The Basha' Tribe is a formidable and war-hardened faction of Orc settled to the east of the Slasha' Tribes, nestled at the basin of towering stony mesas and jagged mountains that provide them with natural defenses. Unlike the Slasha' and Krusha' Tribe orcs, who rely on sheer aggression and brutality in warfare, the Basha' orcs have developed a more fortified and tactical approach to survival in the Barren Badlands. They are notorious for their deep-rooted feuds with the Slasha' Tribes, the Tumb people, and even the mighty Stone Giant, each conflict adding to their legacy of endless war.
Culture & Warfare
The Basha' Tribe embraces the philosophy of "Bashin’", the idea that true dominance is achieved through unrelenting force, endurance, and calculated strikes rather than reckless bloodshed. They are renowned for their heavily armored warriors, wielding massive iron-headed maces, crude spiked shields, and throwing axes. Unlike their Krusha' and Slasha' counterparts, who favor quick and aggressive ambushes, Basha' warbands construct makeshift fortifications and wage prolonged, attritional warfare, using the terrain to their advantage.
Their mountainous home provides them with abundant stone, which they crudely shape into fortresses, towers, and watchposts, making their settlements far more defensible than the scattered encampments of other orcish factions in the Barren Badlands. The mountain caves within their domain are also used for storing weapons, supplies, and raided spoils, allowing them to outlast sieges and brutal winters.
Conflict with Other Tribes
Despite their fortified position, the Basha' Tribe is constantly at war, fending off rival factions in the region:
- Slasha' Tribes: Their bitterest rivals, the Slasha' orcs frequently attempt to raid Basha' strongholds, seeking to claim their war spoils and expand their influence. The Basha', in turn, retaliate with overwhelming force, leading to brutal conflicts that have lasted for centuries.
- Tumb People: The stone-like Tumb golems, who worship the ancient titan Tum, often clash with the Basha' for control of the mountains and valleys. The orcs, viewing the Tumb as obstacles rather than threats, bash them apart for sport, seeking to claim their enchanted stones for weapons and armor.
- Stone-Gut Tribe: Unlike the Tumb, the Stone Giants are a far more terrifying enemy to the Basha'. These towering behemoths see the Basha' as pests and have been known to hurl massive boulders into their settlements, shattering walls and crushing entire warbands. The Basha', in response, have developed siege weapons fashioned from scavenged war machines, using massive ballistae and siege maces to attempt to counter the giants' wrath.
Rituals & Beliefs
The Basha' Tribe follows an ancestor-worshiping war cult, believing that every fallen warrior's strength is absorbed by those who avenge them in battle. Their Shamans, adorned in trophies of bones and metal, perform battle blessings before every major conflict, marking warriors with blood sigils believed to fortify their endurance in battle.
They also hold great bashing ceremonies, where young warriors must prove their strength by breaking stones with their bare hands, wrestling cave beasts, or besting fellow orcs in brutal mace-duels to earn their place among the warbands.
The Eternal Bash
Despite centuries of conflict, the Basha' Tribe has never been fully conquered. Their fortified mountain strongholds and their sheer ferocity in battle have allowed them to endure where many orc tribes have fallen. While they may never unify the Barren Badlands under their rule, they are determined to keep "bashin’" every enemy that dares challenge their might.
With tensions rising between orcish warbands and the increasing presence of outsiders in the Badlands, the Basha' Tribe stands ready, their war drums echoing through the stony canyons, preparing for the next great Bash.