The Jorhul Orcs

## Origins

The Orcs of the Western grasslands and forests are one of the first peoples to ever inhabit Ganam, believing to have crossed into it some 80,000 years ago. Residing in villages surrounded by stone palisades, these Orcs have a natural skill for smithing, hunting, tracking, and of course, war. Divided into fourteen tribes, they each govern their own areas of Ganam, with challenges to their authority being quite rare. They have only united once in their history, under the banner of Ur-Hakon, who nearly overthrew the Concordian Empire before his eventual defeat. Since then the Orcs have preferred simple life, only going off to war when threatened. They are also one of the few peoples who in their ancient past made contact with the dwarves of Ganam. They don't speak too much about them though due to many of the stories being lost except for the ones that reveal they were rivals and fought many wars against each other.

## Government and Life

The tribal governments of the orcs are rather hierarchical. At the top resides the clan matron, who presided over all religious rites and blessed soldiers going off to war. Below her was the chief, usually male but not always, who trained soldiers and was in charge of managing the hunt and harvest. Captains of armed forces were usually chosen by the chief, who would lead them into battle.

The orcs have a heavy belief in communal living. The tribe is one being, and if part of it is lacking or sick, then so is the entirety of it. No one is ever starving unless everyone is in an orcish tribe.

> "Many of our warlike perceptions of these people stem mainly from the fact we've only witnessed them on the battlefield. But after spending time amongst them you begin to see a culture that values life far more than it does the taking of it" - Sakine Academy research notes, unknown author
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## Religion

The Orcs of Jorhul abandoned their traditonal deities a long time ago, citing that much of the violence suffered by their race was indirectly caused by the worship of them. The Ganamian goddess Ikora is their most worshipped god. She is the goddess of farming, will, the sun, and warfare. She is often depicted as a strong and mighty woman, with blue skin and yellow markings, with a massive rainbow headress upon her, and a spear in her hands. She has no main temple, instead with many of the tribes having a shrine dedicated to her in the center of the villages. The shrine is often a small wooden bowl in a stone alcove, containing a spearhead and a piece of amber, with the idea of a spear piercing the heavens to bring down sunlight to all.

> "Nourish us with your food, guide us with your spear, and bathe us in your light. Protect us mother" - Orcish prayer
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## War

> "It was dawn when they crested the hill. First it was one rider, who sounded the horn. Then like a flood they crashed down upon the field, and for the first time in my career I felt fear" - Praetor Hadvar Hammerhand, 1393 AL
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The Orcs favor cavalry and lightning fast strikes to overwhelm their opponents. Oftentimes they will aim to encircle and frighten others to incite panic, making for easy victories. As opposed to the standard issue weapons of Lancers being the longsword and their shield, Orcs often make their own weapons and personalize them as they see fit. At an early age their are taught to forge their own weapon and expect to die by that same weapon. The preferred weapons of choice for most orcs is the spear on horseback as to imitate Ikora and the greataxe for dismounted combat. Their armor is metal in nature but often times they will create add-ons made of bones for intimidation, and will often not wear helmets so that their enemies may see their warpaint. In addition to warpaint some might wear a "war face": a frightening mask worn in battle to terrify enemies.

## The Jorhul Mountains

The Orcs are a mighty and hardy people, but they recognize the dangers West of them beyond the mountains, and refuse to expand beyond them for fear of what they might face out there. Many who go there often return with horrendous tales, or simply don't return at all.