oRcmaRK - Triple Ace Games

orcmark
Once the agricultural and mining heartland of Vestmark, orcs
have ruled here largely unopposed for the past two decades. Tyrannized and brutalized, the captive population has suffered greatly,
toiling ceaselessly to feed and equip the orc war machine. For now,
Orcmark’s expansionistic dreams are held in check, but many plans
are afoot to break the stalemate.
Rules of the Realm
The following rules and notes apply in Orcmark.
* Enemies of the State: The orcs have no allies from among the
player character races. Orcs attack heroes first and ask questions
later.
* Submissive: The captive populations have little willpower and
are cowed into responding to barked commands and threats without question. Intimidation rolls against them are made at +2. Any
attempts to stir them into rebellion, whether through charm, guile,
persuasion, or direct orders, are made at –6, however.
* You Kill Us, We Kill You: King Nagrat punishes rebellion
swiftly and harshly. For every orc found slain, he executes ten captives. A successful Knowledge (Orcmark) roll indicates a character
knows of this punitive arrangement.
Who is King Nagrat?
That orcs band together under powerful chieftains or frost giant
jarls is well-known. Typically, though, such alliances are short-lived,
lasting no more than a few years before dissension, tribal rivalries,
and bids for power shatter the uneasy alliance. That King Nagrat
has held his armies in line for 20 years clearly indicates he is something special.
With no eyewitness reports as to his identity, his enemies have
fallen back on speculation. That he might not actually be an orc is
widely considered a strong possibility, though such claims do not
immediately answer the question of his identity.
His strategic prowess and organizational skills, though susceptible to errors of judgment and excessive caution, indicate he might
be a Knight Hrafn. Such training might help answer the perplexing
question of how he maintains control over the many tribes under
his command, tribes that had been bitter rivals beforehand. Many
Knights Hrafn argue against this, not because the thought of Nagrat being one of them wounds their sensibilities, but because no
Knight, especially one of the Upper House, would make the error
of dividing his forces so thoroughly. In simulations, every Knight
given the role of Nagrat has withdrawn from Karad Azgul (basing
their decision on dwarves’ reliable insular nature) and used those
troops to conquer Ostersund.
He might just as easily be a cleric of Dargar, or perhaps even Tiw,
though his restrain from launching a full-out attack on Vestmark
before he has numerical and strategic superiority argues against the
former—the cult of Dargar lusts for bloodshed and carnage, caring
little for the odds of success.
One rumor the Vestmark commanders are quick to quash is that Nagrat is a vargr. An Auld Saxa word, at its most basic it means “outlaw”
or “criminal.” Yet the word has a deeper meaning, one which strikes
fear into seasoned warriors. Vargr conjures images of evil acts which
make the deprivations of Dargar’s Wolves seem like the work of toothless puppies. It is the epitome of madness and fury, cannibalism and
depravity, evil cunning, dark magic, and wanton destruction. Vargrs
are supposed to possess supernatural powers, especially resistance to
physical harm. Such a claim could well apply to Nagrat, who has sur-
vived a dozen assassination attempts. Unsubstantiated reports claim
he wears a golden wolf-mask, but talk is cheap and rumors like this
serve more to damage morale than provide accurate intelligence.
Whoever or whatever he is, his enemies are careful not to underestimate him. For now, his armies are held in check, yet they know
it is only a matter of time before the fast breeding orcs acquire the
strength necessary to force victory on one front. And when they do,
the full fury of Nagrat shall be unleashed against Vestmark.
Atmosphere
Orcmark is an oppressed land. Beyond the heavily militarized
frontlines, the roads are lined with grisly reminders that this is a
land occupied by brutal savages. Victims impaled on sharp stakes
or crammed into tight cages, left to die in agony, remind the
populace of the price of rebellion. Burned timbers, remnants of
steads and small villages, jut from the long grass like broken teeth.
Sun-bleached skeletons, human and animal, and rusted arms and
armor, lie scattered on the grass where they fell, silent testimony to
the bloodshed unleashed upon the land.
Near the remaining settlements, palls of acrid smoke hang lazily
overhead, bellowed out from the many smithies installed to supply the orcs with weapons. The steady thump of hammers echo
like a beating heart hungry for war and bloodshed. Long lines of
manacled prisoners march to and from the fields and mines, their
heads bowed in submission and acceptance of their fate to work
hard and die young. Columns of orc warriors march across the
country, scouting for rebels or heading to new quarters, pawns on
the strategically balanced chessboard that is Orcmark’s war zones.
And all the while the air is rent with the harsh voices of orc overseers and the crack of whips.
Along the wild coasts the country is prone to fierce storms,
Thunor’s fury at the oppression wrought upon the Saxa. Yet inland
the air feels still and heavy, Thunor seemingly held back by the
might of the orc legions.
