Orcs



No race is more adapted to the harsh deserts and its predators than the muscular orcs. Masters of combat and wrestling these seven-foot high goliaths can destroy most prey with their bare hands. To an orc, the most important thing is the hunt and the protection of his tribe and clan. For that reason, they do not intermix with other races much. They have a mutual hatred and respect for the Dwarves of Kal’Urguan because of their ferocity and strength. However, they heavily disdain other races simply because they’re not big enough. Glazug Votar! For the Hunt!

Home Kingdom War Nation of Krugmar

Introduction
Where other races establish cities and build monuments to their predecessors, orcs establish tribes and build strong clans around the mythic figures of their ancestors. orcs tend toward nomadic life, but what villages they do choose to establish are usually built from the ruins of other cities, swallowed and spat forth again by the drifting dunes of the desert.

Although orcs can naturally live longer than humans, this rarely becomes a point of debate. The oldest orc to ever live was Karugk of Clan Pyrathon, who died in glorious battle on the turning of his two hundredth year (Eight hundred orcish seasons). orcs are just as prolific as dwarves and humans, but their children have the shortest period of puberty, sometimes reaching full adulthood in only fifteen years. Orcs are also the race in Aegis most likely to cull their own, whether purposefully leaving the incapable behind in the desert, or removing the weak through ritual trials. However, the strength of the clan is paramount in an orc's eyes, and they will defend their young and wise to their very last breath - even if only to provide enough time for the wise to show the young how to best attack after their elder clansmen have fallen.

Appearance
Orcs are usually brown skinned with green tints, varying from sandy to dark green and rarely black, and their hair is usually very dark, with brown and black the most common. Most orcs follow the practice of coloring their hair with the blood of their enemies. Because their hair is so dark, this coloring rarely shows until after many dousings, and it is considered the sign of a great warrior for an orc's hair to glow red with the blood of his enemies.

Orcs of the Shaman bloodline tend more toward green skin and black hair, usually distinguished from other orcs by their lean, sinewy frames.

Nomadic Orcs are of the most common bloodline, and vary from sandy to brown-grey in color, with hair almost exclusively dark brown. Their size and musculature set them apart from all other races of Aegis, sometimes considered giants at two and a half meters (eight feet).

Orcs of the goblin bloodline are most notably smaller than other orcs, usually only reaching a meter and a half (five feet). Goblins are the most likely of all orcs to have black skin and fairer hair.

Orc eyes are usually brown or black, with a rare few blessed with blood-red.

Dwarves
Their relations with the dwarves is very complex and usually comes down to the individuals involved. Both these races value strength and honor. Most of them love axes, a good fight and a fresh ale! They are as likely to be the best of friends as to be the worst of nemesi. They are often "at war" but these are just simple ways to solve their differences, which are way less than outsiders - or even the orcs and dwarves themselves, realize.

Elves
Orcs travel quite often to elven lands. Elven relations can be considered the best among the orcs. During a sudden outburst of war-rumors they worked together pretty well to find these warmongers. They both value the importance of nature and respect each other for their need to protect it. Elves and orcs have the largest cultural difference in Aegis, it has yet to lead to political tension but the Druids are not fond of their Shamanic ways and vice versa. Not to mention that the orcs live in the ruins of once elven castles.

Humans
Although humans have not been in as many wars with the orcs as the dwarves they still remember the strength and brutality of the old nomad clans. Most human myths about the orcs are about how they are a savage folk that doesn't know its head from its rear and some humans still believe this. Orcs do have free access to the cities and some villages of the humans, their arrival always causes a bit of tension though.

Ascended
Their relationship with the Ascended is unclear. The fact that their leaders exist almost completely out of dwarves gives them the same complex respect as they give toward the dwarves but the major difference is how the ascended were somehow 'chosen' and consider themselves very important and worthy of respect. While in the orcish ways visions are normal for shamans and respect has to be earned through struggle and battle. The Ascended might feel offended when they are treated as normal soldiers.

Undead
Kill on sight ((With appropriate role-play, of course)). The orcs communicate with their ancestors and the spirits, this includes the spirits of the dead - But, necromancy is for them the lowest and most dishonorable way of magic. The disturbing of both corpses and souls is in direct violation in everything shamanism stands for and an orc will not rest until they have put these unholy creatures to rest.

