Responding To Orcish Lies

[Boknice275 1186]

[!] The following missive is sent out to both the lands and vassals of the Iron Horde and throughout Aevos, marked with the insignia of the Ka'tau faith above it's contents.

 

 

 

                                                                                      A depiction of the Goddess Ka'tau, embodiment of spiritual order and the law of Creation.

 

 

 

To the denizens of Aevos, the Rexdom of the Iron Horde, and the peoples of Bronze and my Rah'mun flock

 

I am Atemu-Ta, Pharaoh of the Rah'mun peoples, voice of mighty Ka'tau, second sun of the Ra'tuhmet, and pure priest of Lady Hesthor. I greet you with graciousness and joy, in the hope that the light of the Ra'tuhmet may allow my words to penetrate even the densest of illusions.

 

Rex Kybal of the Iron Horde, a soul who I once considered a great ally in service of the Gods, has released a deceitful missive which includes word of my banishment from his lands. I respect the will of the Rex to no longer include me, or my people, in his domain. But I do not respect the refusal of Kybal or his allies to paint a fuller picture of the events of recent times which have impacted my standing in the Horde and ultimately led to this moment. I hope to provide that omitted context and bring to light the atrocities myself, my people, and my Bronze brothers have faced for years beneath the boot of the Urkium. This missive is not meant as a sleight - to the contrary, there are many good souls within the urukium, some of whom I have bonded with since the inception of my honorary status.  But there is a tyrannical force that hangs over the Iron Horde, one that has animated it's leadership towards destruction and death.

 

My people first came to the Iron Horde many years ago after reforming from the fall of our last Empire, which scattered us across continents. While the Moris wreaked havoc upon Almaris, my people sought refuge under Rex Kybal's domain and we reformed many of our practices to fit the Horde's expectations. We assimilated. I became an honorary uruk - after passing each trial required of me, including fighting another uruk - and I proceeded to learn how to wield the power of the Gods. Pamphilos, the twin-sun of my people and leader of the Bronze ones, embraced the ways of Ka'tau and my people embraced his ways. We merged and became one unit. For a long time all was well and my people had express support from the Rex, the Motsham Gormohk, and other urukium.

As time persisted, however, my people increasingly came under scrutiny and persecution, as did others who were not uruks but merely visited the land. In the years since we have assimilated, my people and I have witnessed numerous atrocities take place within the Iron Horde. I have seen an Elven woman who came to visit ripped apart limb-by-limb for no other reason than to fulfill the trials of the Akaal clan (more on them later). My own people have been chastised and scrutinized by random uruks and almost killed, despite us having protectorate status under the Bronze Band and Rex Kybal's command. I have personally faced significant manipulation from Motsham Gormohk during my time in the Horde. When my people were directed by our Goddess of Pure Waters Hesthor to strike out against the Azdrazi, Gormohk accompanied me to their fire-scorned lands and stood before their lair. He told me that he wished to ally with the Azdrazi, and that he had little care for my operation against them. He has willingly admitted to me that he will align with any type of creature - including darkspawn - if it meant furthering the goals of the Iron Horde. Gormohk has also talked incessantly about his disdain for the spirits, and him seeing them only as tools to be used - not Gods to be revered, as his fellow urukium have historically seen them. This is the Motsham - an individual expected to uphold the will of the spirits - languishing around with such blatant corruption.

 

Perhaps the most persistent grievance which ruined my relationship with the Horde has been one relating to my honorary status. An Orc named Grimruk'Lur took issue with my honorary status on two bases; one, he accused me of making myself the leader of another uruk, a grave offense in his eyes. Two, he was angered after my people and the Urukium lost our recent assault on the Azdrazi. Additionally, there was a general sense that my people and I maintaining some of our cultural mores was a problem, and it made us at odds with Urukium culture. This is despite the Rex Kybal's assurance that my flock and our ways would not be disgraced by his people.  This brings us to recent events.

 

After our battle with the Azdrazi, which was not a moment of victory, Grimruk confronted me as I was recovering from my war wounds. I had several broken bones, fresh wounds which had just been patched up, and numerous mental scars that many who survived wars have. And yet, despite this context, Grimruk'Lur insulted me, hit me, and claimed I was a 'worm' not deserving of honorary due to my 'weakness.' Note - he is an orc, I am an elf. I am naturally at a disadvantage in any normal context, but there was no reasonable way for me to fight back in my wounded state. I tried several times to exhort him to peace, even offering to willingly sacrifice my honorary status and go into exile. He rejected my offers and ordered me into the arena - to fight to my own humiliation. I did my best to explain to him the accusation about me 'ordering' around another uruk. The uruk in question, Ba-al, was follower of Ka'tau and an honorary Rah'mun. He willingly called me his Pharaoh and devoted himself to me. Despite all of this context, Grimruk'Lur refused to listen to me and fundamentally took issue with me shepherding my own people independently of his customs. He also berated me for supposedly leading orcs to their death against the Draconic Isfetians when many urukium willingly chose to accompany my people in our battle. They were not forced. They also knew there was a high risk of death - as there always is in war. At this moment, the Wargoth (who witnessed me get brutalized) threatened to kill my people if I lost another battle, and Grimruk agreed with him. Is it just to persecute an entire people for the actions of one man? This was the reality I became faced with as I was brutalized inside the medic ward in San'Briu.

