjoin it. Its outer walls constitute the Muth la’s Embrace. The ranking muthuri heads the hanmuthi and commands the obedience of all its members. (hearth [of] mother)
hard milk noun—Orcish term for cheese.
healer noun—An orc who practices healing magic. This “magic” is based on an understanding of the medicinal properties of herbs and other practical therapies. It does not involve sorcery. Both sexes may be healers, though the most skilled healers are mothers.
high murdant—See “military ranks and units.”
high tolum—See “military ranks and units.”
hiss verb root and noun—To laugh, laughter.
human noun—Human word for washavoki.
Karm proper noun—Goddess worshipped by humans. Called the Goddess of the Balance, Karm is supposed to weigh one’s deeds after death.
kefs noun—A pair of short capes of slightly differing sizes that are worn by orcish mothers. In warm weather, the smaller cape is worn on top of the larger one so that the breasts are exposed. In cold weather, it covers the chest.
kokuum noun—Avalanche.
latath noun—The mother who bestows the clan tattoo and has other specialized functions as well. She brews falfhissi and makes inks, dyes, and some healing extracts. Within the Yat clan, the latath also makes talmauki and Muth la’s Draught. See separate entries.
lorekeeper noun—The mother whose specialized function is to maintain the lore of the clan. A lorekeeper serves for life, and begins her training at an early age. Not all clans possess lorekeepers, and the nature and form of their lore varies among clans. The lorekeeper maintains a lorechamber, which resembles a hanmuthi and usually includes a library of deetpahis. These are sometimes copied and given to the lorekeepers of other clans, although every clan possesses its secrets. Tarathank contained a huge lorehall with an extensive collection of deetpahis that was maintained by lorekeepers from many different clans.
man noun—There is no equivalent term in Orcish for a human male, although they are sometimes called “hairy-faced washavokis.”
military ranks and units Orcs never developed a highly organized military, and all the following terms are of human origin. In the orc regiments, all the officers were human.
human ranks Ranks in ancient armies were less specific than in contemporary ones, and the modern equivalents are only approximations.
murdant—A noncommissioned officer, the equivalent of a sergeant.
high murdant—The highest-ranking noncommissioned officer. A high murdant reports directly to a general.
sustolum—The lowest-ranking officer, the equivalent of a lieutenant.
tolum—The equivalent of a captain. Usually commands a shieldron (see below).
high tolum—Usually commands a regiment.
general—The highest-ranking officer. The general for the orc regiments was called the Queen’s Man because the orcs believed he derived his authority from their queen.
orc leaders Orcs had no officers or murdants, but did recognize leaders among their own kind. Such leaders lacked the authority of human officers and led by their example and through the use of persuasion. They wore capes as a sign of wisdom. These capes were bestowed by the consensus of their comrades and could be taken away in the same manner. The authority of Wise Sons derived from the clan matriarchs who appointed them to act in their absence. They guided the orc males in nonmilitary matters. Outside the orc regiments, they had no more authority than ordinary orc males.
military units An orc regiment was composed of orc fighters, commanded by human officers. Human soldiers served support roles, and women served both the orcs and men. A shieldron was the basic orc fighting unit. It consisted of thirty-six orcs. The term was also applied to a shieldron of orcs and the humans that commanded and supported them. An orc regiment had six shieldrons of orc fighters, accompanied by a human contingent of officers, support troops, and serving women. Units of human foot soldiers were also organized into shieldrons and regiments.
milkstone noun—Marble.
min noun—A male orc, regardless of age. Usually translated as “son.”
mintari noun—This word translates as “bitten son.” A mintari is a son whose neck has been bitten by the orc queen, which renders his life hers. Mintaris serve the queen by implementing her commands and speaking in her name. Becoming a mintari is considered a great honor. All the clans, with the exception of the Pah clan, send candidates. A queen strives to have mintaris from every clan, with the aforementioned exception, since they will have frequent dealings with the matriarchs.
Mintaris live in the queen’s hanmuthi for as long as she reigns. Though only unblessed sons are sent as candidates, they are allowed to marry. The couple must obtain the queen’s blessing in addition to that of their respective muthuris. The married couple and their children reside in the royal hanmuthi.
minvashi noun—Husband. (blessed son)
mother noun—The human translation for the Orcish word muth, although the two terms are not completely equivalent.
murdant—See “military ranks and units.”
muth noun—Often translated as “mother,” it is the word for any orc female, regardless of age or whether she has borne children. Orcs occasionally use this word to describe human females. Mothers wield the real authority within orc society because Muth la’s guidance always comes through them.
Muth proper noun—This is the name a mother assumes when she becomes matriarch of a clan. Thus the head of the Yat clan is always named Muth-yat. The orc queen also assumes this name. However, she is called Muth Mauk, which means “Great Mother.”
