Orokhim
Orcs, half-orcs, and prairie elves are collectively referred to as “the Orokhim.” They are a hardy and mostly culturally self-contained species of Humanoid indigenous to the western and northwestern portion of the Dreibach Empire, from the borders of County Val-Nurem to the western edge of the Material Plane.
Origins
Orcs and half-orcs are biologically identical, differentiated only by ideology. The term "half-orc" is a bad translation of a bad translation: “pseudo-orc” might be a better Common translation of the Orokhimshe name "nuel-orokh," though it still ignores quite a bit of the nuanced differences between these peoples. To call oneself an “Orc” or “half-orc” is effectively a declaration of alignment more than anything else. Fey-orcs, sometimes called prairie elves, were molded by the Fey in the same way that the Elf tribes were, but from Orokhim instead of Human origins. Their patron is Telwyth-Teg, the Solstice Man, the only archfey who can slip between courts.Nuel-orokh
While the original orcs were created by Gruumsh, a Titan cast out from the dynasties for his bloodthirstiness and treachery, half-orcs consciously set out apart from them millennia ago with the guidance of their patron god Prometheus. The Nuel-orokh consider themselves freedom fighters, riding into battle on their trusty Bankhurim to save others from their power-hungry rivals.Eldorokh
Fey-orcs, sometimes called prairie elves (in Common) or Eldorokh (in Orokhimshe), were molded by the Fey in the same way that other Elf subraces were, but created from orcs instead of humans. Their patron is Telwyth-Teg; as such, they are aligned with no season. Fey-orcs rarely align themselves with either side of the orc/half-orc conflict, consciously staying neutral and sometimes aligning themselves with other gods or dynasties entirely. Just like all other elves, they live between 600-750 years (all other Orokhim rarely live past 120).Bankhur
No discussion of the Orokhim is complete without mentioning the Bankhur (plural: Bankhurim). Legend has it that they were given to the half-orcs as a blessing from Prometheus. They look like extremely large (almost horse-sized) Bernese mountain dogs, but they bear about as much resemblance to a regular dog as a unicorn does to a horse. They are unusually intelligent beasts with the power to heal, purify, and protect their allies in dire situations. They also make excellent steeds, should you earn one’s trust. A Bankhur always chooses its rider-- never the other way around-- and will bond with them for life. Besides half-orcs and the occasional Fey-orc, extremely few people have ever been chosen by a Bankhur.Diaspora
There are relatively few Orokhim compared to the other races native to Belcantas, and almost all of them live in the Western Woods or the prairie-lands to the west of Val-Nurem. As a rule, there is almost no significant Orokhim diaspora, beyond the broad prairies of northwestern Dreibach and lands beyond (stretching west nearly to the Endless Magma) that they consider their ancestral home. The one exception is the knowledge hub of Cape Hildegard, where many Orokhim scholarly specialists seek further answers to the paricular truths that fascinate them. The South Cape neighborhood of Cape Hildegard is, therefore, the largest ethnic enclave of Orokhim on the continent outside of ancestral lands. A smaller group of nomadic fey-orcs lives in the Wailë-Lands in the prairies of Upper Scalados, south of the ruins of Old Bjália.Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Orokhimshe has a long bardic history of storytelling that often incorporates thaumaturgy. However, they do not use a written script to record their language, but rather a complex series of cloth and leather braids whose specific meaning differs from orokh to orokh-- a system no doubt emblematic of orokhim culture's famous love of cryptography and puzzles.
Orokhim write their personal notes and journals in long braided and knotted strings, worn or carried on their person in ropes or rings or else tied to the harness of their faithful Bankhur. Simple transactions will be recorded in small series of colored knots, with similar threads to the Human and Halfling embroidery traditions. (Eldorokh weavings, particularly in northern regions, often borrow from Moon Elf tapestry art as well.) Truly important interactions, transactions, and records are written in fur and leather-- the traditional belief being that if a creature's death had to be involved in a message's making (even if the rest of the creature was likely used for meat, as is custom), the message encoded using its hide had better be important enough to justify taking its life.
Because of this, Orokhimshe has no traditional glyph-based alphabet. There have been efforts to transliterate it by Dwarvish and Human societies alike, but these systems are imperfect and not widely recognized among Orokhim populations.
Culture and cultural heritage
Both sides of this ancient conflict have developed great generals, engineers, herbalists, and mages who give their people an edge over their hated rivals. Their fights continue off the battlefield and into everyday life, as each culture also strives to appear happier, richer, and more fulfilled than the other (particularly in borderlands between their territories.)
Common Myths and Legends
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Brains and brawn are equally valued in Orokhim culture.
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
Related Items
Related Myths
Languages spoken
Related Locations
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