Native Orcmarkers
Although Orcmark has been occupied for two decades, player characters can still have been born in the realm. Those
older than 20 years of age likely escaped during the initial
assault, though they may equally have already been living in
the northern area (now Vestmark). Younger heroes may have
been rescued and smuggled out. Regardless, the character
likely has family still captive in the orc-held realm.
Orcmark Package
Instead of taking a free Edge or two skill points, a human
hero born in Orcmark may select this package, gaining the
following benefits.
* I Hate You: The character may take the Favored Foe Edge
at Novice, but only if he chooses orcs as his enemy. He must
meet the other requirements as normal.
* Orc Lore: The hero either grew up around orcs or has
made learning of their ways his business. He begins with
Knowledge (Monsters: Orcs) d6.
* Vengeance Shall Be Mine: When fighting orcs, the adventurer treats his Strength as one die higher for the purposes of
melee damage. This increase allows him to offset Minimum
Strength penalties.
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ORCMARK
Armies of the Realm
Orcmark is unusual in that it boasts armies from four different
races. Each is detailed below.
Orcs & Allies
King Nagrat has assembled the greatest army of orcs, goblins,
ogres, and cliff giants ever known.
In the army battalion listings, references to orc warriors and elite
warriors indicates the bulk of the soldiers, not the entirety. Hence,
a battalion listed as comprising orc warriors may contain an entire
company of archers or dire wolf riders. The exact composition of
each unit is left to the GM to determine, as best fits the need of his
story. Given the wide variation, there is no such thing as an incorrect company or battalion.
Organization
In order to maintain cohesion and discipline, Nagrat has divided
his armies on a decimal system, limiting the number of subordinates in the chain of command but also ensuring that each man
knows his place in the command structure.
Armies: The largest formation is the army, which is led by a warlord. Warlords answer directly to Nagrat. Armies are comprised of a
varying number of battalions.
Warlords do not directly command a battalion, though they have
a quadruple-strength headquarters squad serving them. The command group, which is always staffed by orcs, includes one drummer, three priests of Dargar, a priest of Thrym, a priest of Tiw, 20
runners, two apothecaries, and 12 elite warriors
Battalion (1000): The largest battlefield formation is the battalion, led by a battalion-captain, who also commands a company.
Regardless of the troops’ race, all battalion-captains are orcs. Treat
them as Wild Card chieftains.
The battalion company has a headquarters squad. It comprises
an Extra chieftain (the battalion-captain’s second), a drummer, two
priests of Dargar, three runners, and three elite orc warriors.
Company (100): Each battalion is made up of ten companies. Nine
of the companies are led by captains, with the tenth being the battalion-captain’s company. Captains are always orcs, regardless of which
race forms the bulk of the company. Treat them as Extra chieftains.
Each of the nine regular companies has a command squad of
10 orcs. This comprises four elite warriors (one of whom is the
captain’s second and carries the title sergeant-captain), a drummer,
two priests of Dargar, and three runners for carrying messages.
Squad (10): The smallest formation is the ten-man squad, commanded by a sergeant of the appropriate race. All sergeants are elite
warriors of their race (where such differences occur).
Nagrat uses the squad as his baseline for troop types, not the
company. Thus, while all squads are of the same type, one may
in theory find archers, engineers, berserkers, warriors, skirmishers,
and dire wolf riders in the same company, not to mention squads
of ogres or cliff giants. Generally, however, a company has seven
squads of one troop type, a headquarters squad, and just two
squads of variant troops.
An engineering squad comprises eight orc siege engineers and
two cliff giants. They are equipped with two catapults.
Sample Company
Detailed below is a sample company. GMs can use this straight off
the page or as a template for designing their own companies with
which to plague the heroes. Depending upon where the adventure
is set, the company might be escorting a supply caravan, manning a
small outpost, or protecting a slave camp.
Commander: Captain Uzgat Nine-Teeth.
Squads: One command squad (led by Uzgat), seven squads of
orc warriors, one dire wolf rider squad, and one shock troop squad
of eight ogres. Two orc ogre-herders, one of whom is a sergeant,
serves with the ogres.
Uzgat’s company, known as the Nine-Teeth, serves in the 3rd
Battalion (“The Jaw”) under Battalion-Captain Strag. Designated
as a shock company, the Nine-Teeth focus on direct confrontation.
Although they lack missile support, the addition of a dire wolf rider
squad allows them to worry missile troops, buying the infantry, led
always by the ogres, time to advance.
When marching, Uzgat forms half his wolf rider squad to each
side of the column at outriders, and splits the ogres into a vanguard
and rearguard. His command squad is always located in the center
of the line, with four infantry squads ahead and three behind.