Muth la proper noun—Orcish word for the divine mother who created the world and all living things. Muth la sends guidance to mothers through visions.
Muth la’s Draught noun—A drink made by steeping yew seeds in distilled spirits. The resulting beverage is highly poisonous. It is sometimes given to a new queen by the Council of Matriarchs as a test of her fitness to rule. It is believed that the queen will survive if Muth la deems her fit to reign. This test is rarely administered, and no queen has ever passed it.
Muth la’s Embrace proper noun—Human translation for Zum Muthz la. This sacred circle symbolizes the Divine Mother’s presence. It may be temporary or permanent. Orcs always sleep and eat within its confines. A wall, upright sticks, stones, or even a line drawn in the dirt can mark the circle. Orc dwellings always incorporate Muth la’s Embrace and tend to be circular for this reason. The Embrace is hallowed ground; the dead are placed within it and worship takes place there. It is sai
d that mothers are more likely to receive visions within Muth la’s Embrace.
Muth Mauk noun and proper noun—Translated as “Great Mother,” this is both the queen’s title and her proper name. The orcs also use its lowercase form or the word nathmauki as terms for “queen.”
muthuri noun—A mother in the reproductive sense. A muthuri holds strict authority over her offspring. The ranking muthuri heads a hanmuthi. (giving mother)
muthtufa noun—A traditional, spicy orcish stew that consists of pashi and other vegetables.
muthvashi noun—Wife. (blessed mother)
names Orcish names consist of two parts, the given name and the clan name. Thus, Zna-yat is a member of the Yat clan. In the familiar form of address, the clan part of the name is dropped. This is often done when parents talk to their children, when adult mothers of the same clan converse, or when intimates speak together.
When a mother becomes the clan matriarch, she assumes the given name of “Muth.” The orc queen assumes the name “Muth Mauk,” Great Mother. Her name has no clan part because she is muthuri to all the clans.
nayimgat noun—A healing herb with large, fuzzy leaves that is also a sedative.
neva noun—An article of clothing worn by orcish mothers that resembles a skirt. It may consist of a length of cloth wrapped around the waist or it may be a tailored garment.
orc noun—Human word for zimmuthi. The human word derives from the shortening of the orcs’ collective name for themselves, urkzimmuthi.
orcish adjective—Human word for urkzimmuthi.
Orcish language Orcish is the human word for Pahmuthi, which translates as “speech [of] mother.” Orcish differs from human speech in several ways: The equivalents of the articles “a” and “the” do not exist. Adjectives follow the noun they modify. All personal pronouns are gender-specific when they refer to orcs, with mixed-gender plurals taking the feminine form. Genderless pronouns are used for things, animals, and humans. Plurals are indicated by the prefix urk, which translates as “many.” Possession is indicated by the addition of a “z” to the end of a noun. Orcish nouns are often formed by the descriptive combination of other words. Example: “Rain,” hafalf, combines “sky,” ha, with “water,” falf. Verbs are conjugated regularly and their roots often function as nouns. Example: Ma urav ur—I give gift. A more extensive treatment of Orcish grammar and vocabulary can be found in the glossary to King’s Property.
orcs noun—Human word for urkzimmuthi.
Pahmuthi noun—Orcish language. (speech [of] mother)
pashi noun—A bland-flavored root that is a staple in orcish cooking. Called “whiteroot” by humans, it is more flavorful when roasted.
Queen’s Man—See “military ranks and units.”
rebirth noun—Human translation of themuth, an ancient orcish ritual that allows a washavoki with “mixed spirits” to become urkzimmuthi. Although physically unchanged, a reborn person becomes the child of the muthuri participating in the ritual, joins her clan, and receives her clan tattoo. There is controversy over whether rebirth involves actual sorcery.
regiment—See “military ranks and units.”
sand ice noun—Orcish term for glass. The Hak clan first discovered the secret of its making and still makes it for the other clans and for trade with washavokis.
sapaha noun—A guide.
scabhead noun—Human slang for a newly branded woman serving in the orc regiments.
sexual practices Orcish sexual practices differ markedly from human ones for two reasons: Females are the dominant sex in orcish society, and orcs can detect the scent of love, which they call “atur.” The latter ensures that orcish courtship lacks the bumbling and misunderstandings that often characterize its human counterpart. It also means orcs cannot keep their feelings secret.
Intimacy is always initiated by the female. This is usually done by the mother grasping the son’s hand and touching it to her breast. This gesture is the socially proper sign that she is receptive to his attentions. Until he receives permission, a son will not express his desire by word or deed. The orcs believe if a son were to make unwanted advances, Muth la would condemn him to eternal punishment. Thus, despite human claims to the contrary, rape is unknown among orcs.
