Bōhatei

Hailing from the Eastern Kingdoms, the Orcs that would later become the Bōhatei descended from Underground Orcs managing to make their way to the surface, and stowing away on ships in search of a place to settle. Since trade with the Eastern Kingdoms was incredibly popular during this time, many of these stowaways ended up building lives there. Though their appearance might imply a nefarious nature, this would be a gravely prejudiced way of viewing the Bōhatei.

Not the Devils They Appear To Be

History in the Eastern Kingdoms tells of a great evil being defeated, and unleashing one last burst of demonic energy before it's death, hoping to raise an army of devilish followers to achieve what it could not... A reborn world in the image of it's master, Azdar. However, that ripple of evil across the Eastern Kingdoms only managed to permanently affect a certain area, due to interference of several gods. The Bōhatei's trademark appearance was amongst these altered things: thanks to interference on Mama Balieh's part, the wave of demonic energy never reached their hearts. Thus, it never managed to corrupt them, and only managed to alter their bodies. Their skin ranges from shades of red to blue, their hair ranges from black to white, and their eyes range from yellow to red. Though Bōhatei with grey skin or blue hair are extremely rare, they have been documented by outsiders visiting their tribes.
But despite their peaceful nature, some in the Eastern Kingdoms still believe in the old legends of the Bohatei being brutish ogres. Tales were often spun in the early days after their transformation, and some these have sadly lasted in the modern day. However, not everyone believes these legends: particularly, a younger generation no longer believes these lies. More open-minded denizens of the Eastern Kingdoms even tend to bring supplies and friendship to a nearby Bohatei tribe. In return, this tribe will often swear to watch over a nearby village, and fight off threats to it. A Bohatei within a village will often elicit some weird looks from older folks, but will otherwise be treated as merely a bit brutish for the standards of the Eastern Kingdoms' culture. Some more boisterous Bohatei will even jokingly refer to themselves as 'a real ogre' when apologizing for their social clumsiness.

From East to West

Like their Underground cousins, the Bōhatei often either live in tribes of their kin, or amongst other races. These tribes are smaller then both their Underground and Hoarfrost counterparts, as they prefer a nomadic lifestyle. They also share a high esteem for shamans with the Underground Orcs. But similar to their Hoarfrost counterparts from the Western Kingdoms, the Bōhatei lack a board of Wise Ones: a tribe's chieftain is its final authority.
The Bohatei make their home near the Gwinsin Forest, often removed from larger settlements, but they do tend to remain near these societies out of a desire to protect them.

Sophisticated or Savage?

While the Bōhatei are often seen as somewhat brutish by the social standards of the Eastern Kingdoms, they are often seen as extremely polite when traveling anywhere within the Western Kingdoms. While their Underground cousins won't likely end a drink order at the bar with the word 'please', Bōhatei Orcs have adopted the word into their vocabulary to an overly polite degree. And they will make a light bow on the first order: both part of a greeting and a sign of respect in the culture of the Eastern Kingdoms. They often do not speak at as loud of a volume as other Orcs would, and they are quick to thank you for either spending time with them, or doing them a relatively small favor. These cultural habits, while born out of a desire to fit in back home, often paint them in a positive light when working and living overseas.
The Bohatei tend to have a relatively more disciplined way of fighting when compared to their Underground cousins: where the strikes of an Underground Orc might come off as brutish and bloodthirsty, the Bohatei combine this famous Orcish ferocity in battle with more precise strikes, and show more of an aptitude for planning then their Underground counterparts. A lone Underground Orc can easily be overcome as long as their mighty blows are dodged, but a Bohatei will often be blocking the attacks of their opponent first in order to analyze their general approach to the fight. They prefer to strike when their foe presents a opening to do so. And where the Underground Orc will appear sluggish compared to an Elf, a Bohatei can keep up with their speed. The swings of an Underground Orc are meant to disarm an opponent before delivering a killing blow, but every swing of a Bohatei will be an intended killing blow.

Encompassed species

• Mythic Humanoid
• Orc

Related Locations

• The Gwisin Forest
• The Khaera Mountains