Denizens of the Dark Jungle
The deep and forbidding jungle that covers the lower part of the Orc's Head Peninsula is home to several savage orc tribes and their ruler, an ancient vermilion dragon known as Pyre. Though often at odds with one another, the tribes cooperate rather than face the dragon's wrath.
Orcs of the Dark Jungle
Although they may seem unintelligent to outsiders, the orcs of the Dark Jungle are cunning, ruthless warriors. Organized into several tribes, the orcs raid caravans, prey upon passing ships, and constantly seek to expand into Nimmur and Herath.
Their success in keeping the more civilised countries from overcoming them can be attributed to their cunning use of the jungle as cover for their attacks and as camouflage for their strongholds, and to the guidance of an ancient vermilion dragon named Pyre.
Appearance: Though they resemble orcs from other parts of the world, orcs of the Dark Jungle have very different modes of dress and decoration. They cover their bodies with the sap of certain plants to turn their skins green or brown and their shamans often draw lines or paint stripes on warriors' bodies to imitate the foliage in which they hide. These dyes leave stains on the skin for several weeks even under rainy conditions. Sometimes the orcs add leaves or mosses to their camouflage. When engaged in warfare, many paint death's heads on their faces. Besides their tusks, many also file their teeth to sharp points.
When not raiding, they frequently adorn themselves with brilliantly coloured feathers and clinking jewellery fashioned from shells, river rocks, and stained wooden beads. Among female orcs, scarification of the arms is common, as is tattooing of the chin and brow ridge. Males who have achieved a certain number of kills or who have achieved status in some other way tattoo their entire faces.
Many of those who raid the seas adorn themselves in captured finery and outland weaponry. In general, however, blistering hot temperatures and constant moisture take their toll on fine materials, rendering them useless after even a few days of wearing them in the jungle. Many orcs clothe themselves in woven grass and reeds for everyday wear.
Personality: The orcs respect strength and disdain weakness. Life in the jungle requires toughness and resiliency. Those who cannot survive on their own are preyed upon, abandoned, or killed. Even their kings change frequently, as younger, stronger orcs challenge their elders for the right to rule. It is unusual for a king to rule for more than 12 years.
The orcs know very well that they would not be tolerated elsewhere along the Savage Coast and have no chance of ever living peacefully with their neighbours. What might seem like aggressive, ruthless behaviour is mere practicality to the orcs. The jungle provides them with plenty of food but little in the way of luxuries-for those they must raid. That this is also Pyre's bidding is only greater incentive.
Because cooperation within the tribe is essential to their survival, whether hunting, gathering food, or raiding, they are mostly of lawful alignment. Their cruel actions and disdain for sentient life, however, mark most orcs as evil. Some, though, hold to a personal code of honour and almost all can be reasonable if offered something beneficial.
Lifestyle: Several factors determine the lifestyle of the orcs of the Dark Jungle. Most notably, they live in a rainforest. Heat and humidity are extremely high, making heavy armour or clothing a burden rather than a blessing. What sunlight penetrates the upper and lower canopies of the forest is filtered and green; many areas remain dark even at the brightest part of the day.
Perhaps the dark, oppressive atmosphere lends itself to superstition and dread but the orcs believe that the spirits of the dead remain in the trees of their jungle. For the orcs, however, evidence that their beliefs are real is not difficult to come by. Indeed, it is not rare for ebon statues of warriors or influential tribal members thought lost in the jungle to be discovered on some remote trail. The shamans say that the forest spirits have captured their souls.
The orcs build great wooden forts, especially near the entrances to their ancestral caverns. They cut down trees in some areas, haul the trunks to the top of forested hills, and build the structures among the growing trees. These fortifications are very difficult to spot until one is quite close to them. Shamans often direct the builders to carve on the forts' logs the screaming, demented faces of tribal ancestors known to have been taken away by the forest spirits. There are often hundreds of faces for each tribe, some dating back several centuries. Shamans also take the ebon statues found in the jungle and incorporate them into the walls of the forts and temples. This is part of the orcs' ancestral lore.
