Arcanists are those who possess an innate spark of magic within them. The source of this magic varies; some gain it from their ancestry, while others are transformed through exposure to powerful magical influences. From a young age, they are able to effortlessly perform powerful spells and change the world around them, often without even realizing they are doing so. Even those who gain or awaken their powers later in life find them difficult to control.
Over time, arcanists gain more control over their abilities, and the most gifted among them are invited to attend the arcane colleges scattered throughout Dothovil. Arcane colleges are run by other arcanists, and serve two functions. The first of these is to teach students how to carefully control and direct their powers, and cast formal spells and incantations. The second is to conduct research and instruction in the nature of magic. Many experienced arcanists choose to specialize in a particular discipline of magic: augury, conjuration, deception, devastation, regeneration, or transmutation.
The amount of power an arcanist possesses varies wildly from person to person. Some only have the capacity for simple acts, while others are able to rise to positions of great importance through their magic. Generally, arcanists are able to grow their power over their life, but most can only gain so much power.
There is a danger that manifests when an arcanist is forced to repress their abilities. This treatment only causes their powers to grow stronger, eventually consuming their minds and souls. They become a being of great power known as an arcane wretch, and a grave threat to anyone nearby. The arcane colleges work to prevent this whenever possible, even resorting to kidnapping in extreme cases. When the wretch manifests, the nearest arcane colleges are mobilized to eliminate it in a battle that can last anywhere from hours to days.
Oozing, amorphous, and simply disgusting, slimes occupy many of the dark, cool places across Dothovil. These creatures have several variants, but all slimes share certain characteristics. They all possess bodies that are little more than blobs with no real extremities, able to reshape as needed. Their sizes vary, and are not linked to their variation. Slimes do not possess a brain or any sort of mind, and only act on predatory instinct. All efforts to reason or communicate with slimes have failed, often resulting in death.
Slimes are among the few creatures whose origins remain a complete mystery. They have simply always existed, and are a part of records dating back to the early first age. Many researchers believe that they evolved from smaller creatures deep within the Underworld, but Motharian legend says that they emerge from the body of Spardyrr, one of their many gods. As with the rest of their pantheon, Spardyrr was made real through the power of their belief; as a result, whatever their true origin may be, slimes now spawn in the ocean of slimes in which Spardyrr resides
Lurkers are green slimes that hide in caves and passageways, waiting for prey to come close. When in sight of prey, they lash out with tentacles, pulling the unsuspecting creature into the main mass, where it is enveloped and slowly dissolved in acid. Organic substances are entirely consumed, but lurkers will expel inorganic material.
Glacial Slimes superficially resemble large chunks of blue ice, and rarely attempt to hide from potential prey. They move rather slowly, but have a thick exterior that functions like armor, and they emanate an aura of cold that slowly freezes any creatures they encounter. Though they are slow, their relentless pursuit inevitably results in death.
Necroslimes are more similar in appearance to snakes than their brethren, and are pitch black with fragments of bone suspended inside. Contact with their foul mass withers the body and the soul, and is very rapidly fatal for any unprepared creatures. They are the most cunning and swift of all slimes, pursuing their prey through any gap, and acting with surprising stealth.
Bile Slimes are the same yellow hue of their namesake, and continuously excrete an acidic poison from their outer membrane. Unusually, they attack by leaping at their prey’s head and forcing their way into its mouth. Once inside, they slowly dissolve their victim from the inside unless killed or removed by magical intervention.
Replicators are the only slimes that could be deemed intelligent. In their natural state they are a glowing violet color, but they are able to manipulate their mass to mimic the forms and behaviors of other creatures. They accomplish this with a psychic bond, and often use their abilities to infiltrate groups and cities, where they lure prey to their death through trickery and cunning.