A servant of Dargar, Uzgat enjoys cordial relations with the priests
assigned to his command. Standing orders are to take prisoners,
not slaughter (something the ogres must be reminded of before
every engagement), for Uzgat enjoys torturing his captives before
sacrificing them to Dargar.
Great North Army
Warlord: Giant-Warlord Urk Three-Noses
Battalions: 11 orc warriors, 4 elite orc warriors, 2 orc artillery,
1 orc dire wolf rider, 3 goblin infantry, 2 goblin wolf riders, and 1
ogre. Scattered among these are 200 individual cliff giants; most
serve as catapult loaders.
With its headquarters at the heavily-fortified town of Nard, the
Great North Army prosecutes the war against Vestmark. A full third
of the orcs and half the goblin wolf riders are barracked around
the town, ready to march wherever they are needed at a moment’s
notice.
Faced with stern resistance and fortified lines, Urk reluctantly
ordered his troops to spend their days strengthening their lines
and pelting the Vestmark lines with boulders and arrows. Despite
this constant practice, and the occasional foray across the Elve in
barges, Urk knows morale is waning. The glorious days of victorious battle are now a faded dream, the memories of conquest and
bloodshed tempered by camp life, routine patrols, and boredom.
Rivalries between tribes are raising their ugly heads once more, and
only last month and entire artillery company was wiped out when
their cliff giants decided to “have some fun.”
Requests for a major attack against Vestmark have been rebuffed
repeatedly, Nagrat being unwilling to weaken any front at what he
sees is a crucial phase. Urk has no idea that his liege has allies in the
Magocracy constructing him a mighty fleet.
Urk is desperate for the other fronts to finished their tasks so
he can unleash the pent up frustration and battle lust of his army
before they turn inward. As yet, he lacks the courage to disobey
Nagrat, but his patience is wearing very thin.
Eastern Army
Warlord: Orc-Warlord Grizbane
Battalions: 2 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 4 goblin infantry,
and 2 goblin wolf riders. A total of 40 individual cliff giants are at
his disposal.
Grizbane is the only warlord happy with the current situation. So
long as the elves are not eradicated, he is free to torture and maim
captives snatched by patrols. Unfortunately, his lack of progress in
crushing Kings Wood is beginning to annoy Nagrat and his warlord
peers.
While Nagrat knows the elf army is weak and unlikely to ever
fight in the open, he is concerned that they could sally forth and
disrupt his lines of supply and communication if left alone. Thus,
for now, he must be content to keep the forest surrounded and
under constant pressure.
The situation may soon change for the better, for Nagrat’s envoys
have been in negotiation with a Hellfrost dragon roosted in the
Mace. If the beast can be convinced to aid their cause, it may be
enough to tip the balance in the orcs’ favor.
Supply Corps
Warlord: Orc-Warlord Azagroth
Battalions: 4 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 1 orc dire wolf
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rider, and 5 goblin infantry. Azagroth can also call on the support of
50 cliff giants and a number of ogres.
Azagroth is responsible for seeing the army is fed and equipped.
As a result, most of his troops are dispersed around the country,
protecting the fields and mines, and escorting supply caravans.
Rather than rely purely on horses, which his troops have been
known to kill and eat, the Supply Corps makes use of ogre pack
bearers.
Currently out of favor with Nagrat after the escape of 200 slaves,
Azagroth has decided to step-up production in addition to executing prisoners. Long days, meager rations, and constant whipping
are taking their toll on the slaves, but Azagroth is determined to
win back favor at any cost. Unfortunately, the rapid depletion of his
slave workforce may cost him more than his position.
Southern Army
Warlord: Orc-Warlord Shagnath
Battalions: 5 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 5 orc archers, 3
orc artillery, and 2 goblin wolf riders, Shagnath commands a force
of 50 individual cliff giants.
Like all the warlords, Shagnath has become frustrated with the
situation in Orcmark. Given a few more battalions, he believes he
could finally capture the ruined city of Ostersund, removing a perpetual thorn in Nagrat’s side and giving the navy a sizeable harbor
from which to operate. With Ostersund in orc hands, he envisions
his navy ferrying a vast army into eastern Vestmark.
As it is, his troops are confined to sporadic raids and near-continuous artillery barrages against the defenders, while the navy attempts to stop Saxa reinforcements reaching the beleaguered ruins.
Ironically, while a city of rubble lies before him, Shagnath’s army is
dangerously low on catapult ammunition. With Azagroth focused
on appeasing Nagrat, he has neglected his duty to his peer.