About half of the Dark Jungle population lives in caverns. These caverns connect to the ancient caves of the Sohktars and to those of the Herathians. The connecting caverns are fortified and heavily guarded by the orcs and the forces at the tunnels' other ends. Because invading one another's territories through these tunnels is virtual suicide due to the heavy guard each race posts, there is very little raiding back and forth through what would seem to be the perfect conduit for waging warfare.
Their success in ambushing Nimmurian and Herathian caravans stems from their ability to conceal themselves cunningly within the foliage along the caravan trail. Dark Jungle orcs have the ability to hide in the forest as a thief can hide in shadows (30% chance either individually or in groups). If the orcs have enough time to set up an ambush, if they use all camouflage usually available to them, and if they remain perfectly motionless, their chances go up to 60%.
Nuts, fruits, roots, and tubers are easily gathered by the non-warriors of the tribe, and dozens of animal species make for fine hunting. Several varieties of fish, frogs, and turtles live in the streams, minor rivers, pools, and small lakes found throughout the jungle. Some tribes even feed on the large insects that infest the lower canopy. Much of the tribes' time is spent gathering and hunting the bountiful food the forest provides. When they are not engaged in food-gathering activities, the orcs make weapons, hold mock fights, dance, plan raids, and prey upon caravans and ships.
All of the major tribes are independent of and to some extent competitive with one another. Dozens of subtribes owe fealty to the kings of one or more of the larger ones. Despite the jungle's abundance, resources within the tribal areas cannot keep up with the demands of burgeoning populations. This results in some fierce competition among neighbouring tribes for resources or potential booty. Major efforts from Herath and Nimmur to reduce the orcs' power have prompted tribal kings to ally against outside threats, however.
Because of the constant need for warriors most of the orcs are able to fight well. Though females are generally accorded little respect among their society, some few do rise to the rank of warrior or shaman and most can fight when necessary. Though there is intertribal raiding and minor warfare, major altercations are deterred by the cloud of Pyre's wrath. The dragon looks unfavourably upon those chiefs who engage in large scale, intertribal warfare; both chiefs involved in such are usually executed for their foolishness.
Most of the tribes are sea raiders, sailing out to attack coastal shipping in giant outrigger canoes utilising both sails and paddles.
The tribes living along the shores of the peninsula have acquired a cunning knowledge of the sea and maritime weather. Their shamans have been granted the magical ability to predict weather. Within the past decade, the substantial increase of merchant traffic between the Texeiran Colony of the Horn, Nimmur, and Slagovich has greatly encouraged the orcs to practice piracy-so far with great success.
Their giant outriggers can hold up to 120 warriors, each of whom paddles when necessary. Fully manned, such war canoes can easily reach twice the speed of a large sailing ship for a short time. The orcs' knowledge of tactics and wind conditions allows them to capture ships easily. Once seen from the shore, the passing ship is hounded by swift-moving orc outriggers taking positions both fore and aft of the ship to block escape manoeuvres. Once in place the war canoes come close enough to fire the powerful ballista-mounted harpoons that stick in the ship's hull and rigging. The orcs then tug on the lines attached to the harpoons, pulling themselves closer to the ship. Under scores of arrows fired from the canoes, the target ship's sailors cannot effectively sever the harpoon lines. Eventually, all the canoes come close enough to mount a boarding action. Those on board usually do not survive, though occasionally some are taken as captives for torture or for slaves to give to Pyre. The orcs then quickly plunder the cargo, scuttle the ship, and return to the safety of their jungle lagoons.
The only defence against their raids is either to set out with several well-armed ships or to stay out of sight of the coast. The orcs' ambushes at sea can be as swift as they are unexpected. They operate both in broad daylight and in the middle of the night, homing in on the lanterns of unwary vessels.
The final determining factor in the orcs' lifestyle is their overlord. Pyre has subjected all the orc tribes to his power. Every moon, tribal kings pay tribute to Pyre, in slaves, food, and treasure. In addition, when Pyre desires it, the tribes unite and conduct massive invasions against their northern foes. Pyre plans many of these successful raids as well as helping the orcs defend themselves from those who would steal their land. Their apparent unity and success, therefore, owe a great deal to the dragon's planning. Without Pyre, they might return to their old feuds and defeat themselves, laying the Dark Jungle open to exploitation by Nimmur or Herath.
