Post by Saga on Aug 9, 2015 8:42:40 GMT -8
Many leagues to the south of the nations established in the world rocked by cataclysm, a species known as the Orc-kin wage endless war against themselves; rival warlords, generals and politicians struggling to take gain power in the geopolitical region known as Yiwang.
The Orc-kin.
The Orc-kin.
The Orcs are a near-human species comprised of multiple ethnic groups and breeds who can range in appearance from slender and elf-like to stocky and brutish, with skin-colour ranging from green, to red, to even black. Though their evolutionary source is unknown, the vast majority of modern Orcs are known to have migrated to Yiwang from the west at least one thousand years BTC, during which time the region was under the control of a highly spiritual, martial and cultured breed of half-elves.
Throughout most of their known history, the Orcs remained in tribal societies on the outskirts of Yiwang society, though as the political elite and nobility began to recognize the prowess of the Orcs it became more and more common for entire tribes to be enslaved for physical labour, breeding purposes and their unique beserk-like rage that could be unleashed on the battlefield.
Warlike and shamanistic, the current Orc culture began to evolve when monks from the Monastery of Peace began to preach the ways of balance to the tribes - to seek enlightenment and equilibrium between their physical and spiritual selves and to avoid losing to the rage inherent in all Orc-kind. Over time, Orc religion and culture began to take a form similar to their Yiwang masters, with many individual warriors and chiefs leaving their beast-like roots behind to follow the path of martial arts and harmony.
The Emperor of Yiwang, however, began to see this sudden change in a people who had always been outcasts and slaves, who had never been more than beasts and brutes, as a mockery to his culture and his ancestors. Roughly one hundred years ago, this culminated in the attempted genocide of the Orcs, leading to a war that involved hundreds of thousands on both sides that became known as The War of Dominance. Though against their culturally superior, better-equipped and city-building foes, hundreds of Orc Chieftains came together under the command of Supreme Commander Banekan and fought a war of attrition that lasted over fifty years. Using their superior strength, inner-rage and knowledge gained from tens of thousands of freed slaves, Banekan led the Orcs into destroying the Yiwang Empire.
The remaining half-elves migrated to other lands, leaving the spoils of their once rich and powerful empire to their Orc conquerors. Looting and occupying, the orcs began to assimilate what remained of the Yiwang culture into their own. They occupied the destroyed cities of their foes, began to study the technology and culture written in their libraries and used their mountains of gold to form a barter-based economy.
Though nomadic tribes no-doubt remain and they will never be rid of the rage inside, the Orc-kin can no longer be considered a lesser culture or race. Now, one can find orcs practising calligraphy, reading the instructions of religion and strategy, devoting their lives to martial arts as travelling monks and farming crops to feed their people; some even trade in foreign lands.
However, the Orc are scattered. After the death of Banekan, Yiwang has fractured into dozens of factions. Though they might now understand the finer arts of the tea ceremony and the importance of wit, they are still as warlike as before. Chiefs still lead their men into battle, playing a never-ending game of power-hungry chess against their foes.
Throughout most of their known history, the Orcs remained in tribal societies on the outskirts of Yiwang society, though as the political elite and nobility began to recognize the prowess of the Orcs it became more and more common for entire tribes to be enslaved for physical labour, breeding purposes and their unique beserk-like rage that could be unleashed on the battlefield.
Warlike and shamanistic, the current Orc culture began to evolve when monks from the Monastery of Peace began to preach the ways of balance to the tribes - to seek enlightenment and equilibrium between their physical and spiritual selves and to avoid losing to the rage inherent in all Orc-kind. Over time, Orc religion and culture began to take a form similar to their Yiwang masters, with many individual warriors and chiefs leaving their beast-like roots behind to follow the path of martial arts and harmony.
The Emperor of Yiwang, however, began to see this sudden change in a people who had always been outcasts and slaves, who had never been more than beasts and brutes, as a mockery to his culture and his ancestors. Roughly one hundred years ago, this culminated in the attempted genocide of the Orcs, leading to a war that involved hundreds of thousands on both sides that became known as The War of Dominance. Though against their culturally superior, better-equipped and city-building foes, hundreds of Orc Chieftains came together under the command of Supreme Commander Banekan and fought a war of attrition that lasted over fifty years. Using their superior strength, inner-rage and knowledge gained from tens of thousands of freed slaves, Banekan led the Orcs into destroying the Yiwang Empire.
The remaining half-elves migrated to other lands, leaving the spoils of their once rich and powerful empire to their Orc conquerors. Looting and occupying, the orcs began to assimilate what remained of the Yiwang culture into their own. They occupied the destroyed cities of their foes, began to study the technology and culture written in their libraries and used their mountains of gold to form a barter-based economy.
Though nomadic tribes no-doubt remain and they will never be rid of the rage inside, the Orc-kin can no longer be considered a lesser culture or race. Now, one can find orcs practising calligraphy, reading the instructions of religion and strategy, devoting their lives to martial arts as travelling monks and farming crops to feed their people; some even trade in foreign lands.
However, the Orc are scattered. After the death of Banekan, Yiwang has fractured into dozens of factions. Though they might now understand the finer arts of the tea ceremony and the importance of wit, they are still as warlike as before. Chiefs still lead their men into battle, playing a never-ending game of power-hungry chess against their foes.