Tribal Orsimer Unions - Marriage
> [...] less bloody than Orc weddings
- Borgakh the Steel-Heart, On Orc Weddings
The Tribal Orc Wedding is a strange affair. Not necessarily recognized by law, but recognized by Mauloch, it shows the union of strength, of two strongholds bonding.
Firstly, a wife is selected by the receiving chief and a dowry sum is arranged. A date in then set for the union, generally taking place in the receivers stronghold.
Then, preparations are made: The rings, bonds of matrimony, are forged and infused with the blood of the to-be-spouses. These rings are not forged out of gold, but instead of more common metals (eg. copper, bronze, steel), to represent the virtues of the Orcs (Independence, Personal Austerity, Honour, and Piety).
The ceremony itself varies from stronghold to stronghold, but there remains some key and fundamental components. The giving chief hands over his daughter, whilst gripping the receiving chiefs hand in a lock, signifying If you dishonour her, I will break you!. The ceremony commences with the exchanging of vows, and pious sermons chanted by the shaman/wise woman to the couple and echoed by the audience (in a call-response manner). Rings and exchanged on one hand, and the other is cut open, the blood of the couple fusing into one, signifying the marriage and the new role for the wife in bearing the chief strong children. Depending on the main role of the new wife (forge wife, huntswife etc), a gift may be presented by the chief to his new wife (e.g a forging hammer or a quiver of arrows).
This is followed by hours of drinking, feasting, socialising and most often brawling that continues sometimes until sunrise (for often traditional wedding occur from midnight). Then the couple retire to the longhouse to consummate the union, and this is renowned for being brutal, violent and unsavoury.
Variations that occur include the public consummation of the union (a trend common, but being in the minority of cases) and the initiation ceremony of the other wives accepting the new wife into their realm - This often leads into a sparring combat session or wresting match, which is participated unarmed and unarmoured, and often totally unclothed.
Marriage is strange, even moreso as an Orc.