The Chronicles of King Kurog The Chronicles of King Kurog are a series of books containing the biography of King Kurog . Content . By Zephrine Frey , Chronicler of Wayrest Book 1 . I first met Kurog gro - Bagrakh in the wilds of Elsweyr . I was there pretending to be a scholar from Wayrest , but my true purpose was to watch , listen , and report back to King Emeric of Wayrest about events in the Khajiit i homeland . It was in this capacity as a spy that I originally encountered the boisterous and charismatic Orc warrior . He was newly arrived from Wrothgar , busy establishing himself in the mercenary group known as Gaspard ' s Stalkers . From all reports , he was brave , competent , and of unmatched physical prowess . He certainly looked the part to me . The Breton mercenary leader , Gaspard Esmery , opened his ranks to any and all races . As long as you were willing to follow orders and fight with all your strength , Gaspard had a place for you in his unit . Kurog brought along a handful of powerful Orcs who also happened to be extremely loyal to the young warrior . Soon , they were the most - prominent members of the Stalkers , getting the most - dangerous missions and the ogre ' s share of the loot . I was able to get close to Kurog on a number of occasions . He enjoyed being flirted with , especially by an attentive Breton woman who enjoyed sampling Khajiiti delicacies as much as he did . During these moments when we met for food and drink , he let down his guard and told me things I ' m sure he wouldn ' t have revealed to any of his male acquaintances . It was during one such rendezvous , in a dark and seedy tavern in the city of Orcrest , that I learned about the Orc warrior ' s past and his dreams for the future . We have all heard the horrible stories of life in the Orc strongholds . Kurog told me of his younger days as part of a clan in distant Wrothgar . He was the best and the brightest of a new crop of younglings — stronger , faster , and in many ways more brilliant than either his contemporaries or most of his elders . But he was unsatisfied with life in the clan . He wanted to prove himself in battle . He wanted to see the world . And both he and his clan chief knew that if he remained in the stronghold much longer , one of them was going to die . That was the way of life for the Orcs . Instead of pushing the issue and challenging the chief , Kurog rallied his bosom companions and signed on with a recruiter for Gaspard ' s Stalkers mercenary company . After lending his talents to help win skirmishes across Hammerfell and Cyrodiil , the company had made its way to Elsweyr . Kurog seemed to be having a grand old time seeing the sights , eating the food , bedding the wenches ( his words , not mine ) , and winning battle after battle . I offered Kurog a spoonful of honey pudding , my other hand resting on his powerful arm , and asked in all innocence , " But what about the future , my powerful friend ? " " The future ? " Kurog laughed . " I ' m going to go home , kill the old chief , and take command of my clan ! " Kurog said all this matter - of - factly . He wasn ' t boasting . He wasn ' t trying to impress me . He was simply telling me what he believed . And you know what ? I believed it , too . This was definitely an Orc that King Emeric was going to want to keep an eye on , mark my words . Book 2 . I had the pleasure of introducing Kurog to King Emeric when the Orc mercenary visited Wayrest . He was in the company of his Orc companions . They had recently resigned their commissions in Gaspard ' s Stalkers mercenary company and were making their way back to the wilds of Wrothgar . Thanks to the friendship I had fostered with Kurog during our time together in Elsweyr , he contacted me in the hope of visiting with me when they arrived in Wayrest . I readily agreed and offered to play tour guide while he was in the city . After spending a few days showing Kurog around the city and introducing him to the many tastes of Breton society ( Kurog certainly does love to eat ! ) , I surprised him with a clandestine visit to Wayrest Castle . I must admit that I was slightly worried about how the meeting was going to turn out . Kurog can be loud and crass , and he knows very little of the social graces . In retrospect , I shouldn ' t have been concerned . King Emeric and Kurog got along smashingly ! They seemed to share similar opinions about politics and warfare , and they took great pleasure in trying to make the other laugh out loud . At the end of the evening , Kurog admitted to the king that he was returning to Wrothgar to claim his rightful place as chief of his clan . " Should I be worried ? " King Emeric asked with a smile . " Of course you should be worried , " Kurog laughed . " But I like you , King Emeric . I think I will seek to rebuild Yashnag ' s kingdom in Falkreath before I turn my attention toward High Rock . " The two men shook hands and a shiver ran down my spine . I had a feeling that I was witnessing something important , even if I never imagined just how monumental this moment would actually prove to be . As Kurog started to take his leave , King Emeric had one more surprise to add to the evening ' s already long list of amazing occurrences . " My friend , " Emeric said , " I have a request . Allow Lady Zephrine to accompany you back to Wrothgar . She has been my eyes and ears in distant lands , and I certainly want to know how your ambitions play out . " Kurog laughed again . It was an infectious sound . " You want me to take your spy to Wrothgar ? " Again , Kurog demonstrated he wasn ' t quite as thick - headed as