THE SAVAGE TRIBES

In the dark jungle kingdoms of the Southlands lie many secrets. Savage Tribes of Orcs and Goblins battle against Lizardmen and Human savages. These savage tribes are made up of Savage Orcs and Forest Goblins, athough found elsewhere in the Warhammer World it is in the southlands where these tribes have been left isolated, cut off from their cusions in the Old World they have never mastered any levels of technology.

THE SAVAGE ORCS

Savage Orcs are not physically diffrent from the Orcs of the Old World. They have taken on certain traditions long forgotton by other Orcs. They wear tattoos and warpaint. They live in their own tribes, oftern alongside the Forest Goblins. They have their own ways of fighting with makes them easily distinguishable.

These primative Orcs use stone weapons, wooden clubs and what ever weaponary they can steal from the more advanced races. When the Chaos Dwarfs tought the Orcs the art of metal work the Savage Orcs shun the new technology prefering to stick to ancient tradition. Over the years the Savage Orc tribes became increasingly distant as their brother Orcs continued to develop.

Savage Orcs persist to this day. They continue to sing the praise of the ancient Orc gods Gork and Mork in their barbarous fashion, holding midnight feasts to consume gallons of Brew and to fight each other under the watchful eyes of their crude idols. In battle they belive so strongly in the power of their gods to protect them that enemy arrows and swords really can be deflected by the Orcs' aura of self-generated arcane power.

It is possible that the tribal tattoos which the Savage Orc Shamans paint onto the Orcs' bodies protect them in some way. This is a very mysterious and wondrous thing and confirms the Savage Orcs' strong belief in their old and trusty ways. Prehaps this is why Savage Orcs are famous for the number and power of their skin-clan bone waving Shamans.

THE FOREST GOBLINS

Forest Goblins are not physically diffrent from other Goblins. They are the same size, have the same gree skin and overall it would be hard to tell them apart if it were not for there traditional style of dress and skin painting. Forest Goblins decorate them selves with colourful feathers, oftern sticking the quills directly into their skin as Goblins feel little pain. Diffrent tribes oftern use diffrent colours and combinations of feathers to identify themselves.

History:

It is believed that in the ancient past, over 1500 years before the founding of the Empire goblins first crossed the World's Edge Mountains and found forests. After the Dwarf and Goblin Wars the goblins split into three groups. Some lived solely in caves (the Night Goblins). Some lived soley in forests (the Forest Goblins). Finally, some were nomadic and traved from plain to forest to river valley to mountain (the "regular" Goblins).

Those that founded their tribes within forest began to evolve away from their common "proto-goblin" ancestors. They developed cultures which were highly influenced by their forest surroundings.

Location:

The most notable difference between forest and "regular" goblins is their location. Forest Goblins even derive their name from the forests in which they live. They tend to make their homes in temperate climate zones within primarily deciduous forests.

Dress & Appearance:

Forest Goblins find metal rear to come by instead they use bones and teeth to make armour as well as for decoration. Forest Goblins wear warpaint in broad bands of colour over their bodies. Bright red and blue ae the most popular coloursand these are commonly applied to make V shaped cevrons over their face and arms.

Spiders

Forest Goblins are experts when it comes to capturing and finding uses for the great number of exotic spiders in the jungles. Forest Goblins even eat certain species of spiders which they regard as especially succulant and superior to other kinds of flesh. The really gigantic spiders are some times captured and used to bater, but they arev to be avoided because they are too dangerous. Smaller spiders about the size of horses are ridden by the goblins and they also keep some as pets.

Their seem to be found main groupings distinguished by size;

Firstly; Tiny, venemous spiders are the first. Their main contribution to forest goblin culture is their relationship with forest goblin shamans. This relationship will be discussed more fully later.

Secondly; spiders which range in size from pony to horse are kept as pets. In times of war these are ridden into battle by common troops of the tribe.

Thirdly; "giant" spiders which dwarf any warhorse are trained and ridden only by Forest Goblin Shamans, Big Bosses, Battle Standard Bearers and Warbosses. These beasts are slower but far tougher than their smaller counterparts.

Finally; a few rare great beasts live in the depths of the forest which are the size of dragons. These bloated arachnids rarely leave their forest lairs and are worshipped as gods by the Spider Cult.

Spiders infiltrate every facet of Forest Goblin society. They are eaten as delicacies, kept as pets, ridden as mounts, and worshipped as gods.

Shamans

The Forest Goblin Shamans form the strongest bond with the spiders. The Shamans keep small poisonous spiders in their mouths. The shamans encourage the tiny poisonous spiders to live in their robes and on their bodies. Tiny spiders live in their ears, between their toes, in their mouths and up their noses. These little companions are constantly biting the shamans skin. These venomous bites have three effects. First, they deaden the skin and make Shamans immune to pain. Second they turn the shamans tounges makes his tough swell up and turn bright colours such as purple or blue. Third the venom is hallucinogenic. It stimulates the magic portion of the shamans brain. This causes the shaman to live in a realm of semi-insanity. This realm is filled with the most important icons in the shamans life spiders. These spiders become both daemons and gods in the shamans mind.

Forest Goblin Shamans are the chief figures in the Spider Cult which worships the forest spiders as the gods of the forest. Forest Goblin Tribes have totem poles depicting Gork, Mork and the Spider, and this is where they meet before going on raids. Shields and banners oftern have spiders on them and the spider decorations are oftern common on designs for buckles, banner pole tops and weapons.

