The Orc Horde
From the mountains of Fargate's Drystorm Skyways to the menacing valleys of the Horrortooth Peninsula, the Orcs once made their home on their native world in a very violent way. The competing race of the Thrae once shared Fargate with the Orcs, albeit begrudgingly. The two were never on good terms, unless in the most severe of circumstances. Their wars and skirmishes only served to exasperate the urgency in the Thrae's leadership roles as well as agitate the inherent bloodthirst of the Orcs.
One day, it came to a feverish pitch.
The Orc warlock Thar'zu had a vision, a nightmarish glimpse into a future in which the Thrae finally conquered their hated Orc enemies and slaughtered them to the last. This, the orcs would not tolerate. They banded together their mightiest warriors and marched to battle. Little did they know, but the vision of Thar'zu had been tampered with by one of the Eight Gods of Ancient Chaos, namely the Mind Weaver. Although still weak at this time, the Mind Weaver still manipulated Thar'zu enough to have him encourage the Orcs to partake in a dangerous ritual.
They consumed demon blood, and scarred their skin green while staining their souls black with the chains of eternal oppression. They gained the power to finally overturn the Thrae, but at the cost of eternal damnation. There were some Orc tribes who escaped beforehand, however. They did not agree with the dark dreams of Thar'zu and convinced some Thrae to evacuate through the Worldscar and into Skellbrieg. These would become the first of their kind, untainted and free to establish rule of their own in the Black Jungles and beyond.
Meanwhile, war erupted throughout Fargate on a cataclysmic scale. The old world collapsed under the weight of its new demonic masters and soon, only a fragment remained, divided between those Orcs and Thrae who stayed behind to fight as they were both enslaved by the Dark Horde. This all changed when Dragga, an Exiled Titan, invaded Fargate and freed them at the cost of his own life.
While the Thrae left to find their own kind, those Orcs who were marked with jade skin were less than welcomed by their alienated clansmen.
Civil war broke out amongst the Orc tribes, but soon the greenskins established dominance.
Thrazgalurr the Steelfang, especially, held an iron fist over the natural-colored Orcs. His reign as first Warchief of the Horde would serve as the foundation for the Horde, but at the cost of bloodying its reputation with that of his own people as well as the Coalition. His hatred for the other colors of Orcs was rooted in that his father ruled as the Warchief of the Orc Horde during the ingestion of demon blood. He believed with all the strength in his arms that Orcs would only be as powerful as their berserker rage would allow.
Thrakkagog put an end to this. Tired of being painted as a barbarian, he rose to the title of Warchief and decapitated Thrazgalurr. A greenskin as well, Thrakkagog spent his years trying to mend the wounds Thrazgalurr left behind, but with little success. He fought wars with the Coalition, most notably the dwarves, and even besieged the Three Peaks not once, but twice. Even his status as a war hero earned him marginal respect among those Thrazgalurr scarred. Yet, he did establish the Horde as a place for all Orc tribes, not just the greenskins.
Gorgog of the Thundereater Tribe did well to continue this practice. Gorgog, a yellow-skinned Orc of mixed Ogre origins, actually roamed the countryside as a hunter and skinner by trade. He fought beasts many times his size only to emerge with a new pelt and an amazing story to tell. He climbed to the top of the Horde food chain once Thrakkagog died. Gorgog, other than being a wandering beastmaster, also served as Thrakkagog's personal bodyguard and stood as a champion of the Horde. He is still alive to this day and relinquished the title of Warchief once a suitable successor showed up.
Rogash of the Bloodstomper Tribe, returned to Kahzor Kazaag once he heard of the legendary Thundereater's challenge. Rogash became Warchief only by virtue of Gorgog's discretion. Upon recognizing his strength as ruler, Gorgog left the title of Warchief to him and returned to his life as a hunter. Rogash continues to rule justly, and the Horde has flourished under his leadership. However, the rising threats of not only the Dark Horde, but the Desecrated, a renewed Mugol presence under the Thunder King, the Vangari, and the arrival of the Outsiders have all made tumultuous changes in the world of Skellbrieg.
Kahzor Kazaag
The Black Jungles are geographically separated into two sectors. The lusher environments are typically found closer to the ocean and extend towards Midland in a pseudo-hemispherical pattern. These parts of the Black Jungles are the stomping grounds of the Zduha, longtime allies of the Orcs, as well as the Sauros and - lately - fragments of the Chaos Clan that have wandered up north.
The other half is rocky, barren, and closer to the equatorial north where sunlight is dominant. This is called Murospire and it is where the Orcs call home. In their central citadel of Kahzor Kazaag, the Orcs lead the Horde along with the other kings and generals from Khan, Zulutar, and beyond. Kahzor Kazaag's most noticeable feature is its series of five massive walls, which house barracks and armories unique to their positions, making them self-sufficient battle fortresses. Tunnels to underground sanctuaries are scattered throughout the city, relieving panic when the populace is under attack.
The Orcs are not without ample armored support, however. The world may see them as uncouth barbarians but within their ranks exist devious engineers and ingenious weaponsmiths. Heavy Skulltramplers maneuver on thick war treads and their turreted Mangler cannons make them a match for tanks of Isuldorian make. Flying Juggernaut zeppelins hover with the support of swarms of steel-plated Skystreamer chimeras. Even the bravest of warriors cannot honestly say that they would besiege Kahzor Kazaag in full confidence.
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