FULL VIEW PLEASE The wild race that devours other tribes.
== The clan is a throwback of ancient times.Believing that only the strong survive and the weak die out ==
Creation MYTH
Long ago when the world was new the ancient gods who's names are forgotten gave birth to the world.Their power so great it still echos to this day, every heartbeat is a gift. The ancient gods fought among themselves for leader of their pack, in the blood-lust the weakest was devoured. His blood spilling across the world searing the lands. The lands burned for countless moons, the blood boiling still with the fury of battle. The other gods were now a pack and traveled the sky seeking the other clans as any hunter would.Soon the gods devoured the clans of all the other gods leaving nothing but burning cities. When they look up and see them still burning they can see how many clans the gods destroyed, for only the most Ferocious and strong will survive. The gods had won the heavens and were battle torn and tired. In their exhaustion they slept, only the stoic leader standing guard. As the pack slept their power grew making the glow the the gods above them. The ever watchful leader still watches to this day with the Hunters-Eye who stands over them at night. At times you can even see the gods together in the sky, one blinding the other standing guard.
The lands cooled and the blood gave birth to the life they see everywhere, the very beat of a heart is a gift from the blood of the ancients. Animals of every sort filled the lands and seas, but there was not enough space for all the clans. So clan fought clan, the strong devouring the weak and those not fit for life.
The fury of the gods still beat in the hearts of the clans. The Skee-ga (Wolverines) ancient ancestors came from a dense dark Forrest land. Using their strength and fury they devoured clan after clan, moving onward to new lands looking for prey.
They met the Chirts (Badgers), and their ferocious warriors impressed the Skee-ga and their clans joined. The Chirts were brother to the Skee-ga being of the same warrior ancestry. The Skree-Gore were now one tribe and hunted together both being the fiercest clan the others had ever seen.
Clan after clan fell devoured alive and their bones tossed into the pit. The tunnel and dens they have were there long before they arrived. A clan of Mollits (Mole Rats) had dug the city for generations, they were easy prey with their soft pink skins which tore easily under tooth and claw.
To honor the gods they devour the weak and spill their blood. The weak serve as prey to the strong and the Skree-Gore are strong. They bring death and fire to all who stand before them. The burning sun gifting them it's touch with fires and sparks. The hunger of the gods so great the gifts devour what it touches with the fury within.
Those who are worthy are taken and make servants and fools till their end and are devoured like all the weak, the bones tossed in the pit. The pit has only begun to show the dead, with each kill adding to the pit. It has been thirty father's passing since their first kill in this land and the pit only now reveals the dead.
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LAND DESCRIPTION (Jel)
The lands are thickly forested and dense with herbs and animals. The hills to the west bare the fire-rocks (coal) under the belly mound. Small hilly valleys full of grass and the animals who live there. The lands are ancient and barely touched by the Skree-Gore as they hunt the other clans and keep underground. Small rivulets and streams wind their way through the forests, making the Skree-Gore city a prime area with natural resources. Several types of evergreen trees fill the forested areas some of them ancient and massive standing well over 200ft tall, the larger trees give off a strong scent that kills insects. People have been using the bark to burn for relief from he clouds of gnats and flies that live in the underbrush.
Some of the world's most toxic mushrooms also grow in the damp and dark of the Forrest floor. Mud-Vein as it's called kills by thickening the blood making life impossible, Even the Skree-Gore don't touch that one. Another is, Blood Wake, a mushroom that looks like a small dark red heart, much like a piece of raw liver on the ground. This mushroom holds a poison that will cause it's victim to constrict all the blood vessels and arteries making the person bleed out of their skin, their eyes and orifices. Skree-Gore use this deadly poison sometimes to poison wells or when properly refined it becomes a very powerful hallucinogenic, which the shamans use to visit the spirit world.
