Marahum

The Marahum are the first orc peoples recorded in history, during The Era of Tranquility. Initially normadic, they set down roots in approximately 33-37 ET, building three settlements in northern Dunja, along the brink of the Sapphire Foot River.

The Marahum spent several centuries, prehistory, living in the Gerris Range, but around 32-33 ET, there was an invasion and frost and rock giants, which made living in the range increasingly dangerous, and also resulted in less food for the orcs. Despite concern over what leaving would mean for their identity and their connection with their spirits, the Tousoula, following visions and guidance from their Soulak, a decision was made to leave in 33 ET, and form temporary camps to allow them to gather resources, recover from the food shortages, and make a plan.

Religious Beliefs

The Marahum worshipped a group of spirits called the Tousoula, who they believed manifested through the intense winds on the peaks of the Gerris Range. This deep connection to the spirits of the place made the Marahum reluctant to consider leaving when the giants initially began to make living in the range increasingly dangerous.
Their Soulak of the time went into a deep trance for many days, and when she came out of it, she told her people that the Tousoula wished for them to leave and preserve themselves, and that they promised that they would not abandon them. If they followed the river, and stayed by it, they would retain the connection with the spirits.

Rituals

The Marahum had a number of important rituals, often involving The Tousoula, including:
One in the Wilds
Forging of the Ha'awel
Lighting of the Haan

The Spirits and the Smithies

As the settlements developed, the Marahum developed their blacksmithing skills into a true art. While this formed a valuable trade for their settlements, it also became a way to commune with The Tousoula, and formed the basis of the coming-of-age ritual, the Forging of the Ha'awel, where master smithies would carefully craft the participant's first weapon, divining messages from the spirits as they did so. This weapon, the ha'awel, would be valuable to the wielder in the second ritual, One in the Wilds, and would often be kept as a valued gift from their community all the wielder's life.
History

Initial Settlements.

As they left the Gerris Range, the orcs followed the river and build their first settlement, Silversplit where the Sapphire Foot River and Lucent River split. It was essential to have sufficient shelter to protect the more vulnerable members of the community during the harsh winter months. However it rapidly became clear that the resources in the enviroment wouldn't support the entire group. A decision was made for the group to split into three groups, each consisting of ten to fifteen families, called dovuuns (doh-vurn). The Xiva Dovuun, which included many of the more vulnerable community members who would struggle to make further journeys, and this group remained at Silversplit. The other groups were the Uquup dovuun, and the Siwah dovvun.

While the initial plan was to pack up the settlements during warmer months and continue their normadic way of life, the Marahum decided, in a meeting of all the dovuuns in ET 45, to make their settlements permanent. The abundance of fresh fish from the river, stone from nearby mines etc. was allowing them to focus on developing skills beyond simple survival. And now that the threat of giants and other gigantic creatures was much reduced, the danger of remaining in one place was much reduced.
    The Settlements

Silversplit