Orki Introduction

Ayalis Orki - An alternate Earth reality

Jasmine P. Antwoine

We used to call them ogres. A long time ago, in our childhood as humans, at the dawn of our existence, they were our enemies.

We saw them no less than demons, for they had mastered magical powers. Powers we did not understand. Powers we feared and, indeed, envied. We used to live in their vicinity, always vary, always looking over our shoulders...always spying. We were strangely attracted to them, yet strangely rejecting any attempt to get closer or understand their kind.

We used to tell stories, and the stories were dark and filled with terrors. They were the monsters that snatched children out of their beds. They were the beasts that ravaged villages and slaughtered thousands. They were the witches that sold humans to the Devil. They eat human flesh. They were evil.

They had to be destroyed!

The ogres disappeared. But the name lived on. Our children grew with the stories, and so did the children of our children. The ogres stayed in legend, as something is long gone, mere metaphors for evil, simple myths. People felt safer and began to forget.

But people should always remember that every myth has a tiny seed of truth in it.

Notes on Orki

The humans both fear and are jealous of the orcs because of their powers; The orcs rarely use technology advances, such as machines, weapons and so on; they are more primitive in that way, but their way of live gives them everything they need for a decent life.

The humans and orcs often clash. Humans often see the orcs as a treat, as magical creatures, as dangerous creatures.

Orki can drink salt water, just like swans do, because they have a gland that can filter it;

Orki emit a radiation/vibration and have receptors to receive that radiation/vibration. It’s intensity differs from individual to individual (it’s like a signature and a voice

Orki have greater mental capacity;

Orki blood has different proteins/antigens;

They are more resistant to diseases;

They have a specific orki disease called xxx which manifests itself by...

They are better at withstanding the forces of nature: cold, hot, low or high pressure;

They can see better in the dark;

Pure orki are very rare; But intense inbreeding goes with specific medical problems

Most orki are blood-diluted because of interbreeding with humans. Old orki women-shamans know this problem so they put rules into place. Some orki are allowed to only have children outside the tribe, with humans. Some are allowed to choose from outside or inside, as they please, and some are forbidden to breed with humans. These wise women have a record of the orki bloodlines.

They are chosen from a young age and learn. The tradition was kept for millennia. Lately though, the traditions began to get lost because of the intense hunting by humans (witch hunting took place on a large scale in 15th to 18th centuries, peaking between about 1580 and 1630).

Extract from the Worldbuilding of The Stones of Ayalis