The borders of the Skree-Gore are marked with their scat and scent, as well as the skulls of the leaders of the fallen clans as a reminder death awaits. There are other clans who survive by giving tribute every full-moon when the hunter is watching. Some clans have held their own but are dwindling with each raid as they can't recover. The Skree-Gore haven't ventured out yet as they have been raiding the local clans. Once those weak are devoured they will need new prey.
Skree-Gore Appearance
Much like their animal ancestors they keep a lot of the look of their beast heritage.
Only partial biped and moving more easily on all fours. The powerful forearms built for digging and fighting. The back legs are used more for bracing the body when digging or taking of frontal hit. The body of the Skree-Gore is covered in course thick fur, the fur helps keep them protected from cold and direct blunt attacks. The claws of the Skree-Gore or long used for digging and defense, when in combat the claws are savage weapons which can tear through most armor.
The Skree-Gore stand about 4 to 6ft high, they weigh maybe between 145-220lbs for the Skee-ga (Wolverines). The Chirts (Badgers) Stand at a impressive 8-9ft at adulthood, weighing in at 400+lbs they are a tank of flesh. Most warriors don't bother to wear armor, they let their dense fur defend them, combined with their stubborn savagery armor would slow them down. Mostly archers wear armor as they are stagnant in position when taking aim. Being of two races, the wolverine breed is the more stocky but the more daring. The badgers head into battle looking for the pillage while the Wolverines savage any who show themselves.
Being partial Biped they have to sit back on their haunches to use a bow or hand held weapon effectively. Not speaking in traditional words the Skree-Gore use body language and signs to communicate most of their needs. Calls and grunts are implemented to add more emphasize to the meaning. This allows for a complete and diverse language as with spoken words the Skree-Gore can communicate all their needs among clan..
This ability also makes them very aware where one's hands are, as they are your word makers. They consider the useless chatter of the other races just noise and gives them away and killable. Many races only consider the Skree-Gore to be monsters or beasts who can't talk. This is false as they can definitely talk, just not with words spoken as everyone else assumes one to use. There has been a rare encounter or two where an outside clan has made contact that didn't start with an instant attack.
People who could pick up on the paw movements among the Clan and realized they were speaking and quite fast as their paws were a blur of motion. They tried to talk so to speak and this impressed the Skree-Gore as it was a sign of intelligence to them. They made the deal of tribute to stave off a raid, this was acceptable to the clan and they retreated as long as the offerings were kept up.
SKREE-GORE CITY (DenMire)
The city is build in the spoils of coming across a very large colony of Mollits (Mole Rats) and taking their city and lives. The tunnels are long and winding but hold a number if huge dens where people can meet.
The Mollits had breached a large cave system and the Skree-Gore made it their home. The tunnel area is for business and crafting. The living area and nursery dens are made in the large cave area. Their Huts made of the skins of the dead clans, put up as makeshift privacy barriers. The two clans live together and mingle but keep their mating rituals separate and display it as an honor when the season comes. Tribes may mate freely and once in a while a mixing of blood makes a child.
These children are the clans child as they are treasures that represent the tribes unity. All of the tribe foster and care for the children. Warriors being very giving and patient until the tenth year then it is training. Training how to let the rage take you, Skree-Gore revel in the blood-lust of battle. While in this rage they can barely tell friend from foe and will slay anything that moves and takes real training to control.
Not considered an adult till they make the first kill. Alternately they can choose a nurse or doctor profession and still achieve the same status as a adult Thus filling those ranks with the non combative spirited ones, yet respected for their skills Like a Shaman they earn a part of the kills of others as a sign of status.
While in the rage they will bite and claw, their natural weapons being supreme save for a bow. Most clans lost their gifts of the ancients but the Skree-Gore cherished them. Digging with ease and knowing the earth and it's treasures.Some members of the tribes only carry oil flasks for burning the enemy and kill with their teeth to enjoy the warmth and salt of the blood as they sever the arteries. Many tribe members will start to devour a fallen foe right there as he was slain. This has given the Skree-Gore a vicious and fearful reputation. Many tribes will flee as soon as they see a scout lurking about.
