The Barukar History

The Barukar History

In the beginning there was Elgar, the creator, who wrought the Titans from from the elements and bade them to create the world. Then came Naeja, the sorcereress, crept into the world and used her secret magics to form many strange and wonderous things. She planted the first seeds that would grow into the mighty forests and created sustenance for the many beasts she created. The Titans despised her creations and destroyed them wherever they found them. So Naeja created a created much like them in form, and called him Magmodin and he forged many others like him; Morak the Murderer, Morddradan the Mountain Dweller, and Osidan the Flame Thief. They would later be called Gods by their own ilk. The Gods were great warriors and came as one against each Titan. The Titans hadn't been prepared for this battle, and so were not ready to aid one another. Thus it was that Lojandar, the first they challenged, was forced to give over his mountains and delve deep into the earth. The Gods stole from his mountains his great ores and found his secret knowledge of metals, such as the forging of bronze and steel. Then they came against Amal, and she was forced to flee high into the skies. Finally the other Titans came and the Gods and Titans clashed. Thus began The First War.

Elgar saw the power of the Gods and so commanded that the Titan Lords be born. The first Titan Lords were Zorik, son of Amal and Anvurgar; Vornakar, son of Amal and Lojandar; Strathose, son of Ciel and Sturmgar; and Olginthoth, son of Muran and Sturmgar. Ciel then laid with Lojandar, and bore Buldergar, Titan Lord of the Hills and Cliffs. Then Lojandar lay with Muran, and she bore him two children; Larnax, Titan Lord of the Seas, and Gulatak, the Earth Shaker.

Vornakar was the greatest of these Titan Lords, and much admired by Elgar. He was tall and powefully built, with skin black as night and golden eyes that blazed like fire. He was mighty and chosen to be the Titan Lord of War, given the duty to lead the other Titan Lords into war against the Gods. Vornakar led a grand assault against the Gods, driving them back into the mountains they had stolen from Lojandar. The Greater Titans and the Titan Lords overwhelmed the children of Magmodin and forced them deep beneath the earth, where they cowered in caves. Morddradan, though, had a secret forge beneath the earth and from it he drew forth two sons; Balderak and Belderak. He gave them the secret of steel and they were taught the sorcery they had learned from Naeja, called Runes. From these they forged powerful Rune Weapons and Armor, and with their new arsenal the tides of war swayed in their favor.

The Gods broke the siege and forced the Titans to fall back to a more defensive position. Then Vornakar gathered the Titan Lords and and spoke with fervor and wisdom. He had a grand vision of an army of mortals to serve the titans in war, and overrun the gods. Inspired by his vision, the Titans agreed and they each brought to life their own vision of warriors for this army. Though whelps compared to the Titans these Giants were powerful in their own right and assembled as a mighty army under the leadership of Vornakar. First, though, he had them build up their own defenses, constructing massive fortresses and forging armors and weapons for all their kind. When ready, he led an army of thousands out of their gates and across the vast plains that led to the mountains of the gods. Such huge numbers were unstoppable and shattered their defenses. Thousands died in the battle, but the gods were eventually driven back into their mountain halls once again.

Magmodin knew that soon their gates would fail and Vornakar and his army would destroy them all, but he realized then that perhaps they too could have a great army. So it was that Magmodin commanded Balderak to set work upon his forge and craft their own mortal race. When Balderak was finished he brought the cast to Magmodin. Seeing the poor work, Magmodin's hope faltered, but having no other choice he came to Naeja and begged the ancient sorceress to give this race life. She agreed and so it was that the Duervar were born. Squat, tiny, hairy, and foul smelling were these rodent like men, but because they were so small, they could easily hide in the caverns and crevices of the mountains and since they were made from the ruddy mud of the earth Magmodin had almost a limitless number.

Morak taught the duervar how to slay a Titan, to bring him down with tricks and treachery. When the duervar were ready, they were set upon the giant army, which was taken completely unawards. They came in the night, sneaking out of their caverns by secret ways and moving amongst the giant camps, murdering them in their sleep. When the alarm was sounded and the titans roused the duervar quickly fled into the darkness. So it was over and over until finally Vornakar was forced to withdraw his army to avoid further losses.

The Duervar battled the giants with such ferocity that they quickly drove them to the far fringes of the world.

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Thus ended the Age of Titans and began the the Duervan Empire.

