Tellurian Tales: Orcs

Orcs are the creation of the one-eyed god Gruumsh. They are savage, cruel, evil, porcine, grey-skinned humaniods. The most common kind of orc is the Uruk, which stands about 5 to 5 1/2 feet tall. The Uruk-Hai orc is taller (up to 6 feet or more), stands straighter, and generally has a more regal appearance.

The Nine Tribes of Orkesh

The orc "nation", or Orkesh, is divided into nine tribes, where each tribe has distinctive characteristics and usually a home region. The Uruk-Hai tribes include: Ohgadane, Uroo, Ohgala, and Uskander orcs. The Uruk tribes include: Ohm, Maskareen, Ohkeelah, Ulaan, and Tarquineeki orcs.

Six of these tribes dwell primarily in the far east of Tellure, beyond Imperia in the north and the Great Southern Plains to the south. Two of these tribes--the Uskander and Tarquineeki--are often considered "lost" by most Midland scholars. That is, there has been no substantiated sightings of these orcs in centuries. This is relevant to the Prophesy of the Eye (see below).

The Ulaan tribe is the most prolific, and they have grown to cover the entire Southern Plains, including the Terragosa and the southern Low Hills. At times, they have even pressed north into Kagera and the Midlands.

Clans

Most tribes are fractured into a number of lines or clans. An orc may belong to a number of clans during his lifetime, as they tend to form around mighty orc leaders. If this leader is slain, his successor may change the nature of the clan. Also, orcs tend to defect to more successful clans, in the hopes of gaining more treasure and prestige through that clan's exploits.

The Ulaan tribe includes a number of clans important to Tellurian Tales:

• Blood Ear (in Canova Hills; sackers of Mor Dunehaim)
• Torn Claw (once covered all southern Corum Plains; Jakk was the last)
• Blue Eye (western Corum Plains, and now in Gossan Hills too)
• Green Back (Southern Dhunraven, from the Shee river into the Tarn hills)
• Iron Tooth (Northern Dhunraven, from Tarn hills to Lake Ligassi)
• Black Froth (Maracan Plains; spreading north and west under the Grihm)
• Gore Tongue (Haran Hills; pushed back by the Grihm to Haran pass)
• Pan Terra (in the Yeadon forests)

The Prophesy of the Eye

It is foretold that should the "Eye of Gruumsh" ever unite all Nine Tribes of Orkesh and wield the ancient spear named Greybrother, the world will fall. The evidence suggesting that at least two tribes are no more, as well as the inability of orcs to even unite all the clans of a single tribe, lead skeptics to doubt if this will ever come true. However, there have been close approximations in the distant past, whenever a powerful, charismatic orc plucked out one of his own eyes in honor of his one-eyed deity, Gruumsh, and then attracted a massive force of pillaging orcs.