Orsinium Orsinium ( " Aldmeris for Orc - Town " ) , also called Nova Orsinium , is an Orcish city - state located within Tamriel . It was featured prominently in and as the Orcish capital city . While technically being under the sovereignty of the Empire , Orsinium has in the past not been readily accepted by the other provinces of Tamriel . However , in 3E 399 , Emperor Uriel Septim VII sought to improve relationships between the Empire and Orsinium through diplomacy , increased trade , and confederacy , prior to its destruction . Orsinium has usually been located inside the province of High Rock , in the western part of Tamriel , and as such Orcs co - inhabit the region alongside Breton s . The current Orsinium lies upon the mountains between Skyrim and Hammerfell . History . First Orsinium . The very First Orsinium , sometimes known as " Torug ' s Folly " , was founded by Orc chieftain Torug gro - Igron , after Warlord Thulgeg led a great emigration of Orsimer and Goblin s to the Wrothgarian Mountains in 1E 874 . A number of the settlers were beastmen set free by the rulers of the Summerset Isles and permitted to settle lands north of Valenwood . At first , it was just a small collection of huts . As word spread to the other Orcs of Tamriel about this rising civilization high in the Wrothgarian Mountains it soon grew to house more permanent structures . In its early stages , the other races of Tamriel deemed it a place ruled by savage law which raided its neighbors along the Bjoulsae River . It was thought by the Breton s to be little more than a desolate mountain region where Orcs scratched a meager living off rocks and secretly coveted the lands and the settled livelihood of their valley - bound neighbors . Orc historians however , claim this is simply Breton superstition and exaggeration . They claim Orsinium was always a peaceful land whose inhabitants made their way by simple agriculture and commerce . In truth however , the matter boils down to the roles of the Orsimer clans residing in the city . Clan Bagrakh committed the raids in honor of Clan Igron and King Golkarr . The Orcish claim is also partially true , as clans Shatul and Tumnosh provided the city ' s economy with farming and blacksmithing , respectively . In 1E 950 , Daggerfall and Sentinel , with the help of the Order of Diagna and Knights of the Dragon , declared war on Orsinium in response to the Bjoulsae Raids . This event became known as the Siege of Orsinium , which lasted for thirty years . The Orc clans of the city united and fought back against the human invaders vigorously , and the three gates of the city designed by Torug also made it harder for the invading armies to break into the city . The gate of Smelter fell in 1E 960 , ten years into the invasion . In 1E 970 , Diagnan leader Gaiden Shinji and Orcish hero Baloth Bloodtusk had a duel , though were both assassinated by Joile of Daggerfall and General Mercedene of the Winterborn . The distraction caused by this event allowed the invaders to break through the gate of Hammer . The invasion came to an end in 1E 980 , when the gate of Temper fell and King Golkarr was killed . With no province to call their own , the Orsimer became little more than pests and monsters in the view of the average Tamrielic citizen . The Orcs attempted to set - up at least two new Orsiniums , but they were destroyed before they could become permanent settlements . They were always destroyed before they could be properly established , and the succeeding Orsinium was finally established in the mid - Second Era . In 2E 582 , the ruins of the first Orsinium still remain . The inhabitants of Wrothgar refer to it as " " Old Orsinium " " . Second Orsinium . Following the city ' s destruction , the land briefly became a territory of the Akaviri Potentate , though this ended with the assassination of Savirien Chorak in 2E 430 . As a result , the lands were later sacked by Baron Fulvert Guimard in 2E 431 , and at some point Wrothgar later went under the control of the Daggerfall Covenant . In 2E 566 , King Emeric of Wayrest sent emissaries to the Wrothgarian Mountains with the offer that if they attacked the city of Shornhelm and provided aid to annihilate King Ranser ' s forces at Markwasten Moor , the lands of Wrothgar would once again be theirs . They later did so under the command of Kurog gro - Bagrakh , who later became the king of Orsinium , and the Orcish representative of the Daggerfall Covenant . The Second Orsinium existed during the Three Banners War in 2E 582 , where it was undergoing construction . The city was under the control of Kurog gro - Orsinium , who united it with the Daggerfall Covenant . Kurog did not control the entirety of Wrothgar , and sought to unite the Orc clans under one faction . This did not prove easy , as Kurog ' s support for the worship of Trinimac did not sit well with the other chieftains . Kurog