The continent of Balebu was for a long time host to a variety of savage societies, primarily orcish and sometimes goblinoid. The term Savage Balebu encompasses all societies of "savage" races, or rather, all societies which followed the savage tribal model. Throughout most of history, these were restricted to Northern Balebu.

Throughout the millennia, a variety of societies sprung up and fell into decline, but they all shared some common traits: orcs formed the demographic majority, and they shared the tribal model. Most of the time, the level of statehood was very low - independent farming villages and herder tribes, sometimes with a loose superstructure of alliances or allegiances - but there were sometimes large savage states, such as Clan Bonecrunch or, as Savage balebu's largest society ever, the Drubark-Orcish-Bonecrunch Alliance. To note, more modern societies in the area, like Drubark or Bromalnor, were not considered part of Savage Balebu, despite having a savage demography.

Historical Overview

First Elvish texts treating of savage tribes on Balebu appeared in 7'000 b. OW. Over time, loose orcish tribes began multiplying and spreading over more of the Balebian continent, while small communities of goblinoids from Bromalnor also settled the area. After the Elvish Empire collapsed and the large empire-scale wars in Northern Balebu ended, the tribes could grow much better.

Now and again, larger clans under the leadership of warlords sprung up, notably the long-lived Bonecrunch Clan from 864 - 629 b. OW. Technological and cultural progress levels varied, with larger clans sometimes producing steel, and isolated herders using wooden spears. Diffused human settlers began joining the mix around 2'000 b. OW, though they rarely brought any different technologies or cultures with them; they largely integrated the orcish tribal system, just like the goblinoids had done.

Savage Balebu grew smaller and smaller as it was crushed between superpowers: the modern orcish clans of Drubark, then Bonebreaker in the north, and human Ochebana in the south. Eventually, the last free tribes of Savage Balebu were incorporated into Boen hegemony.

Savage Balebian Tribal Units

Though Savage Balebu overall followed the standard tribal system - with small autonomous communities forming tribes, which sometimes became the subjects of large clans - the form of its "tribes" varied greatly, with a vast variety of cultures and races forming unique groups and economies.

Nomadic Tribes

The vast majority of Savage Balebu consisted of "standard" orcish tribes: nomadic or semi-nomadic groups relying on herding and/or hunting-gathering. Their staple food source was badeep, large mammals which were useful for travel, their meat, and the judeep they produced.

Farming Villages

Some farming villages also existed: small clusters of huts, often no more than two dozen reed or timber constructions, surrounded by small patches of cultivated lands. Often, villages complemented their food sources with hunting, foraging, and keeping cattle.

The first Savage Balebian villages were founded by goblinoids and orcs from more advanced societies, especially Bromalnor emigrants. The majority of Diffused humans also formed farming communities.

Whenever more complex economies emerged thanks to an orcish warlord's creation of a stable clan, villages formed the backbones of these economies, supplying the necessary surplus food and allowing the creation of some sort of a stable transit network for transportation, travel, and communication. Often, villages were also trade centers, where nomadic tribes knew they could meet and exchange their produce for special items.

Muthrin Tribes

Muthrin culture appeared around 380 b. OW in the Golden Horde, and thereafter spread to much of Savage Balebu. In this social system, semi-nomadic tribes used horses for their additional mobility and transported tents to build up non-permanent villages. Muthrin tribes usually depended on a clan because of the trade and military network with other tribes it offered; in exchange for these opportunities, Muthrin tribes paid allegiance to their warlord by giving him a tribute - often consisting of mounts - and following him to war whenever called.

Though Muthrin tribes were economically slightly less viable than villages and accordingly never came close to constituting a majority in Savage Balebu's political makeup, they were a much more efficient way to keep clans together and quickly form a small army for armed disputes with neighbors. Thus, many of the powerful clans were Muthrin, and this type of political organization was especially popular in border regions.