The Northern Ice Cap

The North Polar Icecap Region of Otara, The Domain of the Islidruk is a cold, desolate wasteland of snow, glaciers, and frozen seas, where few dare to tread. The icy wilderness is not only inhospitable but also home to one of the most terrifying and ancient threats known to the world, the Islidruk, or Iceborn Orcs. These brutal, necromantic raiders haunt the northern waters and strike fear into all who sail these treacherous seas.

Geography

The Northern Polar Icecap Region of Otara is a vast expanse of frozen wasteland, where towering glaciers, icebergs, and massive snowdrifts dominate the landscape. The region’s terrain is largely uninhabitable, except for the Islidruk, who have adapted to these harsh conditions. The Great Ice Shelf forms the northern boundary, and jagged mountains such as the Frostspine Peaks rise from the snow-covered ground. Ice floes drift across the seas, making travel treacherous. The frozen tundra stretches endlessly, with no natural shelter except the ice caves and crevices that dot the land. Vegetation is almost nonexistent due to the harsh, frozen conditions. Sparse patches of lichens, mosses, and hardy grasses cling to the edges of the glaciers and icefields, but these are few and far between. The region is home to a few monstrous creatures, including massive Ice Bears, Snow Wolves, and Dire Mammoths.

The seas around the Icecap are a deadly mix of unpredictable currents, violent storms, and icebergs that can tear apart ships. The waters are home to giant sea serpents, whales, and other monstrous creatures, which are hunted by the Islidruk for food, materials, and necromantic rituals. There are few large predators beyond the Islidruk themselves, but the vast, frozen seas harbor deep, unseen threats that even the bravest sailors avoid.

Culture and Society

The Islidruk society, though seemingly chaotic and primal, has a rigid structure governed by brutality and necromantic rituals. They have an almost tribal way of life, with their governance, culture, and daily practices revolving around death and survival.

The Islidruk, or Iceborn Orcs, are the terrifying and legendary inhabitants of the Polar Icecap. These necromantic, cannibalistic pirates and raiders have ruled the northern waters for centuries, using their dark powers and brutal instincts to terrorize all who venture too close to their icy domain.

• Necromantic Raids: The Islidruk are most famous for their terrifying Necroilus ships, grotesque war vessels crafted from the bodies of sea serpents, humanoids, and monsters. These vessels, powered by necromantic magic, are used to raid and destroy any settlements they come across. The ships are hollowed-out serpent bodies reanimated with dark magic, capable of swimming through the ice-cold waters with terrifying agility.
• Ghost Ships: After a raid, the Islidruk leave behind ghost ships—empty, blood-soaked vessels that drift aimlessly in the northern waters, terrifying anyone who encounters them. These ships are devoid of all life, the crew and passengers taken as slaves or consumed. It is said that these ghost ships are cursed, and no one dares to board them.
• Raids and Slavery: When the Islidruk come ashore, they are only interested in capturing living beings for food or slave labor. They show no interest in wealth, gold, or trade. The Islidruk's desire for human, elven, or even orc captives drives them to brutal raids on coastal villages. They consume the captives or use them as slaves, forcing them to work aboard their Necroilus ships or in the frozen tundra.
• Horrific Tactics: Once a coastal settlement or ship has been raided, the Islidruk leave the area eerily untouched but for the blood and bodies of the slain. This serves to create an atmosphere of mystery and terror, making the locals fearful of the Islidruk's next move. Occasionally, they will raze a settlement, burn it to the ground, or massacre every living soul they find, but often their raids are designed to sow terror without leaving behind obvious evidence of their passing.
• Social Structure: The Islidruk are led by a captain or chieftain, who commands absolute loyalty. Any defiance results in death. The captains are brutal and feared, their words never questioned. The society is organized around a brutal form of necromantic and militaristic order, with warriors and witches obeying the will of their leaders and constantly seeking to expand their reign of terror.

