Horndall

During the 3rd Era the lands of Utesbken are a frozen, barren, rocky landscape that seldom merits any form of life save for stubborn foliage and hardy fungus. It is a region some say is forsaken by the gods and is a dead land. This is true to an extent but entirely. The phrase “The hills have eyes.” is ever true for this land. Utesbken you see is home to the race of damned beings known only as the Horndall. They are a race considered more monsters than people. Shut off from the rest of the continent due to violent conflicts and incidents, the lands of these beings are deemed hazardous and non-conducive to colonial efforts by other races. This however meant little to nothing to the Horndall for a few key reasons. The 1st being that they often don’t comprehend nor speak the common tongue. The 2nd being that they have little to no concept of borders and subsequence border controls. And 3rd, they just don’t give a damn. These monstrous beings muder, plunder, sack, detroy, mame, and kill as they see fit. They are the true embodiment of chaos on the continent. With hulking forms, gnarled teeth, wretched order, and demonic looking horns the Horndall are the most reviled beings in the lands.

Subcultures
Since the dawn of civilization on the continent the Horndall have been shunned and isolated from the other cultures and races of the realm. They aren’t traded with, contacted for diplomacy, or consulted for colonial affairs. They are either left to their own devices or fought in war. There is no middle ground. For centuries they were the dominant race and culture in Utesbken  and in that time they diverged heavily not so much socially as others but more on the evolutionary sense. Some are more monstrous than others and some more organized than most. Either way, they are contained for the most part due to the isolation practices and wars imposed by neighboring lands. This however is not to say that settlements and encampments of these fiends don’t exist outside their native lands.

Ar’Ruug The largest population of the Horndall are the group known as the Ar’Ruug. Living in the central regions of Utesbken they make their homes in simple large tents that house big family groups. They are the more populated group because of their social isolation even from other Horndall. Where most would see it easier to attack and raid in number, Ar’Ruug tend to mind their own lands and simply kill trespassers. They are by no means peaceful but are actually some of the more functioning groups of Horndall in that they hold some semblances of what might be considered culture. Ar’Ruug mate for life and take 1 spouse only, afterward they tend to rear a large familial group. These groups can be compared to clans in other cultures but seldom hold the same complexity. They hunt for food, as the land they live in is not conducive to farming and are rumored to keep slave captives of raids for unknown reasons or reasons best not thought of. There is no documentation as to how they order themselves in social hierarchies if at all, but most assume a pseudo-warrior clandestined type of set up wherein the strongest is “chief”. Though the largest, they are also the simplest in terms of cultural development, they are the continent’s last true stone age people. Metal working is still something they don’t rightly comprehend, hence most are armed with stone weapons and bone daggers. They are easily rallied into warbands with neighboring Horndall and make up the larger bulk of said bands more often than not. When in war, these beings fight with furiocious blows and battle vigor. Their hulking masses tower above any human and their shear weight and muscle power can shatter shields and break bones with single blows. It is unclear how long any Horndall lives for due to their violent lifestyle, but most wager few ever live to see old age by any measure. Ar’Ruug as stated before tend to keep to themselves unless trespassed upon, then they rush to fight and kill any they see even if it is other Horndall. From what little is known of them outside of Utesbken, Ar’Ruug are said to often migrate in familiar lands when hunting seasonal game. This denotes that they are aware of limited resources and acknowledge the use and strength of hunting as a unit. Some say this is just pure instinct but others believe it is evidence that Ar’Ruug are able to learn and develop socially. Either way, the jury is out due to lack of scholarly data and surveyor documentation.

Or’Gog The Or’Gog are the typical perception of the Horndall across the continent being that they are the western most variant of Horndall. They dwell in the southwestern region of Utesbken near the straits of Aldria where they frequently clash with the Tong’Fei Greyfolk. They range in size from tall to short  with the larger still taller than most humans and the shortest at near child size. Or’Gog are the second largest population of Horndall because they live fast, fight early, and die young. Their lives are almost constant warfare and raids against others. They are crafty blighters that make use of whatever they seize. They have weapons both metal and primitive, wear simple leather armors and sometimes scale mail, their shields are often scavenged from kills and raids and their attacks are sudden and swift. Carnivores by nature, they are known to eat their captives and even each other when food is scarce. Like the Ar’Ruug, they are organized into quasi-tribal groups but instead of the strongest leading it falls to a war shaman female who decides what to do and when to raid. It is not clear what or who they worship if at all, but reports site that groups of Or’Gog in warbands will often gather in tribal dance around fires; during which they seem to collect and display bones of their recent kills to the shaman who then paints a bloody hand on them and their trophy. Though they dwell in the western part of Utesbken they travel and migrate based on seasonal hunting and raiding target availability. They often try to raid the nearby Tong’Fei in spring and autumn, but have been known to raid in winter from time to time what food is low. When in warbands they make up the frontline more often than not due to sheer bloodlust and battle fervor. Attacking with axes and daggers mostly, they fling themselves into frenzies to sack opponents in number with a horde mentality. The bigger the number of the warband, the more fearsome they are to fight. They don’t fear death, they just kill. War is truly all they know. They offer no peace, no mercy, and give no notice to attacking. Or’Gog do as they do, for better or worse this is their way.

