Orcs

The Orcs of Ardoth are a vicious peoples who seek war and martial challenge over all; however, they are surprisingly civilized and cultured.

Appearance
Orcs are large humanoids, generally taller than most other natural races, who are ,more often than not, very muscular and tough. Orcs hace a somewhat neanderthalish look to them, possessing low brows, jutting jaws, and squared features. Other distinctions that make Orcs stand out from other races are their greyish skin, bulbous noses, and large lower canines which are similar to tusks.

History
Orcs believe themselves born from the ashes of a once great empire that spanned across Najska. The oldest of Shaman can clearly draw their heritage back to the original five clans. Even though Balcdolg-Ur is the only stronghold of Najska that was originally built by the Orcs, they control, and have renovated, most of the major cities.

Rise of The Bonesplit Horde
The most vicious but also the most successful organization of the Orc peoples to date. Through the efforts of Armschief Balc-Dolg the Bonesplit Tribe became the most feared name through-out Najska; they crushed rival clans and tribes alike taking the worthiest warriors and shaman and selling the other disgraced members off to be slaves to the Tieflings or to Malphania to become fighters in the Mestarian Combat Federation. Within a little less than two years Balc-Dolg conquered and unified all of the Orc tribes and clans within Najska. This unification led to a boom in Orc young and within the next ten years the newly formed Bonesplit Horde had amassed a force that could challenge even the Human empire to the west. Surely enough, in the next few years, Ronwick began enduring massive influxes of Orc warriors and so the Bonesplit March began.

The Year and a Fortnight Skirmish
The most important battle, thus far, of the Bonesplit March. In [insert date] the Bonesplit Horde cut a path through the forests up to the gates of the Human stronghold of Hilda, the peak of military technology and training in Ronwick. The original assault on the walls of Hilda caught the stronghold by relative surprise; they had not been attacked for years in part because of the legend of The Hildian Walls and also the difficult terrain that surrounded the fort. The Bonesplit Horde cut straight through the forests, attacking Hilda from an angle ill prepared for. The original defending forces of Hilda were decimated, barely managing to hold the walls after the first push. However, before Hilda could fall Tiefling forces from Velta reinforced the Hildian troops and pushed the Orcs back, for a time. Over the next year the fight for Hilda was a back and forth series of small battles, mostly in the surrounding lands rather than Hilda itself. Hilda finally fell after the coming of the Orcish warmachines.

Society
The Orc peoples are an extremely aggressive race. Orcs believe deeply in a warrior code which honors valor and strength over all. Some races think of the Orcs as brutish and savage but in truth the Orcs can prove to be just as cultures as other races.

Something that usually suprises other "more civilized" races is that Orcs prove themselves to be zealously honorable people when combat in concerned. Most Orcs perfer straight-up combat, a test of arms, as opposed to tests of skill or intrigue. Although they are driven by instincts more often than not, they will not openly attack defenseless peoples without a just cause simply because they feel that such an act reflects negatively on them as a warrior.