Necroilus Ships

The Necroilus ships are the hallmark of Islidruk society, constructed from the bodies of sea serpents, whales, and humanoids. These vessels are hollowed out and reanimated using necromantic magic, giving them a twisted, horrifying life of their own. They are used both as warships and as floating cities, serving as the Islidruk's homes on the frozen seas.

• Sea Serpent Warships: The head and body of a dead sea serpent are reanimated and used to propel the ship through the waters. The serpent’s long, muscular tail and fins allow it to strike at enemy vessels with terrifying force, while the Islidruk aboard control the creature using dark necromantic magic. The necromantic energy flowing through these ships makes them capable of withstanding even the harshest of conditions and renders them nearly indestructible by normal means.
• Bone and Flesh Construction: The ships are adorned with bones, preserved flesh, and skins of the Islidruk’s enemies. The materials used to build these ships are repurposed from the bodies of their victims, including humanoids, sea serpents, and monsters. Necromantic magic is used to mend and strengthen the ships, giving them unnatural durability and terrifying resilience.

Islidruk Lifestyle and Technology

• Necromancy and Cannibalism: At the core of Islidruk society is their belief in the sanctity of death. Necromancy is not just a form of magic but a way of life. They view death as a resource to be exploited, using the bones, flesh, and organs of the deceased to craft weapons, clothing, and tools. They also engage in cannibalism, eating the flesh of their enemies, believing that consuming them is an act of strength and survival.
• Clothing and Tools: The Islidruk wear clothing made from the hides and skins of their enemies. Bone needles and sinew threads are used to stitch together garments, while weapons are fashioned from bones, teeth, and claws. Metal is a rare and highly prized resource for the Islidruk, and metal objects are used as symbols of status.
• Dark Magic: Female Islidruk, often referred to as witches, wield dark necromantic magic to enhance their tribe’s power. They use these spells to animate their ships, control the spirits of the dead, and imbue their warriors with supernatural strength. These witches are feared even more than the male warriors, as they have no qualms about sacrificing their own kin or making pacts with dark gods for power.

Social Structure

The Islidruk follow a hierarchical structure led by the captain of the tribe or ship. This hierarchy is rigid, and obedience is demanded. The captain’s word is law, and any failure to follow orders results in swift punishment, often death. Beneath the captain are the warriors (both male and female), who are responsible for raids, protection, and hunting.

• Captain/Chief: The supreme leader, often a male, who commands the entire tribe or ship. The captain is chosen based on strength, cunning, and the ability to command loyalty.
• Witches and Shamans: Female Islidruk are the witches or shamans, using necromancy to maintain the tribe’s power and control over their ships. They hold significant sway in Islidruk society, performing rituals and wielding dark magic.
• Warriors and Raiders: The male Islidruk warriors are fearsome fighters who serve as the tribe’s raiders and defenders. They are responsible for killing, capturing slaves, and bringing in new materials to sustain the tribe’s needs.

Nomadic Tribes and Fluid Governance

The Islidruk are primarily nomadic, wandering the frozen seas aboard their Necroilus ships, which are mobile, floating homes and warships. These ships are crafted from the remains of dead sea serpents and humanoids, reanimated with dark magic to serve the tribe. They rarely settle on land for long periods, instead conducting brutal raids on coastal settlements for food, slaves, and resources.

Their governance, though hierarchical, is fluid in that it is based on respect for power and strength. If a new leader can challenge and defeat the captain, they will take over the tribe. Leadership is a constant battle, where strength is valued above all else.

Economy

The Islidruk have a predatory economy, one based on the exploitation and consumption of resources from their raids. They do not engage in traditional trade or commerce but instead loot and pillage coastal villages, other ships, and any form of civilization that crosses their path.