Shagnath is also in command of the Orcmark navy, a mighty fleet
of 35 war galleys which prowls Ost Bay and the Crystal Sound and
protects the eastern coast from any attempts by the Magocracy to
invade. Two of his orc warrior battalions serve as marines, with
slaves (human and orc) manning the oars.
Mountain Army
Warlord: Orc-Warlord Arlik
Battalions: 4 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 5 goblin infantry,
and 2 goblin wolf riders. A force of 35 individual cliff giants serve
with the army.
Arlik commands the smallest army. Charged with defeating Karad
Azgul, the warlord has had little success to date, though he has successfully prevented the dwarves from emerging from their city.
Unfortunately, Arlik’s troops must also watch over the southern
coast of Orcmark to ensure enemy forces do not land behind the
main orc army, and guard several key mountain passes, any of
which might link to Karad Arlik and thus provide access for reinforcements. As a result of this necessity, Arlik’s army is spread too
thin to complete its primary objective.
While artillery futilely batters at the rune-warded main gates, and
several infantry battalions conduct an assault on the lower levels
of the dwarven fortress, the bulk of his army is engaged in excavating new tunnels toward the city’s heart. Although many years from
completion, the shafts are Arlik’s best hope of securing victory in
the near future.
Ostersund
Of Ostersund’s 8,000 defenders a full 7,000 are warriors, the rest
being medics, clerics, crafters, and other support staff. Despite this
impressive army, the inhabitants are a defensive force, occasionally launching lightning raids, but otherwise bravely manning the
walls. While Ostersund is a drain on manpower from other realms,
it serves two vital purposes. First, the garrison ensures the last Saxa
outpost in Orcmark, a staging post for a future invasion of liberation, remains held. Second, the sacrifice the defenders make keeps
the orc besiegers from moving to the Vestmark front.
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Jarl Osni is in overall command of the garrison. At his disposal
are 70 companies, each made up of 100 men. These use the Mercenary stats from the Hellfrost Bestiary.
To date, the companies comprise ten heavy infantry (five regular
and five veteran), ten light infantry, four Anari heavy cavalry (one
regular and three veteran), four Anari light cavalry, ten skirmishers, 30 archers (10 of which are veteran), and two companies of
artillerists.
Dwarves of Karad Azgul
Thegn Jorgrik Battleraven’s army has yet to meet the orcs in the
open; the current battle for the dwarf city is being fought in the
lower mines and passages, territory well-suited to dwarven tactics.
While the dwarves are being kept busy by the orcs, they are under
little true threat—Nagrat cannot afford the troops for a full assault,
and so long as they are kept busy they cannot counterattack deep
in his rear lines.
The total strength of the dwarf army is 600 hall-guards, the city’s
frontline troops, trained to fight as a rigid shieldwall with a second line employing long spears through their ranks, 100 huscarls,
and 20 rune mages, backed up by at least 3,000 militia and miners
should they be called upon.
Elves of Kings Wood
While the elves of Kings Wood maintained border patrols when
King Horgar ruled here, they had little need for a standing army.
Despite being thrust onto the defensive by the suddenness of the
orc assault they adapted quickly, stalling the advancing orcs with
withering volleys of arrows. Though few in number, their skill and
determination, combined with their forest allies, have kept the orcs
at bay for two decades.
The total elf population of Kings Wood is actually 1,700. Added
to this are 800 Saxa refugees. That the elves allowed humans into
the safety of their leafy realm is evidence of the seriousness of the
situation in Orcmark.
Elves
The elf army currently stands at 800 warriors, almost half the
population, and comprises both sexes. The army is divided into
eight 100-man companies. Leading each company is a warden-captain, an elf trained as both an elite archer and a druid. The remaining soldiers comprise ten blade dancers, experts at melee combat,
two spellcasters (druids or elementalists), and 87 rangers. Given 20
years of weathering attacks, half the troops are veterans, with the
rest rapidly gaining valuable combat experience.
Unable to defend any one point in strength, the elves patrol in
small bands ranging from 10 to 50 warriors. They avoid pitched
battles, instead employing ambushes and magic to harry orc patrols. Their ability to melt away into the forest has frustrated the
orcs since the siege began. More than one commander has grown
impatient and ordered his troops to advance into the forest. King
Nagrat has issued a direct command for this practice to stop, for he
can ill-afford to have his troops massacred piecemeal.
The Forest
The elves greatest asset is not their tenacious archers or Saxa
allies, but the forest in which they live, for herein dwell many types
of fey. In truth, without these potent friends the elves would have
been crushed long ago, their forest homes put to the torch and the
survivors playthings for the orcs.
