#Vaurogi

[slaanxsh]

Vaurogi, Children of Vaurog

Based off the HC/Canon I wrote/discovered rather recently.

The Vaurogi (or simply Vaurs) are a species of craggy-scaled bipeds that haunt the Naggarothi mountains of Black Spine. Occupying the caves and caverns of that frozen landmass, these creatures are not reptilian despite their scales and are set apart from the Snakemen of Ind and the Lizardmen of Lustria by a myriad of things. Namely, the blood of these beasts runs hot and they have neither the stoic brutality of the Children of the Old Ones or the malicious calculation of the Snakemen of Ind. The Vaurogi are more similar in temperament to the Beastmen that haunt the Empire. In fact, that is exactly what they are-- some far flung variant of those furred, brawny creatures of chaos, based from creatures different than, but as intelligent as humans.

However, the Vaurogi do not consider themselves the same or even remotely related to the Beastkin by origin. While beastmen care little for their beginnings, the Vaurogi are a prideful people who claim to come down directly and purposefully from the Chaos Powers, rather than being the result of an accident like the forest-beasts. The Beastmen are bastards and the Chaos Gods pay them little attention; the Vaurogi, meanwhile, claim the Serpent Mother Vaurog as their divine mother and the Chaos God Slaanesh as their divine father, knowing him as Slaatokan. Tz'arkan is their issue, called the Drinker of Worlds, and many powerful Cavelords claim lineage to that powerful daemon.

Twin-headed Vaurog is their primary god, a minor Chaos Power who was said to dwell in the deepest caves below Black Spine in ancient times. She craved souls fiercely and desperately and when her children could not manage her hunger, she returned to the sea of souls where she could consume as she liked. It is claimed that a rift that leads directly to the Chaos Realm was left in her wake, though no Vaurogi who has seriously sought it has come back alive.

While Vaurog is their primary god, some choose to venerate Slaanesh, viewing him as the mate of the Serpent Mother. They are often worshipped together as a pair and appeasements are given to the Pleasure Lord in the form of elf sacrifices, who are killed in a slow and agonizing fashion. Perhaps unexpectantly, Vaurogi are dexterous creatures and actively hunt down metals for personalization and to use in combat.

Physiology

Broadly, Vaurogs stood the height of an elf or taller, though they were broader and heavier by a significant margin. Their scales were thick enough that armor was redundant to most of them and they were known to boast an agility capable of keeping up with the lithe and lethal Dark Elves on which they preyed. They had Gorgonopsian heads and a neural spinal sail on the back. Females had smaller tusks and were somewhat slighter, but otherwise indistinct from the males.

Society

Like most Chaos Societies, Vaurog life was brutal. Due to the clime, weakness was not tolerated, and so the small or misshapen were taken into the deepest caverns to be consumed by Dread Maws, viewed as the manifestation of Vaurog or Slaanesh's endless craving for souls. A Vaurs first rivals were its siblings and it wasn't uncommon for these struggles to survive to end in fatalities. Vaurs who made it to maturity were to undertake the Rite of Offering, where they would strike out into the worlds in bands of six and return with a live catch for the Prince of Pleasure and Serpent Mother both. Sentient creatures were prized, with Elves being the most prized of all.

From there, a Vaur would serve as a warrior of the tribe and as a warrior, its primary jobs were to kill, protect, and multiply. The doing would please both their primary gods. A tribe would be run by a pair of Vaurogis who would be mated, with one often under the worship of Vaurog while the other claimed allegiance to Slaanesh, though some tribes could be ruled by two Slaaneshi and others by two Vaurogi. Vaur were polygynandrous, and this included the tribe leaders, who often sired and mothered children outside of the pair (though customarily the eldest of their children typically belonged to each other, giving them a marked advantage over younger siblings when it came to standing in the tribe. There was usually a strongest of this pair and they were called the Cavernlord or Cavelord.

