Orcs in Izea

Orcs are not native to Izea. Orcs were never known to exist until a few hundred years ago.  There was a nation on the island to the far east then known as the Isle of Blooms, off the eastern coast of Estor, that were the misfortunate ones to be the first to discover the orcs.

## The Great Storm

It was after a great storm, one that has never been seen before or since, that after it passed they found thousands of orcs on their eastern shore. Scared, angry and desperate the orcs attacked the island natives, forcing them off the island. But approaching the water on the other side of the island they did not cross, for it seems they had a great fear of the sea. And for many years after the orcs did not cross the water to the mainland. With an alliance of elves and man, there were many attempts to reclaim the island. Until it was decided that no more attempts were to be made.

The orcs settled on the island, now named the Forsaken Island, and grew and spread throughout the island and divided into clans. As is Orc nature they fought among themselves. Some looking to expand their reach braved the sea that separated the island and the mainland and began to raid the coast. These small warbands were faced with fierce resistance from both elves and man. Now having resettled, the old island natives created a new kingdom known as Dreyca, vowing to retake their home, and with their elven allies of Estor destroyed any orc that set foot on their shores without mercy.

## The First Orc Incursion

About a hundred years after the arrival of the Orcs to Izea, among the fighting rose mighty warchief known as Guruush, who unified the clans. Behind him, he prepared a large invasion force and boarded ships south of the island. As most warbands would raid the eastern coasts or launching attacks from the Dagger Isles, the elves of Estor were not prepared when Guruush attacked their southern coast.

The orc invasion cut through the land like a plague, everywhere they went there was nothing but devastation and death. Guruush's forces cut through Estor dividing its people. They expanded through the land cutting through the Endless Green Realm, stretching to the fledgling kingdom of Ephoria until the halfling lands of Gethella. Both Estor and Dreyca responded and aided where they could but their combined effort was not enough to contain the orcs.

The young race of the Dragonborn of Dragonfall came to the assistance of Estor guarding the seas and cutting off any reinforcements that came from the Forsaken Isle, given the Estorian elves a free hand to deal with the main fight.

In the midst of the invasion a war council was called, representatives from Dreyca, Estor, Swain, Osharia, Dragonfall, and Gethella gathered, of which is remembered as the "Council of the Stone Table". Attempting to find a way to deal with the orc threat was difficult as the council fell into argument. Swain refused to leave their borders nor to let anyone in, including the Estorian refugees, cut off by the invasion force. Dreyca and Gethella called Osharia to put aside their passive ways and to join the fight. Some blamed the Dragonborn for not warning the others of the incoming attack, and how they should commit more to the fight, some even suggested that they may be in collusion with the orcs. It wasn't until the Arch-Druid of Bi'Ka Grove Ashintor appeared among them and brought the council to calm, and proposed a solution of sending a small band of champions to kill Guruush. He said by killing the warchief the orcs will divide and be easier to destroy. All agreed and put forward their champions,  named the "Company of Stone", to which they set off on their task.

The Company overcoming great odds hunted down the Warchief Guruush, scattering his forces. Soon after, as the Arch-Druid predicted, the orcs splintered and fought for power among themselves. Without strong leadership and guidance, the orcs were easier to pick off.

Although the threat was over, the relationships between the eastern Izean nations were never the same again. As for the Company of Stone, after completing their quest they disappeared, some said they travel between the planes of existence in search of evil till this day.

## The Second Orc Incursion

Raids on the eastern coasts of Izea continued after the first incursion but they were few and far between, and it seemed that the orcs were broken. A hundred years after the first incursion the raids seemed to have stopped. The Dreycan Kingdom, under the rule of King Michael III, saw this as an opportunity and made an assault on the island.

### **The Ambush**

Upon landing on the beach they expected resistance but found none, in fact, it seemed that the orcs were nowhere to be seen. The armies of Dreyca set up camp and prepared to explore further. The next morning King Michael received a message from the Osharian elves that a large orc fleet was sighted coming round the north of the Forsaken Island heading for Dreyca. King Michael attempted to rush his armies back on the ships and return to Dreyca, but as his armies scrambled to the boats they were attacked by a large force of orcs. Surprised and in disarray the Dreycan army was crushed.