Five leshiji native to the forest, and their host of wood wights,
have agreed to help the elves defend the realm. Their power to
animate war trees, summon forest animals, summon wood elementals, and awaken the vines and creepers to ensnare intruders has shattered many an orc advance. Glimmerwings raise fogs
to hamper orc movements and conceal elf strikes and storms to
extinguish attempts to raze the forest, while the normally hostile
bugganes tunnel through the earth, surfacing only to claw and rend
ORCMARK
at orc commanders. Darklings, a species of Unseelie fey, blanket
orc patrols in utter darkness, redcaps (admittedly not true allies)
revel in carnage against the invaders, and swiftling swarms snipe
at officers.
Ruling over the forest realm is the Auld King, a powerful fey noble
for whom the forest is actually named. Although he has never been
forced to manifest in person, his presence is felt through bands of
fey knights and wood warriors.
Saxa
Only a handful of Saxa are trained warriors, though all the men
of fighting age trained as members of their local fyrd and are thus
proficient with spear and shield.
Having sworn fealty, albeit temporarily, to the elf nobility, the Saxa
were drawn up into three primary and two secondary companies,
each of 100 men. The term “men” is used generically, for women
who lost menfolk or merely wish to reclaim their homelands number among them.
Knowing the humans are clumsy in the heavily-overgrown forest,
they rarely patrol near the border. Instead, they serve as second line
troops, waiting behind the elf lines to stem any orc advance. One
secondary company is assigned to protect the Saxa camp, while the
other helps guard the elf settlements.
Treat each primary company as mercenary infantry equipped
with short spears and medium shields. The secondary companies
are town militia, but lack armor.
Major Locales
Orcmark’s main settlements and war zones are detailed in the
Hellfrost Gazetteer. Detailed here are other sights heroes may have
reason to explore.
Field of Screams
Many prisoners who fall into the hands of a warlord meet a gruesome end, suffering hours of excruciating torment before finally
being allowed the mercy of death. Those who fall into Nagrat’s
hands fare slightly better, at least initially, for he prefers his captives
to be fit and healthy when they face death.
Located between Nard and Kings Wood is the Field of Screams.
Here, captives are impaled on tall, slender, sharpened stakes, left to
die in unimaginable agony as their weight slowly pulls them down
the stake.Such is Nagrat’s skill, and barbarity, that he can determine
the time it will take someone to slide down the entire stake with
remarkable accuracy. It is said he uses his victim’s scream like one
uses a sandglass, timing his meals (he supposedly dines here on
fine days and watches the torment) and meetings with impeccable
perfection. Those who perish here are left to rot, for crows and
ravens (creatures sacred to Thunor) will not dine on the flesh.
High Guard Fort
Located in a hidden valley in the Mace Mountains, High Guard
fort is a temple to Tiw. Warriors trained here in seclusion, without
the distractions of the wider world, honing their art before serving
Tiw on the fields of battle. When the orcs invaded, the clerics joined
the Saxa defenders to a man, dying honorably though futilely.
Nagrat’s scouts have never learned of the temple’s existence.
Unfortunately, it has not remained empty, for foul beasts have made
their ruins their home. However, if they could be cleared out the fort
would make an ideal base for a resistance cell. Not only does it offer protection, but its armories are full to bursting with weapons and
armor. Its musty library boasts many treaties on warfare, as well as
strategic and tactical maps of pre-conquest Orcmark. Coupled with its
remote location, a talented commander could equip and train a small
army right under Nagrat’s nose before putting them to good use.
sample artwork
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Moon Fog Vale
On the southern side of the Ribbon is a steep-sided valley. As
the moon moves through its regular patterns, the valley becomes
enshrouded in mist. The density of the mist varies with the moon’s
phases. During Deorcmonan the valley floor is completely devoid of
mist, though the lack of moonlight causes its own problems. During
the crescent and half moon phases, the mist is thin. Treat this as Dim
lighting (–1) during the day and Dark (–2) at night. Throughout the
three-quarters phase visibility is Dark (–2) in daylight hours and Pitch
Black (–4) at night as the mist thickens. During Fulmonan the mist
is almost solid—day or night, visibility is treated as Pitch Black (–4).
Clerics of Maera not currently penalized by sins suffer no penalties
for the fog, though ambient lighting conditions apply as normal.
No record of this phenomenon existed before the creation of
Orcmark. Before the orcs invaded the valley was the site of a small
temple to Maera, a quiet retreat when clerics and mage came to
study in the secluded landscape. Nothing has been heard from
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the clerics since the first mists rose, and the orcs shun the place,
believing it cursed. It is certainly no place for trespassers, for vicious moon dogs hunt here in packs and magimentals roam freely
through the mists.
Ostport
Population: 2,000 orcs, 2,000 archers, 20 cliff giants (estimated),
3,000 humans (estimated)
Ruler: Orc-Warlord Shagnath (nominal)
With the great harbor at Ostersund unavailable, the orc navy has
to make its headquarters in the former finishing village of Ostport.