Lore
Much of the decoding of ancient orc myth can be traced back to Aveli. Aveli is a contemporaneous historian, who writes in a fairly poetic style, who studied orc culture and myth, and composed writings about them.

The Beginning of the Orcs
The Beginning of the orcs happened after Krug's first fight with Iblees, when his skin went molten green and his features decayed. That is what set the orcs far apart from their brethren races. Krug would fight many times with Iblees and in the end, once Iblees was banished, he would be cursed with bloodlust but given strength and honor by the Aenguls and Daemons.

Later he would return to the deserts and train and train, he would have many sons and daughters and he would make sure that they were strong and proud of their heritage. They would then split up into different clans.

Krug died honorably, battling the monstrosities that Iblees brought forth into the World. His children watched him die and smiled at the greatness of his struggle, remembering their Great leader.

The Making of the Clans
The Orc Clans came about when the Children of Krug began having children and eventually they separated into different families, or Clans. These Clans would have many differences and would respect their Clan Father and die for Him. These Clans would eventually start following Greatfathers, and there were two who possessed the most appeal; The Great Warrior Tythor, slayer of the Kar'ak Scorpion, and The Great Shaman Or'ta, Who could call down whole lightning storms.

The Orc Clan War
There were many Clans of orcs but over time they started getting swallowed up by the Mega-Clans. The two main Mega-Clans were The Rex Clan, led by Warlord Tythor, and the Dom Clan, led by Warlord Or'ta.

These clans fought for supremacy of the land of Krugmar, and many orcs were killed in the battles, causing many clans to die out. Eventually though, Warlord Tythus, who had taken over the Rex clan after Warlord Tythor had been killed in battle, led a great victory over the elves, still living in the ruins of an elven city. He renamed it Sanjezal and it became the Capital of the War Nation of Krugmar.

Warlord Tythus led many victories over the Dominus Clan and in one fateful battle, the High Shaman Or'ta tried to use Dark Magic to win. Krug, in anger, showed his displeasure for the weak and sent down lightning bolts to aid Tythus. Or'ta was killed and the Dominus Clan was eliminated, many joining Tythus soon after.

The Making of Krugmar
Warlord Tythus became King of the orcs, and out of respect for his old clan, he made the word King become Rex. In respect to the Dom Clan he made his Lords the Dominus. He also helped the Shamans, who had always been the outcasts of the clans, fit in with Krugmar and made Or'gok, son of Or'ta, who had been spared by Krug for his honor and potential of orcish magic, the High Shaman.

From there Warlord Tythus set his borders, and set about trying to find the Dominus. The first two he found were Thyst who had showed his worth in the arena, and Grum, who was a great military tactician. Grum would later disappear, never to be heard from again.

While walking in Sanjezal, Tythus noticed a lowly guard, called Bein, who had an idea for an orc military guild. He gave him permission to start it and so the Ferox Legio was born. The success was great and Tythus made Bein'lur a Dominus.

The Nomad Village
The Nomad village was land granted to Dominus Thyst for his greatness in the arena and for leading many young orcs to Sanjezal. To this day it has many citizens and Thyst's Manor is the envy of many.

War with the Dwarves
- To be written -

The Riverside Massacre and the Making of Sanhar
Dominus Bein'lur saw a village called Riverside near Sanjezal and took a look with some of his men. They were greeted rudely by fools who didnt know the lands they were on and they even attacked Shez'lab, one of Bein's friends. Dominus Bein'ur declared war and although the battles were foggy and unclear, it is known that the orcs won overall.

Bein saw a lot of potential in the ruins of the village, and with permission of Warlord Tythus he founded an orc town that would give cheap, affordable homes to orcs as Sanjezal's homes were full. They destroyed part of a mountain and tore down all the buildings, then got to work. Soon Sanhar was complete. To this day, Sanhar has been expanded greatly and remains a fully-functioning town.

The Skirmish with Petri's army
An orc called Petri bought a home in Kel'og, and soon he had lots of orcs gathering to make an army. His army brought the attention of Dominus Bein after he had heard that they had attacked Dominus Thyst. Bein and his followers rushed to Kel'og immediately, ordering a stand down of the army. Thyst fought and defeated the one who had attacked him and a battle went on between the orcs and Petri's men.

High Shaman Or'gok turned up and shot lightning at them, very angry at their disrespect to Warlord Tythus and one of his shaman, Dominus Thyst. Petri's army scattered, defeated, some leaving the War Nation of Krugmar and some rejoining it.

