Rogtuk's Musings: The Great Ice Bear

Word Count: 1175

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Rogtuk wasn’t sure what drove him so fiercely to return to his home that day, but he was glad he listened to his gut. His village had been tormented by a great ice bear. It was agitated and attacked everything, bringing a great snow storm from the far North. The passive storm brought an early Winter to his tribe’s land and the beast itself sought slaughter.

When he returned, he prepared with his tribe, took his strongest and smartest hunters and warriors with him- and slayed the beast. And now he stands over the great ice bear’s body, resting his hand against the beast’s muzzle as it draws its final breaths. He pressed his forehead against the beast’s and uttered a prayer that its spirit will find peace in death where its body had driven it mad in life.

The surviving hunters and warriors helped drag the ice bear’s body back to the tribe. The great ice bear should be honored, and it would be given one of the highest praises that their tribe offered. On their trek back, the orcs had noted how the early Winter began to thaw away, leaving only frosty breezes as they walked with the great ice bear’s spirit.

 

Over the course of months, the crafters had worked to weave the fallen bear’s body into armaments. For most of the warriors and hunters, they had weapons. Knives with blades made from the bear’s claws or with hilts made of its bone. But for Rogtuk, he was given the honor of wearing its hide as it was he who led the party, took the front of the beast, and dealt the killing blow.

There was a feast for him, for the others in the hunting party, and for the bear on the day he was to be presented. Rogtuk wiped the drool from his mouth as he smelled the aromas of wild boar and his favorite dried fruits. Though more than his own hunger, he had to physically hold back Azkol- grabbing him by the scruff to stop him from lunging at the table and snatching away all the meats he could get ahold of.

Azkol, thankfully, had been worn out between Rogtuk manhandling him and the other wolves of the tribe by the time the armor presenting ceremony began. After a short speech by the tribe’s eldest woman, and a prayer led by the shaman, the lead crafter presented Rogtuk with the remade ice bear’s hide.

The orc was already bare, a gesture to show that the bear would protect him even at his most vulnerable. Although the armor was made so that he could easily don and doff them by himself, he had help from two young warriors to speed up the process.

When only one last piece was to be placed, Rogtuk stood before his tribe, showing how he and the bear’s spirit would be one while we wore its hide. His armor was heavier than expected, but lighter than it looked. Because the fur of the beast was hollow, it looked like warm silver as the light caught it. The fur kept Rogtuk warm, but the lingering spirit of the bear didn’t make him feel like he was overheating. And as long as Rogtuk kept the hide properly oiled, he should be protected from the rain.

His armor was primarily leather that would make up the support of which the rest of the components would rest. It was segmented cleverly to allow him flexibility without softening the hide. Strapped to his chest were rows of hard bone which curved slightly and allowed him to bend his chest. Bracers wrapped around his arms from wrist to elbow, also decorated in rows of bone. A collar of lush fur wrapped around his shoulders and were pinned to either armpit, dangling midway down his back and sheltering his lungs.

The ice bear’s fur was draped along his legs, tumbling down in a skirt-like fashion. It fell just past his knees and was made in a singular piece that tied around his waist. The ends met at his right thigh, where they were left open to allow the orc full mobility. He was given boots that met his knees, lined with fur to keep his feet warm even on the coldest nights. Decorated at the end were some of the bear’s claws, which looked menacing but were positioned to help him dig into ice and tread snow.

And now Rogtuk shared a prayer to his tribe. A prayer to thank those who had helped him slay the great ice bear, both dead and alive. A prayer to the spirits who watched over him and guided his hand. A special mention of his lost wolf, Zeda. And finally, a prayer to the ice bear, who will now protect his body as Zeda protects his wit.

He held the helmet high. Which was adorned with bear’s skull and head, preserved to the best of his tribe’s ability. And he rested it upon his own skull. The helmet had an open face, allowing him to see with only the roof of the bear’s mouth and teeth blocking the topmost part of his vision. The bear’s neck had wrapped around Rogtuk’s own, leaving only his throat open were it not for a necklace of vertical bones.

As soon as the set was complete, he strongly sensed the presence of the bear’s spirit standing behind him. It was tall and powerful. Prideful. Without the burden of its flesh, it was in its prime. It reared onto his hind legs and gently wrapped his arms around Rogtuk. He felt its warmth and he placed a hand where its muzzle was. And then it crossed back into its own plane, leaving to enjoy its afterlife until it was called on again.

Rogtuk spent the rest of his night in revelry. He was expected to stay in his armor, which would have seemed like torture on the warm day. But between the bear’s lingering magic- he remained cool, and as the night set and chill swept in- the fur (and possibly wine) kept him warm. He feasted on wild boar and dried berries and fresh roots. He danced with his tribe and visitors, going between man and woman alike as they celebrated his victory with him. Rogtuk even shared a dance with a rather confused looking Azkol, who wasn’t used to this sort of livelihood from his orc.

The orc woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and his wolf draped across his legs. The helmet of the bear rested on his stomach and he drew it over his eyes to block out the sunlight that dappled between the trees. He enjoyed the night prior, but he wasn’t sure if it was worth the pain he put himself in. And from the groans of other orcs as they started rising from their own slumber, the rest of his tribe were contemplating the same. Of course, this wouldn’t stop them from celebrating any less hard the next feast.