Orc Culture

The orcs associated with Chrailis are largely seafaring. As a rugged race, orcs are suited to vast open areas, often barren and desolate. They have evolved over the centuries to live in such climates.
Being in the middle of the jungle provides several disadvantages which don’t suit the orc species. As a general rule lack of open space reduces their ability to form large armies. The mineral deprived nature of Chrailis further reduces their ability to produce the mass gear needed for large-scale combat.
South of Chrailis the massive marshes which are home to boggards and lizard men keep the orcs from really establishing a foothold. Within the area of Chrailis’s influence, Si’Nassa keeps the orcs in line with threats of immediate destruction if they were ever to get too organized or warlike. West of Chrailis the elves have so long ago eliminated the potential threats of orcs that any species enmity which might have existed has vanished. A heavy fey influence just northeast of Chrailis also keeps the orcs in line, they are just no match were they to be constantly aggressive.
The range the orcs have found is the large inland lake (really a sea) east of Chrailis. Even with Si’Nassa’s heavy influence, she only ranges a small portion of the entire lake. The orcs dominate most of the lake and have become masters of naval warfare. It is rumored that to the south even exists a few subspecies of orcs which are now aquatic.
The orcs in and around Chrailis near the mouth of the Zygarosse River live in small somewhat nomadic fishing villages. While they claim a home hearth for important occasions and meetings, each village of orcs might range anywhere from 30 miles either way and travel almost 100 miles out to sea for fishing excursions.
Among the fishing villages is some fighting, however compared to the rest of the orcs of First Dawn Lake, these orcs are quite docile. The rest of the orcs often refer to them as tamed or neutered orcs, yet they don’t dare attack and at the same time, the non-Chrailis orcs are more than ready to accept any orc feeling the need for constant aggression into their pirate clans. It is common enough practice that an orc wishing a change of lifestyle simply gets on a boat and heads east trusting he will be found before starving. The reverse also holds true. Older orcs, or orcs just not made for constant fighting will sometimes come to the villages, and when this happens the villages usually accepts them or directs them onward into Chrailis itself.
Of northern First Dawn Lake, 4 pirate clans hold sway.
The first is the Flayed Serpents. They operate out of Dead Wind and several other smaller island habitations. The Flayed Serpents exist largely by piracy of the other clans. While their ships are not as big or as strong, they build several smaller ships (many from Jawbone Shipyard) and constantly raid. If any of the Orc Pirate Clans is focused on simply the joy of combat, it is the Flayed Serpents. They also trade with the coastal villages of Chrailis the most, unloading their plunder in return for supplies. Most orcs feeling the ‘sea froth’ will initially find themselves one of the Flayed Serpents.
The Gore Reavers are the most established of the orc clans in the north and the closest to having an actual orc empire. Built of 18 smaller clans, their chief center of government is the Citadel of Wails. Named long ago, it serves as a large stone fort, a massive shipbuilding yard, and a central slave trading center. While the majority of the population there is orc, roughly 10 to 20 percent is ogre. These ogres have a large demand for slaves and come from further north deep in the jungle.
Most of the slaves are either captured orcs or captured lizard folk, boggards, and frogliks from south of Chrailis beyond the Si’nassa’s influence. Humans, halfling, and elves are rarely captured, however when they are they fetch a good price just for the novelty. Several aquatic species from southern First Dawn Lake also see a fair amount of trade. Several goblin slaves exist also, however they make poor slaves and are often bred rather than captured. Due to this, goblins are cheap and considered the lowest form of a slave.
The Gore Reavers have the most advanced civilization of the northern part of the lake and most of their sailors are born Reavers. They aren’t very accepting of orcs born outside of their clans. Usually when an orc manages to join the Reavers, it is because they have lied about their origins.
The Crimson Blades are probably the truest naval pirate orcs. They have no city or land home, instead they live their entire lives at sea. Home is interlocked ships far out to sea. Their ships come from captured ships and much of their food and stores comes from pillaged attacks on other orc settlements. They readily accept orcs from other groups, though the initiation process is quite deadly. Many of their numbers come from freed orc slaves and conscription. They will trade with the other pirate clans, however they will often attack smaller convoys if they feel they have the numbers. The Gore Reavers put to sea large ships in fleets for the express purpose of running slaves through the waters claimed by the Crimson Blades. There is a noble family of orcs within the Crimson Blades which are considered the most advanced practitioners of water and sea magics to be found anywhere. These sea mages are absolutely ruthless to any non-orc.
The final Pirate clan shown is the Skraelic Pirates. Established in the northeastern arm, they represent several orc villages. They are not as warlike as the Crimson Blades or Gore Reavers. Most of their naval activity is in defense of their territories from them. They represent over 40 clans and tribes, with a few tribes of hobgoblins and bugbears thrown in. While hobgoblins and bugbears rarely take to the water, they do make up more than a few of the garrisons land garrisons in the towns while the orcs patrol the seas. Orcs around this lake arm are more interested in the land, with more of the fighting occurring on land than by sea. However, they do have access to some impressive mines and are a source of iron, salt, and other metals for many on the lake. Traversing the lake to get to Chrailis is difficult, however some of the braver of the Skraeilic pirates will take up the challenge and try and make the journey to find riches. The southern portions of the lake are at this time undeveloped.