The War-Torn Wastes of Gorakan

## Background

Described as being a large wasteland filled with warring tribes of orcs and goblinoids, Gorakan or "The War-Torn Wastes" is a plane where survival is paramount. The desolate landscape is home to many monstrous creatures, and massive migrations of orcs. Any that wind up in this plane are usually subject to constant battles against the orcish inhabitants and the constant competition has led to the inhabitants holding a firm belief in strength with the largest and strongest (usually orcs) ruling over the small and weak (usually goblins).

Orcish society is one that is heavily based on strength and self-improvement with regards to this strength. Orcs possess the strange quality that they grow bigger whenever fighting stronger opponents. This quality means that an individual orc will constantly seek to improve themselves and grow larger by constantly facing stronger opponents. The largest and strongest orc will then rise as the tribal war chief that rules over the tribe. Other potential war chiefs may challenge the war chief to single combat, however, an orc that does this must face the war chief’ bodyguard, in order to ensure that the potential war chief is worthy of challenging the actual war chief. If the challenger kills the bodyguard, he can then challenge the war chief. If the challenger succeeds in defeating the war chief, he then takes his place, electing a new bodyguard and leading the tribe.

Second in the hierarchy of Gorakan are the Hobgoblins, unlike their orcish cousins, hobgoblins possess reddish skin and are far more orderly when it comes to warfare. While Hobgoblins are more strategic when it comes to warfare there are far fewer of them when compared to orcs, creating a sort of balance between the two races that fight for dominance of the realm.

Hobgoblins value strength and intellect in equal regard, claiming that a perfect warrior can only be bred through combining the two. Hobgoblin society is similar to orcish society, although they are not tribal per se, hobgoblins are made for war and thus they travel in large war parties, that can set up camp wherever they require allowing a war party to constantly be on the move. These war parties are led by a warlord that is assisted by a war council; the war council is made up of a group of hobgoblin elders that are seen as the wisest of their kind. They guide the warlord in his decisions and aid him in ensuring that the war party is protected. If the warlord is viewed as being weak or has grown too old then the war council possesses the authority to remove him, a decision that is respected by all other members of the war party. In the event that this happens, or the warlord dies, then the war council will find a worthy candidate to be his replacement.

The origin of bugbears is one that is heavily debated, scholars claim that their initial appearance in Gorakan was the result of hobgoblin experimentation. In order to create the ideal slaves for their war parties, hobgoblins created bugbears and goblins that eventually spread throughout the rest of Gorakan. This, however, does not explain how three of the prime deities within Gorakan are two bugbears and a goblin, although this can be attributed to another quality of goblinoids and orcs.

Bugbears themselves are similar to their previous cousins in that they are quite large and strong, however, strangely enough they value stealth, with many becoming rogues. However, they are still a brutal race that values savagery allowing for many of them to become brutal raiders and barbarians with a lust for gold and cruelty. They rarely possess societies of their own, with many bugbears joining hobgoblin war parties or large confederations of goblins and bugbear raiding parties.

The last and most pathetic of the goblinoids, the goblins are the smallest of their kin and also the most cowardly. They are exceptionally cruel and like the rest of their kinsmen they are savage fighters when angered. That being said, the most dominant trait within goblins (excluding their short height and long noses) is their cowardice, goblins will not engage in fights that they cannot win, preferring betrayal over violence.

Goblin tribes do exist although most tend to be completely absorbed by larger orc or goblinoid warbands. In such warbands, goblins are subject to immense abuse and it is not uncommon for them to be seen as food or thrown on the front lines in battle as fodder. This abuse has taught goblins to exploit whatever advantage they may possess in battle with many using their small size and speed to their advantage.