Civility and Etiquette : Wood Orcs I Content . Civility and Etiquette Volume III : Wood Orcs , Part I Elden Hollow By Coristir , Sage Sojourner It is said that the Orcs came to be when the Aldmer i god , Trinimac , was devoured by the Daedric Prince Boethiah . As the myth goes , Boethiah excreted Trinimac ' s remains , and those Aldmer who followed Trinimac rubbed that excrement on themselves to become Orcs . Perhaps it ' s just a myth , but the imagery is appropriate : repugnant , ridiculous , and a little comical , like the Orcs themselves . It ' s said that , after a time , a sect of these people traveled into Valenwood and developed a tangential culture : the Wood Orcs . ( For dealings with Orsinium Orcs , see Volume II . ) The Orcs in general are difficult for Mer to interact with , but these Wood Orcs are similar in physicality to our Wood Elf cousins , the Bosmer . The Wood Orcs are blunter and more ill - tempered than the Bosmer , but should be handled in much the same way : with patience , guidance and a careful eye . Without a proper Altmeri hand to lead them , both races have the potential to devolve into self - destructive , orderless savages that are an inconvenience and danger to all civilized people around them . So how should an Altmer deal with a Wood Orc ? First , earn her respect . Like her northern , Orsinium cousins ( the more common Orc variety ) , a Wood Orc admires physical strength , but she also prizes agility , speed , and geographical knowledge ( equating that with tactical knowledge ) . Display some semblance of competence in these areas and you will earn her begrudging appreciation . Here are a few ways to begin a conversation ( as a sign of respect , make sure to introduce yourself or at least establish eye contact first ) : 1 . Offer to begin an unarmed altercation and force the Wood Orc to submit . They enjoy fisticuffs . 2 . If you find yourself walking with a Wood Orc , gain the lead and maintain it . This may lead to a footrace . Win it , and win the Wood Orc ' s approval . 3 . Find a large rock — equal to or greater than body size — and hurl it , within view . Use a strength spell if you must , but don ' t let the Wood Orc know . If you think this sounds like impressing your way into a tribe of athletic children , you would not be far wrong . Use the above methods with caution — predictable as they may be , Wood Orcs are individuals , and require improvisation in dealing with them . And here are a few things an Altmer should not do when interacting with Wood Orcs : 1 . Flaunt magical abilities . Though the Altmer know that displaying advanced magic shows a lifetime of dedication and mastery of the highest craft , all Orcs bear a cultural distrust of magic . In their ignorance , they believe magic ' s primary function is oppression of their people , and often bridle at its use . 2 . Unless you ' re intending to ignite a battle , never hide in the trees of Wood Orc territory . Walk in the open . As our Bosmer cousins have learned , the Wood Orcs do not take kindly to those who stalk their forests . They equate secret movement with malevolence and cowardice . In Part II of this collection , I ' ll detail specific hurdles that may come up in conversation with a Wood Orc , such as religion and Malacath , and the Wood Orc equivalent of Orsinium strongholds .