Utic Desert

See also Map:World Map

Utic Desert

## Overview

The shifting sands and soaring mesas of the Utic Desert may look magnificent but hide some of the most deadly foes in all of Nevria. Orcs, Ogres, Beastkin, and Harpies, all find their homes here. Even prepared travelers may face their doom in one of Nevria's most dangerous regions.

The Orcish tribes fight ceaselessly with one another. Previously bound together by shared Daevic faith, now are split between those who worship the Daeva and those who worship the Mother. Rogue tribes or orcs harass the domains of the four Warlords and one Queen who maintains any semblance of peace and organization in this realm.

## Relations with other forces

### Lutesanians

Contact with the Kingdom of Lutesan is sparse, as more often than not it leads to bloodshed. The Orcs and the Humans keep a tentative peace.

### Dwarves

The Orcs and the Dwarves share a love good mead and good food. Though no formal alliance has been established between the two nations, they maintain a peaceful coexistance.

### Sylvan Elves

Tension are forever high between the Orcs of the Utic Desert and the Sylvan Elves. Old grievances run deep between the two nations and border skirmishes are a common sight to behold.

## Population

The population of the Utic Desert is spread widely across the landscape. Its people differ widely depending under which warlord they fall.

The Northern Warlord defends the Bloodgates, a bone-strewn canyon whose soil has been soaked with the blood of countless invasions. Here, the Mother worshipping Orcs are battle-hardened and brutal.

The Eastern Warlord defencs the burbling March, an inhospitable but unusually peaceful area of the Utic Desert. It is a land of shamans and hermits.

The Southern Warlord defends the Seven Hills, the seat of power for the federation of Mother-worshipping Orcs. These Orcs are as close to city-dwellers as an Orc gets.

The Western Warlord defends the shattered and fractious lands of Tauriz's Nest, a violent place of warring Ogres, Beastkin, and even Daeva-worshipping Orcs.

Leading the Seven Hills Federation is the Orcish Queen, Vlenak. She rests on her Throne of Skulls having bested each of the Warlords in ritual battle for the position.

## Civilization

Orcish tribes are largely pastoral, moving their people from location to location to get what sparse resources they can find. As such their cities, if one could call them that, are largely made of tents of leather and wood.

Orcs do not merely fight for survival, they fight as a point of culture. Tribes are run by Warchiefs who invariably are the fastest, strongest, or most cunning of their lot. Each Warchief swears fealty to one of the four Warlords whose duty is to defend their section of the desert from all who would wish to encroach upon it. The four Warlords consist of the North, East, South, and West.

In recent years, many tribes have joined a tribal federation of the Seven Hills, which eschews war in favor of peace, prosperity, and wisdom. However, even these tribes have had trouble escaping their bloody past, and are not trusted by the Humans and Elves of Nevria. This is especially true since some tribes continue to cling to "the old ways" of battle and Daevic blood sacrifice.

## Religion

Orcs pray as much for their ancestors as they do for their gods. Because for many Orcs, they are one and the same.

 The Feros Orcs cling to the old ways. They are zealots of Tamat, thriving on slaughter. They believe to lose ones self in the process of battle is the highest form of prayer to Tamat. As a result, they are feared and treated with impunity by each and all other races in the Utic Desert.

## Organization

### The Bloodmaw Tribe

A warlike Orc tribe. Their previous warlord was killed brutally by the violent warrior Grukzag the Black Axe, who was subsequently exiled.

### The Broken Moon Tribe

An Orc tribe belonging to the Seven Hills Federation. Led by the warlord Ghazkul Shieldsplitter. The Broken Moons joined the Seven Hills after Ghazkul was bested in combat by Mawi the Storm Axe; shieldmaiden to Queen Velnak.

### The Grimwolf Tribe

An Orc clan lead by Kulgaz Bloodrock, who got his name after fighting the Orce who killed his father and smashing his head to nothing with a rock...

### The Seven Hills Federation

Led by Queen Velnak, the daughter of King Orak.

### Iron Belly Tribe

Not an Orc clan at all but a bickering tribe of Ogres. Largely ignored by the rest of the tribes but fiercely protective of their small area of Tauriz's Nest.