[Queen of Orcs 03] - Royal Destiny (49 page)

As a queen approaches death, her ability to perceive the inner qualities of others becomes enhanced. This allows her to choose a worthy successor. Because the queen’s spirit and Fathma are intermingled, once she transfers this gift to another, the orcs consider her deceased. Henceforth, they will not openly acknowledge her existence.

Fathma was lost to the orcs when their queen was slain during the fall of Tarathank. For several generations, there was no queen, and the orcs suffered a period of chaos. Fathma returned to the orcs when a child who possessed it was born in the easternmost settlement. She was a member of the Yat clan, and afterward that clan became the Queen Clan.

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 said 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.