Chapter 43: The History and Conflicts of the Orcs (Part One)

Before them lay a magnificent city. The architectural style of the orcs in the royal capital of Enimon was vividly displayed here—grand, rugged, and practical. The houses lining the streets were at least twice as tall and spacious as those of humans, while dwellings of certain tribes, like the Olfen elephant folk, were five times larger than typical human homes. The Ashfire Plateau lacked much else, but wasteland was abundant; if one had the strength, there was no shortage of stone, ready to be quarried and crafted into homes.

In the earliest days, Enimon was merely a collection of buildings without walls. At the very heart of the Ashfire Plateau, the orcs erected an altar dedicated to the war god, forming the basis of their tribes. Beside this altar stood the royal palace of the Bimon clan, while other tribes built their homes in a web-like pattern surrounding the altar and palace. After the Bimon king unified all the tribes, the orc clans roughly divided their territories, gradually establishing the permanent settlements seen today. Following a great calamity, some orcs left the continent, causing shifts in these ancestral lands.

Cecily closely followed Lady Indira, a knight of the Smai tribe. Though she was not the first human to venture into orc territory, entering the orc royal court in Enimon with such calm was rare. Only when the human nations and the orc court agreed to a truce were envoys permitted to enter and pay homage. Otherwise, only a few powerful outsiders from other races might infiltrate, only to be driven out or slain with fierce hostility by the orcs.

This privilege was thanks to Indira, who hailed from the noble Smai tribe, one of the ancient orc clans. In the distant past, a thousand years before Emperor Rochester ruled the land, the orc kingdom was governed by the strongest clan, the Bimon, with the Smai serving as their envoys. This rule persisted until the great war between orcs and the Earth Spirits, ending in defeat at Rochester’s hands.

Rochester led the Earth Spirits and their vast army of golems to conquer other races. Had the tribes united against him, he might have been defeated. But before the rise of the Earth Spirits, the orcs had waged centuries of war to challenge their empire, pushing from present-day Enimon to a stalemate dividing the continent. The deep-seated hatred born from these prolonged conflicts prevented alliances among the races, allowing Rochester’s forces to conquer them piecemeal.

The Bimon emperor was slain by Rochester, who struck fear even into orcs and Earth Spirits alike. The Bimon clan fought desperately against the golem legions, destroying many constructs, but even their unmatched valor could not overcome the endless tide. Most orcs fled to the Ctesibius Mountains, refusing to submit to Rochester’s rule. Yet the Bimon clan’s dominion over the orcs was severely shaken.

The remnants of the Bimon clan decided to lead their people across the ocean in search of new lands to escape Rochester. This decision caused a split among the orcs; some followed the Bimon across the sea, while others retreated westward to the Ashfire Highlands. Enimon, the orcs’ birthplace, continued to flourish until several centuries later, when Rochester mysteriously disappeared, the Earth Spirits were decimated by humans, and the orcs reemerged to contest control of the continent.

Today, the orcs are governed by a council representing eight tribes: Rhein, Taigo, Wolf, Ford, Kau, Biel, Monk, and Haus. Some tribes, like the Kau taurens, Haus centaurs, and Monk, rank among the largest and strongest, securing their place. Others, like the Boai rabbit-headed tribe, though populous, are considered timid and hold lower status, similar to the Pig tribe. Some tribes hold indispensable roles within orc society, such as the Ford, who produce most of the orcish priests—especially the high priests, of whom sixty percent are Ford or have Ford lineage—thus naturally earning their place among the eight.

Rhein and Taigo hold particularly special status. Not only are they among the eight, but traditionally the orc king is chosen from these two tribes. Although, in theory, any tribe could produce a king under the current shared rule, in practice the throne has always been monopolized by Rhein and Taigo. To become orc king requires not only strength but also wisdom to earn the war god’s blessing. Wolf combines intelligence and courage but rarely surpasses Rhein or Taigo individually. The Ford, aware of their limited combat prowess, are content with their priestly dominance. Other tribes, no matter how mighty—like the Olfen elephant folk—lack the influence to vie for the throne.

From the moment they passed through the imposing forty-one-foot-high gates of Enimon, Indira drew every gaze. The Smai tribe was famed as the most graceful of orcs. Their natural poise needed no training, and their appearance was renowned in ancient times for unparalleled beauty among orcs. Fortunately, this tribe vanished from the continent long ago; otherwise, their humanoid elegance combined with snow-white wings would surely have attracted the twisted whims of certain wealthy humans, who might have coveted the female Smai as prized curiosities, akin to Ford women or Kate the catfolk.

One could imagine a beautiful Smai, bound and kneeling, wings folded behind her, forced to serve her master in degrading ways, her white feathers torn as she endured unspeakable acts. Yet, unlike some humans, orcs regarded Indira with respect rather than lust. Historically, intertribal and interspecies marriage was forbidden among orcs, partly because they believed only unions within the same tribe could preserve parental traits, and partly because mixed clans often faltered—such as the Haus centaurs and their donkey kin producing the mule-people. These mules inherited neither the centaurs’ strength and beauty nor the donkeys’ diligence, being known as one of the most timid orc clans, relegated to auxiliary roles on the battlefield. Worst of all, they were sterile, unable to propagate their kind.

For these reasons, from ancient times, orcs banned interspecies marriage. Even the Ford once petitioned the war god on the matter and received a divine mandate against such unions. However, the great war with the Earth Spirits shattered these edicts. Orc populations dwindled while their territories expanded, and to maintain their hold and satisfy the needs of warriors abroad, the ban could not be strictly enforced. This led to a surge in mule births, who supported the orcish logistical efforts. Orcs distrusted conquered peoples to handle their supplies, but the mules, born of Haus and donkey kin, were more reliable. The Haus tribe thus produced many mules to meet these demands. Sadly, after orcs’ defeat, many mules perished or retreated to the mountains, living out their days in despair.

Incidentally, orcs and their hybrid clans often suffer physiological defects, like the mules. Yet half-orcs born from unions between orcs and humans or other races differ—they may lack pure orcish strength but typically bear no significant defects and can reproduce.

P.S.: As the year draws to a close, things are quite busy. I’ll strive to update regularly; if there’s a pause, please forgive me.