Its flimsy fortifications have been greatly strengthened in the landward side, with rows of sharpened stakes forming a maze through
which approaching caravans must carefully weave. In the mouth
of the harbor, a cove barely large enough to berth five galleys at a
time, stakes tipped with iron barbs have been sunk just below the
waterline to prevent the enemy from launching a direct assault.
ORCMARK
Ostport is the headquarters for the Southern Army, though Warlord Shagnath spends much of his time at Ostersund. In his absence,
the garrison and slaves of Ostport go about their daily lives.
Day and night, an army of slaves works to repair existing galleys
and construct new ones. While the orcs greatly desire sleek longships with which to patrol the coast, many of the shipwrights either
managed to flee to Midmark or were slain during the conquest.
Thus, the orcs must be content with the only type of ship design
they have ever mastered. Burly giants stagger around the shipyard
and wharf, carrying colossal timbers, lugging supplies, and taking
booty to and from the galleys.
Prison Camp
This is a generic location. After the conquest of Orcmark, Nagrat
divided the captives among multiple prison camps. The largest
(outside those near the major settlements) contains 1,000 wretched
slaves, while the smallest numbers just a few score souls.
Security is notably lax except in the major camps (and then it is
high only because the warlords have their headquarters there)—
but there is nowhere for prisoners to run, as those escaping are
hounded by hungry dire wolves, and for every slave who escapes
ten are out to death as punishment. As such, few are surrounded
by any form of barricade.
Typically there is one squad of guards for every 100 slaves, though
in rural areas of little importance this ratio may be as low as 1:400.
Regardless of the troop type, guards are issued two dire wolves per
squad. Deliberately kept half-starved, the wolves feast on dead prisoners and those foolish enough to escape. Pretty much left to their
own devices, the guards are notoriously cruel to their captives.
Slaves are typically housed in tents or draughty huts. The guards’
quarters are little better, but orcs are accustomed to hardship. Sanitation is non-existent, leading to disease. Rations are served once
a day and consist only of thin gruel, hard bread, and tainted water—meat and vegetables have long since vanished from the slaves’
diet. During the early days, citizens used what wealth they salvaged
from their homes to bribe guards to deliver better rations or allow
the slave to avoid work. Now that money is gone, the slaves are all
equal in their hardship.
Depending on the camp’s purpose, there may be ore smelting
works and forges, threshing barns and granaries, or other workshops.
Watcher’s Island
Part of the key to defeating the orc pirates is to know their intentions and locations. Roughly halfway between southern Orcmark
and Midmark is a tiny island, little more than a towering rock rising
near vertical from sea, surrounded by jagged reefs. The cult of Rigr
maintains a concealed outpost cut into the living rock. The duty of
the clerics stationed here is to watch out for orc pirates using altered senses and farsight, and then report their strength and course
to the authorities in Ostersund, Drakeport, and Aith using voice on
the wind spells.
Two clerics are assigned here at all times, each pair serving a
month-long tour before being relieved. Many end up serving much
longer, for bad weather can hamper attempts to reach the small
island, and orc patrols must be avoided to maintain the strict veil of
secrecy concerning the occupation of the isolated outpost.
Although the island’s location is far from ideal, it has served the
Saxa well. Frustrated by their increasing inability to find suitable
prey, and too often running into heavy resistance where none was
expected, many orc crews now believe an invisible ship crewed by
clerics of Neorthe sails the Crystal Sound, spying on their fleets.
Watchtowers
After the conquest Nagrat’s forces began major engineering
works. As well as laying paved roads between the settlements, garrisons, and camps, they took over the Road Warden travel towers,
extending the network to cover the land. Although supply caravans
do make use of them as resting posts, their main purpose is as a
line of communication.
Raised upon high ground whenever possible, they provide
a commanding view of the surrounding land. Any terrain which
could allow an enemy to sneak up close has been cleared, with
trees hacked down, vegetation burned, and small hills flattened.
Stationed in each tower is a single squad of orc warriors or runts.
The lower levels are as per travel towers, consisting of two openplan floors. Stretching a further forty feet into the air from the flat roof
is a thin, stone spire, accessible only by an exterior ladder from the
roof. Atop each spire stands a signal beacon, which is lit only when
messages must be relayed. Due to their positioning and the ferocity
with which they burn, each tower’s light can be seen for many miles,
even in daylight. A metal shutter allows the orcs to send relatively
complex signals consisting of long and short bursts of light.