Though elementals prefer to create bodies for themselves using the available pure elements in their environment, they sometimes inhabit the bodies of humanoids in order to survive. This can occur purely as an act of desperation, but more often a particularly malevolent elemental will possess a humanoid simply out of malice. Some magic users even force the elementals to possess humanoids in order to control their power. No matter the reason, this process is agonizing for the elemental, often driving them to madness, but once they possess a humanoid, they are unable to escape the body until it is destroyed or they are exorcized. The humanoid is always killed by possession, and the elemental’s presence in their body slowly destroys it.
Air elementals within humanoid bodies feel incredibly constrained and claustrophobic, and are frustrated by the slow speed at which they are forced to travel. They are able to manipulate the air around them, and travel by hovering above the ground. The humanoid body slowly turns to air over the course of the possession, until there is simply nothing left.
When in a human form, earth elementals are shocked by the vulnerability of their bodies, often taking great damage as a result. They can still reshape the earth on which they stand, and move with the slow, methodical steps of their pure form. A humanoid possessed by an earth elemental slowly turns to stone, ending existence as a petrified statue.
Fire elementals find the warmth of humanoid bodies comparatively frigid, and seek out sources of heat. They can conjure fire from their hands, and from their faces in later stages of possession. Victims of fire elemental possession are cremated from within, their bodies crumbling to ash.
Water elementals despise the empty spaces of humanoid bodies, and fill them with putrid, stagnant water, leading to bloating and some tearing of the skin. They can expel this foul substance at their enemies, and manipulate any nearby water. Over the course of the possession, the elemental produces more and more water, eventually causing the body to rupture.
Native to the realm of chaos known as the Elemental Sea, elementals are living manifestations of the four basic elements: air, earth, fire, and water. Their presence in Dothovil results from one of two events: a rift forming to the Elemental Sea, or a summoning ritual performed by a magic user. Though they are capable of existing in any environment, a given elemental is more powerful in an environment that corresponds with its nature, and weaker in an opposing element. While elementals of a given element have generally similar dispositions, their behavior can vary wildly from one to another. Some are clever and methodical, while others have been driven to madness by years of living outside of their home. Many types of elementals exist, but the most common forms are pure elementals, often referred to simply as “elementals”.
Air elementals often go unnoticed unless they specifically choose to make themselves visible. When they do so, they appear as violent cyclones of wind and dust. They are the fastest of all pure elementals, and take great pride in that fact. These mischievous elementals enjoy racing along the ground, lifting up and tearing apart anything in their path. They have been known to tear apart trees, homes, even entire villages simply for amusement.
Earth elementals form their bodies out of rocks and boulders, creating misshapen humanoid forms with a single glowing eye in what serves as a head. Their bodies belie a surprising speed; earth elementals are able to glide through the ground as easily as a bird through air, and their mighty blows are difficult for even the most nimble to dodge. Though they are not easily provoked, they pursue their goals, and their enemies, with a single-minded determination that makes them all but unstoppable.
Fire elementals take the form of pillars of flame with a vague humanoid shape. Easily roused to bouts of anger, their passions burn as hot as the fire from which they are born, driving them to acts of great destruction. Destruction follows wherever they go, even when they do not intend it. Water is the only thing that can contain them, and so they hate water elementals above all else. A fire elemental’s power grows the more it consumes, causing some to become vast living infernos.
Water elementals, when not hiding in a body of water, have extremely variable shapes, but tend to appear as serpents made of water with a pseudopod or two. Their emotions and motivations are a mystery, if they even have them. They seem to act with no joy or malice, and rarely have an obvious goal, instead they are simply directed by the flow of the world around them. When they do choose to act, they are extremely lethal, able to force water into the lungs of their victims with little effort. In groups, they can create unstoppable floods.
The Underworld, a vast network of caves that spans the entirety of Dothovil, is a place so foreign to the creatures of the surface that it might as well be another dimension. Rock and soil surround on all sides, forming tunnels, chasms, chambers, and even lakes and rivers. The only natural light comes from various bioluminescent flora and fauna, and many regions exist in a constant state of pitch darkness. Strange, vicious monsters prowl the caves, searching for their next meal. Among the many monsters and threats of the Underworld, some humanoid species have managed to carve out a place for themselves. They live through the caves, and become more alien the deeper one delves.
