Page 85 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

whispers ofYurtrus walk the perilous line between the
as necessary by the tribe, but speaking about it is taboo.
The White Hands. Shamans who heed the telepathic
This culling of the weak and the unworthy is accepted
during shamanic rites when contact with spirits occurs.
dark caverns to be ritually murdered and devoured.
add to the ossuary shrines of Yurtrus, and sometimes
in leadership or combat, then drag them into Shargaas's
sions of death, claiming the bones of fallen warriors to
also waylay ores that have proved themselves ineffectual
and unease. They interact with the tribe mostly on occa-
it will be visited by the cultists of Shargaas. The cultists
fringes of the tribe, but are looked upon with distaste
to show that it will grow into a capable warrior, or else
The followers of Yurtrus are allowed to dwell on the
of the group. Soon after being born, an ore must be able
he may come in absolute silence for his chosen.
because removing these weak links strengthens the rest
Yurtrus has no mouth and never utters a sound, so that
single out the weakest members of the fighting force,
hands, which are pure white and free of any blemish.
main body, posing as ordinary warriors. These agents
ered in oozing pustules, utterly repulsive except for his
away from the rest of the tribe, others remain within the
Yurtrus is often depicted as consumed by rot and cov-
gaas are exiles, living in the farthest reaches of the lair
YUR.TR..US, "THE WHITE HAND"
Culling the Weak. Although most followers of Shar-
shipers of the Night Lord.
space for the ever-increasing population.
pieces and devoured as sacrificial tributes by the wor-
deeper into the caverns of the den to create more living
as members of the tribe's Shargaas cult, or are torn to
When the tribe is away on raids, they are expected to dig
exiled to meet their fate are either brought into the fold
few manufactured items that the ores need for daily life.
Shargaas's realm is located. There in the darkness, ores
ore tribe. They fashion crude weapons, armor, and the
deeper inside the lair, close to where the entrance to
also serve as the crafters, engineers, and builders of an
serve as custodians of the dead, these ores live even
and the tribe's food stores, the worshipers of Luthic
the shadows. Rejected by Yurtrus as too unsuitable to
Holding the Fort. Along with protecting the young
and twisted creatures that have no honor and skulk in
strong and tough as iron.
To other ores, the followers of Shargaas are depraved
goddess. Luthic rewards them by making their claws as
but those devoted to him can see through.
paint them black to mimic the fearsome talons of their
Gruumsh. His'realm is the darkness that no creatures
young. Luthic's devoted also grow their claws long and
secretive and murderous deity, dangerous to all except
guard the whelping pens that are filled with squabbling
Shargaas is a god of darkness and the unknown. He is a
honor this aspect of her by keeping cave bears as pets to
SHARGAAS, "THE NIGHT LORD"
the guise of an enormous cave bear. Her followers
Talons of the Bear. Luthic is often thought to take
order to spread their affliction within their foe's ranks.
gether through ritual, fear and, if necessary, force.
enemy's encampment, often through a hail of arrows, in
and traditions, these claws of Luthic hold the tribe to-
during a heavy fog, these infected ores rush toward an
genitors. By invoking the power of superstitions, omens,
his virulent message among the enemy. At night, or
brood, raising them to be strong and cruel like their pro-
have been picked for the special purpose of spreading
depths of the caves, the followers of Luthic tend the ore
they are considered the chosen of Yurtrus because they
Far from the den's war hearth, within the protective
prized cattle. These ores are called nurtured ones, and
rather than a force capable of great destruction.
diseases are brought into Yurtrus's fold and tended like
warrior-nomads, scratching out a meager existence,
Chosen ofYurtrus. Ores that suffer from gruesome
the race of ores would be no more than small bands of
of the lair dedicated to the worship of Yurtrus.
If it was not for the followers of Luthic, it is possible that
are used to build furnishings and structures in the area
explosive rage of Gruumsh from bursting the ores apart.
already been taken into Yurtrus's fold, and their bones
ores internally cohesive. She is the force that keeps the
to join Gruumsh. Those that die of old age have typically
Luthic, his wife, that binds them together and makes the
battle are left behind; they were weak and don't deserve
ores to victory over their enemies, it is the influence of
same treatment. The bodies of ores that die in a failed
While Gruumsh is the external force that pushes the
a foe might choose to honor that enemy by giving it the
LUTHIC, "THE CAVE MOTHER"
gle eye. Ores that appreciate the strength and ferocity of
out the bridge of the nose and leave the skull with a sin-
to be imbued with Bahgtru's spirit.
most of the flesh, and then use a ritual punch to break
or harm one of these sacred beasts, which are believed
sever their heads, boil or smoke them to rid them of
Bahgtru also rode a great bull into battle. No ore will eat
priests seek out the bodies of such fallen heroes and
creatures as well as their deity, because legends tell that
are sent to Gruumsh by the priests ofYurtrus. The
dix B for their statistics). By doing so they honor the
TraRiclcers of the Dead. Ores who die "a good death"
oxen or cattle but are much more ferocious (see appen-
revered and feared by the rest of the tribe.
force considered taboo by ores, which makes them both
necromancy practiced by the shamans ofYurtrus is a
bolize their connection to the power ofYurtrus. The
-
~ El.MINSTER
white ash or wear pale gloves made of elf skin to sym-
DOMINATED av HUMANS, ON DARI< M1ss10111s. BewAAE THEM.
shamans, known as White Hands, cover their hands in
'\'URTAUS AND 5HA RG AAS. SOME ARE SENT FORTH INTO THE C.ITIES
to comprehend how to use the magic of death. These
Nor ALL ORC. \VEAl(LIIIIGS ARE TAl<EIII BV THOSE \VMO SERVE
ing so. Through this nonverbal communion, they begin
"""'
living and the dead, and gain uncanny powers from do-