There are other darker things that live with the Skree-Gore, a spider race they call the Weavers.
Combat Tactics: Skree-Gore are skilled in a wide variety of combat styles. Their favorites are, locating a village or town with trees nearby. The closest largest trees are burrowed under and made to fall toward the town, crushing the walls or buildings. As trees are up to 250+ft high the weight and impact alone can cause severe damage and deaths. Skree-Gore will usually have 2 or 3 such logs fall if possible, and have gotten quite good at hitting their marks.
Another tactic which is used in conjunction is coating a large log with heavy pitch, then setting it alight and let loose down a steep hill into a village or town. The log sets numerous things ablaze and the ensuing havoc is when the ones waiting rush in and attack.
Attacking primarily with their claws and teeth Skree-Gore revel in the feel of flesh ripping and the warmth of blood gushing out. The look of terror and the scents of blood and fear are like a trigger. This sets the Skree-Gore into their blood-rage, making them even more terrible. Making them immune to save the most terrible pains and damage, the Skree-Gore will even fight impaled or disemboweled till life ebbs away making the crazed attack cease. In this state it takes great effort to tell friend from foe, spending seasons training to do just that keep Skree-Gore from lashing out at another in the rage.
Fire is another tactic, burning out the prey or burning some needed building or stockpile. Fire being the terrible elemental force it is, holds countless ways to use it for combat, the Skree-Gore have been working on adding a few more. They see fire as the rage of the gods and the god’s hunger as fire requires fuel and seems to devour it.
Weaver Spiderlings can also be used as scouts, they signal danger or prey with their pheromones. Skree-Gore use these scouts when planning a large attack, they map out the primary targets this way. Being spiders the Weavers climb the trees or foliage and get the best view possible then moving to a place they can best signal in the wind to the waiting scouts.
There are further multitudes of tactics used by the Skree-Gore, these are just a few to be sure.
Tribal Society:
Leaders: The Skree-Gore live life in a roughly tribal society. The Leaders being the largest strongest among their breed. Females being the larger of the sexes rule often but at times will step aside for a large impressive male. Once every seven years the tribes come together for a grand moot. There they trade crafts and spoils of raids, the leaders also compete for alpha among them.
Shamans: Shamans advise the leader and are also chosen by being the strongest, but in the mind. Practicing puzzles and problem solving as well as intellectual theories, the challenges to be Shaman are many. This actually helps the species as the smartest and most creative become shaman and help direct the leaders. Shamans also are the ones who speak directly to the Weavers and understand their language with depth compared to the majority of Skree-Gore. Shamans also act as translators to the Weavers, having long stories to tell around the fires. Much of the history of the Skree-Gore is oral and the story telling is keeping it alive. The Weavers having heard the stories over and over have a complete knowledge of the Skree-Gore past and remind the shamans like a teacher his students.
Warriors: Warriors are the largest portion of Skree-Gore society, being the backbone of the species. Taking great pride in their strength and cunning the warriors have a hard time being patient. The only time warriors are patient and almost docile are when they are with cubs. Cubs are simply adored by Skree-Gore and even the most fearsome warrior gets gentle with dealing with a young cub.
Doctors and Nurses: This is the smallest profession in numbers of the Skree-Gore, only those who are not thrilled by the idea of the hunt seek this job. Using herbal knowledge gathered by ancestors and from the Weavers. Wounds that are not fatal are determined to be treatable or not. Wounds incurable and warriors who are too hurt will be devoured by the tribe. A warrior unable to be a warrior is dead anyways, just as a weak among a herd. The tribe slays the member and eats him, death being a gift rather than a useless life.
To Be Cont, Work In Progress. Last Edited 4-29-2015
(The hybrids are actually what they will become as time goes by)