Language: The orcs of the Dark Jungle speak Yazug, one of three related goblinoid languages. About half the words in this language can be understood by someone who speaks Yazaka, the language used by the goblins of the Yazak Steppes. Many orcs know snippets of Herathi and Nimmurian, learned from captives. An orc who can speak Common is extremely rare.
Equipment: All orcs, including children, carry weapons. Warriors wear no armour, but carry shields made of wood and covered with the skins of giant forest rodents. They fight with short bows, spears, and stone axes. All warriors make their own weapons. Though many carry snares, most do not bother bringing food or water with them on journeys, knowing that these are plentiful in the jungle. All of them carry some sort of pouch that holds their personal effects-camouflage paint, a lucky rock, an extra spear head, some waxy leaves to keep their swords from rusting, or whatever else strikes their fancy.
The Tribes of the Dark Jungle
Except for the Green Slayers, all Dark Jungle orcs know how to manoeuvre their giant outrigger canoes in high wind conditions and worse, using both sails and paddles. Their shamans also know how to cast predict weather as if they were 1st-level druids.
Orc fighting units break down into hordes of about 1,000 orcs, then into war-bands of approximately 100. Up to 75% of a tribe's adult population, including females, can muster during a war.
Tribe of the Black Orchid (Northwest)
Main tribal camp: F'faug (Pop.: 1,500 orcs, 310 troglodytes)
Subject Tribes: 4
Hordes: 7 (30 war canoes on the coast and along the last 80 miles of the Ganlil River)
Ruler: King Qreebak, The Dreamer
Symbol: Black orchid on a crimson field
Patron: Ait-tha (also known as Talitha).
The Black Orchid shamans are reputed to be the most skilful among all the tribes in herbal knowledge. They concoct the black paste in which their warriors rub their arrows. The paste, made from a black orchid found in this region of the Dark Jungle, causes fever within an hour to those wounded by it (save vs. poison allowed). The fever lasts for 1d6+4 days, during which the victim is amnesiac and prone to follow any order whispered into his ear. The Black Orchid tribe favours the Sea Plague tribe, but dislikes the Green Slayers, who have allowed their dreaded green slime to infest the shores of the Ganlil River.
Tribe of the Silent Death (Northeast)
Main tribal camp: Ol-omöi (Pop.: 4,100 orcs, 570 lizardmen)
Subject tribes: 10
Hordes: 20 (45 war canoes, half of which prowl the Forbidden River)
Ruler: King Bratagh, The Impervious
Symbol: Mouthless yellow skull on a black field
Patron: Karaash.
The most powerful tribe of the Dark Jungle, it is also the one with the biggest problem: a long border with Herath. The Silent Deaths are notorious for sailing up the Widow River in war canoes and slipping deep into Herath. They hide during the day and travel at night, pillaging every village and caravan camp they find. The orcs of this tribe have developed the ability to move silently (40% chance on foot or in their war canoes; roll for every 120 orcs or single canoe involved).
Silent Deaths view themselves as the exemplars of orcish kind and demand that all other tribes bow to their authority and to the patronage of their great orcish Immortal, Karaash. The Silent Deaths dislike the Green Slayers and the Storm Bringers, who have resisted the Silent Deaths' attempts to make them subject tribes. The Silent Deaths, however, occasionally join major sea raids initiated by the Storm Bringers, to loot and to demonstrate Karaash's powers.
Tribe of the Green Slayers (North-central)
Main tribal camp: Argak (Pop.: 2,200 orcs, 230 swamp trolls)
Subject tribes: 6
Hordes: 10 (9 war canoes, mostly in the swampy maze around Argak)
Ruler: King Haitar Wood-Crawler
Symbol: White eyeless face on a dull green field
Patron: Na'al (Nyx)
These orcs have learned to capture and raise green slime in large stone vats. Before a battle, they fasten clay jars containing green slime (three 2HD slimes per jar) on ballista-fired javelins. They can fire the javelins up to half the normal ballista range. On impact, the slimes are released and randomly scattered. Slimes are only used once during an ambush (the first round of javelins). The ballistae are usually installed at an ambush site and camouflaged under fresh foliage or mounted on war canoes. Green Slayer shamans know how to prepare the slime-repellent paint that protects flesh from the green slime's corrosion.
