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| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj1.jpg|title=A trio of Druj banners|align=left|width=360|height=360}} | | {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj1.jpg|title=A trio of Druj banners|align=left|width=360|height=360}} |
| ===Overview===
| | ==Overview== |
| No other orc tribe is as ruthlessly dedicated to survival as the Druj. When defeated they always come back stronger and craftier, learning from each failure. Driven by the desire to avoid the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs#The Howling Abyss|Howling Abyss]], they push themselves to the limits seeking ever more cunning exploits to prove their worth to their ancestors.
| | The Druj are [[orc|orcs]] who dominate the lands to the east of the Empire. Historically they have been ancient enemies of the [[Highborn]], the [[The League]], and [[Dawn]] - fighting with the Empire for control of [[Holberg]], [[The Barrens]] and [[Reikos]]. In recent times they have also moved to threaten [[Brocéliande]], [[Semmerholm]], and [[Zenith]]. They are the most notorious of all the Imperial enemies, infamous for their cruelty and treachery. This reputation is not confined to the Empire - their name is a byword for treachery even among other barbarian tribes most of whom also seem to consider the Druj to be beyond the pale. |
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| From a young age the Druj are taught that each living creature is defined by its weaknesses. The successful guard their weaknesses well, and exploit those of others. Those who show weakness are merely there to be manipulated, and will fall to the Howling Abyss, never to speak to their descendants or aid their tribe from beyond. One of the most potent weaknesses is fear, and the Druj are past masters of making it their servant, using it as a weapon against their enemies. As long as it benefits the tribe in the long term, the Druj will use any underhanded tactic in pursuit of success; poison, ambushes and dark magic are all part of their repertoire.
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| Druj seek to inspire such dread in their enemies that they will have won the battle before they even come to fight. The weak will bow before them, while the strong will seek easier prey elsewhere. Their society is tiered on perceived weakness; powerful clans expect deference from their lessers, who in turn do their best to twist and manipulate those slaves, servants and allies beneath them. A vast and terrible web of fear and cruelty extends about the Druj lands.
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| The Druj regard a battle as being like a hunt: The objective is to get the enemy panicked and tiring themselves out so that they are easily separated and picked off. They like to inflict injuries that will slow the enemy down and saddle them with wounded and poisoned. They make extensive use of lures and ambushes, and consequently they much prefer fighting in terrain with good cover, and typically have hidden units ready to strike at vulnerable flanks and then melt away again. They don't want to get sucked into mass stand-up fights if possible, but they excel at skirmishing.
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| It is said that the Druj have a saying "''You cannot betray your enemies''" (which the [[Navarr]] stole from them). It is well known among the other major orc tribes that an alliance with the Druj will last only until it benefits the Druj more to betray them than to keep the alliance. Deals with the Druj often become a cat-and-mouse game to see who breaks their agreement first. This applies only to their fellow orcs; when it comes to Imperial citizens, any offer a Druj makes is almost certainly a trap. Many Imperials have met a tragic end because they either assumed that this time the Druj were not tricking them, or because they assumed they saw the trap ... missing the other traps nested within.
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| The Druj are led by chieftains known as '''Het''', each of whom commands several large extended families collectively referred to as a clan. Clan leadership is achieved through successful raiding, and demonstrations of skill, cunning or willpower. A prospective Het must also pass a series of grueling tests administered by the shamans, such as seizing hot coals without flinching, devouring live poisonous beast, reciting family history and exploits without pause or error while simultaneously defending themselves from arrows, or sneak through enemy territory and kill a single specific opponent and then escape.
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| Each clan has a single poisonous beast or plant as it’s totem, and will also typically have an adjective on the clan name. For instance Creeping Nightshade, Bone Scorpion and Black Hydra are all large and powerful clans, each with their own special area of expertise.
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| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj2.jpg|title=Poison lizard banner art|align=right|width=165|height=300}} | | {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj2.jpg|title=Poison lizard banner art|align=right|width=165|height=300}} |
| ===The Tribe===
| | ==The Tribe== |
| The Druj hold many smaller tribes by the neck, sending them into battle ahead of their own forces. The Druj are viewed with dread by these tribes, ever fearful of displeasing their masters and the ruthless cruelty that will descend should they betray their masters. Despite this, they can express unpredictable levels of magnanimity, rewarding members of smaller tribes who serve them well, or succeed in particular gruelling missions. Their very unpredictability helps to maintain their position of power. Many Imperial soldiers who think they have fought the Druj have actually fought members of a subject tribe, perhaps supported by a few small units of Druj warriors who seek to exploit the chaos of the battlefield to strike at their opponents before withdrawing. | | The Empire sees the Druj as irredeemably immoral and wicked, but the truth is more complex. No other orc tribe is ruthlessly dedicated to achieving their objectives, or more ready to pay the price for their victories, as the orcs of the Mallum. Each time they are defeated they come back stronger and craftier; each loss a lesson they employ to push them ever closer to their ultimate goals. |
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| More than any other tribe. the Druj make use of herbs and potions. The apothecaries of the Druj are respected for their ability to poison enemies and heal allies. They equip their warriors and magicians alike with preparations that allow them to replenish their resources, and are constantly seeking new ways to employ their herbal lore. Some escaped Druj slaves speak of being used as experimental subjects by the twisted druj herbalists who test poisons, antitodes and narcotics on them.