most people believed about Orcs . I wonder how long ago he guessed as to my true nature . " Damn it all , why not ? She ' s amusing , she knows how to eat and drink , and she ' s more than pleasant to look at . Pack your bags , my lady . And bring something warm . The weather in Wrothgar can be a bit nippy . " And with that , I accompanied Kurog to the land of the Orcs . Book 3 . The journey to Wrothgar turned out to be more pleasant than I expected . Kurog continued to be a fun and exciting companion . If anything , his mood grew even lighter the closer we got to the land of his birth . Along the way , we talked of many things , including Kurog ' s hopes to change some of the more oppressive and restrictive traditions of his people . " We should build great cities , cosmopolitan communities with places of learning and culture , " Kurog said . " And cuisine . Lots and lots of cuisine . It ' s so much better than food . " When we finally crossed the border into Wrothgar , the mood among Kurog ' s company of Orcs turned somber and more serious . They knew the stakes of siding with Kurog against their clan chief and were prepared to deal with those consequences , but that didn ' t make marching toward possible doom any easier . Kurog , on the other hand , maintained a jovial , even childlike , glee . He had prepared for this moment his entire life , and he was ready to leap head - first into his destiny . I was afraid for him , but I was also honored to call him my friend . And , if I may be so bold , just watching Kurog riding tall and proud atop his horse made my heart beat a little faster . I guess I was a bit smitten with the charismatic Orc warrior . At some point Kurog must have noticed that I was staring at him . He gave me a dazzling Orc smile , winked , and said , " Once I become chief , you could be one of my wives . Consider that an open invitation . " I turned away , hoping he didn ' t see how flush my face had become . I didn ' t know if I should laugh or scream in angry mortification at such a ludicrous idea . But by the time I gathered my thoughts and turned back to confront him , Kurog was holding up one gauntleted hand . " From here , " he said , " I go on alone . " Chief Bolazgar waited for Kurog . Four large , hulking Orc warriors stood beside the chief , their angry gazes locked on the younger Orc . And beyond them , it seemed to me like the entire clan had come out to see what was about to occur . " Are you going to grovel before your chief and beg my forgiveness , Kurog ? " Bolazgar sneered . " No , not today , " Kurog replied cheerfully . " Today , I challenge you for leadership of the clan . " Even from a distance , I could see that Chief Bolazgar was shaking with rage . " How dare you ? " he bellowed . " Do you think you can best me in fair combat ? Do you ? " Kurog shrugged . " As a matter of fact , I know I can best you . You ' ve grown fat and weak while I ' ve been fighting wars in distant lands , " Kurog proclaimed . " In fact , I ' m not sure there ' s going to be anything fair about this combat . " With a scream of pure hatred , Bolazgar drew his weapon and charged . In stark contrast , Kurog calmly unsheathed his sword and stood his ground . Then , with an economy of motion , he blocked the clan chief ' s initial , clumsy attack , and followed that with a single , devastating swipe . Bolazgar ' s head bounced three times before it came to rest against the boot of one of his honor guards . The field was silent for a long moment . Then the first call went out , " Long live Chief Kurog . " The rest of the clan took up the chant as each member , in turn , dropped to one knee before the powerful Kurog . He smiled . " Today begins a new day for the Orsimer ! " Kurog proclaimed . " I will lead you to glory ! On this , you have my word ! " And it was clear that I wasn ' t the only one who believed him . Book 4 . As the years went by , I was often used as an intermediary between King Emeric and Chief Kurog . Because of this , and due to my ongoing friendship with the chief , I was privy to many of the most significant events in Kurog ' s life . And not only to the events , but also to Kurog ' s thoughts and feelings , because he continued to trust me and utilize me as a confidant , even writing to me when we were in different parts of the continent . ( But , sadly , no . I never took him up on his offer to become one of his wives . Kurog began to collect wives early in his chiefdom , not unlike a stable master collects horses . But that ' s a tale for another day . ) Kurog spent a few years consolidating his power , growing his clan and forming alliances with clan chiefs that were willing to support his goals and ideals . It was about this time that Kurog revealed the details of his grand vision . " I will follow in the footsteps of mighty Yashnag and march into Skyrim , " he wrote to me . " I will restore the Orcish kingdom in Falkreath and create an Orcish city to rival the wondrous Wayrest . " While Kurog was busy to the north , King Emeric was dealing with issues in central High Rock . King Ranser of Shornhelm had declared war against Wayrest . After a clandestine meeting with the king , I decided I had to make one more trip to stand at Kurog ' s side . I caught up with Kurog near Dragonstar , as his forces were accumulating in the mountains of western Skyrim . They were having a more difficult time of it than Kurog had anticipated . The Nords , wracked as they were by civil war , nonetheless proved to be capable and courageous fighters . The path to Falkreath was long and arduous , and the rock and snow were going