House Eldrick

## Introduction

Over the millennia there have been many travelers lost at sea. Traders, mercenaries, and explorers who have gripped their lines as the sea attempted to swallow them within its dark depths. And every now and than, on dark and stormy nights whilst adrift on The Sea of Glass, these traders would look up and see a beacon of cold, green light pierce the fog.

With the light of the beacon would come ships from the mists to guide these wayward travelers through the maze of razor sharp black rocks that jutted high from the frothing sea. And if these travelers survived the rocks, they would find their ships lashed to the docks of an island comprised of massive black spires of stone. Said stone spires would reflect light like black glass, and seemingly the only source of light upon that entire island would be a massive lighthouse that sat directly in the middle of the island, which cast a shimmer and glow across every visible surface. The light house towers hundreds of feet above the island, but instead of a warm bright light, this lighthouse loosed an eerie green glow that shot out through the mist that seemed to always cling to the island.

Men and woman would move under the watchful gaze of the lighthouse, their faces all obscured by thick woolen cloaks dyed green. It was rare to hear them speak a word, and even rarer to see their faces. But they would repair the ships they'd brought in, and give the people they'd find supplies and a flask of whiskey before sending them on their way. They would never ask anything in return, and those who found them never found them again.

Fishermen still tell tales of an island of black glass and its frightening people who never seemed 'human'. And while fear was always layered heavy in any story of this island, there was never hated. These people, seemingly out of place in any sort society, were there to serve an unknown, but important purpose.

This was Uruk, the island home of House Eldrick and The Eternal Lighthouse.

## Origination

In all of the long years of Ori, there was always been a Lord of House Eldrick, and that lord has always resided within The Eternal Lighthouse upon Uruk. The island of Uruk has always been secretive and isolationist to the point where most civilizations that have come and gone, never had any idea that it existed. Because of this it is very difficult to pinpoint when this civilization began upon the timeline.

Despite their isolationist nature, those who dwell on Uruk eventually did reveal themselves to the world when Lord Dale Eldrick started to send messages with the other nations of the world and begin trading goods and services with them. After that, Uruk became an independent and sovereign nation that has engaged on the world stage in many historical events.

### *Excerpt from the Journal of Lord Dale Eldrick, Date Unknown*

*"Since before time we have watched from the shadows. The history of my House stretched back for as long as texts can last. Our records dissolve to dust as time stretches on-wards, and every book references other books of elder times long before, forming an endless circle of research. Because of this, my best scholars have not been able to determine our date of origin upon this world, or if we are truly from it entirely.*

*Some of our elder texts have... disturbing depictions of Eldrick Lords long past. Their faces are for lack of a better word, disfigured and perverse. Their eyes seem to stare out of the page and pierce through you with their pupil-less gaze. And where there mouths should be is some kind of hideous arrangement of writhing and twisting tentacles or appendages of some kind...*

*For as long as can be remembered, we were never a part of this world. We never have engaged in the politics or trade of the other civilizations that have risen and fallen in the eons of our existence. Our House weathering the long years of eternity, whereas others are bound by the restrictions of time. Perhaps it is time we make a name for ourselves..."*

## The People of Uruk

### Introduction

Those who dwell under the glow of The Eternal Lighthouse have the visage of humans. But under heavy scrutiny, strange revelations can be had. Every single person who lives on Uruk has black hair that never fades and never grays, not even in their elder years. And their eyes are always a striking green color, nestled into pale white skin. The clothing that these people adorn themselves in hasn't changed much over the years. Their cloaks are woolen, with thick hoods to help keep out the cold spray of the ocean aboard ships and sailing vessels. And most of their clothing under their cloaks are a mixture of wool and leather.

The people of Uruk in general are hardworking, seafaring folk. The shipwrights nestled into the jagged, black rocks churn out massive galleons and maneuverable caravels. Every single person living on Uruk have to spend time working aboard one of their many seafaring vessels, and the Eldrick fleet is massive and almost uncountable. These vessels, despite being powerful and numerous, have never been recorded as being engaged in a naval battle with another nation. Instead, these ships go off for what on Uruk is known as 'The Purpose'.

Such a massive fleet is supported by a large complex of caves that go out under the ocean floor, and can be accessed from the isle of Uruk. These caves are all made of the same glass-like stone as the rest of the island, and reflect a green glow from deep under the island. The inhabitants of Uruk call these caves *'The Deep Roads'*. In the presence of this glow, the people of Uruk are able to grow crops like those that grow in sunlight. Their staple crop is barley, which in that strange, greenish glow, also takes on a green tint of its own. Other then baking bread to eat or feeding livestock that also are raised in this system of caves, this barley is mainly used to make a green tinted whiskey which has become somewhat iconic of House Eldrick itself.

#### The Mors

Aside from the main people of Uruk there are another peoples who live on the island. This other sect of people is clearly different then the black haired and green eyed main populace. They are much rarer, making up less then a quarter of the overall population. These people are called, The Mors.

These great forms of men and women are hulking representatives of humanoids. They are larger then the common human and stand at an average of two meters. All of them, even the youngest, are laden with natural muscle making them a daunting sight. Their movements are sharp and precise, and when inactive stand uncomfortably still. Their gaze is always focused, and they never seem to dwell deep within their own minds.

The Mors differentiate from the mysterious people of Uruk because other then what has already been mentioned (i.e. bulk and generally jerking motions) The Mors more closely resemble humans. Their hair and eye color varies from person to person, and the elder Mors don't age as gracefully as the mysterious others of Uruk.

The Mors are revered members of society because the people of Uruk are ever thankful to them. The people of Uruk originally designed The Mors by sealing living souls into suits of black armor. These living suits resemble a raging inferno of green flame spilling out from within a suit of heavy, black, stone armor. It was The Mors, whilst living stone and fire who built The Eternal Lighthouse and the Deep Roads at the beginning of Uruk, and for their service they are revered members of society whom the people of Uruk respect greatly.

Deep under the crust of the world and the bottom of the ocean is where The Mors became 'human'. The ancient creatures that inhabited Uruk alongside their living armor soldiers and workers once delved deep into the world. Here, as deep as mortals can dig they cast off their endless strength and magic to create a new source of power. The Mors cast off their raw magical abilities and rendered themselves inert. But the people of Uruk, having felt compassion for their soldiers, took some of The Mors essence into themselves, and birthed the humanoid Mors race.

## 'The Purpose'

The few words that can be hear from the mouths of the people of Uruk are usually about how they are going to perform 'The Purpose'. Everyone, despite their parents status on Uruk must learn how to sail and must serve upon some form of seafaring vessel. This knowledge is important to impress upon Uruk youth, because a large percentage of the island's population will end up serving their careers upon a seafaring vessel. But these careers are not fishing or transporting good, these people would be hunters.

The hunters would go out to sea and would keep people safe from the creatures that lurk below the waves. Large, sea-dwelling monsters inhabit the seas of Ori, but these are kept in check by the hunters from Uruk. But these are just the small fry. For the hunters of Uruk say that 'The Purpose' is to train themselves in the art of slaying monsters, so that they can be ready when a true threat comes to this world from below... Till this day, no one is sure what this means. Even the Lords of House Eldrick have forgotten for what they are waiting. But the severity is still there, and they are still fulfilling their purpose of training against the vicious beasts of the world...