The Battle of Orcoburg Desert

[Narthok 9213]

 

The Battle of Orcoburg Desert

Spoiler

 

 

---

 

The young Hordespeaker sat on the walls of San’Briu. The hot sun of the desert briefly cloaked with clouds as a cool breeze swept down from the mountains of the Hordelands. For a brief moment he was alone. The clamouring of the Goths and the clan chieftains, the incessant letters from humans, all in their irritating chicken scratch text, the direction of the Rukas, the training of the Krughai; for a moment he had silence. It was time to think.

 

He had returned from the diplomacy meeting with the Haenser Rex. His chieftains had urged him not to go to the meeting, surely he would be assassinated, the Horde’s fragile stability would be shattered with the taking of one life. 

Luckily the quick wit of Kho’Gorkil had saved him from such a dishonourable course. A day for cunning rather than for brutality. The warriors who had assembled to Guard the Hordespeaker had all donned the armour of the Horde, as had Grommash. 

 

Young warriors such as Kub’ub rugged veterans such as Grimruk’Lur were indistinguishable beneath the full helms of the Krughai armour. 

 

They had ventured to the snowlands of the Haensers. They had been offered little of interest, so they had returned. The humans always wove such wondrous pictures with their words, yet Grommash always recalled the words of the Ologarch. He would not be led astray.

 

Surprisingly they had not been attacked on their departure. Perhaps the humans understood the sacred laws of Guestright and honour. 

 

==

 

The Hordespeaker was left with a curious predicament. One way or another blood would flow in the lands of men. Where would that lead his fragile horde. The chieftains had accepted him as the voice of the Horde. His people were beginning to show signs of flourishing.

 

Old urukz not seen in the Hordelands for many years were beginning to return. Kybal, Chieftain of the Akaals had returned, paying homage to the Lord of the Horde amongst his warband before bestowing upon him the massive Rexhammer.

 

The ancient elders Eath’Lur and Falum’Lur had returned, seen often in whispered conversation near the bonfire, bent from the centuries the two of them had witnessed.

 

Yet the Horde swelled with new life as young orcs entered adulthood, proudly joining the warriors, the workers or the shamans. The vitality of these young warriors had already led them to many victories not only in the hunting grounds but on the endless tribute missions and raids of the Horde.

 

So much promise. Yet so fragile. A single mistake and the clans would be at each other’s throats once more.

 

It was not enough. Many times before the Orcs had emerged from squalor, rebuilding themselves into something of note. Only to be smashed. 

 

If the humans were allowed to fight then the winner would once more become the dominant power. And as so many times, the bored humans would look to the activities of the Orcs as an easy distraction. A brief expedition into the holy desert, drowning the children of the Horde in a tide of flesh.

 

If the cycle of the Orcs was to be broken then history must be seized with both hands. Now was the season of war, and his Horde would not hide meekly in the sidelines waiting for a new overlord to emerge that they must cower to. 

 

It would be war.

 

==

 

The traveller Izh’Rak has returned to the Hordelands recently, seeking a brief respite amongst his brethren before he ventured once more from the holy desert to learn of the Krugless. The Horde-see’r spoke of great columns of humans clad in steel, vast trails of wagons laden with foodstuffs and engines of war. 

 

The bragging and the threats of humans was one thing. They were a proud and short lived race. Breeding likes rabbits and consuming everything in their path. Grommash could tolerate their tongue dancing. But he would not tolerate the violation of the holy Hordelands.

 

The desert was a beautiful thing. Around the cooking fires the Shamans leaped and danced, drawing the very stars down from the night sky as they spun memories from words. Krug had given the desert to his children. Not the forests of the Elfs, not the mountain fortresses of the Dwarfs, nor the fertile meadows of the Humans, Krug had given his children the best land.

 

The Desert was hard, it was flat. One found no respite or refuge in the desert, hardened each day by the sun the greenskins grew strong. This was the blessing of Krug, he had placed them in the crucible, and like steel the Orcs, the Ologs, the Goblins, all had become hard. Those who could not survive died. And thus the Horde grew stronger with each passing generation. 

 

These humans with their great caravans thought they could march through the holy lands of Krug without asking for permission? They thought they could defile the sands with the dung of their idiot oxen? Poison the oases with the infinite thirst of their uncountable throats?

 

No.

 

The dreams of the Hordespeaker had spoken the truth. For months his rest has been filled with the scent of blood, with cries of pain and the clash of steel on steel. The Warsong was on the dream winds. Soon it would be heard on the winds of the waking world as well. 

 

Peering into the flames of his cooking fire Grommash called for one of his trusted Rukas “Minto” He rumbled “Find Grimruk, find Kho, summon the chieftains. The desert cries out for justice. Krug demands blood. The Horde is going to war”

 

---

WARGOAL:

Interception of the Balian Warpath, Preventing the Balian Army from passing through Orcish lands, Preventing the Balian Army from reaching Veletz to reinforce

[Interception to take place on Desert 8]

ATTACKERS:

The Kingdom of Balian

DEFENDERS:

The Horde

TIME:
Not really sure how this works tbh. I don't think anyone has done an interception battle before.