to be bathed in the blood of warriors from both sides before this campaign was done . I sat with Kurog one night , watching the roaring fire , when the clan chief opened up as he did during our times together back in Elsweyr . " These damn Nords , " Kurog said , " if they had a shred of decency they ' d put down their weapons and get out of our way . But no . The clans that aren ' t fighting us are trying to bribe us to aid their cause . They don ' t see us as conquerors . They think we ' re mercenaries ! I ' m beginning to think that my Falkreath dream is going to be crushed by all this snow and ice . Damn the Nords and damn their foul mead ! " I placed a hand on Kurog ' s knee and said softly , " What if I offered you a different , better dream ? And the authority to make that dream a reality ? " Kurog looked at me for a long time . Then he stood , towering over me , and demanded to know what I was talking about . Instead , I reached into my traveling cloak , withdrew a leather document pouch , and handed it to him . He read the contents by the light of the fire . Read it again . And a third time . Then he asked me if this was some sort of trick . I assured him that it wasn ' t a trick . It was an offer . " You help King Emeric , and King Emeric helps you , " I said , and the two of us talked long into the deepening night . In the morning , Kurog had a list of demands for me to take back to Wayrest . I was impressed . He was driving a hard bargain , but he was also offering King Emeric the power necessary to end Ranser ' s War in one fell stroke . I told him I would get the documents to King Emeric as quickly as possible . In return , he promised that his army would be ready and waiting for Emeric ' s signal — but they would not make a move until the signed documents were in Kurog ' s hands . And that was how the Orcs joined the Daggerfall Covenant and Kurog became the King of Wrothgar . Book 5 . Let ' s talk about the wives of King Kurog of Wrothgar . He began collecting wives shortly after he returned to Wrothgar and defeated Bolazgar to become chief of his clan . His first selections were purely political , taking wives to shore up his alliances with other clans . It was about this time that I became aware of Kurog ' s mother , Alga . He had mentioned her a few times in conversations we had over the years , but she never seemed to be a major influence in his life . At least , she wasn ' t prominent in his life as a mercenary . Now that Kurog was chief of his clan , his mother had stepped in to fill a need he never knew he had . She took the title of Grand Forge - Mother and immediately set out to negotiate marriages for her son . For those of you not intimately familiar with Orc traditions , you must understand that the only male in a clan allowed to take wives is the chief . He functions sort of like the primary male in a pride of lions , lording over all until someone younger and stronger comes along to take his crown . Just as Kurog did with Bolazgar . The chief ' s wives become the highest - ranking people in the stronghold , taking charge of important clan functions while the chief supervises everything from a distance . The only activity the chief personally takes charge of is war , whether leading raids or actually taking his clan into battle against a hated enemy . The most - influential and powerful of the chief ' s wives is the hunt - wife , and this was the first marriage that Alga worked to secure . Rumors abound that more than a dozen young hopefuls were vying for the position , but Alga and Kurog had a specific goal in mind . In the end , a powerful daughter from the Shatul clan , famed hunters of the Wrothgar highlands , was selected to solidify the alliance between the clans . Noroga pledged her loyalty , taking her place as Kurog ' s hunt - wife . When it came time to find Kurog a forge - wife to oversee blacksmithing and mining for the clan , Alga looked no further than the famed weapon and armor smiths of the Morkul clan . The obvious choice was the Morkul chief ' s eldest daughter , an Orc maiden named Ashaka . But Alga was more interested in the younger Tugha , who had traveled abroad for two years to study with the blacksmiths of western Skyrim . Her experiences , modern attitudes , and obvious intelligence won her the position of forge - wife for Kurog and his clan . If there was a requirement other than bringing another powerful clan under Kurog ' s banner , the role of hearth - wife demanded not only a brilliant household administrator but a talent for cooking that went beyond the usual skills of a mountain - bear hash - slinger . Kurog , as I ' ve mentioned in previous volumes of this chronicle , relished food with a passion . Between fighting and eating , I ' d be hard - pressed to determine which activity Kurog enjoyed more . Be that as it may , it would take years to find someone of Orcish grace and exceptional talent to fill this marital role . A great competition was eventually staged while Kurog was off aiding King Emeric at the end of Ranser ' s War . While Kurog was away , at least according to my sources , Forge - Mother Alga invited the most eligible Orc maidens from the most powerful clans not yet allied with Kurog to compete for the title of hearth - wife . She made them engage in a culinary battle that was as violent and bloody as any skirmish Kurog himself had ever undertaken . The women had to track , kill , and clean their own ingredients . They had to fight each other to secure spices from distant lands . And then they had to present their finished meals before time ran out . Alga and Kurog ' s