The Dawn of the Half-Orc

Story: The Dawn of the Half-Orc

The Half-Orc is pitied, shunned and admired at the same time by the other peoples of the Known World. Pitied because they were born into violence, slavery and hardship; shunned because they carry the mark of the Orc in their physical appearance and in their quick tempers, heavy drinking, and generally obnoxious living; admired because they are great warriors, would rather die than surrender, and their mating rituals are passionate, long standing and complex. In short, while most people would hesitate to invite a Half-Orc to a dinner party, everyone would consider themselves fortunate to have a Half-Orc standing by your side on the open battle field.

It is said that one of the Fallen Ones created the Orc monster race in the Northern Wildlands to have a people for himself, but they were difficult to manage, so a great Red Dragon was assigned to be their cruel master. But the Dragon soon discovered that these monsters needed something to do, otherwise they would continually start fights with each other and eventually destroy themselves.

So the Dragon looked across the waters of Haal and saw that many settlements of the Northern Kingdoms of Men along the coast were not well protected. So it organized the Orcs and forced them to build ships to navigate the waters, then commanded them to make raids upon the kingdoms of men, and bring back treasures and slaves to pay him tribute. And it was so - the Orcs built their ships, learned the art of water navigation, clothed themselves in armor and weapons, and proved to be military masters when organized and given mission and purpose.

They sailed across the waters of Haal and laid waste to the first ocean side village they came across. Their passion for violence consumed them and they left no survivors. But they looted and brought back anything that was shiny or metallic. And the Dragon was pleased. But next time, it commanded, control yourselves -kill all the males and bring back the women and children to be our slaves, for there is much work to do and we need them to build up our towns and cities, so we may be a people worthy of the Circle of Kings.

And it was so, the Orcs carried out a number of raids, this time being more controlled in their devastation, and more successful in bringing back survivors for the nightmare of slavery. And thus the Half-Orc race began - despised by their masters and feared by their mothers. They were given to harsh labor as soon as they could walk. At first, they were not exposed to any formal culture, but only the harsh commands and beatings of their masters. But while they received the physical mark of their Orc fathers, and often uncontrollable tempers, they also received intelligence and compassion from their mothers. And so, secretly, their mothers began to teach them the ways of civilized men, as a tribute to the loved ones now lost and growing distant in memory.

Thus the Half-Orc in time proved to be more clever than their masters, and were viewed with suspicion for they refused to treat their mothers with the same cruelty. But some won over their masters by becoming great warriors. They would fight in contests and prove themselves to the Orcs that they were capable fighters. And one such Half-Orc named Ulgrid rose to the top as the best warrior in the land, even greater than his Orc masters. The Red Dragon warned the Orcs against giving any slave access to weapons, but Ulgrid's Orc father grew somewhat fond of him, and he was also winning treasure in contests with Ulgrid as his prize warrior.

But one day, Ulgrid broke - his Orc father flew into a rage against his captive mother. Ulgrid rose up against his Orc master and killed him as he defended her. With no other option except a painful punishment and death, Ulgrid called for all the other Half-Orcs to rise up against their masters. And it was so - they surprised their masters and fought with passion, and many of them made it to the ships and sailed away into the waters of Haal before the Red Dragon finally arrived and ended the rebellion with fire.

While Ulgrid's mother did escape onto a ship, her injuries overcame her and Ulgrid vowed to never forget her or any of the other women. But their trials were not over, for as soon as they landed along the shores of the Northern Kingdoms of Men, they were met by a fierce command of soldiers and taken captive once again, for they were seen as invaders and the men of the north had grown to hate the Orcs. But the men of the north were surprised when these invaders refused to fight, and when Ulgrid spoke to them as a person with intelligence and a civilized tongue. Ulgrid told them his story and the men of the north were overwhelmed with sorrow when they heard the fate of their lost sisters, mothers and daughters.

The kings of the north were divided in opinion about the Half-Orc captives. They did not trust them, and they did not want to kill them. So Ulgrid himself convinced them: "Let us settle down in our own country, as far to the west as you are comfortable, and we shall become the guardians of the waters of Haal to resist the Orcs if they try to make any more raids against you. We have enough men and women of our own kind to survive. All we ask is permission to let us live in peace with you - our distant kinfolk".

And it was so: Ulgrid became king of the Half-Orc, and their capital city was named after him. And they became such passionate fighters that the Orcs did not make any more successful raids for many generations.