The Green Slayers are the only orcs who know how to get around the dark bayous of the swamps surrounding their main tribal camp. The other tribes avoid this area for fear of the deadly green slime ambushes set by the Green Slayers. This tribe favours the Sea Plague tribe, but dislikes the Black Orchids for attempting to steal the secret of their protective paint. They fear the power of the Silent Deaths, their ancestral rivals. They owe their freedom from the Silent Death's overlordship mostly to their knowledge of green slimes and the aid of their swamp troll allies.
Tribe of the Sea Plague (Southwest)
Main tribal camp: Zrag (Pop.: 1,800 orcs, 250 snappers)
Subject tribes: 5
Hordes: 8 (53 war canoes scattered on the coastline)
Ruler: King Ukul, Harpoon Hand
Symbol: Red harpoon on a dull blue field
Patron: Oruguz (also known as Orcus)
Ukul is a despicable monster with a powerful personality who replaced his severed hand with a harpoon head.
Once per moon, Sea Plague shamans can cast a cloudkill spell as if cast by a 9th-level wizard. For this, at least 12 shamans must howl and dance for an hour. Shamans can perform the ceremony at sea if all are aboard the same canoe. The spell can neither be cast in the jungle nor at sea in high winds or worse conditions. When the spell is cast, greenish bubbles burst at the surface of the sea, releasing the cloudkill's deadly vapours. Upon reaching a ship, the vapours sweep the outside decks, then sink into the ship's lower levels. The spell can be used against only one ship.
The Sea Plague tribe favours both the Black Orchids and the Green Slayers, during whose disputes they often act as mediators. They hate their ancestral rival to the east, the Storm Bringers, who can call upon high winds to dispel their cloudkill spells.
Tribe of the Storm Bringers (Southeast)
Main tribal camp: Ugmar (Pop.: 2,800 orcs, 290 ogres)
Subject tribes: 6
Hordes: 11 (73 war canoes, of which 53 are scattered on the coastline and 20 control Red Lake, where their main camp is located, and the downstream segment of the Forbidden River)
Ruler: King Orogi the Half-Ogre
Symbol: Black foot on a brick-red field
Patron: Crakkak of the Sharp Tooth
Shamans of Crakkak have the ability to cast a weather control spell for the exclusive purpose of summoning or dispelling high winds at sea. They can do so once per moon; this requires at least 12 shamans howling and dancing for an hour. The shamans can perform the ceremony at sea if all are aboard the same canoe. They use the spell to break up large enemy fleets, flee a battle, or disperse cloudlike spells.
The Storm Bringers occasionally accept war canoes from the Silent Death tribe during major sea raids against the eastern kingdoms of the Savage Coast, mostly to bolster their overall strength. Storm Bringer shamans arrange for Silent Death war canoes to be in the first lines of combat. They also hate the Sea Plagues, with whom they've had numerous clashes at sea when trying to intercept the same merchant ships.
Giant War Canoes
These are huge outrigger canoes comparable to Viking longships, which the Dark Jungle orcs use to wage naval warfare and conduct river raids. Each canoe requires 100-120 orcs with paddles for maximum speed, but otherwise use normal sails for long-distance navigation. Each comes with a ballista capable of shooting a solid harpoon attached to a rope. Tents can be pulled over the rowers to protect them from the sun.
Cost: 4,000gp; crew: 100-120 orcs; capacity: 30,000; move (miles/day): 18/90; move (feet/round): 90/150; maximum speed: 240 for one turn; hull points: 40-60; AC 8.
After a full turn at maximum speed, the orcs are exhausted and must stop. If attacked then, the orcs fight at -3 to attack and damage (1 hp damage minimum) for the rest of the encounter.
