A glimpse of their blacked, spiked maces and enormous war crossbows would’ve been enough to send a message, but the orcs of the Iza Mula did not wait to announce their arrival. Their carnyx were horns of bizarre form: from the mouthpiece a vertical tube stretched nearly the height of a man, before bending forward into an imposing maw. When blown, the tone was lower than any traditional horn, a resonant, wailing bass that might be the counter-harmony to a banshee’s wail. The white maws of the instruments hung over the army’s head like vultures awaiting a meal.
The warriors’ iron-shod feet beat out a rhythm as they advanced in lock-step: BOOM-step, BOOM-step, BOOM-step.
Accompanying that rhythm, the bass tones of the carnyx bellowed forth in unison: cries so thunderous that they seemed not to come from orcish lungs, but from the very countryside itself.
There could be no doubt: the Ashguard approached.
The Iza Mula take their name from the mountain range where they dwell. A tough society consisting primarily of orcs and a smattering of humans, they are respected throughout the land for their sacrifices against the Profane. The Asena Nadi, a valley full of ash and bones near the southern tip of the Iza Mula, lies as a silent witness to those losses: more died in the valley than in any other battle against the Profane. It is the most sacred space in Iza Mula culture; ballads of the Asena Nadi are sung by their legions as they march, in honor of the great Taga (king) and his army who were lost defending civilization.
Throughout the Gamaal period, the Iza Mula often feuded with the Oppa as well as the Gamaal — all flatlanders were considered threats. In recent years an uneasy truce has been formed, with the Oppa squaring off against the Wurdani as the Isa Mula face the Maal and Dalgar to their west.
Iza Mula is largely self-sufficient, but has an insatiable appetite for iron and other materials of war. In addition to the silver which they export, the Ashguard is a primary revenue source for the Taga. Working as mercenaries for the highest bidder, their blackened maces and low, booming carnyx horns strike fear into any enemy with a respect for history.
The Iza Mula view ponies as a delicacy, not because of any particular love of their flavor but as a way of figuratively humiliating the nomads to their west and their Gamaal forbears.
While the annual commemoration of the Battle of the Asena Nadi is quite somber, the Iza Mula are also capable of joyous festivals. Their Winter’s Wane festival each year features competitive wrestling, upbeat music, plentiful libations, and the maktar: an acrobatic display of flips and jumps, with entrants vying for the crowd’s approval.
↞ Previous: Khuldani Purda Next: Ma-Abi ↠