Orcs of Eliyra ( hordes of Orcs and Goblins )

 

Across the windswept plains, broken tundras, and ash-steppes of Eliyra, the orc hordes roam without walls, crowns, or permanent cities. To the settled realms of Ilyrio, they are raiders and destroyers. To themselves, they are the Free Clans  born beneath open skies, owing loyalty only to strength, kin, and the march of the horde.

Orcs are towering humanoids of dense muscle and scarred physiques. Both men and women are equally broad-shouldered, heavily built, and expected to fight. Their culture admires physical might, endurance, hunting skill, and personal freedom above all else. Weakness is pitied; cowardice is despised.

Physical Traits

• Skin tones: deep green, ash grey, or soot-black
• Build: heavily muscular, dense bone structure, broad shoulders
• Both sexes are equally muscular; orc women are often indistinguishable in strength and stature from men
• Facial features are blunt, tusked, and adapted for intimidation and endurance rather than finesse
• Naturally adapted for endurance marches, raids, and harsh terrain survival

Magic among orcs is rare and distrusted. Orc shamans exist, but even they are judged by their ability to survive battle and hardship rather than mystical knowledge. Their greatest strength has always been numbers, mobility, and brutal physical warfare.

A true orc horde is structured like this:

• 1 Warlord — supreme commander and strongest warrior
• 4 or 6 War Chiefs — leaders of clan divisions
• Hundreds or thousands of warriors, hunters, beast-riders, smiths, and families
• Goblin servant-clans attached to the horde

The goblins are not exactly slaves, though outsiders often see them that way. Goblins repair armor, scavenge battlefields, manage cooking caravans, breed pack beasts, and craft crude devices. In exchange, the orcs protect them from predators, rival tribes, and extermination by human kingdoms. Many goblins willingly remain attached to strong hordes because survival under orc protection is preferable to extinction.

CULTURE & BELIEFS

Orcs do not build empires. They move like storms instead of settling like nations.

Orc Society

Orc men and women are both broad-shouldered, muscular, and physically imposing. Outsiders often struggle to distinguish the sexes beneath scars, braided hair, trophies, and armor of hide and iron.

Among orcs:

• Strength earns respect.
• Freedom is sacred.
• Weak rulers are abandoned or killed.
• Chains are hated above all things.
• Magic is distrusted.

Core Values

• Strength above all – physical power defines respect
• Freedom is sacred – no orc accepts long-term subjugation willingly
• Cunning is useful, but muscle is truth
• Weakness is tolerated only if temporary and improving

Social Structure

• No kings. Only Hordes
• Leadership is earned through combat, survival, and intimidation
• Loyalty is personal, not institutional

THE HORDE SYSTEM

Each orc horde is a semi-mobile war society.

Structure of a Horde

Every horde typically contains:

• 1 Warlord – absolute battlefield leader, chosen through dominance or ritual combat
• 4–6 Warchiefs – elite commanders, each controlling a war-band (raiders, scouts, hunters, shock troops)
• Orc Warriors – bulk of the horde, disciplined only by strength and respect
• Orc Women Warriors – fully integrated fighters, often forming spearhead units or shock infantry
• Youth & Elders – travel with the horde; youths are trained early, elders serve as strategists or shamans (though magic is rare)

Orcs are naturally poor wielders of magic. Shamans exist, but their power is crude and exhausting compared to human sorcerers or elven mystics. Orcs instead rely on overwhelming force, endurance, and sheer numbers.

A typical horde is organized as:

• 1 Warlord — supreme leader
• 4 or 6 War Chiefs — commanders of clans within the horde
• Hundreds or thousands of warriors, hunters, herders, scouts, and laborers
• Goblin servant-clans attached to the horde 

NOMADIC BEHAVIOR

Orc hordes never settle permanently.

They move because:

• Food sources collapse in winter zones
• Staying still invites organized human retaliation
• Cultural belief: “A stopped horde is already dead”

During harsh winters, many raids on human settlements occur not out of cruelty, but survival pressure as food stocks collapse.

The Endless March

The Endless March

Orcs cannot endure harsh winters for long.

Extreme cold weakens them unnaturally. Their muscles stiffen, sickness spreads rapidly through camps, and young orcs die easily in freezing conditions. No one knows why. Ancient legends hint the orcs came long ago from a distant southern continent beyond the black ocean  a warmer homeland lost to war, plague, or catastrophe.

Because of this weakness:

• Orc hordes constantly migrate
• They avoid snowbound lands whenever possible
• They follow warmer winds and migrating beasts
• Raids against human settlements increase before severe winters

Many orc invasions are not wars of conquest, but desperate attempts to survive the cold season.

To stop moving is death.

Orcs are massive humanoids with thick muscles, broad shoulders, and rough features. Their skin ranges from deep green to charcoal gray and ash-black. Both orc men and women are equally muscular and hardened by constant travel, battle, and survival. In orc society, strength is beauty, authority, and honor. Weakness earns contempt, while freedom is sacred.