first wives , Noroga and Tugha , would judge the worth of each contestant ' s offering . Barazal of Clan Murtag won the day , as much for her physical strength ( it is said she killed a mountain bear with her bare hands ) as her deft use of delicate spices . Kurog has many and varied lesser wives , most of who I have no real knowledge of , as they work behind the scenes and rarely made their presence known . Two , however , are always at Kurog ' s side . These are his protectors , the shield - wives . Two powerful fighters currently fill these roles in Kurog ' s household , the warrior - sisters Oshgatha and Razbela . The sisters are as loyal to each other as they are to the king , ready to lay down their lives to defend him should the need arise . Even Noroga and Tugha remain on best behavior when the shield - wives are present . Note : Though each marriage secured Kurog a certain degree of cooperation from the various clans , I should point out that since Kurog took the title of king , some of the clan chiefs who joined with Kurog by virtue of his marriage to their daughters have had a change of heart . While these chiefs won ' t openly oppose Kurog due to the marriage alliance , they have yet to publicly accept him as king of the Orcs . This , as you can probably guess , makes Kurog extremely unhappy . Book 6 . Now I want to take a few pages to record King Kurog ' s grand vision for Wrothgar and the Orc nation . I listened to his plan develop over the years from a nebulous dream , to a kernel of an idea , to the strategy that now inspires the re - building of Orsinium . During one of our first rendezvous , Kurog imbibed an astonishing amount of moon - sugar double rum . This had the effect of making him both introspective and extremely talkative . With a few smiles , a well - placed giggle , and an occasional compliment or question , I was able to get Kurog to open up about a great many things . But as the evening wore on , he began to tell me about his dream for the Orsimer — his name for the people we call Orcs . " The strongholds , " Kurog said . " They ' ve served the Orsimer well for generations . But our traditions , for all they aid and guide us , they also hold us back . They mire us in outdated notions and meaningless restrictions . " There was more , of course . While he understood the need for violence and was extremely good at it , he hated that everything in the strongholds was solved by beating or killing someone or another . " It makes it very hard to have a civil discourse on anything of substance , " he bemoaned , " because sooner or later someone reaches for something heavy or sharp to use to punctuate their particular point of view . Something needs to change . " The next time the subject came up , we were drinking treacle tea and watching the sun set over the Tenmar Forest . It was obvious that Kurog had given the topic much thought since we had last discussed it . In addition to just making life better for the Orsimer , now he also wanted to elevate his people on the political level as well . " The other kingdoms will never take us seriously as long as we remain trapped in our old traditions , " he said , a trace of bitterness evident in his voice . " We must develop a modern society if we are ever to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other races as equals . We need to build Orsimer towns and cities that can sustain diplomacy and trade while not looking like ancient and restrictive fortresses . A little fear in your contemporaries is all well and good . I find that it helps immensely in negotiations . But attitudes and mannerisms that invoke terror ? Those should be locked away and reserved for your enemies , not left on constant display to frighten friends and foes alike . " It was my final day in Elsweyr . I was preparing to return to Wayrest after what I assumed was going to be my last extended stay in the Khajiiti countryside , when Kurog invited me to join him for dinner . He had reserved a private room at the local inn and paid the establishment ' s chef to prepare a farewell feast for the two of us to share . As we munched on dried sugarmeat and caramelized sweetcakes , Kurog picked up his ongoing narrative of how he was going to return home and help his people . " I plan to rebuild our past glory , perhaps by reestablishing Yashnag ' s ancient Orsimer kingdom in Falkreath or maybe even raising the ruins of Orsinium itself . " Kurog ' s dream had become goal , a challenge he had placed upon himself to test his mettle and his strength of spirit . It would begin with Kurog ' s return to Wrothgar to wrest the chiefdom of his clan from the " insolent leader " ( his words , not mine ) who banished him . Then he would gather other clan leaders to his banner , forming a nation of independent states that was large enough and powerful enough to carve a kingdom for the Orcs — a kingdom that would see Kurog as its king . " Tell Emeric that the next time we meet , it will be as equals or it will be as enemies ! " Kurog said . " Under my rule , Orsimer will have every right and opportunity afforded to the citizens of Wayrest or Windhelm . The old ways will fall away , and a new age will dawn for the Orsimer people . This I so pledge ! " I won ' t deny it . Kurog ' s words , his passion , they moved me . I wanted to believe that he would succeed , that the Orcs would rise up and prosper under his benign rule . I would never forget what he described to me . Later , when King Emeric was in desperate need of allies , I would remember Kurog and whisper into Emeric ' s ear . And that is how alliances are born .