Despite their name, bugbears bear no real resemblance to bugs; this misnomer is a result of being named after the Bugge, a dwarven boogeyman. Physically, they are very similar to bears, with extremely large eyes and ears, as well as pale yellow fur. Unlike their ursine cousins, bugbears are rather intelligent, having developed Cave Speech, the language spoken by most of the Underworld’s humanoid population. They live in scattered communities in the upper regions of the caves, and often act as guides for humanoids venturing below. Despite their hostile environment and intimidating appearance, bugbears are a peaceful species, and only resort to violence when absolutely necessary. Their tools and weapons are mostly made of stone; any metal items are obtained through trade with the kobolds.
Kobolds, also known as batfolk, are small creatures, most barely reaching four feet tall. They possess the heads and wings of bats, but with legs and torsos that resemble humanoid children covered in coarse gray fur. Their claws are very well suited for digging, allowing them to create passages and chambers to inhabit, some of which become as large as surface towns. Kobolds are also incredibly inventive, and have been known to create tools, armor, and weapons for themselves from the abundant resources in the Underworld. Even when in areas that are poor in resources, kobolds are adept at repurposing what they find from other humanoid races for their own means. They are found all throughout the underworld, and frequently trade with bugbears and wererats. Though they are indigenous to the Underworld, some have been known to join humanoid societies on the surface.
The cannibalistic morlocks are supposedly the remnants of an elf kingdom which migrated underground many generations ago in order to escape an invasion of powerful monsters on the surface. While they were beginning the process of building their new home, a cave in cut them off entirely from the outside world. On the brink of starvation, the elves turned to cannibalism to survive, and the long years of isolation and darkness have turned them into little more than feral animals. Over generations, their skin grew pale while their bodies shrank. Their eyes are small pinpricks in otherwise large heads, and are able to see the heat given off by living things. Rather than hunt, morlocks lurk in the dark, seizing any prey that arrives in their territory and eating it alive. They still practice cannibalism, but only in times of extreme famine or one of their few religious ceremonies.
Troglodytes dwell in and around the Underworld’s bodies of water, especially lakes. They resemble translucent, blind fish with extremely flexible humanoid bodies. Their bones are made of a strange substance that allows them to squeeze into extremely small gaps, yet still function like those of any other humanoid, which makes traveling through underground rivers much easier. They have no written language, but can speak Cave Speech with some fluency when they desire. Troglodytes hunt using smell and hearing, and frequently ambush their prey by moving through tiny gaps in the cave walls. Humanoids that wish to travel on or through the water of the Underworld often offer food to the troglodytes as a toll with limited success.
Legends say that the first wererat was a thief cursed by an arcanist to bear the form of a rat as punishment for attempting to steal a magical artifact. Since then, the curse of arothropy (also known as “wereratism”) has been passed down through the bite of the infected, who are often driven out from the cities and towns in which they live, finding a new home in the Underworld. Unlike werewolves, wererats transform whenever they are in extreme darkness, and become smaller in stature when they do so. They have formed a network of cities in the upper levels of the caves using whatever scraps of material they can find. Their arothropy drives them to greed and infighting, making these cities chaotic and unstable. Wererats are often preyed upon by the more powerful creatures of the Underworld, making them paranoid and vicious in their dealings with outsiders.
The City of Bells, known as Civitas Campanis in Elvish, was once the centerpiece of the Elven Empire during the earlier part of the Second Age. Humanoids from every part of the world went there to trade, and the city flourished for three hundred years. While the markets were a point of interest for most travelers, Campanaflos, the city’s central belltower, was its heart.
When the city was taken into the Eldritch Abyss, its chief mages attempted to use the bell tower to save it. Instead, it became trapped in a hellish limbo between dimensions. It returns to Dothovil at random, and only for short periods of time. The bells now warn of when the streets will be filled with monsters from the Abyss, hunting anyone who dares to enter. Its residents are cursed to live eternally, forever tormented by the Eldritch Lords who now control their fates.
