The Badlands

Home of the orcs, who were cursed by their gods for practicing necromancy. The first orcs tainted this land with a necrotic wasting curse that turned it into a lifeless wasteland. When they emerged from their caves and tunnels 200 years later, they settled the surface of the bandlands. Today, the badlands are occupied by the orcs and their legions of undead.
In the centuries since they were first cursed, the orcs have managed to harness necrotic energy to bend, twist and corrupt other creatures into goblinoid races. It is believed that halflings were first corrupted into goblins and dwarves into hobgoblins. For this act, the Dwarves hold the greatest hatred for the hobgoblins and see them as unholy perversions of Úri's craft. Bugbears were first created by corrupting Firbolgs who lived alongside the wood elves of Arlyss.

Major Cities

Uk’Nazgoth: capital city of the badlands, this “city” is no more than a sprawling mass of crudely built tents, shacks and edifices. They forge weapons in a cruel mockery of the dwarves, and raise armies of the dead to battle their hated enemies. The orcs of Uk’Nazgoth are the only people in Arlyss who deal with the dark elves of the great below, often trading slaves for weapons and armor.

Society

Orcish society is endlessly brutal. Orcs reproduce quickly, but live short and violent lives. When not fighting Dwarves in the mountains or raiding Sydonian villages, the orcs are plotting and scheming for more power in the badlands. Orc tribes are frequently destroyed by infighting, or absorbed by other tribes when all of their fighting forces perish in battle (allowing stronger tribes to swoop in and raise the children as their own). Orc society is neither a patriarchy nor matriarchy. Orc soldiers are chosen based on skill and ability, regardless of sex. Children are raised in dens where their ability is assessed. Those who show an aptitude for magic are trained as necromancers. The strong are trained as warriors, and the weak are culled. This allows mothers to return to battle as soon as possible (without attachment to their children).
Orcish warlocks are a rare breed and highly sought-after. Those who attract the attentions of great powers lend their magic to the war effort (and the orcs are always at war).

Military and Government

The orcish military is led by warchiefs from each tribe (with the Deathlord and high necromancer as supreme commanders). The tribes are seperated into warbands, armies and legions. Each warband is led by a necromancer (who marshalls the undead forces) and a captain (leading the orcs). Armies are made up of multiple warbands, and legions of multiple armies.
Promotion in the orcish military usually happens when a leader dies and another takes his place. This can happen in battle against the enemy or via mutiny and treachery from inferior orcs. Mutiny is a common occurrence, and most often happens in the thick of battle.
Orc warbands try to collect their dead to be raised as undead soldiers for the next battle, though their enemies have learned to try destroy bodies as much as possible to prevent them from doing this. The orcs, however, have no qualms about raising their dead enemies as well as their own. Giant pyres and plumes of smoke are a common sight on battlefields where the orcs were involved.

Religion

The orcs wield religion as a weapon, praying to whatever gods will grant them power over their enemies. The elven god of death Arawn, who first taught the orcs necromancy, is chief among their dark pantheon. His clerics heal the battle-wounded and raise the dead to fight again. Some goblins have been known to pray to Lopt and Loki and be granted his trickster's magic, while hobgoblins have made pacts with fiends for devilish powers. On the eastern side of the badlands, some orcs have even adopted the worship of the ancient god-kings of the sadim desert (chief of which is Sadim, the god of death). Those tribes of orcs who remained in the great below or resettled there after the exodus have taken to worshipping eldritch beings and are granted psionic abilities.

Government: Chiefdom
Ruler: Deathlord Utrek Fleshripper, high necromancer Gorak Blightcaller
Size: Large Kingdom
Population: unknown
Economy: Mining, smithing, slaves, trade with the denizens of the great below and raiding villages.
Races (estimates): Goblinoids 80% Undead 15% Dark elves 4% other 1%