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| Compared to the [[Jotun]] and the [[Thule]], the Druj have few [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]], preferring to reinforce their troops with [[Potion|potions]]. The best enchanted items are invariably claimed by the Het and the Ghulai.
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| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj3.jpg|title=Scorpion banner art|align=right|width=144|height=300}}
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| ===Warriors of the Druj===
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| The bulk of most Druj armies comprised of various subject tribes that send warriors to fight from all across the Mallum. Many of these warriors are forced into service, through threats or violence; whilst others volunteer to fight, perhaps hoping for a swift death by Imperial sword or by displaying their usefulness to their masters in battle. The rank and file of the Druj armies are hardly a spectacle to behold, poorly equipped unlike a Grendel mercenary, and ill-motivated unlike those in service to the Jotun. A subject warrior counts themselves lucky to have a crude breastplate to wear over their ragged clothes and a longsword in their hand. The commanders, or Het, of the Druj forces do so through intimidation and cruelty, choosing to send their underlings ahead of them in an attack and always keeping a close eye out for danger. This can make the forces of the Mallum a dire and savage foe to face, as the orcs strive to overcome their enemy as swiftly as possible before superior tactics and arms can be turned against them.
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| The elite troops in the Druj's forces are the [[Druj Arkad|Arkad]], crafty warriors who follow ancient methods of war based upon aspects of dangerous animals held to be important in Druj culture. These warriors seek to engage the Empire to display the mastery they have of different ways of war, to sow terror and bleed their foes. There are four main groupings of the Arkad that can be found in most Druj forces. They are often accompanied by the apothecary physicians known as the Tepel, skilled potion brewers and masters of poison.
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| * Armies of Druj are often supported by one or two swamp- or forest-dwelling beasts, especially [[catoblepas]] and [[marshwalkers]]. These creatures are often deployed to spread chaos and fear, and when supported by other Druj warriors are often used to break defended positions.
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| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druh5.jpg|title=Spider banner art|align=right|width=217|height=300}}
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| The most well-known quality of the Druj is their use of poison and infection. They make extensive use of a herbal preparation they call [[Legacy of Thorns#Oil of Blackthorn|swamp fever]], but some warriors favour a blade venom they refer to as [[Legacy of Thorns#Redwillow Pase|sweetblood]]. Many Imperial citizens have heard tales of Druj force-feeding fallen warriors - especially fallen healers or recognisable heroes - horrible preparations that cause them to [[The Assassin's Gate#The Crimson Gate|die in agony]] to demoralise their opponents.
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| Armies fighting Druj should be prepared to find their wounds poisoned, festering or becoming infected; even Druj subject tribes routinely smear their weapons in filth and excrement.
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| ===Magic===
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| Druj magicians are trained in combat magic to fight alongside the warriors. They are especially proficient at spells that [[Venom|poison]] or [[Weakness|weaken]] their foes. Druj rituals often involve venomous plants and animals. Commonly these are handled or consumed during rituals, allowing them to poison the ritualists multiple times.
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| Only magicians that have proven themselves in battle are inducted into the '''Ghulai''' caste and taught the secrets of the tribe’s rituals. Some [[Shaman|shamans]] with connections to Ghulai ancestors side-step the initiation, serving instead as apprentices to more experienced Ghulai from their family. Thanks to natural attrition the Ghulai are comparatively rare, but tend to be individually powerful. Secretive and sinister, even the Het tread lightly when asking for their aid, as it often comes at a high price. Ghulai are are commonly accompanied by several apprentices for protection and menial labour. They also employ a form of bone-casting using etched human skulls as an aid to scrying rituals - preferably the skulls of enemy magicians and a Druj seen bearing many human skulls is usually a waning that a potent Ghulai has taken the battlefield.
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| The Ghulai make extensive use of Spring rituals, and are known to enjoy the effect that [[Fetid Breath of Teeming Plague]] has on enemy soldiers. They are also known to favour Night magic that conceals or misdirects, although the Ghulai pride themselves on evoking these kinds of rituals in subtle ways - for example, a Druj magician will often use an obscuring ritual to misdirect Imperial diviners as part of a feint.