A lifetime of war and exile will leave any nation with a desire for security. To this end, the orcs have built a tremendous wall surrounding the entirety of Kuven, protecting their land from the onslaught of the Tilanites. It is made entirely of Dorakite, with larger Firebrand crystals throughout to power its weapons and defenses.
Watchtowers are strategically placed along the wall to maximize their coverage, and colossal ballistae fill the space between them. The ballistae are loaded with equally massive firebrand bolts, which explode on impact. Orc guards stand watch at all hours of the day and night; little escapes their notice.
The roads into Kuven are guarded by checkpoints built into the wall. At these checkpoints, an outer gate opens to allow access to the inner part of the wall. When travelers pass through the outer gate, it closes, and they are inspected, along with any cargo. After the inspection, travelers deemed trustworthy are permitted to pass through the inner gate into Kuven, while untrustworthy travelers are detained.
Once wielded by the greatest hero in orc history, Arakthinar, “Enemy’s Bane” in Orcish, has become the most important artifact of the orcs. It was forged by Irakesh, the first Grand Patriarch, at the end of their exile in the Crystal Desert. Like many orc weapons, it is made from dorakite and enhanced with a firebrand crystal. The crystal in this double-bladed axe is much larger than most used in weapons, as are the blades. The unique design of the blades is a technique used by Irakesh in his forge before the exile.
Arakthinar has become an important symbol of the office of Grand Patriarch, as it is passed to each new patriarch when the current one dies. In the event of war, the Grand Patriarch is expected to lead the armies himself, wielding the weapon as Irakesh once did.
In the time of the ancient empires, the orcs occupied a small territory in the northeast of Dothovil. They had achieved a level of advancement in arms and combat that allowed them to defend themselves from the monsters of the region, but when the Tilanites exploded to the surface, seizing back the territory that had once been theirs, the orcs could not stand before the horde. Piece by piece, they were driven from their home into the vast crystal desert to the east. For a time they were nomads, until the great hero of their history, Irakesh the Reclaimer, discovered the entity known as the Buried Angel. The angel taught Irakesh how to harness the power of dorakite metal and sherakis crystals in order to forge powerful weapons and nigh-impenetrable armor. Armed with their new faith and weapons, the orcs reclaimed their homeland, driving out the Tilanites and igniting a war that still rages to this day.
Orcs are tall, muscle-bound humanoids, with most standing around eight feet tall. Their size belies their fragility, as their thin, pale skin is easily pierced by all manner of weapons. Orc eyes are entirely black, and they are further distinguished by a pair of short tusks that grow from their upper jaws. The oldest attainable age for an orc is two hundred years, though few live even half that long.
A unique trait of the orcs is their knowledge of how to mine and forge the metal known as dorakite. This metal is used in the construction of nearly every orc structure, resulting in cities made almost entirely of black metal. Most buildings are short and squat, with little adornment. The most important buildings, such as churches, military strongholds, and houses of government, are much taller, adorned with jagged spires and enormous support beams. True cities are mostly concentrated in the center of Kuven and on the border of the Crystal Desert, with the rest of the nation occupied by villages, outposts, and vast tracts of wilderness.
The entirety of orc society is devoted to the worship of a being known as the Corpse Star, an angel buried in the Crystal Desert. As a result, the government, church, and military of Kuven is united under the rule of the Grand Patriarch, a warrior and prophet chosen by a complicated rite of succession. Most orcs find themselves devoted to warfare or theology, whether in the direct role of a soldier or priest, or more indirectly, such as creating firebrand weapons in the monastic armories. Additionally, the constant war with Tilanil has left most orcs deeply paranoid, and slow to trust any other humanoids.
The incredible strength of the orcs, paired with their skill at forging weapons and armor, makes them powerful warriors. Additionally, their intense devotion to the Corpse Star has blessed many with divine favor, allowing for some magic use. These expertises are mostly used to enact the will of their deity, and primarily through battle.
