Orcs

"Let 'em tell da King. Da Island belongs to da Orcs. Da Island belongs to Karlum. Da Island is green."

- Karlum Necksnapper

History
The history of the orcs in Firûn is marked by the crusades the humans lead against them. Both sides had heavy causalities but in the end the human persevered.

Before the crusades the orcs of Firûn were war loving humanoid creatures that lived in large clans. They fought between each other until the strongest and smartest warlord was able to gather all other clans under his banner. The Warlord then took the war wherever he could, even if it meant to cross to ocean. When this Warlord died or went missing for too long, new fights broke out until a new warlord was able to gather all clans once again.

After the crusades, the orcs became calmer. Nearly destroyed and driven from the Island they now live in the northeast on a small island. They were so weakened by the battles against the humans that since several hundred years, no warlord was able to gather all clans again. They learned how to trade and craft other things then weapons and now became more human-like. Not all orcs are happy about the change and there are still orcs left that try to follow the old ways of raiding and killing.

Government
As explained before the orcish society is build around warlords. The warlords are the strongest in their clans and fight into their position and have to defend it on a regular basis against contenders. At the moment there are four Warlords left on the island next to Firûn. Each of them is leading one clan:

Warlord:                                  Clan:

Gragoth Ironskin                       Blackroot

Hartuck Grimmtooth                 Skullbanes

Iugor Bloodhand                      Mountainbreakers

Snackar Rustskull                     Wormshreds

Language
The Orcs have no language of their own, merely a pidgin of many various languages which the believed useful. As such orcish is nothing else then a collection of words orcs are able to use for their own needs. However, individual tribes developed dialects that differed so widely that a new language was developed called black speech.

Biology
Orcs are ugly and filthy fanged humanoids. Their skins vary from green, brown and black. Some scientists believe that colors may represent their social status inside the clan.

The largest can reach human height, but the majority is shorter.

Island
The island is located in the north-east of Firûn. Filled with mountains and small plains and forest patches it is a perfect second home for the orcish population.