The Overking
The overking of the orcs is Pyre, a huge, ancient vermilion dragon. Exclusive to the Savage Coast, and possibly unique, vermilion dragons are red chromatic dragons that have been affected by the Red Curse and ingested cinnabryl. Rather than gain only one Legacy, these dragons gain several and hold off the side effects through the cinnabryl they've eaten. They even have the advantage over others in that the acquired Legacies cost them nothing in terms of their abilities. They lose no Strength, Intelligence, or other assets when a new Legacy is gained. Furthermore, even after leaving the area affected by the Red Curse, the magical nature of the dragon combines with the cinnabryl to make the change permanent. They breed true once changed.
Though they still require cinnabryl occasionally, the dragons can live outside the affected area and maintain their powers. They even live longer than normal dragons. The main penalty for them seems to be a tendency to sleep for longer periods of time in between awakenings and to sleep more deeply when at rest.
Pyre was once a normal red dragon with the ability to cast spells. Originally from Robrenn, Pyre gorged himself on cinnabryl when affected by the Red Curse and contaminated himself with the substance in order to gain powers like an Inheritor but without incurring any bad side effects. Because he still has need of cinnabryl, Pyre frequently demands that his orcs raid caravans and ships carrying cargo including the metal or goods that can be easily traded for it.
He has acquired the following Legacies: Anti-Missile, Displace, Duplicate, Feel Magic, Phase, Regeneration, Repel Metal, and Spell Shield.
Pyre has access to a great number of magical abilities as well. Due to his venerable age, he is able to use the following three times a day: affect normal fires and pyrotechnics. Once a day he can use heat metal, suggestion, and hypnotism. Rather than being able to detect gemstones three times a day as a normal red dragon can do, Pyre is able to detect cinnabryl when within 100 feet of it three times a week.
Besides these advantages, Pyre has a magical artifact that gives him enormous power. This item is known as the ebon eye.
An ancient king of Robrenn once went on a quest to destroy Pyre. He died in his quest but not before wounding the dragon and causing him to lose an eye. Pyre fled, but before leaving Robrenn he stole a sacred object from the druids, an eye made of ebony. This eye was a key item in the Robrenn mythology.
Pyre placed the item into his empty eye socket as he left. The eye bestows upon its user the ability to turn foes into ebony statues. The druids had used it for centuries to punish criminals and heretics. It is said that a victim's soul remains in the statue until it is destroyed or until the statue is returned to flesh.
The missing ebon eye has become the object of many quests since it was stolen. The Military Order of the Ebon Eye was established by the druids with the sole purpose of recovering the sacred object. Many of the order's young knights have sworn to find the ebon eye and have left on lifelong quests. So far, none of these popular heroes have returned. It is a great honour among Robrenn warriors to become such a knight, or even to have such a knight in the family.
Pyre uses the eye's magic to help control the orc tribes at his command. The orcs believe it is a forest spirit that turns unfortunates into ebony statues. Actually, Pyre uses this ability to punish those who displease him. Anyone gazing at the dragon can be changed into an ebony statue if Pyre so wills it (a save vs. petrification is allowed). Removing the ebon eye (manually or with a wish spell) from his head would cause Pyre to suffer 3d6 points of damage (no save).
In addition to all his other advantages, Pyre owns a great many magical items. Among them is an ankle bracelet of shapechanging and a crystal ball with clairaudience. He uses this to check up on the various tribes and to watch events transpiring in the north. The crystal is not actually shaped like a ball but more like a four-pointed, flat star. Though mostly clear, the crystal has strange hieroglyphics etched into its surface. They form an incomprehensible pattern.
This is the viewing crystal needed to fully utilise the star device in Nimmur. Pyre has no idea of its true value, utilising it to further his schemes without examining it too closely. If he did care to study the device more fully, he might be able to discern that the etchings are actually written Nimmurian and refer to focusing the device in tandem with a key.
Pyre's lair is reputedly found underground at a secret location that has hidden accesses to all of the orcs' caverns. Rumours say that he keeps hundreds of slaves there mining for gold (or diamonds, reports differ). None of the tribes knows exactly where Pyre's lair is. They know that it lies in a mist-covered valley somewhere within the Dark Jungle but none have ever travelled there and returned to tell the tale. Pyre meets with them at prearranged places. When they have need of the dragon, the tribes beat upon huge drums made from the shells of hollowed-out trees. If this awakens the dragon and if he chooses to respond, the tribe that called him had better have a very good reason for the summons or be willing to part with a large percentage of their members to assuage his anger.