Mo’Log’Ath Flee and run in terror of these hulking behemoths. That is the only thing to rightly say of them. The Mo’Log’Ath are monsters, flat out and foremost. Raw instinct and primal aggression given massive form and the thinnest of tempers. The Mo’Log’Ath are huge variants of the Horndall that dwarf all others in stature and power. Living siege engines, these demons of the Horndall are giants and are often used in Horndall warbands as a means to break down walls and crush enemy lines. They have such a basic instinct to kill that even Horndall view them as dangers to be avoided. Hence they are isolated to the island in the Treacherous Strait off the western coast of Utesbken. A warband with one of these creatures is nothing to be taken lightly, as they are by and large the most fearsome of the Horndall in war and to have one in the warband speaks volume for the warchief in charge. They feast on blood and flesh and nothing else, they are a blight on the land and often deemed unholy abominations to others. They don’t use weapons or follow tactics as they are living weapons and know only destruction. It is not likely they hold any semblance of culture but it is rumored that out on their island one can sometimes hear what sound like massive voices. This suggests that they have some cognitive thought to allow for basic speech, albeit Horndall gibberish to most, but some level of communication nonetheless. Not much is known at length about these things outside of warfare, as study of them is suicidal at best. What we can assume and infer however is they have a very small population, possibly the smallest of the Horndall, they are likely to not live long due to extreme violent tendencies, and they are not able to learn from what has been seen of them. Primitive, instinctual, and driven but bloodlust and rage these monsters of Utesbken are to never be contacted without intent to kill.

Rong’Nol Of all the Horndall to fear in Utesbken, the Rong’Nol are at the top of the list. Not because they have the ability to smith and craft weapons of metal, or because they are the most seasoned warriors in Utesbken, but because they are well organized and they know it. Rong’Nol is a Greyfolk word given to these beings meaning “Night Skin”. They are dark in skin color ranging from dark greens and blues to almost pitch black. They are huge in size at a minimum height of 8 feet tall and weighing in at well over 500 lbs. They are beastly in size and mass. But what sets them apart from other Horndall is that they are intelligent, highly intelligent. They are the generals and commanders of most Horndall warbands and operate with ruthless efficiency and tactics. In the battle, Rong’Nol use any and all weapons they have. They favor the scimitar like swords they craft and the duel bladed glaive to end opponents quick and without pity. But more than that, they order the other Horndall with military precision and make any battle with them anything but simple. They scarcely wear armor, due in part to them being incredibly hard to wound and because similar to the Njord’volk Berserker and Raider, they hope to die in battle. It is not clear as to why, but some theorize because it has something to do with a cult like faith in something they call Skorm. This is a force rather than a deity of battle and bloodshed that they believe grants power to the savage and strength to the brutal. To die with praise of Skorm in mind and heart the Rong’Nol believe they add to an eternal “blood pool” that descendants will “drink” of in ritual later to gain their strength yet again. They organize in tribal clans with male only leaders and harems of up to 5 females sometimes. This is to ensure a long line of warriors for a clan and to maintain clan authority in the tribe. They dwell in the peaks and plateaus of the northeastern and far eastern mountain ranges of Utesbken in adapted earthen huts carved to longhouse like structures which are often dug into the mountainside. They are carnivorous mostly, but often eat root vegetables like beets and potatoes. In terms of society a single tribe is governed by 1 tribal leader. A tribe can consist of many clans or a single clan may form a tribe. Either way, rule is absolute. If one challenges the leader then they must kill him in ritual combat. If the challenger loses, they are eaten, and their skull is mounted in the home as a trophy of tribal power and authority. Which brings up another frightening practice of the Rong’Nol, Flagr or ritual sacrifice. Unlike other cultures that may sacrifice animals, Rong’Nol like to sacrifice people if and whenever able. They take them as captives in war or raids and bring them back home to be used as such. The victim is presented at a shrine or altar of Skorm and the clan shaman sacrifices them by ripping out their heart and decapitating them after. The heart is roasted on coals and given to the tribal leader to devour as a tribute to Skorm thus adding to their power; while the head is hung in the hall as a trophy. It is not clear how the Rong’Nol came to be so complex, but it is clear that they are the dominant group in Utesbken. Yet one thing alludes most anyone knowledgeable about them. If they are as powerful as is thought, what has stopped them from simply conquering all of the region under them? This may never truly be known. Perhaps they are simply biding time or gathering strength or will to bother with such ambition? After all, the wind on the mountain howl only so long before a storm.

(Written by Ricortix)