Orcs possess little magical talent. Shamans and spirit-speakers exist, but orcs distrust excessive magic and prefer steel, muscle, and numbers. Their armies rely on relentless assaults, overwhelming charges, brutal endurance, and sheer population rather than sophisticated tactics or sorcery.

The Curse of Winter

The Winter Curse

Orcs are unnaturally vulnerable to severe cold.

Long winters bring sickness, weakness, infertility, and death among the hordes. Even the strongest orcs grow sluggish in frozen climates, and infants rarely survive brutal winters. Because of this, orc culture became permanently nomadic.

No one knows the true origin of the orcs. Ancient stories claim they came generations ago from a distant southern continent beyond the black seas  a hotter land consumed by war or disaster. Orc shamans refuse to speak clearly on the matter, and many become violent when questioned.

Because of their weakness to cold:

• Orc hordes constantly migrate
• They avoid snowy regions whenever possible
• Winter raids increase when food stores run low
• Entire hordes may descend upon human settlements before harsh winters

Many wars between humans and orcs began not from conquest, but desperation.

Orc Beliefs

Orcs do not worship gods in the human sense.

Most believe in:

• The Eternal Road
• The Trial of Strength
• Freedom after death
• Ancestors who guide migrations through dreams

Winter is viewed almost as a curse or living enemy.

Many shamans teach that the cold itself hunts the orc race.

Some ancient songs speak of:

“The White Death that drove us across the black sea.”

No one knows whether this is myth or memory.

Common Orc Traits

Strengths

• Immense physical power
• High endurance in battle
• Massive population growth
• Fearless charges
• Exceptional survival instincts

Weaknesses

• Vulnerable to extreme cold
• Poor magical ability
• Frequent internal power struggles
• Limited agriculture and infrastructure
• Dependence on migration routes

TYPES OF ORC HORDES

The Ironstep Horde

• Known for heavy infantry and brutal frontal assaults
• Uses scavenged metal armor welded from battlefield scrap
• Slow-moving but nearly unstoppable in direct combat

The Stormmaw Horde

• Fast-moving raiders who strike villages before dawn
• Prefer terror tactics and fire raids
• Rarely stay in one region for more than a few days

The Blacktusk Caravan Horde

• Largest and most nomadic
• Carries entire mobile camps on beast-drawn wagons
• Known for trading as often as raiding

The Frostshun Horde

• Survivors of colder northern marches
• Deep hatred and fear of winter
• Often seen fleeing south before seasonal frost arrives
• Their weakness to cold is severe prolonged exposure reduces strength and coordination rapidly

The Chainbreaker Horde

• Extremely anti-slavery, anti-rule
• Known for destroying human and elven slave operations
• Often ally temporarily with oppressed groups before moving on

The Bloodtusk Horde

Bloodtusk Horde

The largest and most feared horde in central Eliyra.

• Skin colors: dark green and black-green
• Known for massive cavalry charges
• Decorate armor with enemy skulls and red war paint
• Avoid forests; prefer open plains

Warlord

Gorvak Bloodtusk

A gigantic black-skinned orc said to have slain a frost bear barehanded. Gorvak believes weakness is the root of all suffering.

War Chiefs

1. Thura One-Eye
2. Malkor Ironneck
3. Vraga the Red Maw
4. Dren Skullbreaker
5. Korga Wolfkiller
6. Hruk the Tall

Reputation

The Bloodtusks raid frontier villages whenever winter approaches early. Human peasants pray for mild autumns, because harsh winds usually mean Bloodtusk raids soon follow.

The Ashen Chain Horde

Ashen Chain Horde

A disciplined grey-skinned horde that roams the volcanic south.

• Famous for chain weapons and hooked spears
• Keeps unusually large goblin populations
• More organized than most hordes
• Uses massive wagon-fortresses

Warlord

Urzag the Binder

A cunning strategist who believes survival matters more than honor.

War Chiefs

1. Vorga Ashskin
2. Temur Chainhand
3. Krul the Ox
4. Shava Bonebraid

Reputation

Some kingdoms secretly hire Ashen Chain mercenaries during civil wars, though such alliances almost always end badly.

The Black Sun Horde

Black Sun Horde

A mysterious horde believed to descend from the oldest orc bloodlines.

• Black-skinned orcs with ritual scarification
• Fanatically anti-magic
• Burn captured spellbooks and execute sorcerers
• Travel mostly at night

Warlord

Drogath Sun-Eater

An aging warlord obsessed with finding the “Lost Homeland” of the orcs.

War Chiefs

1. Morgha Nightscar
2. Urkhan Flintjaw
3. Velgra Doomchant
4. Hroth Blackeye
5. Keth Ironblood
6. Zura the Silent

Reputation

The Black Sun Horde rarely attacks for plunder alone. They seek ancient ruins and forgotten relics tied to orc origins.

The Hollow Fang Horde

Hollow Fang Horde

A starving northern horde constantly fleeing advancing winters.

• Leaner than other orcs
• Grey-green skin
• Wear furs layered over heavy leather
• Masters of ambushes and survival

Warlord

Brakka Hollowfang

A grim female warlord who has led her people through three devastating winters.

