Orcs

Orcs have always been nomads and led an appropriate way of life as they never had a permanent place of residence and moved from one camp to another. This was due to the constantly changing weather conditions and lack of food and resources for the survival of their offspring. Moreover, the orcs were weakened by constant intra-tribal conflicts, therefore much blood was shed among their brothers and sisters.

There were many tribes that had their own leaders, orders, and customs. The only and the least that united them was the preservation of common traditions and the fact that the orcs honored the memory of their ancestors. Some of the old and powerful shamans even could contact their ancestors through spiritual sessions and receive wise advice and guidance for their tribes.

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And this story began with one of the prominent shamans named Zarxul. He looked like all other orcs, with rough skin, powerful jaws, big strong arms, and a huge torso. However, he behaved completely differently from his militant and aggressive relatives. Zarxul was a seer of extraordinary wisdom. He was even-tempered, thoughtful, and spiritually enlightened.

He did not like the constant tendency of the tribes to internecine wars. During his not-so-long life, he managed to lose two of his closest friends and his beloved one. Therefore, he desperately wanted to put an end to wars between the tribes.

He began to establish a truce, settling the conflict with the nearest tribe. After talking with the spirits of the past, he decided to propose a duel to its leader named Xhor. He sent a raven with a message that he was challenging him to a duel, with the condition that the bloodshed of the clans would stop and the winner would receive everything, including full rule over the two tribes. A few days later, Zarxul received a reply. Xhor accepted the conditions and the battle would take place in a few days.

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It was not a long duel…Zarxul was defeated and lost everything to Xhor. Still, Xhor who had gone through many wars appreciated Zarxul’s due diligence and did not kill him. The leader saw that the shaman was ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of reconciling the tribes and thus ensuring the protection of his tribe for a long time. And since Xhor and his tribe were also heavily exhausted, without thinking for a long time he decided to propose unification of both tribes.

For the first time in the history of orcs, two completely different tribes acted as a single entity. And this unification started to bear fruit as it became easier for two once warlike tribes to survive. Therefore, they decided to send out ravens to other orc tribes with an offer to rejoin them and end all feuds.

Orcs left trail rocks during their travels and taught the Ravens to memorize them so they could bring or send a message if needed. However, several days passed, and not a single raven returned. Accordingly, Xhor and Zarxul decided that the other tribes had rejected their offer. At the same time they were taken by surprise as suddenly, they were attacked by Reptiles who came from Maelstrom Deepth and with whom they had been at enmity for a long time.

The serene time of dwelling without war did not last long, since with the invasion of Reptiles a real bloody slaughter began. Their newly built settlement was on fire, orcs were being slaughtered right and left. The hope seemed to be fading, the first raven appeared on the trail rock. The leader and the shaman were surprised, but this was not the right time for such long-awaited news. The orcs desperately continued to fight with all their might against the invaders.

After a while, a second raven appeared, then a third and fourth. Once empty rocks started to be surrounded by a whole flock of ravens. All at once they heard a familiar sound. This was the orc’s horn and then on the horizon appeared almost all the tribes to which Xhor and Zarxul sent the message. They proudly stood as a whole horde and, seeing their common enemy, quickly forgot all the strives, took axes, swords and rushed into battle. The Reptiles did not even have time to retreat, as they were slaughtered one by one. And as it was already clear, the battle ended pretty quickly.

Much to everyone’s regret Xhor fell in battle, and Zarxul was badly wounded. But, by gathering all his last strength, he was still able to assemble the Ting — a general meeting of orcs. After the Ting took place, the orcs decided that it was time to become one big clan. Impressed by the fact that the ravens became the heralds of their triumphant victory and brought all the clans to one place, they began to call themselves the RavenStone clan.

After the death of Zarxul, his best apprentice and the hereditary shaman Zargulak became the new spiritual leader and took rule over the Ravenstone clan. As a result, the clan became strong and spiritually enlightened, thanks to the sacrifice of Zarxul, the right decision of Xhor, and the wise act of Zargulak.