Orclands (Goblinoid Territories of the)
Location: Northeast of
Darokin and Aengmor, southeast of Rockhome.
Area: Approximately 12,936 sq. mi.
Population: Estimated at around 15,000 goblinoids (primarily
orcs).
Languages: Tharian Common (most dialects, but Orcish dialect
is the most common).
Coinage: Any (mostly stolen).
Taxes: Whatever can be taken from one's underlings.
Government Type: Coalition of semi-autonomous nations, each
ruled by a chief.
Industries: Warfare, subsistence herding. Limited mining
(primarily in the region of C'Kag).
Important Figures: Alebane (King of Xorg, ogre, male, F10),
Hutai-Khan (Khan of New Hobgobland, hobgoblin, male, F9),
Moghul-Khan (Khan of Dast, yellow orc, male, F9/rumored to be a
Devil Swine), Tlatepetl (Governor-General of C'Kag, red orc, male,
F10), Khordarg (Red dragon, male).
Flora and Fauna: Aside from the predominance of goblinoids
in the region, many monsters can be found here. These include
animal herds (primarily deer), apes (snow and white), black bears,
mountain lions, and wolves. There are rumours that a large red
dragon made its home in the area near C'Kag a long time ago.
Further Reading: GAZ 10 - The Orcs of Thar, and GAZ 11 - The
Republic of Darokin.
Description: by Ryuk-uk Tshaa (Ed. note: As this account was written early in 1014 AC, before Ryu left to join up with the Great Migration, we are happy to be able to expand upon it with additions from an intelligence report by Ursula Bremen)
While searching for missing genealogical data linking the Trollhattan trolls to their ancestors in Trollheim (In the Broken Lands and Vestland, respectively. Ed.) my companion Starkad and I found ourselves in the Orclands, where decidedly interesting developments were taking place.
The Land
The mountains of Orcland are an even more harsh, barren territory than those of the so-called Broken Lands. Sheer mountain bluffs, almost perpetually covered in snow, are the predominant feature here in the Dwarfgate Mountain range. Vegetation is minimal, and the few animals that we have seen appear woefully undernourished.
The People
The majority of the goblinoid denizens are orcs, of the so-called 'common orc' variety. There are a surprising number of Orcus Hyborianus species intermixing with those of the species Orcus Porcus here (For more on the various species of goblinoids, see the 'Orcs of Thar' gazetteer by Sir Bruce Herdland, a noted Glantrian scholar. Ed).
Of the other goblinoid denizens, there is a large population of red and yellow orcs, with a smattering of hobgoblins and ogres. I suspect this is a very recent development, with displaced goblinoids fleeing their ancestral homes in the Broken Lands due to Shadow Elf incursions there. The sheer increase in numbers here in Orcland seems odd, though, as the Great Crater is a noted haven for goblinoids since the Great War. I suspect other factors at work.
The region of C'Kag was until recently inhabited primarily by trolls with a reputation for being uncharacteristically expansionist, particularly in a species of such low social sophistication.
Recent History
The Orclands have always been a bone of contention for Darokin. The lands themselves have long been considered the Republic's, due to the fact that no one else wanted them (which is perhaps suitable for the 'Land of Leftovers', as Darokin is sometimes called). This has often led to diplomatic difficulties with surrounding lands, who assumed the Republic had some control over the raiding goblinoids who made their homes there.
In the years prior to the Great War, goblinoid activity was at a suspiciously low level. It was suspected that the orcs of the area were busy defending themselves against the trolls of C'Kag. Such concerns took a back seat when the hordes of Hule began their war with the Republic.
Recently, the goblinoids have once again become very quiet. Some of those stationed at Fort Hobart informed us that the Republic suspects another internal goblinoid war is taking place, but they are unsure of with whom. Darokinian forces are staying on the alert.
From a report by Ursula Bremen-
"... reports of their demise was premature. The ogre king Alebane, the hobgoblin Hutai-Khan, and a General Tlatepetl (see attachment E), apparently survived the Shadow Elf assault on the city of Oenkmar (now known as Aengmor- see attachment F) in 1012 AC. We suspect that they escaped by way of (CENSORED), and made their way to the surface.
"It appears as if they returned near the Orclands, where they formed an alliance with the orc Moghul-Khan (Moghul-Khan has been holed up in Dast since the end of the Great War. See attachment H). From there, it appears they spent the majority of the next year conquering the Orclands from the trolls of C'Kag, who had dominated the region since before the Great War. It is possible that (CENSORED) supplied the goblinoids with arms; we have sent an agent to investigate.
"The goblinoid coalition is now in control of the Orclands, though theirs is a tentative alliance at best. Religious differences plague the denizens of Dast and New Hobgobland (formerly Grukk). The greatest threat seems to be the keep of C'Kag, which has been under heavy construction. General Tlatepetl is still an unknown, and it has been difficult to get an agent in past his patrols. We hope to (CENSORED)."
Don't Miss
There is a great deal of activity around the region of C'Kag. New construction is being built by the trolls, now apparently the slaves of red orcs. Starkad is quick to point out the effectiveness of the buildings as military fortifications (Ed. note: Ryu noted at a later date that these structures bear a strong resemblance to buildings in the lands of the Tiger Clan). We were unable to stay for long, for fear of being spotted by the heavy patrols in the area. Starkad also reports that he spotted a red dragon in the vicinity.
From a report to the DDC by Ursula Bremen-
"... red dragon that has raided the
surrounding lands for the past few weeks has returned to the
mountains near C'Kag. This may bode ill, as Darokinian agents have
suspected for years that there was some force masterminding the
trollish attacks in the Orclands (see attachment L). (CENSORED)
will remain in the region to investigate this development."