This deification of spiders gave rise to the Cult of the Spider. This cult is a branch of the larger Orc and Goblin religion. Orcs and Goblin's worship twin gods Gork and Mork. Gork represents power. He is a deity of strength and directness. Mork represents cunning. He is the god of the low-blow, the stab in the back. Forest Goblins add a third deity to this the Spider. The spider represents the forest goblin culture itself. It is not a father-god like Gork and Mork, but rather a focus pantheism. It is truly the worship of the forest and all its inhabitants as symbolized by the forest most significant member, the spider. The spider is seen as provider in every sense. Forest goblins have incorporated spiders into every part of their life and the Cult of the Spider allows them to symbolically give thanks for the bounty of the forest. This symbolism also permeates the magic of shamans. Main-line orc and goblin shamans feel that Gork and Mork provide the energy which fuels their spells. This is crudely represented by such spells as Mork Wants Ya and Da Krunch. Forest Shamans also attribute their magical power to the spider god(s). In reality, the venom of the tiny spiders is useful in that it inhibits the self-destructive effects of Waaaaagh energy. This has the negative side effect of causing the shaman to stagger drunkenly about the battlefield. These Gods are represented on totem poles which are icons of Gork, Mork and The Spider around which the forest tribes gather before going to battle.

Forest Goblins are technologically more primative than their non-forest counterparts. This is due entirely to the lack of metal ores within the forest. Any ores which the forest goblins possess must be traded for from other goblin tribes. The forest goblins use fungus, captives, and giant spiders as trade goods when dealing with other tribes. Due to this shortage materials such as leather, bone, teeth and feathers have replaced the more traditional cloth, fur and steel. In addition to these materials Forest Goblins often paint their bodies with inks and dyes make from forest plants. The two most popular colors seem to be blue and red. While the patterns and designs vary the most popular are V- shaped chevrons on the face and arms. In addition to personal adornment whole tribes tend to follow certain themes when decorating themselves with feathers and paints. This is used to distinguish one tribe from another.

Most goblin tribes go to war in large numbers bent on long-term pillage and plunder. In contrast, Forest Goblin tribes are more interested in small short-term raids. They will gather around totem poles for worship of The Spider and then embark on small raids of nearby farms, woodcutter homes, and occasionally towns. As yet, there has never been a huge forest goblin waaaaagh nor a leader of as much reknown as Grom or Skarsnik but someday this may change. If ever a shaman were to be born to match Azhag the Slaughterer in power he might well be able to entice on of the huge forest spiders to leave its lair and serve as his mount, but this is mere speculation on the part of the author.

Forest Goblins & Waaaghs:

Scholars choose to date the beginnings of the forest goblin race at approximately 1500 years before the founding of the empire. Before the first goblins crossed the World's Edge Mountains only "regular" goblins existed. After the battles with the dwarves some tribes chose to make their homes first in forest below the dwarf hold of Everpeak and later in the great forest and the forests of modern Brettonia in a gradual western migration.

The first mention of goblins living in forests is a comment made by Brettonian historian Sir Ric du Priest in the Imperial Year 977. In his history of the goblin race he notes that during the Errantry Wars newly founded realm of Brettonia drove the orcs from their lands. The more diminuative goblins merely fled into the forest and in their haste the Brettonians simply passed them by in their war on the larger orcs. Due to this oversight both the northern Forest of Arden is home to small numbers of Forest Goblin tribes.

Three great Waaaaaagh's of history included forest goblin forces. The earliest was led by Gorbad Ironclaw. As his Waaaaaagh grew it began to gather forest goblin followers from the forest under Everpeak and from within the Great Forest. The greatest Forest Goblin Shaman of history is Grimborg. He led the tribes of the Great Forest when they joined Gorbad Ironclaw. Grimborgs tribe the Forest Goblins of the Gaping Maw was joined by the Horned Skulls (also of the Great Forest) and the Forest Skuttlers (from under Mount Everpeak.) The spider riders of the three tribes took part in the great battle of Grunberg under the leadership of Grimborg who rode a giant spider. The Forest Goblins were killed in great numbers by lightning bolts cast by human mages. When the forest goblins became enmeshed in a fight with Empire Halberdiers Grimborg sought to aid them with his magical might. His place in forest goblin lore was assured as he, unlike any other forest goblin shaman ever!, headbanged. Forest Goblin Shamans attribute this to the displeasure of the Great Spider. It is unknown exactly why the poisonous venom failed to protect Grimborg's mind at such a crucial moment and theories abound. It was after this point that the forest goblins were attacked by Reiksguard footmen, they lost the fight, were broken and fled only to be slaughtered by the pursuing imperial troops.

The second great Waaaaaagh to include Forest Goblins was led by Grom the Fat. This was the most successful of all of the forest goblin enterprises. As Grom wandered the World's Edge Mountains he was joined by many Forest Goblin tribes from the great forest. Due to his successes the Great Forest nearly became a Goblin Realm in its own right and the Imperial army could not cross it safely. Much of Forest Goblin strength today is a direct remnant of the the Waaaaaagh occuring nearly one hundred years ago. It is rumored that some of the forest goblins who rode on Grom's great Warfleet took up residence in the forests of Ulthuan and live in fear amidst the elves even today, only venturing forth to raid isolated farmsteads and homes.

Most recently Azhag the Slaughterer was aided by the tribes within the Great Forest who provided his orc troops with food and reinforcements during the winter of 2512 near Bechafen during their recent invasion of the empire. Forest Goblin tribes await the day when a leader comes forth from their own ranks to lead a Waaaaaagh!

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