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How do YOU flesh out a chaotic society?
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<blockquote data-quote="Steampunkette" data-source="post: 8313402" data-attributes="member: 6796468"><p>So... how about this one:</p><p></p><p>A Society of abject Self-Reliance. Where everyone is incredibly, fiercely, independent, and only works with others because it -has- to be done, not because they wish to work with others.</p><p></p><p>It's how I do the Orcs of the Ashen Lands.</p><p></p><p>There, an orc who is 6 years old is old enough to walk, to talk, to learn. So they're immediately apprenticed in a trade. They're taught the trade until they're old enough and capable enough to do it on their own, and the whole time from 1 to 6, and then 6 to 16, they're also learning how to do EVERYTHING ELSE for themselves. How to cut and shape wood into simple forms (Like those needed to build your own small home), how to kiln pottery, how to make simple tools for themself, things of that nature.</p><p></p><p>When they hit 18, they're married. Marriage exists exclusively for children. If you're in love with someone, marry them. If not. Marry whoever else turned 18 recently. Bang it out and have a kid. For the duration of the pregnancy both parents live in the same home, each helping the other to do the chores, gather food, and generally survive. Once the child is born, they do more of that -with- the child, until the child is 6.</p><p></p><p>Then the Marriage ends, the child goes to a trade, and that's it for the family life.</p><p></p><p>Loving couples, of course, often choose to remain together. And often wind up having more children, getting married, again, each time one of them becomes pregnant.</p><p></p><p>But you can also just go about your life, alone. The only time marriages happen is when someone gets preggies and the baby needs caring for.</p><p></p><p>This is because babies and children in general CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES. They can't support themselves. They're helpless. And thus Orcs take care of children. And if an orc finds a child under 6 years old alone in the wilderness they're going to watch out for that child until the parents return... and if they don't return. Well.</p><p></p><p>Now the orc has a child. Many humans consider this "Kidnapping" and "Wrong", but to an orc it's just good solid community effort to ensure children are -properly- raised and sheltered until they can take care of themselves. The Orc will get married to someone else who doesn't have a child and they'll work together to support this one 'til it's old enough, regardless of the race of the child.</p><p></p><p>This also breeds a strong sense of Self-Reliance in Orc-Kind. Socially it is almost -unthinkable- to offer help to an Orc 'cause you're basically saying "Oh, look, you're a tiny baby who can't move a log out of the road by yourself. Do you want help little baby baboo gootchie gootchie goooo?" which really angers them. And it's even WORSE if you don't -bother- to ask and just freaking HELP them.</p><p></p><p>This has lead to many conflicts between Orcs and Humans, as humans are often eager to help strangers in simple ways.</p><p></p><p>Now this isn't to say that Orcs don't love their families. They just generally don't -live- together. They visit, they game, they laugh and talk and eat. But everyone buys their own meal and their own drinks instead of sharing or letting the "Head" of the family pay for everyone else. </p><p></p><p>Though, of course, when those who can't pay, and can't hunt, or can't do for themselves (The disabled, the elderly, the infirm) the community pitches in tiny bits from each member to take care of those who can't take care of themselves. Such things are considered Gifts with no expectation of repayment, and Gifts are the only way to give something to an Orc without incurring their wrath. Gifts are emotional offerings, not practical ones, within Orcish society. </p><p></p><p>Never. EVER. Give an Orc money as a gift. Pay them in gold, but give? No. Gift an Axe. A beautiful sweater. A lovely pair of gloves. A painting or a book. But never money.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Steampunkette, post: 8313402, member: 6796468"] So... how about this one: A Society of abject Self-Reliance. Where everyone is incredibly, fiercely, independent, and only works with others because it -has- to be done, not because they wish to work with others. It's how I do the Orcs of the Ashen Lands. There, an orc who is 6 years old is old enough to walk, to talk, to learn. So they're immediately apprenticed in a trade. They're taught the trade until they're old enough and capable enough to do it on their own, and the whole time from 1 to 6, and then 6 to 16, they're also learning how to do EVERYTHING ELSE for themselves. How to cut and shape wood into simple forms (Like those needed to build your own small home), how to kiln pottery, how to make simple tools for themself, things of that nature. When they hit 18, they're married. Marriage exists exclusively for children. If you're in love with someone, marry them. If not. Marry whoever else turned 18 recently. Bang it out and have a kid. For the duration of the pregnancy both parents live in the same home, each helping the other to do the chores, gather food, and generally survive. Once the child is born, they do more of that -with- the child, until the child is 6. Then the Marriage ends, the child goes to a trade, and that's it for the family life. Loving couples, of course, often choose to remain together. And often wind up having more children, getting married, again, each time one of them becomes pregnant. But you can also just go about your life, alone. The only time marriages happen is when someone gets preggies and the baby needs caring for. This is because babies and children in general CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES. They can't support themselves. They're helpless. And thus Orcs take care of children. And if an orc finds a child under 6 years old alone in the wilderness they're going to watch out for that child until the parents return... and if they don't return. Well. Now the orc has a child. Many humans consider this "Kidnapping" and "Wrong", but to an orc it's just good solid community effort to ensure children are -properly- raised and sheltered until they can take care of themselves. The Orc will get married to someone else who doesn't have a child and they'll work together to support this one 'til it's old enough, regardless of the race of the child. This also breeds a strong sense of Self-Reliance in Orc-Kind. Socially it is almost -unthinkable- to offer help to an Orc 'cause you're basically saying "Oh, look, you're a tiny baby who can't move a log out of the road by yourself. Do you want help little baby baboo gootchie gootchie goooo?" which really angers them. And it's even WORSE if you don't -bother- to ask and just freaking HELP them. This has lead to many conflicts between Orcs and Humans, as humans are often eager to help strangers in simple ways. Now this isn't to say that Orcs don't love their families. They just generally don't -live- together. They visit, they game, they laugh and talk and eat. But everyone buys their own meal and their own drinks instead of sharing or letting the "Head" of the family pay for everyone else. Though, of course, when those who can't pay, and can't hunt, or can't do for themselves (The disabled, the elderly, the infirm) the community pitches in tiny bits from each member to take care of those who can't take care of themselves. Such things are considered Gifts with no expectation of repayment, and Gifts are the only way to give something to an Orc without incurring their wrath. Gifts are emotional offerings, not practical ones, within Orcish society. Never. EVER. Give an Orc money as a gift. Pay them in gold, but give? No. Gift an Axe. A beautiful sweater. A lovely pair of gloves. A painting or a book. But never money. [/QUOTE]
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