later invited many of the Orcish chiefs to a Moot , though it was revealed that this was in fact a trap , and Kurog attempted to assassinate the chiefs . His plans were foiled by Bazrag gro - Fharun , Eveli Sharp - Arrow , and the Vestige , and Kurog was later slain by the Vestige in 2E 583 . Bazrag then held a funeral for Kurog on the city ' s Castle Overlook , saying that Kurog was influenced by his mother to take such dire actions . After pressure from the Orc community , Bazrag took the title of the King of Orsinium . After these events , Orsinium ' s alliance with the Daggerfall Covenant was put into question , as the accord was struck with Kurog and Emeric , resulting in Bazrag to consult the Orsimer community on the matter . It is unknown when it was destroyed , though in 2E 864 the Orsimer petitioned Tiber Septim to grant them the status of an Imperial Territory once more . Third Orsinium . An Orc visionary named Gortwog gro - Nagorm acquired the site of the former civilization of Orsinium and began reconstructing a new city for the Orsimer of Tamriel . As it grew , many believed it would succumb to the same fate as its predecessor . Gortwog though , proved to be a superb politician and diplomat and managed to make negotiations with Orsinium ' s neighbors which saw the Third Orsinium prosper . Orsinium had asked the Imperial authorities to raise it to Provincial status , making it recognized as a fully - fledged Province of Tamriel . Its request was under review and given the likelihood of a stable future with its previous rival High Rock , many believed Orsinium had a very good chance of succeeding in its goal . It is unknown if it became a province prior to its sacking in the early Fourth Era . There is however , a religious conflict in Orsinium which shows signs of becoming a major problem . In accordance with tradition , the Orsimer have always worshipped the Daedra lord Malacath as their deity . Orsinium ' s current leader , Gortwog , however , has controversially claimed that Malacath is in fact a fake and has set up a priesthood dedicated to the worship of the ancient Aedric hero , Trinimac . This had caused controversy as Trinimac was said to have been devoured by Boethiah , and afterwards became Malacath . Fourth Orsinium . Some time in the early Fourth Era , Orsinium was once again sacked , this time by a combined Breton - Redguard force . During the sack two Imperial Legions , the Seventh and Fifteenth Legion s , intervened . It is unknown if they fought the besiegers , however they did rescue Orc survivors and brought them to Skyrim . Like before , it was rebuilt , but this time not in the Wrothgarian mountains like the three previous incarnations of the Orc kingdom . The Fourth Orsinium was instead built in the Dragontail Mountains in between the Eastern Reach of Skyrim and Craglorn of Hammerfell . It was likely built on the site of Exarch ' s Stronghold , an Iron Orc stronghold that existed during the Second Era , which could be found in the center of Craglorn . Religion . Malacath . Torug gro - Igron was said to have had a strong relationship with Malacath , with the Orc - Father granting the tomb of Torug ' s bear with Daedric guardians . When the tomb became accessible in 2E 583 , this guardians had remained there since Torug ' s death . His successor King Golkarr was said to have been a zealot over Malacath , and prayed to the deity Mauloch for strength before he was killed . When Bazrag gro - Fharun came in command of the Second Orsinium , he himself was very lenient towards the worship of Malacath . After it was revealed that the Vosh Rakh were working with Kurog , the statue of Trinimac in the Temple of Ire was torn down , and the new deity to be depicted in stone later came under discussion . Trinimac . Though a minority , some residents of the First Orsinium privately worshiped Trinimac in their homes , commemorating him with small gold statues . Paragon ' s Remembrance was an ancient site for Trinimac worship from the same era as the First Orsinium . King Kurog gro - Orsinium had established a temple of Trinimac within the Orcish city , which later suffered from a surprise attack . While he did not ban worship of the Malacath , he did show distaste of the practice . Due to many Orsimer still favoring Malacath , Kurog ' s vision to unite the Orc clans of Tamriel was affected as many chieftans did not wish to join him over this . The Vosh Rakh , a group of Trinimac radicalists , also grew in power during his reign . Gortwog ' s belief that Trinimac still lives and that Malacath is a mere demon was the official view taken by the majority of the leading priests of the Third Orsinium . A handful of Orcs within Orsinium and the majority of Orcs outside of it viewed Gortwog ' s beliefs as heresy . Many of Gortwog ' s supporters feared that turning their back on Malacath could prove to be a terrible mistake .