Though the Titans had mostly been defeated and their giant children were few in number, the world was still theirs to wander freely. Neither Fey nor Folkin stood in their way, and the Duervar kept to their mountain homes. In time, though the Human race began to spread over the world. The Titans that remained were soon competing with them for the same resources and thus they slew them as they could, razing any civilizations they could find. However, the humans grew in number and took dominion of more and more land with each passing century, until finally the Giants were greatly outnumbered. Humans were primitive and their weapons simple, but their numbers and unity made them a true threat to be fearful of.

It was then that Vornakar tried to form an army of Titans and Giants to slay their enemy, but the other remaining Titans wouldn’t get involved, remembering his failure in their last war. Only Asheba joined his battle, for she despised humans as much as he. Ashamed of his defeat, Vornakar turned to the Nameless One, giving his service to the Corrupter in exchange for the power to crush his enemies. The Corrupter, as often was the case, told him to bear new young for the war to come. The Titan of War laid with Asheba and from their union were born five Corrupted Lesser Titans; Oraknush the Unbroken, Kurmerak the Bloody, Liandric the Mother, and Urntuus of the Dead. Oraknush, first born and strongest of the siblings, beat his brother Kurmerak in a fight and took dominion over the others. Liandric then laid with Oraknush and bore him two sons Balghrith and Falghrith. As children the two boys fought often and Balghrith, easily angered and incredibly strong, killed his brother. So it was that Oraknush again laid with Liandric and she bore him two more sons, Garnak and Ballagar.

Now Kurmerak grew jealous of Oraknush’s offspring and so he took Liandric and she bore him a Son, Tarkov, and a Daughter, Volgra. He envied the sons that Oraknush had, though, and so he took Liandric again and this time she bore him twin daughters, Ulgra and Magra. Disgusted, he had the girls thrown to wolves to be eaten. He did not know, though, that the girls killed the wolves and were then rescued by Liandric who swore vengeance upon Kurmerak.

Oraknush didn’t care about Liandric, but he wouldn’t take such an insult from Kurmerak, so he took Volgra and she bore him a son, Belgrak and a daughter Nuulgra. Blaming Kurmerak’s blood for begetting a daughter he went back to Liandric and she bore him two more sons, Gishnak and Valak.

Not wanting to be outdone, Kurmerak took Oraknush’s daughter, Nuulgra, and she bore him a son, Ildrigox, and a daughter, Zargra. Ashamed that he produced so few sons, Kurmerak chose not to bear any more children.

Angry at having no say in the matter before now, Liandric chose her next mate, Urntuus, and she bore him two sons, Gamorgh and Vargath. Urntuus taught his sons the secret lores of death and the power of undeath.

Following Liandric’s lead, Magra chose Balghrith as her mate, and bore him two sons, Barakath and Varaketh; and Ulgra chose Garnak as her mate, bearing him a son, Vaygrik, and a daughter, Igna. Valak then lay with Zargra and she bore him two children; a son, Gorkaal, and a daughter, Agra. Thus it was that the blood lines of Oraknush and Kurmerak mingled.

Vornakar saw that his numbers were growing, but not fast enough. The corrupter told him to have his youngest descendents mate and bear children, and they would be as the humans, small, but ferocious and great in number. So it was that their offspring were a fierce race of warriors who matured quickly and were eager for battle. Thus were born the Orcs, and they spread in vast numbers.
The Orcs chose the darkness of the forests as their dwellings, using the ancient woods to hide them from the light of Sheliak and build their armies. The strongest amongst them quickly came to rule, and those that would not swear fealty to another formed their own clans. These clans began to battle one another, and thus they became a people of war.

It was in this time that Kurmerak began to plot to usurp Oraknush’s place and take Dominion of their people. Kurmerak convinced Urntuus, Vargath and Gamorgh to rise against Oraknush. However, Liandric told Gamorgh to betray them and before the assassination could take place, Gamorgh warned Oraknush of what was coming. Oraknush awaited Urntuus and when the other Titan tried to slay him, Balghrith appeared. Together, Oraknush and Balghrith slew Urntuus. Gamorgh killed his brother Vargath, and using the secret lore taught by their father, he stole his brother’s powers. In reward for his fealty, Oraknush granted Gamorgh the right to take Urntuus’ power as well, and thus he became the Orc Lord of Death, Darkness and the Undead. Many times after this Kurmerak plotted to overthrow Oraknush, but with Balghrith at his side, the Orc Lord was just too powerful to defeat.