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| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj6.jpg|title=Serpent banner art|align=right|width=185|height=300}}
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| Powerful Ghulai seem to be responsible for creating horrific totem mounds for the Druj; these blasphemous shrines are built from the desecrated remains of enemies of the Druj and are found throughout their territory. They are enchanted through poorly understood means to create oppressive miasma of fear and dread. The older these totem-mounds are, the larger the area they cover. Once the aura is established, merely destroying the totem mound simply causes it to begin decaying - Imperial priests work alongside armies to track down and swiftly [[Religious skills#Exorcism|cleanse]] these spiritually corrupt areas. Lesser effects have also been reported as connected to Druj battle-standards, and there is a great deal of debate among theologians and academics who study the Druj as to whether these are truly [[enchantment|ritual enchantments]] or whether Druj shaman are using abilities similar to [[Religious skills#Consecrate|consecration]] and [[Religious skills#Hallow|hallow]], possibly empowered by some hitherto-unknown herbal preparation. No compelling evidence of the latter has been uncovered, and while some Druj prisoners have hinted that this is the case all Imperial scholars know that ''the Druj lie''.
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| ===The Imperial Orcs===
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| ===History===
| | As long as it benefits the tribe in the long term, the Druj will use any tactic, no matter how distasteful others may find it. Poison, disease, treachery, ambush, dark magic, torture, wholesale destruction - all are simply tools to be used as needed to ensure success. These cruel orcs turn all their cunning to exposing and exploiting the weaknesses of their enemies - weaknesses like overconfidence, complacency, compassion, virtue, faith, honour, and pride. They enjoy leaving badly injured, crippled enemies alive so that their opponents' compassion and sense of honour will saddle them with wounded, poisoned soldiers who must be protected and cannot fight. They lure the overconfident into ambushes, or into overextending themselves so that they can be cut off from the main body. They capture holy relics, respected heros, and symbols of pride and faith, and defile them utterly in the sure knowledge that angry opponents will make bad choices. |
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| ===Look and Feel===
| | From birth the Druj are taught that living creatures are defined by their weaknesses. The weak exist to be exploited, manipulated by the strong in pursuit of victory. Fear, in particular, is a weakness the Druj wield with masterful expertise - cowing their victims and terrorizing their enemies with equal gusto. Druj seek to inspire such dread in their enemies that they will have won the battle before they even come to fight. The weak will bow before them, while the strong will seek easier prey elsewhere. Their society is tiered on perceived weakness; powerful clans expect deference from their lessers, who in turn do their best to twist and manipulate those slaves, servants and allies beneath them. A vast and terrible web of fear and cruelty extends about the Druj lands. |
| On the battlefield the Druj strive to project a terrifying image. They usually wear dark colours, suitable for hiding in bogs and swamps, often with hints of dark green and yellow. Their gear is often designed to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy, but they will rarely encumber themselves with anything that would make fleeing impractical. Bones and skulls (especially the latter impaled on spikes or staves), body parts, leather made from human or orc hide, vicious and intimidating runes, armour spikes ... all of these are common Druj decorations.
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| Druj are very fond of weapons that keep their enemies at bay; spears, thrown weapons and bows are especially favoured. Warriors who must fight in close combat favour pole-arms over one- or two-handed weapons. | | These orcs live by the saying "''You cannot betray your enemies''" (which they claim the [[Navarr]] stole from them). Bitter experience has taught any who deal with the them that an agreement with the Druj will last only as long as it benefits the Druj more to keep to the deal than to betray their word. Deals with the Druj often become a cat-and-mouse game to see who breaks their agreement first. Many Imperials have met a tragic end because they either assumed that this time the Druj were not tricking them, or because they assumed they saw the trap ... missing the other traps nested within. |
| {{CaptionedImage|file=Druj7.jpg|title=Poison frog banner art|align=right|width=159|height=299}}
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| ==Playing the Druj== | | ==5 things to know about the Druj== |
| The Druj are cruel and without mercy. They much prefer short, skirmishing engagements followed by a retreat to a more defensible location. They like to spread chaos and fear, and their tactics are often characterised by the idea of a 'burst of violence'. Druj aren't stupid, they only fight when cornered or at an advantage. Typically a close skirmish unit returns to the shamans for restoration, or retreats once their resources are depleted, and hence they are rarely afraid to unleash all their special powers to overwhelm an opposing force with 'shock and awe' tactics. While the normal rules about executing fallen opponents apply, a Druj warrior who ends a battle with a [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleaving blow]] will cheerfully use it on a fallen opponent before retreating.