A rare copy of the Kuvenakt, the holy book of the orcs.
The story of the orcs’ ascendency begins, as many in Dothovil do: with war and monsters. To fully understand their story, one must have knowledge of the Kuvenakt, their holy scripture, and the Tilanites, their most hated enemy. As I am fortunate enough to have extensive familiarity with both, this narrative will serve as a primer on the subject. For any readers who do not know the story of the Tilanite’s emergence, I will give a brief account of their history.
Even from the moment of their creation, the creatures now known as the arachneans, though their original name has been lost to history, were the most abhorrent beings in Dothovil. Created by Dovil’Karged shortly before his fall, they were a manifestation of his growing malice and cruelty. During the earlier part of the second age, they controlled a vast territory in the northeast. They spun massive networks of webs which had slowly grown to completely envelop entire mountains and forests, choking the life in their domain. They demanded a tribute of blood from the towns and villages caught in their web, and if any traveler was foolish enough to stray too close to their territory, they would be captured and consumed within hours.
Finally, the human empire turned their might against the Tilanites. Using a captured fire dragon, the human army burned their webs and slaughtered thousands of them, driving those who remained into the nearby mountains. Their final retreat took them deep beneath those mountains, where they languished in the dark for centuries before making the discovery that forever changed the course of their history.
Carved from the very walls of a cavern so deep it was nearly part of the underworld was a temple. The age of the temple is unknown, as no historian has ever successfully survived an attempt to visit it, and the beings that created it were never seen before their emergence. It was singularly devoted to the worship of a bizarre breed of pale yellow spiders capable of burrowing into the spine of a creature and manipulating its mind and body like a puppet. The puppeteer spiders were attended by the pralites, hulking creatures used to construct the temple.
In the darkness below the world, an unholy union was formed in which the arachneans bent the spiders to their will, or the spiders commandeered the arachneans to seek a new goal. It may never be known which, as Tilanil remains rather hostile to any who do not have use in the arachneans’ eyes. In either case, it is known that in the year 1058 of the Second Age, nearly five-hundred years after their domain was lost, the Arachneans swarmed from their caves, bringing with them a tide of spiders and pralites. In the feudal anarchy that had replaced the ancient empires, the Tilanites quickly regained control over their lost land, massacring or enslaving any who dared to live in what they believed to be their rightful home, before setting their vision upon new territory.
From the Kuvenakt: “On that damned day the ground shook and cracked, the very mountains groaning in protest. Unable to contain the evil any longer, it split open, unleashing the Cursed Enemy upon Dothovil once more. They poured forth from the caverns which had sheltered them, a tide of purple shells formed for the very purpose of slaughter. Among them were new monsters: the black-shelled giants that serve as their mindless servants, and the accursed spiders that they employ in their crusade to enslave all living beings. Swiftly they swarmed the lands that had been taken from them long ago, driving out those who were able to retreat. The rest were mercilessly put to the axe, or had their minds dominated by the spiders. So began the time of darkness, when the Enemy returned to the surface.”
The first territory attacked by the Tilanites was the home of the orcs. In this time, the orcs lived north of Tilanil and were ignored by the Tilanites (for a time). They were a peaceful society that resided in scattered towns and villages, and though they made some trade with their neighbors, they were mostly left alone. Their biology was and is a strange contradiction. Despite their humanoid bodies, muscular frames, and great strength, they are among the most vulnerable beings in Dothovil. Their skin is as pale as the night is dark, and is easily pierced by blade or arrow. In that time they were not inclined to battle as they are now, and thus had not advanced greatly in the crafting of weapons and armor. What little they had was made of simple iron, and possessed only by a few.
Here the account of the Kuvenakt shifts from a broad history to a focused narrative. The central figures of this story are Irakesh and Drom, an orc father and son who lived in a small village near the border of Tilanil. They were attacked very early in the Tilanites’ invasion, but survived long enough to escape the devastation. I believe that this shift reveals much about the orcs’ religious fanaticism: rather than viewing their history as a whole, they focus on the efforts of one particular individual.
