Orcs

Faction overview

Orcs at Torrentmoot came from many clans and holds, including the Empty Hand Hold and Burning Sun Hold. Gurnak sought to record their history, legends, and culture for outsiders, while Ardax promoted cooperation among them. Grothlin served as a battle leader for her clan, and Kestrel said most holds opposed cooperation with the Knights of Lastwall, though Ardax supported it.
Belkzen’s Orcs are organized among holds, including the Burning Sun Hold, which has maintained a friendship with Lastwall. They have actively opposed the Whispering Tyrant, often taking more initiative than the Knights of Lastwall. Ardax emphasized the need for strength to survive while advocating against becoming Tar-Baphon’s pawn and promoting relationships with neighboring peoples. Orc parents asked Vaska and The Group to find Kar, Xan, and Ilo after the children disappeared while foraging. The Group reached their shelter, cleared a blocked passage, and fought ancient orc skeletons before finding the children. Kar helped destroy a white-haired undead creature and claimed the deed as his own, while Gurnak had saved his life. The children returned to their parents, and Torrentmoot celebrated their rescue.
Orcs in Belkzen take pride in keeping their tusks clean and sharp; the removal of a tusk is a grave insult that can initiate a multigenerational blood vendetta. At the Bloodied Gauntlet, an orc awoke to find a tusk removed, leading to the identification of Blue-Marked Tooth Fairies imitating that hold’s markings. Later, Vaska Klashe, Gurnak, and Fizzik cooperated to open Ardax’s Puzzle Box, earning his praise for demonstrating the cooperation he wanted to encourage. Ardax later reported that scouts had failed to return. A wounded scout was found in a ravine and described perytons killing the others. The Survivor requested the creatures be killed and required several days to recover.