Sexual intercourse between unblessed (i.e., unmarried) couples is forbidden and carries strict sanctions (see “blessed” and “thwada”). However, any intimacy that falls short of intercourse is considered a proper part of courtship. Orcs call such acts “giving love.” A son or a mother at this stage of courtship is called a velazul, which loosely translates as “lover.” It is not uncommon for mothers to have several velazuls before becoming blessed.
A muthuri will commonly ignore a relationship until it becomes serious. When she shows awareness of a couple’s attachment, the muthuri is said to have a “wise nose.” Then she is expected to act in the couple’s best interests by either facilitating or preventing their permanent union. If a muthuri disapproves of the relationship, she will end it by forbidding her child to see his or her velazul.
shash verb root and noun—To thank, thanks. Shashav translates as “thank you.”
shieldron—See “military ranks and units.”
sleep Orcs sleep sitting upright in a cross-legged position, with only a mat as a cushion. Only babies and the extremely ill rest lying down.
smell Orcs have an especially keen sense of smell, and their language contains many terms for scents that humans cannot distinguish. They are also capable of smelling emotional states and physical conditions. They can detect anger, fear, love, pain, and some forms of sickness. This ability has affected their culture in fundamental ways and may partly explain why orcs do not easily grasp deception. Orcs usually do not speak about those emotions they detect by smell. This is particularly true of the males.
spirit noun—The human word for fath. An equivalent term would be “soul.” The orcs hold that one’s spirit defines one’s being. That is why they believe rebirth is possible, since the ritual alters the spirit. Fathma is an additional spirit that passes from orc queen to orc queen. It mingles with the queen’s original spirit and transforms it. In the process, it instills the memories of the queen’s predecessors.
sukefa noun—A thin, soft garment worn beneath a winter kef. Similar in appearance to a cape, it has two sides with contrasting colors.
sustolum—See “military ranks and units.”
tahweriti noun—An orcish delicacy. Doves are stuffed with brak and dried fruit, then slowly roasted overnight over aromatic wood. (golden bird)
talmauki noun and adjective—A shade of bluish green that is the royal color and reserved for the orc queen. The queen’s kefs and cloak are always dyed this shade. She also uses it to color her claws and nipples. (great green)
Tarathank proper noun—An ancient orcish city destroyed during the washavoki invasion. It was the queen’s city in the time when the monarch always came from the Pah clan. Other clans also had their halls in Tarathank. For this reason, it was called the City of Matriarchs. Tarathank was the center of the orcish civilization at its greatest height, and its grace and splendor were never matched. Since orcs of that era were ignorant of warfare, the city lacked defenses.
tava interjection—Hello.
thrim verb root—To have sexual intercourse.
thwa adverb—No, not.
thwada noun—A condition that renders an orcish mother untouchable. There are two kinds of thwada, and they are very different in their cause and nature. The ceremonial thwada is temporary and pertains to mothers about to undergo certain serious spiritual rituals, such as Entering Darkness. Contact with that mother is considered dangerous to all involved. In this state of thwada, the mother cannot eat or associate with sons.
The second form of thwada is a punishment imposed on a mother for having intercourse before she is blessed or continuing in a forbidden relationship. The mother is considered dead, and no member of orc society will have open dealings with her. This form of thwada i
s permanent. A mother who is thwada leads a ghostlike existence on the outskirts of society, seen but ignored. Though she sometimes dies of hunger and exposure, orcs usually sustain her by “losing” necessities in her vicinity.
It is interesting to note that this punishment is inflicted only on mothers. Offending sons are permanently disgraced, but permitted to remain within society.
tolum—See “military ranks and units.”
Trancing Stone noun—A magical object created by Velasa-pah. It allows anyone who holds it to experience the memories discarded by departed spirits. The stone is an heirloom of the Pah clan.
trafpaha noun—A three-dimensional construction of sticks and string that serves as a chart of a rock formation, ridgeline, or mountain. Used only by the Tok clan, it conveys a wide range of information through the shape, color, and material of its various components. (stone speak)
Tree Because trees bridge the earth and sky, orcs consider them a manifestation of Muth la. They make a sign for Muth la by pressing a palm upright against the chest and splaying the fingers like branches. This sign is usually made to acknowledge Muth la’s presence in an event or deed.
The yew tree, Taxu baccata, is particularly sacred to Muth la because it is evergreen. Its seeds are used to make Muth la’s Draught. See separate entry.
tul adjective—Real, having a verifiable existence. This word approaches the meaning of the human expression “true,” although the orcs have no term for its opposite.
tuug noun—A cord braided from two differently colored strands of yarn used to tie on a gabaiuk.
urkzimdi noun—An ancient Orcish word for humans. It translates as “second children” and is based on the orcs’ belief that Muth la created humans after she created them. The word fell into disuse after the washavoki invasion.
[Queen of Orcs 03] - Royal Destiny Page 36