Vaurs spoke a Variant of Dark Tongue called Spine Tongue (Vaurissh).

Military

Vauri - Young, unproven Vaurogi who have yet to embark on the Rite of Offering. Though untested, Vauri burn with the ferocity of youth and their un-honed battle fervor should not be underestimated.

Vaurog Warrior - Proven and tested, Vaurogs are considered adults with full rights within their respective tribes. Hard of scale and of heart, they are ferocious and unyielding in battle and highlight the inexperience of the Vauri by comparison.

Hard Scale - Hardscales are either born with or acquire through battle a particularly thick hide of scales that allows them to shrug off most wounds and outlast their kin. They are considered blessed by Vaurog, either at birth or for the privilege of a long life.

The Decorated - Hardscales that boast many battles and pillages worth of jewelry and accoutrement, as well as no few amount of scars. They are often the Cavernlord's lieutenants, but often enough, also eye their place in the pecking order.

Rime Scale ( Ice / Slaanesh / Vaurog ) - Pale Scaled Vaur are born with sway over magic, and are considered blessed by one or both of the Vaurogi's gods. Some remain white, their sail scales threaded through with blue, and are able to use the Lore of Ice. Some's sails shot through with red and gold, and go on to wield the Lore of Vaurog. Finally, some have sails colored purple or lavender or lilac and can wield the Lore of Slaanesh.

Dreadwyrm - The smaller 'cousins' to the much fiercer, much larger Dreadmaws, Dreadwyrms are hard to control and if they are hungry, this is all but impossible to achieve with might alone. When battle is anticipated, they are often starved days prior and then released onto the foe. Deadlier than other warbeasts, they burrow into the ground and then attack, allowing them to avoid enemy projectiles.

Mawcaller - Mawcaller are those view Vaurogs who brave the depths of Blackspine and wrestle juvenile Dread Maws into subservience. They then mount these terrible beasts and ride them into battle, but a Dread Maw juvenile can be lethal just like an adult and what is tame today can turn tomorrow.

Mawmaster - Mawmasters are Mawcallers who are old hands at the art of taming Dread Maws. They have outwitted and outmuscled their charges well into adulthood and now ride these terrifying creatures into battle. Mawmasters often share the title of Cavelord.

Tunneller - While Dreadmaws can be taught to enlarge a cavern system, they are fickle beasts and more than one tribe has known doom at one of these creatures deciding to turn on its handler mid-construction. Thus, Tunnellers are given this duty when available. Mutated before or at birth to be large, teams of these creatures can break bones and armor as easily as they can the face of mountain.

Cavernlord - The undisputed masters of a given tribe, Cavernlords dominate the burrows and can be told apart from their lessers by their large, colorful backsail and copious ornamentation. They rule through strength, or magical might, or both.

Lordsmate - The 'official' mate of the Cavernlord, and often the second strongest. Lordsmates have tremendous sway in burrow matters and will rule in lieu of the Cavernlord if they are absent for any reason.

Slaa'kaknoth - 'The Blessed of Slaanesh' Vaurogi who affect a notably serpentine aspect and are some shade of pale purple. Often, they are both male and female, as well. These Vaur are exceptionally smooth of scale and highly intelligent. While they share similar powers, no Slaa Rimescale has the magical might of a Slaa'kaknoth. At maturity, Slaa'kaknoth's make a journey into the Chaos Wastes and must return with the Khornate warrior as an Offering to Slaanesh.

Vaurog'knoth - 'The Blessed of Vaurog' Any Vaurogi born with two heads is considered blessed by the Serpent Mother herself. Powerful and strong, the Vaurog's aethyric might is greater than a Rimescale but lesser than a Slaa'kaknoth; one head is dedicated to the mystical while the other is concerned more with physical might , poison, and intimidations. Vaurog'knoths journey to Lustria at maturity and return with a suitable Saurian as their offering to Vaurog for her blessings.