If not sleeping or spying on his underlings, Pyre is likely to be secretly travelling the northern nations utilising a hat of disguise. He usually assumes human shape and travels the lands outside the Dark Jungle to spy out secret places in Herath, Nimmur, and Robrenn. He steals precious magical items and kills rulers and key military leaders.
With all his abilities, this is one of the most powerful dragons on the world of Mystara. He is also very intelligent. His long life can be attributed to genius as well as power and luck, and he should not be underestimated.
History
Long ago, the tribes of the Dark Jungle were small and scattered. Orc tribes lived throughout the Savage Coast, as evidenced by the similarity of their language to the goblins of the Yazak Steppes. As the land was claimed by humans and near-humans, the orcs were driven farther west and south. Those who adapted to the Dark Jungle survived. They were assisted by the orcs already living there.
These "natives" held knowledge the newcomers needed to survive and were thus able to subjugate the new arrivals. The native tribes became the five main tribes of the peninsula. Many newcomers, especially proven warriors, were allowed to join one of the native tribes. Others had to form their own smaller tribes and bow to the authority of the larger ones.
All were ruled by an overking, the great vermilion dragon Pyre. Through his cunning and leadership, he taught the orcs to ally with one another and use their numbers and abilities to hide within the jungle in making raids against their neighbours to the north.
One such war was waged against the Nimmurians, the enduks who were aided by the newly-arrived manscorpions. The orcs were beaten back into the jungle in that engagement but not eradicated. Another great raid was known as the Great Sea Terror. Thousands of orcs in their giant outriggers terrorised the Savage Coast, raiding and moving on too quickly to be contained. They raided as far as the Gulf of Hule before their booty got so heavy their boats became easy prey themselves. Of the thousands of orcs who dared that venture only a thousand or so survived and returned with loot. From that raid, the rest of the Savage Coast became quite aware that savage orc tribes inhabited the peninsula to the west.
Flora and Fauna
The Dark Jungle is a teeming cauldron of life filled with hundreds of kinds of trees, insects, birds, and animals. It is always hot, humid, and rainy. During the dry parts of the year, the two great rivers that snake through the area remain mostly within their embankments. During the rainy season (the winter months), it rains daily, sending the river waters flooding across the flat portions of the jungle and covering some areas up to 16 to 20 feet deep for miles on either side. Trees, vegetation, and animal life have all adapted to this yearly inundation.
The rivers provide homes for dozens of varieties of fish, including piranhas and hatchet fish. The latter are the only true flying fish, as they flap their fins and rise out of the water in pursuit of flying insects. Lizards, frogs, and turtles live along the river, as does the dreaded giant black caiman, an aggressive crocodile over 18 feet long. Wading birds like the scarlet ibis share the river with gentle manatees.
Hundreds of types of birds-most boasting bright plumage that the natives use to decorate themselves-and small creatures such as beetles, bees, and butterflies make their homes on the bark or in the leaves of the great trees. Capybaras (large pig-like animals) and anteaters move along the game trails, spotted cats laze upon the branches of the lower canopy, and bluewing butterflies flit in the few beams of bright sunlight that filter down through the overhead canopy. Army ants forge their ways through the detritus on the ground in columns that are miles long and hundreds of feet across.
The trees themselves are giants, towering as much as 100 feet before spreading out in branches and leaves to form the lower canopy. At this level, the branches stretch out toward one another to provide a solid, nearly unbroken trail along which many of the jungle's animals travel. Shallow-rooted, the trees form large buttresses of their roots to anchor themselves in the soil. Twined around and hanging from most of the trees are lianas, thick, strong vines that help the trees anchor themselves together near their crowns. Travellers should beware of the lianas, however, for many are actually large jungle snakes such as the anaconda.
It is impossible to travel far in the jungle without having to cross streams or pools of water. Many of these backwater pools are filled with giant water lilies. Piranhas tend to congregate in these areas. Clouds of fog and mist hover above and among the trees. The rainfall, absorption by the leaves, and hot sunshine conspire to create a damp haze over great portions of the forest.
