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Message: <blockquote data-quote="adembroski" data-source="post: 6121046" data-attributes="member: 18869">So I'm running a homebrew campaign that to this point has centered on a small island with its own problems independent of the world at large, but I like to drop tidbits here and there about what's going on elsewhere.So, naturally, the players have decided to venture far from the main focus of the campaign I'd planned. I'm not one to railroad, so I'm not going to stop them, but I have some additional planning to do I didn't expect to have to worry about for a month or two. I'll try to stick to generic terms and stay away from campaign specific lore here, I'm looking for ideas, not trying to bore you with the details.So... you can kind of get an idea of what's going on by thinking of the great migration of the mid-1st century AD. The "Great Empire" is receding and being overtaken by suddenly mobile tribes of barbarians (in this case, Orcs, who are moving independent of one another, often displacing each other). A few hints here and there, and the players have (correctly) assumed that something is driving the orcs out of their homelands.So... basically, who are the "huns" of my scenario? It's a fairly grounded campaign world... magic and technology are weak compared to most (roughly 1066-level technology, with magic scaled back to match. Wizards have yet to discover 6th level spells, and some schools operate as one or two levels higher than listed [ie 1st level spells are treated as 3rd level]). Elves are native to a Tir Na N'og-like fae realm, though there is a culture that has established a kingdom on the prime. Orcs are Tamriel-ish in that they're not evil per se, but their gods push them to act like it.So, basically, I need something to be scaring the orcs into invading the much more militarily powerful Empire. I was thinking of introducing something known from D&D campaigns with an unexpected culture concept behind them (in a horse-lord dwarves or Asian elves kinda vein as in Sovereign Stone), or using Dragonborn/Draconians, but I figured I'd see if someone else can give me something more inspired. I certainly don't want to resort to "evil empire" sort of fantasy tropes.</blockquote>

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