• Food: Their economy is heavily reliant on hunting, fishing, and consuming the flesh of their captured slaves and enemies. Sea serpents, whales, and other sea creatures are hunted for both food and materials.
• Slavery and Cannibalism: The Islidruk capture humanoids during their raids, using them for labor, consumption, or as offerings for their necromantic rituals. Slaves are worked to exhaustion or tortured until they are consumed, offering a cruel form of labor.

The Islidruk and the World Beyond

• Territorial Raids: The Islidruk rarely venture beyond their icy domain, but when they do, it is to raid and enslave. They strike terror into the coastal regions of the north, particularly the Kingdom of Dhelcrist, which has fought off their raids for centuries. Though their existence is seen as myth by many in the southern kingdoms, the people of Dhelcrist know all too well that the Islidruk are real and that their raids are an ongoing, horrifying threat.
• War with Dhelcrist: Dhelcrist has long been at war with the Islidruk. Their naval forces are constantly on the lookout for Necroilus ships, but the Islidruk are elusive and unpredictable. The Dhelcristian Navy has suffered many losses to these savage raiders, and many of their ships have been lost to the icy depths or taken by the Islidruk to be repurposed.

Craftsmanship and Trade:

• Materials: They use the materials they gather from their victims, bone, skin, and organs, to craft tools, weapons, clothing, and to maintain their Necroilus ships.
• Shipbuilding: The Necroilus ships are the hallmark of Islidruk craftsmanship. These monstrous vessels are made from the reanimated bodies of sea serpents, whales, and humanoids. The ships are constructed with bones, sinew, and preserved flesh, and enhanced by necromantic magic. This craftsmanship is revered within their society, and the ability to create and maintain a Necroilus ship is a skill passed down through generations.
• Weapons and Tools: The Islidruk craft weapons and tools from bones, teeth, and hides. Bone blades, clubs, and rudimentary stone tools are common. They covet metal weapons, using them as symbols of power and status.

Military and Defense

• Warfare and Tactics: The Islidruk are vicious and effective in combat. They rarely engage in one-on-one duels but prefer to fight as a unified force, overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers and savagery.
• Ship-based Warfare: The Necroilus ships are their primary weapon, used both to raid coastal settlements and to engage in naval battles. These ships are controlled by necromantic magic, and their serpentine bodies are used to strike fear into enemies.
• Raids: When the Islidruk raid a settlement, they strike swiftly, capturing slaves and food, and slaughtering anyone who resists. The raids are often brutal and leave the place eerily empty, instilling fear in any nearby communities.
• Close Combat: The Islidruk excel in close combat, using bone weapons and their own claws and teeth to tear apart enemies. They are also capable of using projectiles such as bone-tipped arrows and primitive siege weapons.

Religion

The Islidruk religion revolves around death, necromancy, and the worship of dark gods. Death is viewed as a necessary part of life, and it is through death and consumption that they gain strength.

• Necromantic Worship: Necromancy is at the heart of their religion. The Islidruk worship dark forces that grant them power over life and death. The dead are seen as resources, and the act of reanimating the dead is both a spiritual and practical necessity.
• Spirits of the Sea: The Islidruk revere the spirits of the sea, believing that they control the fate of their ships and their raids. They also believe that consuming the flesh of powerful creatures, such as sea serpents, grants them strength.

Law

The law of the Islidruk is simple: the strong rule, and the weak are consumed. Their legal system is not codified but instead relies on the power structure of the tribe. The captain is the final authority, and failure to obey the captain or the tribe’s laws results in punishment or death. Treason and disobedience are punished harshly, often by being fed to the Necroilus ship’s monsters or sacrificed in necromantic rituals.

Population and Demographics

Population Size: The population of the Islidruk is estimated to be around 100,000 to 200,000 individuals. These numbers fluctuate depending on their raids, as they capture and consume both humanoid and monstrous creatures to sustain their numbers. The Islidruk are a hardy and resourceful people, able to survive in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet. Their population is concentrated in nomadic tribes aboard their Necroilus ships, which can hold large numbers of warriors, witches, and slaves.