The central area of the jungle is a cloud forest. The area is a combination of jungle and deciduous vegetation atop hills. The higher elevation means that the air is slightly cooler, with the resulting ever-present fog. In the midst of that area lies a lower elevation along the path of the Forbidden River. This region lies below sea level and stretches to either side of the river in a bog or marsh. Cattails, reeds, and other marsh plants grow in abundance, as do mosquitos and other insects. Mangroves raise their roots above the water, providing homes for poisonous spiders and snakes. Turtles, crabs, and fish live in the bayou waters, while cicadas and warblers sing without pause from the grasses along the banks. This area is also home to the green slime raised by the Green Slayer tribe.
The Dark Jungle Pantheon
Ait-tha (Talitha): This Immortal stands as the patron of thieves and victory by deception. Her shamans are the ones who ordered the Green Slayer's slime-repellent paint to be stolen. They capture isolated Nimmurians or their slaves. Using the amnesia induced by the black orchid, Ait-tha's shamans plant secret orders in their captives' minds to steal some precious object from their Nimmurian masters or to set Nimmurian rulers against each other. (Pyre provides the information on the objects to be stolen). Orcish shamans of Ait-tha can also pick pockets as 1st-level thieves.
Crakkak of the Sharp Tooth: Storm Bringer orcs adopted Crakkak as their chief Immortal after witnessing numerous ravenous sharks attacking helpless human sailors from a group of sinking ships. So impressed were the orcs with the sharks' feeding frenzy that they began honouring the "great shark spirit." This caught the attention of Crakkak, who created a new following of Shamans by sending dreams and visions. He rewarded his followers with the tribal ability to affect high winds at sea and with a new protection spell. Orc shamans of Crakkak can cast this unique protection from sharks 30' radius spell in addition to their normal complement of spells. There is a 10% chance of sharks being present at any naval battle near the Orc's Head Peninsula (1d4 sharks per ship or war canoe in the battle). This is a sign of luck for the Storm Bringers, who then receive a +1 bonus to their Morale. Those orcs eaten by sharks anyway are believed to have been called to serve Crakkak.
Karaash (Ilneval): Karaash is the patron of orc warfare. He also defends the traditional values of the orcs and backs their struggles against not only Herath and Nimmur, but also against Pyre. The antidraconic sentiment remains well hidden, but Shamans of Karaash might secretly back a serious attempt at destroying Pyre if they were convinced of its success. They know of the Order of the Ebon Eye and its purpose. They don't believe these knights have a chance against Pyre but they do not interfere with the knights' efforts.
Karaash is honoured to various degrees in most tribes of the Dark Jungle. His following is strongest among Silent Deaths. If there could be such a thing as "orc-paladins," devout followers of Karaash are it. They constantly seek to demonstrate the greatness of Karaash's precepts and the value of orcish supremacy. Karaashite zealots gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls when fighting unbelievers. These Shamans can also use crossbows.
Na'al (Nyx): As the patroness of darkness, Na'al is often honoured among orcs of the caverns. The foggy region of the swamps around Argak is dark and dismal enough to remain a haven for her followers. The Green Slayers' attempts to raise green slime as pets and teach them tricks caught Na'al's attention. This unique and totally hopeless endeavour to raise the level of consciousness of green slime received her utmost sympathy. As a reward for the Green Slayers' work in this field, she granted their Shamans the knowledge of various slime-repellent recipes. Orc shamans of Na'al can also cast a darkness spell once a day in addition to their normal complement of spells.
Oruguz (Orcus): The orcs of the Sea Plague tribe started out as pig-herders centuries ago. The tribal kings of the Sea Plagues were then (and still are) evil devil swine. This secret community of lycanthropes manages to keep the tribal throne thanks to their charm ability.
They are responsible for the tribe's worship of Oruguz. Oruguz grants his followers the cloudkill spell, making them more powerful sea-raiders. This earned them the enmity of the Storm Bringers, who became direct rivals. Orc Shamans of Oruguz also receive a bonus of -2 to their Armour Class when fighting demihumans (dwarves, elves, and halflings).