War Chiefs

1. Yorr Ice-Hater
2. Grelk Snowscar
3. Mogra Elkbreaker
4. Targan the Grim

Reputation

Unlike most hordes, the Hollow Fangs prefer stealing livestock and grain rather than slaughter. They know every unnecessary death risks retaliation they cannot survive.

The Ironroot Horde

Ironroot Horde

An unusually stable horde that travels with giant beasts and mobile forges.

• Green-skinned with ash-grey tattoos
• Skilled smiths by orc standards
• Goblin engineers highly valued
• Produce heavy iron armor and siege tools

Warlord

Kazgor Ironroot

A one-armed warlord who dreams of creating the first permanent orc stronghold.

War Chiefs

1. Drog Ironhide
2. Velka Hammerfist
3. Urmog the Smith
4. Thrakka Flintarm
5. Ghorin Beastmaster
6. Mazgul the Burner

Reputation

Many orcs mock the Ironroots as “wall-builders,” yet their weapons are prized by nearly every horde in Eliyra.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOBLINS

Some hordes maintain goblin bands as auxiliary servants, scouts, and engineers.

• Goblins provide:
  • traps, tools, and crude siege devices
  • scouting in tight terrain
  • food gathering and foraging efficiency
• Orcs provide:
  • protection
  • mobility and strength

This is often misunderstood by outsiders as slavery, but within the horde logic it is a mutual survival pact.

WEAKNESS: THE COLD

Orcs are mysteriously vulnerable to cold climates.

• Muscle efficiency drops in freezing environments
• Reflexes slow significantly below freezing temperatures
• Long exposure causes exhaustion faster than hunger or injury

Theories of Origin

No orc tribe knows where they came from, but oral myths suggest:

• A lost southern continent of burning plains
• A banishment from a god of winter
• Or exile from a forgotten empire beyond the sea

This explains their constant movement:

“The land that stays still dies under snow.”

Human Views of Orcs

The kingdoms of Ilyrio are divided on the “orc question.”

Some nobles see them only as monsters.

Others recognize that most raids are driven by desperation, migration pressure, or starvation.

Border kingdoms sometimes:

• Trade livestock for peace
• Hire hordes as mercenaries
• Redirect migrations toward rival realms
• Secretly manipulate rival warlords against one another

Despite centuries of war, exterminating the orcs has proven impossible.

As long as winter stalks Eliyra, the hordes will keep moving.

ORC RELATIONSHIP WITH GOBLINS

A dangerous truth often ignored by the kingdoms of Ilyrio is that goblins are usually far more dangerous without orc oversight.

Within the great hordes of Eliyra, goblins serve structured roles:

• scavengers
• herders
• trappers
• cooks
• wagon-workers
• tunnelers
• scouts

Orcs keep goblin populations organized through fear, hierarchy, and protection. Goblins under a horde are typically opportunistic but manageable.

But free goblin tribes are another matter entirely.

Free Goblin Clans

Free Goblins

Free Goblin Clans

When goblins gather in large numbers without orc domination, they become terrifyingly vicious.

Unlike orcs, goblins breed rapidly, hide easily, and adapt to almost any environment:

• forests
• ruins
• sewers
• caves
• marshes
• abandoned battlefields

A lone goblin is cowardly.

A hundred goblins are a plague.

A thousand become a nightmare.

Free goblin hordes fight with:

• traps
• poison
• fire
• swarming tactics
• crude explosives
• disease-ridden weapons
• night raids

They rarely fight honorably and delight in terror tactics that even many orcs find excessive.

Why Orcs Tolerate Goblins

Most orc warlords openly admit goblins are irritating, sneaky, and weak.

Yet experienced warlords prefer goblins attached to a horde rather than roaming freely.

A controlled goblin population provides:

• labor
• scouts
• repairs
• numbers
• expendable skirmishers

But uncontrolled goblin populations can destabilize entire migration routes.

Some orc sayings include:

“A goblin with orders steals chickens.
A goblin without orders burns kingdoms.”

The Red-Eye Uprisings

Red-Eye Uprisings

One of the worst disasters in Ilyrian history began after three major orc hordes were destroyed during an unusually brutal winter.

The surviving goblin servant-clans scattered into the wild.

Within ten years:

• trade roads collapsed
• villages vanished overnight
• wells were poisoned
• grain stores burned
• plague spread through border provinces

Human armies defeated the goblins repeatedly in open battle, but the goblins simply dispersed and returned elsewhere.

Ironically, surviving orc mercenaries were later hired to exterminate many of the feral goblin nests.

This event permanently changed how many rulers viewed the orc-goblin relationship.

Some historians quietly argue:

Orcs do not enslave goblins.
They contain them.

Goblin Behavior Around Orcs

Goblin clans attached to hordes often imitate orc culture:

• wearing crude war paint
• boasting loudly
• following strength-based hierarchy
• competing for favor from war chiefs

Some goblins become fiercely loyal to particular warlords.

Others secretly sabotage rival clans constantly.

Orcs generally consider this normal.

As one war chief supposedly said:

“If the goblins stop scheming, check for poison in the food.”