bblaire

Igniak grew up in Mau'Madur being raised primarily by her mother, Tigriu Markal, along with a variety of her mom's partners who rarely stayed as her mom was picky and rarely took mates. Tigriu was a cunning and loving but harsh woman who believed like most orcs that life's lessons were hard won and learned in a bath of blood. During Igniaks time under her mom’s tutelage she was taught how to be merciless and use her surroundings to her advantage as she was smaller than most other orcs. She was seen as a target by her peers in the beginning but quickly became known for her ruthlessness and resourcefulness causing most to leave her alone. In the quiet nights on the swamp with the fireflies dancing overhead with most of the tribe asleep or on patrol. Tigriu would comb her hands through Igniaks tangled hair in a surprising gesture of gentleness as she pointed to the stars and told stories of the great orc warriors that came before slaying their way into the stars to stand with the mighty Kurg and his sons. On even calmer nights, the ones Igniak treasured the most, her mom would whisper softly the story of her father. A armoured and muscular man among a band of travelers that fought valiantly against her and the others in the patrol that happened upon their band. Outnumbered and surrounded he fought like a balrog out of the darkest pit even after his compatriots fell in battle. Slashing through the three other orcs in quick succession he turned to her, the only one left, axe raised. As their eyes met she claimed that a fire as hot as the forge ignited in her gut. She surged forward to meet his blows as they danced in a battle of death. He knocked her to the ground, straddling her, only for her to roll him over and fling his sword to the side. Both panting in exhaustion and staring emptily back at each other time seemed to stretch on beneath the stars. Tigriu had him pinned by his neck with a single hand and as she gripped his throat tighter she leaned in only to release her grip and embrace him. The night progressed in a mutual passion with Igniak being the result of this embrace many moons later. Tigriu let the stranger go after out of respect for his brutalness and strength. Igniak’s mother always pulls her close as she finishes the story and tells her that like her father she is something beyond the strength of those in the swamp. Reinforcing the feeling of being other that haunted her and giving her a thirst to see what laid beyond the murkish water of her home. A feeling that led her to stealing off in the night in search of adventure at the age of 23.