 

A halfling, Minto'Lur, stopped my dearest sister Meret-Pa from leaving the hostile situation with me as Grimruk brutalized me. Several other orcs sat around and took amusement in my pain, with others even calling me weak, a worm, and not deserving of honorary. I was forced into the arena by Grimruk and expected to fight in my wounded state. I lost, of course, and Grimruk used this predictable outcome to strangle me in the middle of the arena and berate me. He told me several times to admit my mistakes. He slammed me against the pavement of the arena, threw me around, nearly choked the life out of me. To avoid dying and leaving my people lost in this world, I said I was a failure, to which he (and the other orcs watching) agreed. At that moment, he stripped me of my honorary status and disgraced my name once again.

 

An elven ally of mine - another honorary -  happened to watch the ensuing battle and challenged Grimruk to a klomp. While they fought a band of Oyashiman arrived and chatted with the other orcs. Eventually a scruffle happened, but it was misconstrued as a raid. It was at this moment that I - an honorary - sought to challenge Minto'Lur to a klomp which is consistent with Orcish culture. He aided the orc in brutalizing me, so I wanted to restore my honor. The scuffle eventually calmed down and everything went back to normal - except Grimruk and my elven ally were still fighting in the arena. Gormohk, the corrupted darkspawn-sympathizing Motsham, told me and Minto to explain the events of the day to him. If I failed to give him the full details, Gormohk said, he would in his words "rip my sister [Meret] limb from limb" right in front of me. This was the third or fourth time my people - who are under protectorate in the Horde - were threatened by it's denizens. Eventually Gormohk decided Grimruk, not Minto, was at fault and should be addressed.

 

As we chatted I heard a wail from the arena. My elven ally had been killed and beheaded by Grimruk - to the applause and celebration of many of the orcs in the area, including Gormohk. At that point, Grimruk announced that my honorary had been stripped, and that he was victorious.

 

The brutality, the threats, combined by my own injuries compelled me and Meret to leave the situation. As we tried to leave, Grimruk and Gormohk followed us and began saying obscene things. Grimruk waved the severed head of my elven ally in front of me, taunting me and disgracing his memory. Grimruk asked me what Meret meant to me. When I answered truthfully, he said that I could leave, but that she would be sold into slavery under the Akaal clan's banner. Gormohk wanted an even more extreme proposal: he wanted me to submit to the Akaal clan as well, and become a 'slave' beneath his banner. I begged him, repeatedly, to let me and Meret go. Grimruk wanted to let me go but keep Meret, whereas Gormohk wanted to keep both of us - death was the only option. Grimruk then told me that if I ever taught the gift of the Gods [shamanism] to anyone else while in exile, he would behead Meret and send me evidence of her death.

 

At this point, the Oyashiman caught wind of these obscenities and walked over to intervene. They repeatedly offered to sheperd myself and Meret away from this area and take responsibility for us, but the orcs refused diplomacy.  Despite their best efforts, Grimruk and Gormohk were intent on selling Meret into slavery and seeking out my own destruction. As the orcs tried to seize Meret to put her into slavery, she ended her own life. My sister, who I dearly loved, destroyed herself in front of me due to the actions of the orcs.

 

At this point, Gormohk commanded the execution of everyone present - including the Oyashiman. At this point, the Oyashiman intervened as the Orcs mobilized to kill us all. This is the point when I became violent. I took my khopesh and ended Sharog, an orcess who had previously threatened to destroy me, and who I witnessed maim an elfess woman who could not defend herself. Gormohk was defeated, and the other orcs backed down after this show of might. Unlike what the Rex claims, I did not act in dishonor; I behaved in self-defense. Blood flowed, but after the orcs stopped their aggression so did the Oyashiman and myself. I told Elder Ghoraza - who undoubtedly betrayed me after I left the Horde - that I forgave him, and that I held no ill will to the orcish people for the actions of their leaders. I then proceeded to do what the orcs had prevented me from doing all along: I took Meret's body and walked into the desert, away from the Rexdom and it's chaos.

 

This is the truth. When an animal is cornered by other creatures of much superior might, who beat and brutalize it endlessly, how long until it finally bites back and defends itself? My people were threatened and brutalized, I was brutalized, my sister was almost sold into slavery, and one of my longstanding allies was killed all under this vicious persecution.

 

The truth is, Rex Kybal, you and your people are not the victims - the Rah'mun peoples and the Bronze men are the true victims. Victims to primitive barbarians who kill, destroy, and rip apart anything they refuse to understand. Victims to a corrupted darkspawn sympathizing 'spiritual leader' who threatened to kill an innocent woman several times for no justified reason. Banishment under these circumstances is salvation - a fate I am more than willing to accept if it means the survival of my people.

