Editing What Thunder Brings (section)

===[https://markmolchan.deviantart.com/art/orc-shaman-316100320 Traditions]===
The Ura’Gar don’t formally worship any particular god (though many individual clansmen do), but instead, revere their ancestors. They try to honour their memory and earn their favour through many traditions, which include:

• The Mor tesh Lorn (Trials of Worth) – Soon after they turn 14, each clansman must undertake three trials in order to prove their worth to the clan and show that they deserve to be an Ura’Gar. The trials will vary depending on the seasons, state of the clan, and physical state of the individual but the most common are a feat of strength, surviving for several days in the wilderness by themselves (though with a supervisor to ensure that they don’t die), and hunting a dangerous creature alone (again, with a supervisor in case of near-death). If a child doesn’t pass all three of the trials, then they may try again next year, but if they still haven’t passed all three trials after their fourth attempt then they are exiled from the clan.

• The Lak tesh ir Marak (Day of the Founders) – The Ura’Gar’s tales claim that the shaman and four warriors founded their clan on the first day of winter, and so every year the clan holds a great celebration on that day to commemorate the founders and the many achievements of the Ura’Gar. It is a day of drinking and feasting, singing and dancing, waging mock battles, and telling stories of an ancestor’s exploits. At the end of the day, the entire clan gathers to watch a re-enactment of the founding of the Ura’Gar, at the end of which everyone prays to their ancestors for guidance and safety in the coming winter. In recent years, however, this particular element has become more sombre, as now most clansmen simply ask for the ancestors to speak to them again. 

• [https://www.artstation.com/artwork/bw-guy Krazkars (Honour Marks)] – After completing their three trials, clansmen are given their first krazkar and are then expected to gain many more throughout their life. The Krazkars are unique tattoos drawn onto an individual’s body by a shaman, each of which symbolises a great feat that the individual has performed; It can range from killing a fearsome foe or beast to saving the clan from a threat. Marak’Torl are given special krazkars when they are elected – a rendition of several huts, located on the inside of both palms, that serve as a constant reminder of the importance of their position. It is not uncommon to see older clansmen covered in krazkars from head to toe, especially if they were warriors.

• The Olenara (The Sending) – The funeral ritual for all clansmen. Their bodies are wrapped in a ceremonial blanket and placed onto a pyre, which is then set aflame. As the body burns, loved ones and comrades can step forth and retell stories of the clansmen’s life. When the body is disintegrated and the ashes are scattered, the deceased’s belongings are divided among their friends and family, and then a feast where more stories can be told is held in their honour. The Ura’Gar believe that burning a body prevents clansmen from being entrapped in the world of the living, and allows them to move freely between the afterlife and the mortal realm. As such, leaving an Ura’Gar’s body intact is considered one of the worst forms of punishment that can be inflicted on a member of the clan, and is typically only reserved for the clan’s worst criminals.