From the Kuvenakt: “The Enemy moved swiftly over the land, bringing no life or goodwill, only desolation and despair. We were weak in those days, little more than insects beneath the heel of a boot. Our iron could not bite the flesh beneath their hides, and our minds could not resist the assault of the spiders. Many of our own brethren were shackled by the parasites, their fists and blades turned against their very kin. When the Enemy arrived in the village of Irakesh and Drom, word of the invasion had only just begun to spread.
“They emerged from the ground in the very center of the village, sundering the very soil with their brute strength. It was as though the gates of Infernus had opened when the Enemy swarmed from the pit. The tunnelers came first, shielding those who came behind with the armored plates of their arms. At their feet, the puppeteer spiders congregated, seizing any orc foolish enough to remain. The final group to emerge was a mix of pralite brawlers and arachnean warriors who set to work destroying the village and slaughtering any orc not seized by the spiders.
“Upon the first tremblings of the ground, Irakesh abandoned his small forge, racing through the village in search of his father, Drom. As the chaotic din filled the air, he shoved past the screaming throngs, and finally arrived at his home. There he found a spider menacing Drom, preparing to leap upon his unprotected back. Without a moment’s hesitation, Irakesh leapt forward and struck the beast with the hammer he had brought from the forge, crushing it with ease. The pair were reunited, and quickly set off together, along with the few other survivors who escaped the Enemy, into the great Crystal Desert.”
Many chapters of the Kuvenakt are devoted to the trials of the orcs as they brave the perils of the Crystal Desert. Irakesh quickly emerges as a folk hero of the orcs, frequently defending the growing tribe of nomads from various monsters, and even from themselves on occasion. As much of this portion of the text serves simply to establish the legend of Irakesh within the orcs’ religion, I will not be including it in this history. What is important to note from this portion is the fact that the Kuvenakt implies the desert itself was preparing him for the role of leading his people.
From the Kuvenakt: “Irakesh’s triumph over the great crystal dragon marked the culmination of his trials. The desert had tested him, and he had defeated it.”
It is at this point that Irakesh is given the secrets of both the dorakite metal and the firebrand crystals. While the veracity of the Kuvenakt has been questioned by many a scholar, even the lowliest fool cannot deny that these gifts are the key to the enduring strength of the orcs.
From the Kuvenakt: “That night, a vision appeared unto Irakesh. He stood upon the tallest mountain of Dothovil, from which he could see the entirety of the land. From there he beheld the Enemy as their accursed swarms covered all of Dothovil, extinguishing all celebration of life beneath their shadow. All manner of humanoids were enslaved or slaughtered, from the mighty draconians to the feeble ravenspawn, and the Enemy remade the world in their image.
“As Irakesh looked down in horror, he beheld a crimson star break loose from the firmament above, plummeting to Dothovil where it landed in a flash of light brighter than any that has ever been seen with mortal eyes. From whence the star landed emerged a being unlike even the strangest beasts of Dothovil. All that could be seen were six immense wings, each covered entirely in ever-shifting eyes, and composed entirely of a dark red crystal. The rest of its form was hidden by the blinding light emerging from its center.
“The being turned its eyes upon the Enemy, setting their webs and bodies alight with the dreadful power of its gaze. Within moments, they were reduced to mere ash and scoured from the face of Dothovil. When its glorious task was complete, it looked upon Irakesh, not with anger, but with love. It spoke to him then in a language denied to mortal tongues, and said “Find where I am buried”, before plummeting to the ground.
“Irakesh awoke in his tent, next to Drom. He shook his father awake, and told him that they needed to venture forth alone. Drom trusted his son fully, and so they set out into the night. They journeyed for several hours, and upon the sun’s return they had arrived at a crystal much larger than any surrounding it. It towered hundreds of feet above them, and glowed the same shade as the being in Irakesh’s dream.
