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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1302676" data-attributes="member: 6783">Legends of the OrcsWhat is an orc?  Who you ask defines the answer you receive.  Ask many of the religious leaders in the Empire of Shtara (at least amongst the faiths of Latina and Sarath) and you will be told “Orcs are what happens when the forces of evil twist the forms of man and dwarf and elf”.  Ask a soldier who protects the northern communities against the occasional raids and hear “Savage, murderous beasts.  If you find a dead one then it’s a good start.”A compassionate person might wax “Creatures who were twisted in the beginning, but who still think and still have souls…souls which can be redeemed”.There are other points of view of course, not the least of which belong to the orcs themselves.  Only a few orcs have the time or the wit to consider such questions though, survival is usually tough enough.Within the fallen dwarven stronghold known as Khundrukar, there is a vast cavern that the dwarfs first named “The Glitterhame”.  Phospherescent patches glimmer faintly along the walls and ceiling while man size mushroom and puffball-like fungi cover the floor.  An earthy smell of decaying and growing things fills the cavern.  With the sight granted the depth-faring races the cavern is both grand and solemn; a place within the earth that is almost holy.  For those who bring the light of fire and magic the cavern fills with an almost celestial radiance as the light dances from the exposed crystal formations.Centuries ago it was within The Glitterhame that the dwarfs of Khundrukar grew their food and on occasion gave thanks to Mother Tasa for the variety of the earth’s bounty.Now it is within The Glitterhame that the orcs of the Spiked Skulls continue to grow their fare of fungus to supplement the times when meat is scarce.  The females and the children live within the great cavern, providing the food for themselves and the warrior-males.  It is a simple life but not particularly harsh in and of itself, and the females teach the young the traditions and stories and of their tribe.It came to pass during the winter of Emperor Jaz’aldrin’s 32nd year that the orcs under Khundrukar learned of new stories.  Tales of the strength of the orcs under the earth were told as well as the tales of the trickeries and lies of the dark masters.  Perhaps most importantly, tales of The Five were also told.  The Five of the Empire whose strength shattered the Bloodskull tribe and its fearsome masters.  In the cavern known as The Glitterhame, late at night after the warriors take their rest, the witch-priestess-orc called Garundaryek will sometimes tell the tale of the shattering of the Bloodskull tribe.  She tells the tale and passes the lessons on to the next generation.---"The Bloodskull tribe was powerful.”  Is what Garundaryek first tells the group in her harsh, grating voice.  The hideous priestess is old and scarred, with one eye sewn shut.  There are stories that pass between the older females, but they are never repeated when Garundaryek is near, for the priestess wears the claws of Luthic, razors attached to armbands that extend past her gnarled and twisted hands.  Only the strongest of the females may wear the claws of Luthic.When Garundaryek speaks the children and females turn from their activities to face her.  “The Bloodskull tribe was strong.”  Her yellow piercing eye seems to flash to their depth-born sight and pierce each of the listeners.  Her voice does not raise; it does not need to.“Seven hands of warriors, strong and fit, led in battle by the great-orc Garundzer, he with the blood of an ogre.”  Garundaryek pauses briefly as if to measure her words.  “Two powerful priests bore the will of Gruumsh to the chieftan of the tribe, Ogurkek.  The Bloodskull tribe took what it wanted and went where it will.Then the creatures came, tall and gangly like a human or an elf with skin like the bladder of an ogre – purple and tough.  Only eyes for a face with tentacles for a mouth.  The creatures came and spoke without words and the words were like lies fitted with truth.  The creatures spoke of power and the priests who spoke with Gruumsh listened, for Gruumsh honors those who take power for themselves.  The creatures spoke of favors and of gifts and Ogurkek listened, for Ogurkek wanted the powers of magic.Weapons of power were given to the tribe and the Bloodskull warriors were soon without peer.  Garundzer bore a great spear that slew many creatures when he charged on his battle-lizard.  Likewise the chieftan and priests were given weapons of magic.”  Garundaryek snorts with disgust as she mentions the weapons.  “Beware the gifts of the tentacled things.  Soon the priests heard not the will of Gruumsh, only the will of the creatures.  Gruumsh does not care though as long as his priests are strong and in the service of the creatures the Bloodskull tribe gathered strength like a low point gathers water.The creatures set the tribe to guard the caves of the bronze doors which led upwards to the surface.  Soon after, the humans came bearing slaves.  The slaves were for the creatures that spoke to the priests and the chieftan, but many slaves were given to the tribe.  The tribe grew fat on the slaves brought by the humans; too fat.Even humans do not like to be over-hunted.  The human tribe known as the Empire sent their own hunters into the depths.  The great bronze doors opened to them for they stole the keys that were given to the slave-bringers.The humans were loud and they were clumsy and there was only five.  Five humans opened the great bronze doors.  Seven hands of warriors led by the strong Garundzer and his great spear were set against them.  The black hunting cat of human and elf blood sang a song of war and death.  I heard the words and can repeat them.  Terrible words they are and they strengthened the five with magic powers.  The woman of human and elf blood called upon the creatures of the silver skies and brought forth a fearsome wolf.  The human in metal stood within the great bronze doors and held the opening with the fast human with the steel sliver.The humans held the door as the first two hands of warriors shot at them with the creature-gifted crossbows.  The crossbows were strong and the first the Bloodskull tribe had ever seen.  They were not enough.  As the lizard-riders drew near the human-elf woman called upon the freezing snows and a terrible storm engulfed the warriors and mounts.  It was not enough so the elfling called again.  Let it be lesson, magic has no favorites.Five hands of warriors guarded the great bronze doors and they shattered against the single hand of the Empire tribe.  The humans are strong do not underestimate them.  The humans are many, but they do not need them all.After the warriors of the door were slain the humans went deeper into the caves of the Bloodskull tribe.  In the cavern of the chieftan the hand of humans set themselves against the creature-led priests, the chieftan and his hand of guards.”  Garundaryek spits.  “It took the human hand longer to fight the five hands.”The humans are blind in the dark but they bring light.  The humans are soft, but they wear steel.  Most of all, the humans are clever and wise.  Ogurkek was not clever and he was not wise.  He let the creatures think for him and now Ogurkek is dead.The hand of the Empire tribe stood victorious over the bodies of the Bloodskull tribe.  Its slaves were taken with the gold and magic; the humans are as greedy as any ogre.  The humans also talk to things not like them – after the fight the earth creatures came and spoke quiet words with the humans.  The humans were bid to leave and come back again later.The humans are strange.  In the last cave hid the females and children of the Bloodskull tribe.  They were not killed and not made food.  Instead, when the humans left, the survivors were taken away, for the females and children had no tribe to protect them.That was earlier and this is now.  We belong to the Spiked Skulls tribe now.  We make the tribe stronger and we bring the tribe the wisdom we have learned.  Beware the creatures with no face for if they bring power they also bring lies.  They will bring no honor, only death.  The opponents to fear are the tribe of the Empire they will fight with steel and magic and they will kill any set against them.  They are worthy opponents.”</blockquote>

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