In time, though, Vornakar united the Orcs and his army marched upon the civilizations of Humans and Duervar. The Duervar held their own for some time, but the humans were faltering under the power of the orcs. The Duervar knew, though, that the orcs would continue to rise in new generations and eventually, when the humans were gone, they would be overwhelmed. So it was that the Duervar made allegiances with the Humans and gave them the secret of steel. Now armed for war and united in a common cause, the Children of Naeja came in force against the Orcs and the Titan of War. They drove them back to the darkness of their forests.

For over a thousand years the Orcs continued to rise and fall, always driven back to the deep woods. The Orc clans grew restless and warred amongst themselves once again, as did the Orc Lords, and to the world beyond they were no longer a threat.

THE U’OROG’KHAN

It was in this time that the darkness of the Orc homelands was invaded. The Gelvani, cast from Arvanis, and fleeing the destruction of their sanctuary, arrived upon the shores of Verosia and chose to settle in the forested realms that resembled their divine homeland. They knew nothing of the Orcs and their wars before now, and saw them as no more than a monstrous race corrupting the forests of the Mortal World. They waged war to drive the Orcs from the ancient woodland realms, beginning the U’Orog’Khan (First Orc War).

The Gelvani heroes were more powerful than any foes the Orc Lords had faced before, and the Orcs were driven to the edges of their lands. One Gelvani warrior in particular became of great renown, Faeladryn, whose mighty blade of Quel’Shamoran make struck fear in the hearts of all Orcs who looked upon it. There was also Eliasyr Korilanmor, a powerful Queleshan whose arcane powers were devastating to the Orc Lords. Together they slew many of the Orc Lords; Vaygrik and Varakath, Ildrigox and Gishnak, and even some Titans such as Garnok and Tarkov.**##

THE FALL OF VORNIKAR

Vornikar stood strong against this new enemy, and commanded that the orcs and their forefathers would fight to the last. For a time it seemed the battle would go on forever. The orcs seemed endless in numbers and the Gelvani nearly impossible to defeat.

As Magmodin watched this battle unfold, he took it upon himself to aid the children of his sister. He ordered Balderak to forge a set of adamant chains, and he gave them to Gelthena, telling her that they must be used to bind Vornikar’s soul so it could not return to his body, and hence rise again. Then the Duervar, at their gods’ commands, set out from their mountain homes in great numbers and entered the dark forests of the orcs. They joined forces with the Gelvani and together decimated the Orcish armies.

The Orc Lords, now seeing the Duervar arrive, knew they were out matched and at the hour of their greatest battle yet, they deserted Vornikar. Led by Gaanush they fled for the icy forests of the north.

Alone Vornikar stood against the Gelvani and Duervar and was overwhelmed, but he still could not be slain. Many of the Gelvani fell that day, learning the harsh truth of death. Finally, Kelamin, the Gelvani War God defied Gelthena and came in force upon the Mortal World to defend his children. The Titan and the God battled, and finally Kelamin smote Vornikar. He left the Titan’s body to return to the earth and his blood to return to the waters, from which he was born. Vornikar’s soul, though, did not return to the elemental realms, but instead descended into an eternal realm of fire and brimstone, a realm created to imprison his corrupted soul. Here Vornikar found Magmodin and his children awaiting him. They bound him with the adamant chains, so that he could not return when the time of his Eternal Slumber had passed.

The Titan of War had fallen, but even as he died, a prophecy was being etched upon a wall in the heart of a dark and distant forest, foretelling his return:

“Gone is the Great Lord, bound by adamant chains in the flames of Malvarzuth. But Lo! A new destiny awaits the Children of War, when in the night of day the God of Bones battles the Shield God over the Lake of Blood in the Land of the First Father, so will our Great Lord rise again!”

The Orcs that survived this battle fled their homeland, washing over the northern Duneimen realms in vast numbers, slaying and burning as they went. Only the Duervar remember some of the ancient cultures that were lost in those times. The Orcish clans took hold in the icy woodlands, and the last of the Orc Lords became their walking gods, ruling from amongst them.

The Gelvani, having won this war and freed the forest of the Orc blight, claimed all of this great forest, and name it Gelvanmyr, forest of the Gelvani.

After the fall of Vornikar, when the Orcs fled the forests, it was the northern realms, worshipers of Karlik, that suffered the most. The orcs were far greater in number, and were ferocious. They were as well armed and armored as the dueravar but were vicious marauders. They were seasoned in war, having battled so long against the Gelvani. Many of the duneimen clans of the north were destroyed, their names now long forgotten. Some fell into corruption, such as the Zoratain, while others hid amongst the mountains and survived to this day, such as the Azuratans. Only those who had gone east remained.

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