To my Rah'mun flock - you are a strong, genius, and resilient peoples. Our peoples have suffered under the boots of many tyrants since the fall of our Empires eons ago. Kazul, Iblees's foul general, has sought to wipe us out by using his Inferi hordes to assassinate us and warping the minds of nation leaders with his magicks to execute persecutions  against Rah'mun settlers. And yet, we have survived. I am reminded of the sentiments of our first Pharaoh, Naseret, who led our people to victory over the forces of Isfet [chaos] in their strongest form:

 

Lo, I cried out to the Ra'tuhmet in the vast expanse of his deserts, weeping for the healing of my people. Their minds had become twisted by darkness, their actions motivated to vice, and their souls plunged into Isfet [chaos]. And I heard the Ra'tuhmet's voice like a rapturous burning sun. "Naseret, wielder of my Rays, to you I say this: Isfet thrives on illusion and deceit, the crevices where my Light will not go. But Ka'tau and my Will thrive on clarity - I have bequeathed you the authority to burn away illusion and purge Isfet from these lands. So long as just one wield my authority, chaos shall fall." And then Naseret shouted to the heavens with his crook raised, "Lo, I am the one, Ra'tuhmet, shall bequeath clarity upon your people and lead them to victory!"

 

-Book of Naseret, ch 1.

 

And he did. Naseret overcame the challenges of his era and brought his people from a modest tribal living to a multi-continent empire. I wield the light of the Ra'tuhmet, and while I have failed you in some respect, I will ensure that we are victorious in the face of these new conditions. Avoid the Iron Horde and wander amongst the lands until I have identified a new homeland for us.

 

To the Bronzed Elves, my newest tribe and spiritual brethren - hail victory, ha-Qarkah, for we are those who cull the impure and perfect the form of total victory. My brothers, I do not expect you to fight for me, but I will continue to fight for you as we enter the next phase of our journey. We shall be victorious.

 

To the denizens of Aevos - I implore you, reject the propaganda you have received from the Rex and understand the full story. I do not hate the orcish people, and I did not act out of dishonor. My actions were the difference between slavery or death for my people - I refused to accept either alternative. Ask yourself this question: if you were persecuted, brutalized, and denigrated every waking moment, would you not fight back?

 

To the Rex - I forgive you. I do not wish to persist in enmity forever, but I will never forget what you have done to my people. You are no enemy of mine, and perhaps one day I shall no longer be an enemy of yours.

 

May the Ra'tuhmet guide the eyes of all who read this, and open their ears to deeper understanding.

 

 

Ankh wedja-seneb [a kind farewell in Rah'mun language].

Atemu-Ta, Pharaoh of the Rah'mun peoples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Boknice275

[Panashea 2644]

"Betrayed?" A burned figure replies with pained surprise. "A hug is a betrayal for lat kin? We hold no anger for the grieving priest, but confused on why lat wished to describe we akin to the worms. Even still, lat infighting will never prevent we from helping achieve greater ambition." 

 

Blood and Flame.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Panashea

[Azukazi Khuzai 138]

"Hail victory! The foul darkness which has plagued the Holy Lands has been present too long. Darkness, shade, evil that arises from that which is known purely and simply as 'buurz'. I rebuke Akaal! For they are dark shamans! Their practices are those of iblees, and they know NOT the way! The authority of a dark shaman shall not be accepted. It was Akaal who had let the impure dragons into our land, and had seen us degenerate from our heights of the Great Horde. The truest brothers will remember, that it was US. THE BRAZEN LADS. who made that horde possible. It was our victories which have brought us here besides our brothers. Only the impure, and unworthy of sacred purity would question us and our loyalties. For every single lad has oathed himself to kezt, honour itself. 

 

The orcs involved, and especially the rex, have shown themselves as DISHONORABLE. OATHBREAKERS. A cleansing flame will take the impure, and cull it as the weakness it is. Hail QARKAH, hail Victory!" A polished hoplite holds his silvery spear. 

[Norgeth 1113]

[!] A letter is sent from the office of Grand Steward Mim Starbreaker, marked with the sigil of that position, sent to Atemu-Ta and him alone.

 

“Oz and greetings to the good men of Rah'mun and Pharaoh Atemu-Ta, I am Mim Dworicsson Starbreaker, Grand Steward of The Grand Kingdom of Urguan and Loyal Adherent of Grimdugan. I write to you this day with the potential offer of a new home amidst the mountainous valleys and plains of the honourable kingdom of the Khazadmar. While I cannot officially state that such can be granted without approval from the Grand King or Regent, I can assure you that I will speak to them regarding your situation. Narvak oz Urguan, Ancestors guide your path.”

 

[!] The letter has been amended with a new correspondence.

 

“The grand king has approved my authority to offer this, do send back if interested, once again, Ancestors guide your path and may you find home and hearth”