Vile Orcs

## Native Name

Known simply as Orcs to the ignorant and Vile Orcs to those who can tell the difference. The races split has caused the Eastern Orcs to adopt new names for their corrupted siblings and now refer to them as the the Shaydaan.

## Appearance

Most Eastern Orcs and Vile Orcs are naturally large and muscular, averaging around 6’ 5” (1.95m) and usually weighing more than 230 lbs (105 kg), the two are set apart by their skin color and other small factors that tend to go unnoticed by non-Orcs.

Vile Orcs are different shades of green, the darkest being ones that spend most of their time above ground and the lighter ones being the ones that live below it. Vile Orcs always have tusks which grow much longer than the Eastern Orc’s and tend to be nose height or occasionally even longer, they also can have small horns jutting around their eyes anywhere from on the cheek bones to above the eyebrow. Their eye color is dark red on the outside with large black pupils and they always have colorless hair ranging from black to gray to bright white.

## History

The first instance of recorded history was when the Orcish population in what is now Eastern Dhulkar had grown to a point that prompted a large number of the inhabitants to migrate west into the land that is now The Black-Gold Desert, this event is known as The Safarka.

### *The Khilaaf*

After such a great deal of time living in separate environments the Western Orc tribes slowly began to establish a culture of their own. Due to this they desired to be recognized as different from the original Orcish culture and declared themselves to be a separate society who still follow the Diinta faith. In response the Eastern Orc tribes formed The Shirka to show that they were still a united people.

### *The Haysashada*

Years after The Khilaaf a unknown Orc came to the Warchief of all the Western Orcs, Boqor. This unknown Orc had a power that allowed him take the appearance of whoever he looked at. When he approached Boqor he assumed his appearance, frightening the Warchief. He then told Boqor that all of the Western Orcs could gain this power, all they had to do was listen to this unknown Orc. Amazed by this power, Boqor agreed to do what the Orc said. So the Orc gave the Warchief instruction to tell all of the Western Orcs to say a phrase in an unknown language and let the blood of their palms drip into the sand, Boqor told his people to do so on the next moonless night. When that night came almost all of the Western Orcs followed this instruction, and they suddenly changed. Their skin became green, their tusks grew, their eyes turned red and their hair lost all of it’s color, they had become what are now known as Vile Orcs. The unknown Orc then revealed himself to be the greater pride demon known as Andras, the phrase said in the unknown language was an oath to relinquish their free will to Andras. Within a day all of the Vile Orcs moved to underground caverns, leaving only the Western Orcs who remained pure above ground.

### *The Gubashadii*

Once all the Vile Orcs were underground an explosion happened on the border of Western and Eastern Dhulkar, The Calaamad opened and Western Dhulkar burned for a week, killing any Western Orcs left on the surface. After the week had passed Andras sent a number of the Vile Orcs above the surface to begin rebuilding the society into something that served his purposes. Andras had successfully seized control of the Western Orcs and made them his minions.

## Homeland

When the world was young Dhulkar consisted of a large savanna covered in lightly forested areas, rivers and lakes to the east and vast deserts with beautiful oases, caverns and natural underground springs to the west. Much has changed since then, the lands are now split by a giant scar in the earth known as The Calaamad.

History has ravaged the lands of Western Dhulkar, which is now The Black-Gold Desert, the corruption of the Western Orcs tore it apart in an event known as The Gubashadii. East and West were split by a large crevice that spit flames, the fire crept along the sand to the west, opening craters that leaked lava creating obsidian hills. The fire burned for a week and did not go out until it reached the borders of Western Dhulkar, it had burned so hot that it turned the desert to glass. As the heat subsided the earth shook, shattering the glass that had taken over the land. As centuries went by erosion ground the glass into pieces the size of grains of sand, the desert remains but it is now gold from the reflection of the sun on the glass and has streaks of black obsidian sand. Some large Obsidian rocks still dot the desert but the land is now barren, many Vile Orcs have come above the surface building large strongholds around the caverns that they called home. Their architecture is made purely from a black iron due to it’s abundance below ground and thick black smoke rises from their strongholds because of the fuel they burn to make heat they need for anything from producing metals to cooking food.

## Pantheon

The Vile Orcs consider Andras to be their God and refer to him as Ilaah (Ee-Luh) because speaking his true name is considered blasphemous. They believe that anything can be done if Andras wishes it and do not fear anything if they are doing his will, they will fight to the death if he wishes it. Andras lives under the largest stronghold known as Qalcad located in the center of Western Dhulkar. Miles of caverns crisscross beneath Qalcad which all eventually lead to an immense cave known as the Qolka Dhimashada, this is where Andras resides. The cave is lined with jagged cuts in the walls that have become seats for Vile Orcs to gather around the large stone pit in the center, situated on the back edge of the pit is Andras’s large black metal throne. Once a month the Vile Orcs hold a ritual for Andras in the Qolka Dhimashada, they present him with blood sacrifices from the spoils of their raids, draining the blood into the pit below Andras’s throne. All Vile Orcs make a pilgrimage to one of these rituals once they are fully grown, this is where their caste is chosen.

## Society

The Vile Orcs are ruled by the Greater Pride Demon Andras and his word is law. They have no communication with any outside civilizations and are known to attack any non Vile Orcs they come across. When Vile Orcs are fully grown they are randomly thrown into one of four castes and given the brand of either the miners, crafters, farmers or warriors. The miners collect all ore and other natural resources found under the surface and spend all of their time underground. The rich veins of fossil fuels in their mines have allowed them to produce oils and gunpowders. The crafters operate large industrial mills to create metals which are then used to produce things such as hand held weapons, firearms and catapults. The warriors spend all of their time above the surface either patrolling the strongholds or raiding towns and villages that are close to their borders. The barren land of Western Dhulkar cannot support wildlife but the underground streams still flow allowing the farmers to construct fish farms and grow various fungi, the only red meat the Vile Orcs ever consume comes from either cannibalization of their dead or the meat from bodies and livestock acquired through raids.