Orcs
On the subject of Orcs, their Origin, Culture, and Spirituality
Orcs are recognized by their large brutish forms, green to dark brown skin, tusks, and often feral nature. For many centuries they lived as nomads, blessed by the goddess of nature, Gaia, in worship of the elements of her beauty, and winds. Slowly some integrated into human society in the second age, both as slaves, and freemen. Today the orcs, and half-orcs of the world have become an integral part of the wheel of civilization, having built their own cities and settlements, as well as playing a role in the larger political landscape, still - in part - holding on to their ancient traditions and roots.
In the darkness, away from the light of the sun god, they survived for many decades waiting for their moment. And it finally came when Eos was betrayed, and the sun for the first time hid beneath the bow of the growing horizon. In the waning twilight, they gathered their numbers and marched south for the first time in history, viciously and violently raiding everything that stood in their wake.
When they arrived at the gates of Elysium, its throne stood empty, the blood still drying on the ground on which Eos was stabbed. They burned and raided to the visage of a horrified populace who for the first time laid eyes upon the brutal orcs. With no desire to conquer or besiege anything but food and the odd prisoner, they tore through the lands without purpose or goal, just hunger driving them towards unfulfillable revenge. Until they one day arrived at a small shrine to the Earth-mother Gaia, isolated in the woods. While they pillaged, killed, and raped, a voice broke through the screams and said:
‘’ Thou are plagued by unfairness, damnation, and eternal hunger for blood. With no purpose in this beautiful world. Stop thy killing, stop thy madness, for it will only eat itself until nothing is left. Allow me to embrace thee, and give thy the chance that thou’st have never been given. Bind yourself, and your people, to me, and I will fight for your right to live. For I am nature’s voice, I am that which stood here in darkness long before the sun ever shone on these white shores.’’
And so spoke the mother, Gaia, to the orcs. Slowly their hunger got sated, their shame apparent, their fists tight in pain and blood.
The orcs, at first, couldn’t settle down. But their pact with Gaia allowed them peace in this world, and so they followed her voice, always bellowing in the wind. They became a nomadic people and traveled around to wherever she would lead them. For the first couple of centuries, they were hunted for their deeds and looked upon as monsters and beasts, and they defended themselves when they had to. Some clans became slaves and other slavers. They traded when they had to, fought when they had to, and in general lived off the lands, making allegiances with the more accepting races, like the Wood Elves, and some of the followers of Astraeus. Humans had a large mistrust towards the orcs, something that would never truly dissipate.
Some orcs returned to their brutish roots, while others strayed to the whispers and promises of demons and devils. But many kept their loyalty to Gaia, and remained faithful to her guidance, even if would take many generations before her promises would be fulfilled.
In and around the Ethereum Era, when The Twilight King Astraeus retired into the Fey Wild, he extended a last gift to the roaming orc clans of the south. Allowing them refuge in his southern kingdom of Lipara, on the Hesperidon border towards Nadir. The orc chieftain Parrix Lonespear cautiously accepted, and so the first few orcs attempted to integrate into human society, also spawning the first halfbreeds: Half-Orcs.
History
Origins
It is said, according to the Grail of Dawn, that the orcish race was banished into the deep north, because of their primal and feral brutish nature. To Helios, they were not fit to take part in his kingdom of light and gold during the founding years of the dawn.In the darkness, away from the light of the sun god, they survived for many decades waiting for their moment. And it finally came when Eos was betrayed, and the sun for the first time hid beneath the bow of the growing horizon. In the waning twilight, they gathered their numbers and marched south for the first time in history, viciously and violently raiding everything that stood in their wake.
When they arrived at the gates of Elysium, its throne stood empty, the blood still drying on the ground on which Eos was stabbed. They burned and raided to the visage of a horrified populace who for the first time laid eyes upon the brutal orcs. With no desire to conquer or besiege anything but food and the odd prisoner, they tore through the lands without purpose or goal, just hunger driving them towards unfulfillable revenge. Until they one day arrived at a small shrine to the Earth-mother Gaia, isolated in the woods. While they pillaged, killed, and raped, a voice broke through the screams and said:
‘’ Thou are plagued by unfairness, damnation, and eternal hunger for blood. With no purpose in this beautiful world. Stop thy killing, stop thy madness, for it will only eat itself until nothing is left. Allow me to embrace thee, and give thy the chance that thou’st have never been given. Bind yourself, and your people, to me, and I will fight for your right to live. For I am nature’s voice, I am that which stood here in darkness long before the sun ever shone on these white shores.’’
And so spoke the mother, Gaia, to the orcs. Slowly their hunger got sated, their shame apparent, their fists tight in pain and blood.
The orcs, at first, couldn’t settle down. But their pact with Gaia allowed them peace in this world, and so they followed her voice, always bellowing in the wind. They became a nomadic people and traveled around to wherever she would lead them. For the first couple of centuries, they were hunted for their deeds and looked upon as monsters and beasts, and they defended themselves when they had to. Some clans became slaves and other slavers. They traded when they had to, fought when they had to, and in general lived off the lands, making allegiances with the more accepting races, like the Wood Elves, and some of the followers of Astraeus. Humans had a large mistrust towards the orcs, something that would never truly dissipate.
Some orcs returned to their brutish roots, while others strayed to the whispers and promises of demons and devils. But many kept their loyalty to Gaia, and remained faithful to her guidance, even if would take many generations before her promises would be fulfilled.
In and around the Ethereum Era, when The Twilight King Astraeus retired into the Fey Wild, he extended a last gift to the roaming orc clans of the south. Allowing them refuge in his southern kingdom of Lipara, on the Hesperidon border towards Nadir. The orc chieftain Parrix Lonespear cautiously accepted, and so the first few orcs attempted to integrate into human society, also spawning the first halfbreeds: Half-Orcs.
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