Under the banner of a new warchief, Orogar the Chosen, the orcs attacked the defenceless Dreyca those who survived fled to wherever they were taken in. The Estorian elves held their borders but could push no further. As the orc armies moved into Gethella the halflings were only able to slow the advance, luckily after a band of halfling mercenaries discovered a vanguard hidden in the hills of the Gethellan-Dreycan border, allowing for safe passage of refugees and to prepare a defence. It wasn't until what remained of the halfling forces reached the edge of the forest of the Endless Green Realm were the orcs finally held back, as the forest itself came to life and attacked the orcs.

The east of Izea were not the only ones impacted, the incursion spread to the island of Dragonfall. In all the theatres of war many casualties were felt on both sides.

### **Dragonfall**

Ever since the orcs arrived in Izea, they had yet to interact with the Dragonborn. Those few orcs that attempted to raid the Dragonfall island never returned. It wasn't until Orogar sent a large warband to the island looking to make it a base of operation to attack Estor. What they found was an army of fierce dragonborn, battle-hardened having recently ended a civil war, known as the Scale Wars.

Unprepared for the ferocity of the orc attack, the dragonborn warriors were slowly pushed back to the city of Draconis, where they were held under siege. They sent out messages requesting aid from the other nations of Izea, but none responded. This act will set a precedence of distrust of outsiders among the dragonborn for many years to follow.

The city of Draconis remained under siege for three months, and still, no aid came from the mainland. The orcs tore up the land building many siege machines, what used to be grasslands became a desolate wasteland. It wasn't until news of a great battle that broke the orc forces in the mainland did discord descend upon the orcs in Dragonfall. Taking advantage of this the forces of Draconis sallied forth scattering the orcs, chasing them back to the sea.

Following the invasion the dragonborn took to isolation, looking to have as little contact with outsiders as possible. In addition, they created a large magical barrier to prevent orcs or any other evil creatures to invade the island again, powered by three great towers across the island, known as the Towers of Draxis.

### **The Battle of Righteous Fury**

The incursion ended at the Battle of Righteous Fury where the remaining forces of Dreyca, Estor, and the halflings of Gethella, outnumbered and battered, made an assault against the orc hordes in an attempt to break them. Many lives were lost that day, and it seemed the orcs were to win when stepping forward from the north stood seven Osharian elves sparking with arcane energy. What followed can only be described as arcane chaos. The seven Osharian elves, known as the Unchained or *iAvaglanna* (in Elvish), unleashed devastation upon the orcs. The attack took the orcs by surprise, and the magnitude of the attack struck fear into their hearts, so much that some orcs threw themselves into the sea.

Rallying, the Izean forces fought the orcs with renewed resolve. In the fight Orogar was killed by a Dreycan woman, Irena Ironheart, but losing a hand in the exchange. Scattered and broken the orcs attempted to escape the battle, but where ever they ran they were cut down by the pursuing Izean armies, thirsty for revenge.

The remaining Izean forces returned to their lands. The halflings returned to their lands and begun to rebuild with help from the druids of the forest. What remained of the Dreycan population returned to a devastated land. under the strict leadership of their new queen, Queen Irelia Ironheart, they rebuilt but vowing to never forget and to never forgive. She also made it law for every man, woman, and child to learn how to fight so that they will never be defesceless again.

## **Since the last Incursion**

There has been relative peace since then, there are still occasional raids on the coast, and in reply Dreyca would send hunting parties of their own.

The memory of the devastation of the two incursions echo throughout eastern Izea. So much so that even today orcs are seen with great prejudice. Although, there are some Izeans showing sympathy and some even more than that, resulting in mixed bred offspring. Those half-orcs live among the fringes of society, shunned by both orc and Izeans. Some may say they receive greater hatred and prejudice than orcs themselves.

For now the orcs have made no attempts to invade again, their clans still divided and caught up in their infighting. But the peoples of eastern Izea remain vigilant, prepared for another orc war chief to rise among them and lead another invasion.