Fort Krug and the New Army
The orcs recreated their Army and Dominus Bein'lur, the Hordemaster, lead the Rex's Horde. He was helped by Warboss Gorefang and Warboss Shez'lab. The Army also began work on a new Fort called Fort Krug, in honour of their Glorious Father, Krug. They completed the Fort, it was approved by Warlord Tythus and the army began recruiting.

Return of Or'ta and the Death of Thyst
Or'ta the Dark Shaman returned from death with the help of Iblees after he was sent to the Nether by Krug for using Dark Magic. He attacked numerous orc cities before he was killed by a group of orcs in the Battle of Sanjezal; he destroyed his own soul after killing the orc who held it. Thyst then challenged Tythus for the title of Rex and was mortally injured in the fight, he soon died and went to the spirits. This left one remaining Dominus alive, Dominus Bein, who was kidnapped by Or'ta but eventually returned.

The New Rex
The clans and The Horde, fed up with the leadership of Rex Tythus, united together to overthrow him.

They set up camp outside of Sanjezel with siege towers, catapults, rams, and ballista's. They were ready to destroy and cause mayhem if the Rex did not forfeit his title.

As the deadline of the assault on Sanjezel neared, the orcs started to fight amongst themselves. The Gorkils, the largest clan in all of Krugmar, wanted their Chieftain, Mogroka'Gorkil the Bloodthirsty, to be the new Warlord. While the other clans were in support of the mighty Gorefang'Khor, the Lower Dominus. As the fighting got out of hand between the orcs, the two leaders decided that the matter needed to be settled one way or another, for if it did not the rebellion would fail.

Gorefang'Khor and Mogroka'Gorkil decided to duel. The duel lasted for three days but neither of them got the upper hand. On the fourth day, the two leaders no longer resembled the two orcs that they were three days ago. They were a shadow of themselves from so much brawling without food or water. As the duel began, both warriors landed a solid punch upon the other, simultaneously, and they both fell flat on their backs. The Duel ended without a winner.

The war drums were heard and the war cries of the orcs and the shaman chanting could be heard throughout Krugmar. There would be bloodshed and civil war, both sides knew this was not going to end well, but it must be as there was no winner.

As the two sides prepare to clash, The Wandering Wizard appears and stops them, telling them, "The Clans must unite, not fight. Your enemy is close. You will only allow the Undead to run free in the lands while you fight among yourselves. Make an alliance! Create a new government and work it out together."

After hearing from The Wandering Wizard, the two leaders got back to their senses. They greeted one another as brothers again.

"This has been foreseen!", a cry was heard from the back of the Gorkil Clan lines. It was Elder Shaman of the Gorkils, Krink. He came out and stood beside the two leaders. He said there was a Prophecy; that two brothers not by blood will unite the lands of Krugmar and lead the orcs to victory and that it will be the orc's Golden Age. He then told them that they must challenge the Rex together.

Mogroka'Gorkil and Gorefang'Khor set out to Sanjezel where they met the Rex and both challenged him to a duel. Arrogant, the Rex accepted both at the same time. The fight that ensued was the end of Rex Tythus.

Now Warlord Mogroka'Gorkil and Warlord Gorefang'Khor share the Rex title.

Sanhar Riots
Shez'lur, son of Bein'lur, gathered up some orcs that believed Mogroka'Gorkil to be an usurper, because he had not been a Dominus before the challenge, they decided to destroy Sanhar and then launch a full rebellion. Mogroka'Gorkil acted quickly and soon had the Rebels in full retreat. Shez'lur was killed in the fighting, as was Dran'gob and Grimfang. Gorefang'Khor noted that these had once been his friends. Mogroka'Gorkil only saw Bein's Followers, who followed their leader even when he was dead.

Unfortunately, Sanhar had been mostly destroyed. Many buildings were on fire or collapsed and the water system had flooded the city; a total rebuild of the city was needed. Some say the rebels remember that Bein wanted the city rebuilt, and decided to give their lives giving a reason for the rebuilding of Sanhar. Other say that they just went crazy over all of the deaths of major orcish political figures, and decided to blame it on Mogroka'Gorkil and the rebellion. Whatever the reason, one thing was for sure; Sanhar would be rebuilt, bigger and better than ever.

Orcish accessible nations The Cloud Temple of Aegis