Orcs

The youngest race on Aarklash. Cloned. Escaped. Now drawn to Cadwallon by a god's call they don't fully understand.

The orcs were created in 808 in the cloning tanks of Shamir, capital of the empire of Syharhalna. Conceived by crossing goblin and human genetic material, the original orcs — the Khorda clones — turned out more intelligent and powerful than their creators expected. They rebelled in 852, massacred those they could, and fled to [[Bran-Ô-Kor]]. A small group settled in the Behemoth Mountains.

The youngest race of Aarklash has been prosperous since. The blood of the orcs still carries the stigmata of those impious manipulations, and orc women remain fertile from extreme youth until the end of their lives. They inherited the goblins' adaptability and the humans' craving for conquest.

Magic

Most orc magicians cannot grasp the subtleties of the six Elements. Instead they develop instinctive magic — totemic, drawing on raw mana rather than its essence. They can use any gem to fuel their primitive spells, where most magicians require attuned gemstones.

Appearance and Society

Males: ~1.75m, ~95kg, overdeveloped muscles, aggressive faces. The warrior and mystical castes display tattoos and tribal amulets. Females are few in number, less massive but no less ferocious. Life expectancy 50 years.

Orc culture is Jackal (Paths of Destiny).

In Cadwallon

The orcs are not natural city-dwellers, but their instinct pulls them to Cadwallon's vestiges. An increasing number answer the call of the Jackal god and set off for the City of Thieves to unveil its secrets. Many dream of the magical groves in the Gardens of Desire along the way, which then lead them into the underground ruins. On arrival they're often bewildered by the city's activity and consider leaving — but they trust the spirit-call and integrate into Cadwë society, certain that the spirits will deliver them the secret of the city of their dreams.

Cadwallon hosts the second-largest orc community in terms of population (Bran-Ô-Kor being the first).

What the Jackal wants

The Jackal god is calling orcs toward Cadwallon by the year, in larger numbers. What's the secret it wants them to find? And what happens when they find it?