Regions of Enelis
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Orcish Hold of Hashan
Savage Orc War Machine
Banner: Red dragon visage on a tattered black flag.
Capital: Gruum (14,450)
Notable Settlements: None. Many small semi-nomadic clan sites.
Ruler: Talax the Crimson Terror (great wyrm red dragon)
Government: Monstrous Tyranny
Military: Strong. Holds 35 defensive fortifications.
Languages: Hashkan (gray orc), Draconic, Jotun, Goblin.
Religion: Talax, Hashkan, Orcish pantheon.
Primary Exports: Raiders and violence.
Detailed Map of the Northlands
History
The rough badlands known as the Hashan Plateau was once a sparsely inhabited scrubland, where a few Dyrferd tribes would roam. But after the first orc horde in -3561 G.R., most of the gray orcs were pushed into these lands. It has been orcish territory since. For millennia the orcs would fight among themselves and occasionally send raids into the Noradrie lands. But every few centuries, a charismatic or powerful orc warlord would unite the tribes and send another great orc horde to assault the eastern coasts. It is thus that the Noradrie have been battling orcs on the borders of their lands for as long as they can remember. After the Last War, the surviving Dohkan were also pushed into Hashan, where they built the city of Gruum in the mountains. It was a great industrial city, focused on building a new war machine to assault the south and east. The Dohkan also used their superior magic and intellect to dominate the orc tribes and try to unite them under their banner. However, the Dohkan were still fighting among themselves, and thus, the orc tribes still fought among themselves over dominance. The orcs simply were better armed and armored that before as the great forges of Gruum continued to spew forth armaments for war.
Over the years, the Dohkan interbreed with the orcs, creating an elite class of warlords and sorcerers who ruled from Gruum. More recently, in 396 G.R., Talax the Crimson Terror, a great and mighty red dragon, flew into the city of Gruum and took control of the industrial capital. The dragon united all of Hashan under its banner, into one of the greatest orc hordes seen in millennia. In 452 G.R., this horde would eventually descend upon the north and east, forcing many kingdoms of men to band together and stop the assault. The war lasted over a decade, and caused the northern kingdoms to band together in defensive agreement, simply called the Alliance, dedicated to defending the northwestern border with Hashan. Since this defeat, the orcs have been slowly growing their numbers, but rumors persist that the great dragon Talax is asleep upon her horde somewhere deep in the mountain of Gruum, waiting until the orc tribes have reached significant number.
Government
Hashan is a chaotic place, ruled by might and strength. While Talax is the definitive ruler of the region, she currently sleeps in her lair and has been unseen for centuries. Therefore the Chief Warlord of Gruum is the default leader of the realm, but in reality Gruum doesn’t have much direct control of Hashan as a whole. A group of 30-40 Warlords rule their separate clans from Gruum, led by the most powerful clan whose leader gains the title Chief Warlord. These Warlords periodically send out bands to the many separate orc tribes scattered throughout Hashan, forcing these tribes to give tribute of food, concubines, and occasionally their best warriors. This ensures the might and strength of Gruum and its clans. The individual tribes are usually led by a Chieftain and guided by a spiritual leader, a Shaman, who often tries to interpret when it is appropriate to strike at their enemies or to hunt. Leadership changes hands often as Chieftains are challenged for control of the tribe by stronger, younger would-be chieftains. Occasionally, whole tribes are subjugated by stronger tribes, creating larger clans. Sometimes these clans become large enough that they can challenge the Warlords of Gruum and earn their place among them. This often requires raiding the lands of the east and south to prove their might.
Military
The military of Hashan is extremely strong, as their entire culture is devoted around war and strength. However, they are also very chaotic and not very organized. Only under the power of Talax or the Jotuns have the orcs shown any sense of organization in their warfare. The orc tribes often consist of light and heavy infantry, often using enslaved goblins as skirmishers and arsonists. The orcs tend to rush in wildly as each individual fights for themselves without any formation or cooperation. It creates a very chaotic and fearful battlefield. The sheer chaos of the onslaught often confuses and demoralizes defenders.
Economy
The economy of Gruum does not interact much with the rest of the world. The orcs of Hashan hunt in the scrublands and badlands, trading meat and hides with each other. Some tribes are able to grow crops in more fertile valleys, but the orcish diet tends to be very meat-focused. Some orcs have been known to trade with representatives of Vestdyrr (Westgate) on the North Sea, trading hides and pelts for precious metals and other crafted items from the eastern coasts. Gruum itself is an industrial city, fueled by numerous slave quarries and mines. The forges of Gruum constantly spew forth steel armaments and tools. The clans of Gruum offer these weapons, armors, and tools to the scattered tribes outside the city in exchange for meat, hides, and sometimes fealty to a ruling clan.
Culture
The culture of Hashan is of raiders and warriors. The First Warlord, Hashkan, has become a deity to the gray orcs of the north, with most orcs trying to prove their strength and dominance over others, hoping to rise in the ranks and become a true warlords themselves. Might is right in Hashan culture. Female orcs are a subjugated class, considered only better than the slaves. The females are often in charge of procuring food and comforts for the tribe as the male warriors focus on hunting and tribal politics. Any orc, male or female, that demonstrates magical aptitude or sorcery is often hand-picked by the Cult of Ulgloxa the Witch, where they are pampered in Gruum or one of their hidden enclaves, taught to harness their power. It is said that there are a few hidden tribes of orcs who have renounced their warrior culture, attempting to return to the old ways of the green orcs to the south. However, these tribes are few and far between.
Orcs of Hashan are fierce warriors that believe might is right and anything in the world belongs to those who can take it. They tend to trust no one and actively try to undermine those above them, hoping to take their place. To an orc of Hashan, power is everything and it must be won by force and strength.
Adventure
The lands of Hashan are littered with ancient Jotun ruins from the days of Braellheim. Otherwise any travel through Hashan is an adventure in itself. Besides the constant threat of orcs, there are large deadly predators that roam the rough lands, hunting for prey in the rocky badlands. Survival itself is difficult and fresh water can be sometimes scarce, as most sources are controlled by orc tribes. Hashan can be a deadly land for adventurers, testing one’s skill as a warrior and survivalist.