Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge

The Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge was an orc monastic order dedicated to the orcish god Yurtrus.

Activities
The monks of the Brotherhood were known to bleach their hands white in homage to their god's holy symbol: two white hands. They also grew out their fingernails, and prior to battle, would dip these long nails into a poison made of blood infected with red ache, allowing them to infect their opponents with the disease.

Some of the monks also served as clerics of Yurtrus.

History
The Brotherhood was founded in the, by Wund, an orc shaman, who accurately predicted and capitalized on Yurtrus's Blood Plagues of that year to become the religious leader of the orcs of the Sword Mountains. The Brotherhood's aim was to spiritually unite the orcs, and it became a driving force behind Wund's plans for the new orc kingdom of Uruth Ukrypt.

The Brotherhood was the backbone of Uruth Ukrypt, and remained influential beyond Wund's death. In the, after a band of adventurers from Waterdeep called the Dawnbringer Company plundered the Brotherhood's sacred Ukrypt tomb, the Brotherhood raised an Uruth Ukrypt horde&mdash;dubbed the Broken Bone&mdash;with the goal to inflict payback on Waterdeep. However, their horde was defeated by Waterdeep with the help of the bronze dragon Lhammaruntosz. The Brotherhood tried again to destroy Waterdeep two years later in the, when they raised another horde&mdash;the Black Claws&mdash;but they were once again defeated. Following this second major loss, both Uruth Ukrypt and the Brotherhood fell apart. Nevertheless, the Brotherhood persisted through the mid-to-late 14 century DR as an order of monks dedicated to Yurtrus.