How Orsinium Passed to the Orcs Content . The year was 3E 399 and standing on a mountainside overlooking a vast tract of land between the lands of Menevia and Wayrest was a great and learned judge , an arbitrator and magistrate , impartial in his submission to the law . “ You have a very strong claim to the land , my lad , ” said the judge . “ I won ' t lie to you about that . But your competition has an equal claim . This is what makes my particular profession difficult at times . ” “ You would call it my competition ? ” sneered Lord Bowyn , gesturing to the Orc . The creature , called Gortwog gro - Nagorm , looked up with baleful eyes . “ He has ample documentation to make a claim on the land , ” the magistrate shrugged . “ And the particular laws of our land do not discriminate between particular races . We had a Bosmer regency once , many generations ago . ” “ But what if a pig or a slaughterfish turned up demanding the property ? Would they have the same legal rights as I ? ” “ If they had the proper papers , I ' m afraid so , ” smiled the judge . “ The law is very clear that if two claimants with equal titles to the property are set in deadlock , a duel must be held . Now , the rules are fairly archaic , but I ' ve had opportunity to look them over , and I think they ' re still valid . The Imperial council agrees . ” “ What must we do ? ” asked the Orc , his voice low and harsh , unused to the tongue of the Cyrodiil s . “ The first claimant , that ' s you , Lord Gortwog , may choose the armor and weapon of the duelists . The second claimant , that ' s you , Lord Bowyn , may choose the location . If you would prefer , either or both you may choose a champion or you may duel yourself . ” The Breton and the Orc looked at one another , evaluating . Finally , Gortwog spoke , “ The armor will be Orcish and the weapons will be common steel long swords . No enchantments . No wizardry allowed . ” “ The arena will be the central courtyard of my cousin Lord Berylth ' s palace in Wayrest , ” said Bowyn , looking Gortwog in the eye scornfully . “ None of your kind will be allowed in to witness . ” So it was agreed . Gortwog declared that he would fight the duel himself , and Bowyn , who was a fairly young man and in better than average condition , felt that he could not keep his honor without competing himself as well . Still , upon arriving at his cousin ' s palace a week before the duel was scheduled , he felt the need to practice . A suit of Orcish armor was purchased and for the first time in his life , Bowyn wore something of tremendous weight and limited facility . Bowyn and Berylth sparred in the courtyard . In ten minutes times , Bowyn had to stop . He was red - faced and out of breath from trying to move in the armor : to add to his exasperation , he had not scored one blow on his cousin , and had dozens of feinted strikes scored on him . “ I don ' t know what to do , ” said Bowyn over dinner . “ Even if I knew someone who could fight properly in that beastly steel , I couldn ' t possibly send in a champion to battle Gortwog . ” Berylth commiserated . As the servants cleared the plates , Bowyn stood up in his seat and pointed at one of them : “ You didn ' t tell me you had an Orc in your household ! ” “ Sir ? ” whined the elderly specimen , turning to Lord Berylth , certain that he caused offense somehow . “ You mean Old Tunner ? ” laughed Berylith . “ He ' s been with my house for ages . Would you like him to give you training on how to move in Orcish armor ? ” “ Would you like me to ? ” asked Tunner obsequiously . Unknown to Berylith but known to him now , his servant had once ridden with the legendary Cursed Legion of High Rock . He not only knew how to fight in Orcish armor himself , but he had acted as trainer to other Orcs before retiring into domestic service . Desperate , Bowyn immediately engaged him as his full - time trainer . “ try too hard , sir , ” said the Orc on their first day in the arena . “ It is easy to strain yourself in heavy mail . The joints are just so to let you to bend with only a little effort . If you fight against the joints , you won ' t have any strength to fight your foe . ” Bowyn tried to follow Tunner ' s instructions , but he quickly grew frustrated . And the more frustrated he got , the more intensity he put into his work , which tired him out even quicker . While he took a break to drink some water , Berylith spoke to his servant . If they were optimistic about Bowyn ' s chances , their faces did not show it . Tunner trained Bowyn hard the next two days , but her Ladyship Elysora ' s birthday followed hard upon them , and Bowyn enjoyed the feast thoroughly . A liquor of poppies and goose fat , and cock tinsh with buttered hyssop for a first course ; roasted pike , combwort , and balls of rabbit meat for a second ; sliced fox tongues , ballom pudding with oyster gravy , battaglir weed and beans for the main course ; collequiva ice and sugar fritters for dessert . As Bowyn was settling back afterwards , his eyes weary , he suddenly spied Gortwog and the judge entering the room . “ What are you doing here ? ” he cried . “ The duel ' s not for another two days ! ” “ Lord Gortwog asked that we move it to tonight , ” said the judge . “ You were training when my emisary [ sic ] arrived two days ago , but his lordship your cousin spoke for you , agreeing to the change of date . ” “ But there ' s no time to assemble my supporters , ” complained Bowyn . “ And I ' ve just devoured a feast that would kill a lesser man . Cousin , how could you neglect to tell me ? ” “ I spoke to Tunner about it , ” said Berylith , blushing , unused to deception . “ We decided that you would be best served under these conditions . ” The battle in the arena was sparsely attended . Saturated with food , Bowyn found himself unable to move very quickly . To his surprise , the armor responded to his lethargy , rotating smoothly and elegantly to each stagger . The more he successfully maneuvered , the more he allowed his mind and not his body to control his defensive and offensive actions . For the first time in his life , Bowyn saw what it was to look through the helmet of an Orc . Of course , he lost , and rather badly if scores had been tabulated . Gortwog was a master of such battle . But Bowyn fought on for more than three hours before the judge reluctantly called a winner . “ I will name the land Orsinium after the land of my fathers , ” said the victor . Bowyn ' s first thought was that if he must lose to an Orc , it was best that the battle was largely unwatched by his friends and family . As he left the courtyard to go to the bed he had longed for earlier in the evening , he saw Gortwog speaking to Tunner . Though he did not understand the language , he could see that they knew each other . When the Breton was in bed , he had a servant bring the old Orc to him . “ Tunner , ” he said kindly . “ Speak frankly to me . You wanted Lord Gortwog to win . ” “ That is true , ” said Tunner . “ But I did not fail you . You fought better than you would have fought two days hence , sir . I did not want Orsinium to be won by its king without a fight . ”