LOCATION/WARPATH:

Spoiler

 

Rules as Written justifying this War Action:

Spoiler

Screenshot taken 10:54 pm Est 2023-11-28

 

Our interpretation of the Rules as Written is that we are entitled to a 1v1 warclaim with Balian on account of them passing through our territory. There are not, to our knowledge (having reviewed the entirety of the rules) any stipulations, conditions or other restraints regulating sovereignty violation battles except for this specific clause.

 

Proof of Sovereignty

Spoiler

 

[creamynoteblock 2426]

Beneath the beating desert sun, the Wargoth of the ancient Clan Gorkil, Kho, rode atop his boar - a party of Krughai troops at his back. The loyal warriors of the Horde patrolled the desert, aiming to nip whatever Balianite foothold that might have appeared before it was allowed to fester. The seasoned orc couldn't help but reminisce over his younger days, to his old camp of Un'Satum, where he had fought Balianites in the desert much like he did today.

[Javert 5573]

Vicente Murietta II, not expecting such a bold move from the Orcs, makes the NOWAY face. He looks forward to hearing of this battle's aftermath from his home in Hyspia!

Spoiler

 

[𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖌𝖚𝖘𝖍 2236]

After reuniting with their ancient kin, Elder Falum'Lur returned to the goi with plans to prepare a War Dance for the Rex. As he writes more plans for the war dance, he reminisces about dancing with many Orcs who have long passed away and gone to Stargush’Stroh. A high honor to be granted deliverance to Krug.

 

[ThatFunkyBunch 2066]

"Nub Wae" States a massive bug creature that once called Krugmar home. It looks over towards the vast east. Antenna rising and falling. 

 

"Perhaps.."

[Nectorist 7423]

In 1690, Kondak'Raguk had been one of the wealthiest individuals on all of Atlas, never mind among the orcs. More a scavenger and trader than a warrior, he had been the principal financier of Rex Guruuk'Lak's war effort against the might of Renatus. San'Kala, the seat of the War Horde, had suffered bombardment and assault from Aurelius's siege, but it still held. Norland had fallen, Arberrang was weak, Kaz'Ulrah had been bloodied, but the Horde stood. Death was inevitable, Guruuk'Lak had driven his people into folly, no victory would come save the honor of a glorious stand. It was all that an orc could dream of, especially during those times.

 

A week before the final assault, Kondak fled.

 

As he made over the hills of the Wonkawoods, he could hear the thundering of trebuchet and the clash of steel as battle was made. When he reached one peak, the banners of Renatus swarmed across San'Kala. He watched the destruction of his people for a brief moment, then turned around and ventured back into the foliage. For the ensuing centuries he was nothing more than a petty outlaw, robbing from strangers on the road, avoiding Imperial patrols, and sleeping under trees and in caves. Life became a blur as he sunk to nothing more than the type of beast he had hunted in his youth. 

 

From a lonely tavern on the roads, in a place where he had not yet earned the ire from any decent type, he drinks a solemn mug of ale and overhears the conversation about him from the few patrons. Out east, his people, united again, prepared to make a stand. For a moment, the extinguished flame in his soul burst alight again, enough time for him to draw his blade and slit open his own throat. As he gasped for air he could not find, his drink mixing with his life's liquid as both spilled to the ground, he felt content that his kin had not stooped so low as he. There were more than a few honorable orcs left in the world, even if he was not one of them, and for that he was briefly happy for the first time in over two hundred years.

[Hermit_Jack 513]

"WAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH" a smol orc removes his ceremonial LUR banner from the outside of MCMINTOS, ready to come back with his banner or wrapped inside of it.

[MisterBlitzkrieg 1357]

Hannes Steelguard began to rally his men for battle against the Balianites after having made a quick prayer within the makeshift chapel of Fort Ulrich

[Pancho 2527]

Ser Jose Fuentes stared towards the Orcish lands from his desk across the river in La Dorada. He silently drew on his cigarette before throwing to the ground and stomping on it. His fingers tapped against the warm sandstone as he nervously chewed on his lip.
"Esto es un pepinillo."

[Rigorous 1548]

"Bold," said Ferryman Silas. "I like bold."

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 11594]

A second age warlord far to the west hears word of the deployment of one of his contingency plans for a totally unrelated conflict and he watches from afar with interest to see if it worked in reality.

 

"huh...those orcs are just like us, for real Takemura." He says to the infamous War Captain and 1,000 scalp collector. @wowj

[MailC3p 1159]

Spoiler

And alas, the only attempt to do a intercept warclaim so far thwarted just like that 

 

[_Jandy_ 3192]

Grothzark'Dom smokes with his brothers of the Shamanic Lodge as they sit around the goifire. Under the setting desert sun he declares "Viktory iz fickle. Honor iz assured."