Here are my notes on the BGFW Background i am spending my free time on. Many thanx to Kenntak for making many corrections (English is not my native language).
I think that BGFW is a brilliant game and i agree with many people stating that they don't like a game cluttered with fluff but still i don't like the generic flavor coming with the BGFW scenarios. Thus this background.
The following are just some notes, open to comments and criticism.
Imagine the Orcish nation like ancient Rome, spreading over half of the known world.
Orcs
In the Beginning.
Orcs are one of the toughest and strongest races in the known world. Their body mass is double that of the average human and their skeleton is about 60% thicker. They can endure a lot of physical pain and punishment, and can continue living under the harshest conditions.
The Orcs were scattered across the vast empire of the High Elves and were always considered either a nuisance or the perfect working force. Thousands of Orcs worked under the heel of the High Elves, extracting precious ores and minerals.
One day, as the legend says, one Orc miner was taken over by the spirit of war and he slowly planned a revolt in the mine he was working as a slave. The rebellion was successful, mainly because the Orcs knew the mine better than their masters, and the mine was turned into a stronghold. The news of the first successful rebellion against the High Elves traveled quickly over the land and soon more and more Orcs joined to the cause. It seems that the Orcs were just waiting for a spark to make an explosion. After numerous riots, rebellions and battles, which drove the High Elves to their limits of manpower and wealth, the Orcs captured several cities in the south. Using those cities as a base, the Orcs began launching new attacks hoping to add to their holdings.
In the beginning, the Orcs gained the support of many people who were dissatisfied with High Elven rule. Many of those supporters chose to stay with the Orcs, but others deserted, having grown weary of the harsh, military society imposed by the Orcs.
SocietyOrc society is built on military rank and principles. The major movers of the society are the generals of the various Orc armies, and the head of the Orc nation is the Arch General, Karuk Vrasnak. The title of the Arch General is not hereditary but can be challenged every 5 years. The challenger is chosen through various competitions held throughout the Orc nation. Only higher ranked officials can take part in these competitions.
The dream of every Orc soldier is to rise in power and rank. The desire is so huge that continuous backstabbing and conflict occurs between the officials in order to prove who is the best suited to be promoted. There is however one directive that applies to all of the Orc soldiers: “Orc nation above all”. Despite any problems that exist between two Orcs, against an outside threat, they are always united.
The Orc nation stretches for many miles and includes almost all of the known races. The large expansion of the Orc nation in the last centuries has led to the assimilation of many cultures and races. As a result, a lot of rebellions arise, but they are usually ended swiftly, in blood.
The many races scattered through the Orcish Nation provide a multicultural feeling and some colorful allies in their inside conflicts. However, against outside threats or during their various expansion wars, Orcs never give the chance to other races of gaining honor and status via excellence in battle. They only take with them bands of Goblins since they are considered kindred and rarely mercenaries.
Orc ArmyThe main body of the Orcish army consists of Swordsmen and Spearmen. Orcs love hand to hand combat but after the uprising of Hawkshold, they have started using missile weapons like crossbows (easier to operate) and bows. The bows are left to the Goblins, one of the first races to join the Orcs.
The Orc physique doesn’t allow them to ride horses since they are very heavy and lack balance. They only solution they have found so far is the use of the monstrous Trolls, creatures that are specifically bred for battle and have some kind of intelligence.
Orc Marauders. The Elite unit of the Orcs. These killing machines are the pinnacle of the Orcish soldier. They are chosen among the countless ranks of normal soldiers and they are trained hard, under the direct supervision of the arch General. These killing machines will never flinch at the sight of the enemy and can continue fighting and butchering without uttering a single cry or word during the battle. It is almost eerie to watch the whole Orc army charging and roaring battle cries while the Marauders advance slowly, chopping down all the enemies they find in their way.
ConflictsThe last rebellion to actually succeed was the uprising of Hawkshold in the North. The rebellion was backed by the High Elves since the land of Hawkshold is the only avenue for the High Elves to gain access to the inner sea and the Elves’ distant colonies. The raids on the borders of Hawkshold are continuous but the humans show no sign of breaking since many times their losses are less compared to the human refugees and warriors leaving from the Orc nation and seeking refuge in Hawkshold.