A constantly burning light indicates the tower is under attack
(it is kept constant because no one can be spared to operate the
beacon’s cover). A regular series of single flashes means a large
force of invaders has been detected and reinforcements should be
dispatched immediately. A pattern of two flashes and a long pause
signifies the presence of a small group of outsiders. Three flashes
means a patrol has failed to return or has spotted lost intruders. Either way, help is required. One flash, a pause, and then two flashes
indicates the capture of prisoners.
Because of the towers’ capability to rapidly transmit message to
neighboring stations and thence to local garrisons, any heroes detected
in Orcmark will quickly find themselves harried by tireless pursuers.
The towers are also a weakness as much as a strength; if a party who
knew the codes could take over a strategically placed tower they could
relay false signals, sowing confusion in the enemy ranks and possibly
opening a breech in the defenses they, or others, could exploit.
Persons of Note
Nagrat and his warlords, the major villains of Orcmark, are described either in the chapter text or in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
Battalion-Captain Grond
Grond has served Nagrat since before the conquest, though he
has never seen his liege’s face. Despite working his way up from the
ranks through a mix of lethal cunning, dead-man’s boots, and natural leadership qualities, Grond has no love for Nagrat and would
work with anyone to see the king slain.
This is not to say Grond has any desire for the orcs to withdraw.
Quite the contrary, in fact. He sees Nagrat as having failed his race,
for the conquest has stalled and orcs die each day for a yard of
ground or in a pointless raid to test enemy defenses and firepower.
Grond doesn’t have aspirations of kingship, either. While a capable
battlefield commander, he doubts he could command a kingdom.
To that end, he is willing to support any claimant who would advance the armies.
Grond, acting through trusted agents (trusted once and then put
to death to ensure their silence), has made overtures to the Vestmark Saxa. Playing a deadly game, he is trying to arrange Nagrat’s
death and lure the Saxa into weakening their lines. Grond claims
the orc resolve is weakening and all that keeps them fighting is
Nagrat. Should the Saxa commit to a major offensive, he swears he
will assassinate the orc king. All Grond asks in return is a portion of
the realm where his race can live in peace.
As yet unsure whether an orc can be trusted, the Saxa are content
to communicate, but not to commit forces. Should suitable candidates, say a small team of skilled (and expendable) adventurers,
turn up in Vestmark, they might be persuaded to cross the border,
meet with Grond and size up his honesty.
Krahnak, Wolf of Dargar
Known among the orcs as the Hand of Terror, Krahnak, a paladin of Dargar, commands the Jaws of Misery, a half-company (five
squads) of crazed dire wolf riders. Answerable only to Nagrat, the
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heavily-scarred paladin is universally despised by the warlords and
greatly feared by the rest of the armies. The Jaws of Misery are not
assigned to any of the four fronts on a permanent basis. Instead,
they go wherever Nagrat orders and carry out whatever commands
he places on them.
Krahnak enjoys killing, but his crimes are rarely that straightforward. Simple murder rarely produces terror, especially in enemy
warriors—death is, after all, every warrior’s shadow. Krahnak’s
force mutilate and despoil their victims in ways so gruesome that
even other orcs find unsettling. It is not just the hated enemies
of his race who incur his particular brand of terror—orcs who fail
Nagrat are thrown to Krahnak for his sport.
Thegn Edmund Geirsunu
The highest ranking Saxa noble not in captivity or slain in combat,
Thegn Edmund leads the Saxa community in Kings Wood. He has
sworn allegiance to the elf nobles, though he has not forsaken his
vow of fealty to King Horgar. While he knows his men are too few
to present any threat to the orcs, he nonetheless chomps at the bit,
eager to avenge the deaths of his kith and kin. Edmund continually
presses the elves to go on the offensive, but so far they have refused to
entertain the notion—while they hold true to their oaths of friendship
with King Horgar, they refuse to endanger the continued existence of
their people with futile gestures against a far superior force.
Edmund has yet to go against their wishes, but should the opportunity arise, he would gladly lead his people from exile to form
a new community beyond the restrictions of the elves, so long as
the chance to wage war presented itself as well.
The White General
A mere girl when the invasion occurred, Thora managed to escape the massacres and captures, though she cannot say how. For
the last 20 years she has somehow survived in the hostile realm,
growing to maturity without support. At the age of 14 she devoted
her life to Eira, though she has no religious training beyond stories
she heard as a child. Eira, it seems, cared little for matters of doctrine, for Thora has been blessed with divine power.
Neither a strategist nor a warrior, Thora has tried to wage a passive war of resistance— smuggling food and medicine into camps,
aiding and sheltering escapees, and, on rare occasions, passing on
messages from Vestmark.