| | * '''Fear is a weapon''' - the surest way to dominate your enemies is to make them afraid |
| | * '''The ruthless are the victors''' - compassion is a weakness that is easily exploited |
| | * '''Exploit any weakness''' - seek to create an advantage if you cannot find one |
| | * '''Cunning and innovative''' - the Druj are always working to a plan, but if it fails they make a better plan |
| | * '''Do not suffer fools''' - they do not tolerate the complacent, the reckless, or the selfish |
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| Like all good hunters, the Druj carefully study their prey, and do their best to provide themselves with appealing bait. Against Imperials they have found that artefacts of faith or Imperial history or national culture often generate a disproportionate level of emotional response - something they find quite delightful for luring the headstrong humans into traps.
| | ==What the Druj are not== |
| | * '''[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChaoticStupid Chaotic Stupid]''' - the Druj are ruthless and unimaginably cruel - but it is always for a reason |
| | * '''Savages''' - the Druj are callous and brutal but not uncivilized; their knowledge of herb craft in particular is known to be superior to the Empire |
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| [[Category:Barbarians]]
| | {{Druj Links}} |
| [[Category:The World]]
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| [[Category:Bestiary]]
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Overview
The Druj are orcs who dominate the lands to the east of the Empire. Historically they have been ancient enemies of the Highborn, the The League, and Dawn - fighting with the Empire for control of Holberg, The Barrens and Reikos. In recent times they have also moved to threaten Brocéliande, Semmerholm, and Zenith. They are the most notorious of all the Imperial enemies, infamous for their cruelty and treachery. This reputation is not confined to the Empire - their name is a byword for treachery even among other barbarian tribes most of whom also seem to consider the Druj to be beyond the pale.
The Tribe
The Empire sees the Druj as irredeemably immoral and wicked, but the truth is more complex. No other orc tribe is ruthlessly dedicated to achieving their objectives, or more ready to pay the price for their victories, as the orcs of the Mallum. Each time they are defeated they come back stronger and craftier; each loss a lesson they employ to push them ever closer to their ultimate goals.
As long as it benefits the tribe in the long term, the Druj will use any tactic, no matter how distasteful others may find it. Poison, disease, treachery, ambush, dark magic, torture, wholesale destruction - all are simply tools to be used as needed to ensure success. These cruel orcs turn all their cunning to exposing and exploiting the weaknesses of their enemies - weaknesses like overconfidence, complacency, compassion, virtue, faith, honour, and pride. They enjoy leaving badly injured, crippled enemies alive so that their opponents' compassion and sense of honour will saddle them with wounded, poisoned soldiers who must be protected and cannot fight. They lure the overconfident into ambushes, or into overextending themselves so that they can be cut off from the main body. They capture holy relics, respected heros, and symbols of pride and faith, and defile them utterly in the sure knowledge that angry opponents will make bad choices.
From birth the Druj are taught that living creatures are defined by their weaknesses. The weak exist to be exploited, manipulated by the strong in pursuit of victory. Fear, in particular, is a weakness the Druj wield with masterful expertise - cowing their victims and terrorizing their enemies with equal gusto. Druj seek to inspire such dread in their enemies that they will have won the battle before they even come to fight. The weak will bow before them, while the strong will seek easier prey elsewhere. Their society is tiered on perceived weakness; powerful clans expect deference from their lessers, who in turn do their best to twist and manipulate those slaves, servants and allies beneath them. A vast and terrible web of fear and cruelty extends about the Druj lands.
These orcs live by the saying "You cannot betray your enemies" (which they claim the Navarr stole from them). Bitter experience has taught any who deal with the them that an agreement with the Druj will last only as long as it benefits the Druj more to keep to the deal than to betray their word. Deals with the Druj often become a cat-and-mouse game to see who breaks their agreement first. Many Imperials have met a tragic end because they either assumed that this time the Druj were not tricking them, or because they assumed they saw the trap ... missing the other traps nested within.
5 things to know about the Druj
- Fear is a weapon - the surest way to dominate your enemies is to make them afraid
- The ruthless are the victors - compassion is a weakness that is easily exploited
- Exploit any weakness - seek to create an advantage if you cannot find one
- Cunning and innovative - the Druj are always working to a plan, but if it fails they make a better plan
- Do not suffer fools - they do not tolerate the complacent, the reckless, or the selfish
What the Druj are not
- Chaotic Stupid - the Druj are ruthless and unimaginably cruel - but it is always for a reason
- Savages - the Druj are callous and brutal but not uncivilized; their knowledge of herb craft in particular is known to be superior to the Empire
Further Reading