“As the pair stood before the crystal, a voice spoke to them, seemingly emerging from deep below the sand. “Irakesh,” it said, “thou art chosen for a glorious purpose.” The being revealed many truths to them that day. It told them it was an angel of Dotho’Goglid, sent here in order to exact the will of the goddess. The being did not reveal its true name, desiring to be known as the Corpse Star, or the Buried Angel. They learned the secrets of dorakite, and how it would protect our flesh from all but the most lethal blows. They learned of the firebrand crystals, and how they arose from the angel’s very presence in the desert; for its essence flowed through the crystals, blessing them with power hitherto unseen.
“The only price for this knowledge was a twofold command. Irakesh was required to teach his fellow orcs what he had learned, and the orcs were required to be the holy flame of the Buried Angel, burning the Enemy from this world with righteous fury. So began the Great Crusade, with the gift of knowledge and the offering of worship.”
Irakesh kept his promises with a zeal unmatched by any in Dothovil’s history. After making the initial bargain with the Corpse Star, he returned to his people and passed on the angel’s knowledge. Interestingly, the Kuvenakt omits the details of the processes, as these are now known only to the monastic armorers, and the orcs would never permit an outsider to know their ways. They slowly gathered their weapons and armor, building the first of their great mines and forges.
During that time, Drom perished of old age, and Irakesh mourned greatly. Following Drom’s death, the orcs were at last ready to return to their homeland after over a century in exile. With Irakesh in command, they marched out of the desert, armed with new armaments and a new covenant. Irakesh himself wielded a double-bladed axe he titled Arakthinar: “Enemy’s Bane” in the common tongue. Unsurprisingly, he was a symbol to the orcs, and they rallied behind him with an unmatched fervor.
From the Kuvenakt: “The glorious army of the Corpse Star set upon the Enemy with a burning righteous fury. Fear filled their hearts, for they saw that now we were blessed with power and purpose. In our first battle, they scorned us, believing that even with arms, we remained weak. Irakesh then strode forward, adorned in the armor of the Grand Patriarch, wielding Arakthinar as the very instrument of the angel’s wrath. His first challenger, a hulking, vile pralite, was cleaved in twain before its final insult had left its throat.
“The jeers of the enemy vanished then, as fear seized their hearts. We charged forward, and they learned that their blades could not penetrate our armor. Though some among our number fell that day, the enemy was routed before us. Irakesh led us to glorious victory as our crusade continued, and the Corpse Star blessed our path. Our path to reclaiming our home began with a single battle, and continued for the next five years.”
After five years of relentless, brutal warfare, the orcs finally forced the tilanites out of their home. This defeat, which reminded the arachneans of their last bitter failure at the hands of the human empire, sparked the hatred between the two nations that burns to this day. With their homeland returned to their possession, the orcs set about founding the nation of Kuven. Their proficiency with dorakite and firebrand crystals allowed for advancements in construction and defense that saw Kuven fully developed within a matter of years. In addition to their material advantages, their unified culture under the religion of the Corpse Star allowed the military, church, and government to all fall under the purview of the Grand Patriarch, a title first held by Irakesh until his death in the year 1238 of the Second Age.
From the Kuvenakt: “On the day of Irakesh’s death, a shadow fell over Kuven, as every orc heart cried out together in sorrow. In accordance with his commands, he was buried in his armor beneath the temple of the Corpse Star in Tesroc, and Arakthinar was passed on to the next Grand Patriarch.”
Few copies of the Kuvenakt are able to escape Kuven, as any material related to the Buried Angel is considered holy knowledge, suitable only for an orc audience. My agents within the orc nation were able to smuggle a copy beyond the border, which I used to compose this history. Beyond a mere summary of historical events, this account serves as a warning. Yes the orcs are powerful thanks to the strength of their armaments, but their power also derives from their unity. Even now, years after his death, the memory of Irakesh emboldens the orcs to fight as one. As the empire moves toward a war with the Latalian nations, those in power should be cautious; a unified enemy is a dangerous one, especially when they have heroes to rally them.
The Goblin Graveyard 