Years ago Thora treated a band of rebels who had survived the
conquest. Shamed by fleeing the field of battle while their comrades
died, they sought penance for their sins. Thora commanded them
to serve her for one year in aiding the helpless without resort to
violence. Four years on, they remain in her service, still vowed only
to kill in self-defense and when no other options are available.
Although Thora dislikes the term “White General,” a title granted
her affectionately by her men in deference to her robes and religious calling, but one she sees with connotations of war and battle,
she has made no attempt to halt the men using it—the men require
a leader, and fate has decreed that to be her destiny.
The orcs have heard of the mysterious White General, and some
are now beginning to fear the name. With reports of attacks against
orcs exaggerated with each retelling, many believe a talented Saxa
general and an elite band of vengeful warriors is operating behind
their lines. Every attack on an orc caravan or fort is attributed to
the White General, a general who is rapidly gaining all manner of
supernatural powers as the stories spread.
With patrols having failed to discover “his” camp, the orcs have
recently resorted to threats and treachery. Human “escapees” have
been set free; some traitorous curs voluntarily serving the orcs
under the promise of freedom should they hand over the White
General, and others not so willing, but with the promise their kin
will suffer all manner of terrible, prolonged torture if they do not.
Why Come Here?
Orcmark is a dangerous realm. With four active military fronts,
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constant orc patrols, no allies to call upon, no places to resupply,
and harsh punishments for those caught wandering in the realm,
why would any hero venture here?
* Orders. Characters beholden to the cults of Tiw, Eira, or
Neorthe, to the nobility of Vestmark or Midmark, or to the
Knights Hrafn may be called upon to serve at the front in some
capacity. While the main armies are deadlocked, small raids,
intelligence gathering missions, sabotage, assassination attempts, and rescue missions are being conducted on a daily
basis by all sides.
GMs looking to run more militaristic adventures will find a quick
but detailed adventure generator in the Hellfrost Expansion book.
* Glory. Defeating roving bandits, slaying dragons, and looting
old ruins can all earn Glory, but Orcmark offers such rewards in
abundance. Heroes looking to test their mettle, or leadership qualities, against a well-armed and disciplined foe will find the orcs only
too happy to oblige.
* Personal Reasons. Whether a hero is a Saxa, Anari, hearth elf, or
frost dwarf, there is always the possibility he had family in Orcmark
at the time of invasion. The character may even be a refugee, forced
from his homeland by the cruel invaders. The chance to strike back
or rescue kin still in captivity after many years may prove irresistible
to certain types of hero.
* Humanitarian Aid. Heroes with a humanitarian streak may
be lured here by the chance to do good work. Clerics of Thunor
may wish (or be ordered) to liberate slaves, while those of Eira
might desire to smuggle in herbal remedies or alchemical healing and succor potions. Even a journey to Ostersund to deliver
supplies, once a dull voyage from Midmark, is fraught with peril;
mariners and clerics of Neorthe would find challenges to suit
their particular talents in the form of sea monsters and orc pirates.
In general, Orcmark is a perfect adventuring realm for characters
with Leadership Edges, or who command mercenaries or followers. While other realms present opportunity to shine in skirmishes,
only in Orcmark can a leader of men show his true potential in
battle.
Adventure Seeds
* A Saxa slave has escaped captivity and somehow made it
to safety in Vestmark. During his debriefing, he reveals that the
family (direct or distant) of one of the heroes is alive but being
held in a prison camp. That they live is heart-warming news, but
the future looks grim—they have been selected for execution, a
sentence to be carried out at the next Deorcmonan. The escapee
ha no wish to return to Orcmark, but he can draw a mostly accurate map.
* Although assassination attempts against Nagrat have failed, his
warlords may present easier targets. Such attempts are fraught with
danger, not just because the top commanders are well-protected,
but also because any death may result in brutal reprisals against the
enslaved population. Although the death of a warlord would result
in a replacement being appointed, any delay could sow confusion,
and that confusion may just be enough for one of the fronts to
profit.
* Vestmark is vaguely aware that the dwarves of Karad Azgul
closed their doors on the Saxa, but it is also hopeful a deal can
be struck that would allow the war on both fronts to be taken to
the enemy, forcing them to divide their forces or at least withdraw
troops from the coastline. A small team is required to smuggle messages into and out of Karad Azgul. Heroes with the right skills may
also be selected to serve as envoys, charged with trying to secure an
alliance that profits both factions.
Variants on this theme involve making contact with the elves
of Kings Wood or Saxa rebels hiding in the Mace Mountains, or
encouraging the defenders of Ostersund to launch more raids to
draw off troops from other fronts (perhaps as a prelude to opening
negotiations).
Alternately, the adventurers might be hired to start a rebel group,
giving them opportunity to find recruits, liberate slaves, disrupt
supply lines, and use those Leadership Edges they invested in.