In the rugged and unforgiving wilderness of the Pillars of the Sky, a tribe of fierce Half-Orcs known as the Stonetusk Clan thrived. Among them was Raknar, a towering figure even by Half-Orc standards, with rippling muscles and a wild mane of black hair that matched the intensity of his stormy gray eyes. Born into a world of harsh realities, Raknar's early years were marked by the constant struggle for survival in the harsh mountainous terrain. Raknar's father, Grommash Stonetusk, was the chieftain of the clan, a formidable warrior respected for his strength and cunning. It was from Grommash that Raknar inherited his impressive physical prowess and indomitable spirit. However, tragedy struck when Raknar was just a teenager, as a rival orc tribe, the terrifying and vicious Maw's, launched a surprise attack on the Stonetusk settlement. In the ensuing battle, Grommash fell in combat, leaving Raknar and his mother, Sura, to fend for themselves. Fuelled by grief and rage, Raknar became determined to avenge his father's death and protect his tribe from future threats. He began to channel his anger into training, honing his combat skills with an intensity that set him apart even among the fierce warriors of the Stonetusk Clan. Raknar's prowess with a greataxe became legendary, and his ability to harness the primal fury within him marked him as a potential future chieftain.
As Raknar matured, a shaman within the Stonetusk Clan named Grizznak recognized a deeper connection between Raknar and the primal forces that coursed through the mountains. Grizznak, an elder with a deep understanding of the mystical, approached Raknar with a prophecy. It spoke of a destiny that extended beyond the Ironspine Mountains, hinting at a greater purpose for Raknar's strength and ferocity. Intrigued by the prophecy and yearning for a broader understanding of his place in the world, Raknar made the difficult decision to leave his tribe. Armed with his father's greataxe, a pendant bearing the Stonetusk Clan's emblem, and the guidance of Grizznak, Raknar embarked on a journey into the unknown. His travels took him through dense forests, treacherous swamps, and vast plains. Along the way, Raknar encountered diverse races and cultures, learning the ways of the world beyond the mountains. His encounters with various creatures and beings tested his mettle, forging him into a formidable warrior with a broader perspective. Raknar's adventures eventually led him to join a diverse group of adventurers, each with their own unique skills and backgrounds. Together, they faced formidable foes, delved into ancient ruins, and unearthed long-forgotten secrets. As Raknar continued to explore the world and uncover his true destiny, he remained driven by the memory of his father's sacrifice and the honor of the Stonetusk Clan. The Half-Orc Barbarian, with his unwavering determination and primal strength, carved a path through the challenges that lay ahead, embracing the call of adventure and the echoes of prophecy that shaped his destiny.
A massive mountain range that stretches from the Northeast
of Xarth to the Southeast. Within these stones, titans exist many wonderous
sites, jungle valleys never touched by snow warmed from the earth's blood
flowing far below. The heat from that molten liquid escapes through steam vents
to the jungle above. Vast grass plains, where the grass never withers, even
when a carpet of snow is laid gently upon them. Vast plains of ice and snow and
deep chasms, rugged rocky hills, and dales. Massive mountain peaks that rise
high above the clouds. These wondrous and hazardous mountain ranges are the
home to many a creature: the cloud giants who lives on the highest mountain peaks,
the ice gianst that lives on the coldest places where the snow and ice never melt,
and the fire giants who lives deep beneath the mountains, close to the flowing blood
of the earth. Hundreds of other races live within the jungle valleys and
grass-like plains. Tribes of humans, dwarves, orcs, and half-orcs roam the
massive mountain ranges, knowing most of their secrets. The tribes of the
Pillars of the Sky are mostly friendly or indifferent, but there are those that
a vicious and terrifying, such as the Black Maw tribe and the Crimson Eye.
The Black Maw Tribe Is a descendant of the old warlike
cursed Orcs. After the curse was lifted, they would not abandon their old ways
and sought new powers; deep within the mountains, they found a pit with foul
energy. Here, they would regain the glory of their old ways; the Shamans would
create a black liquid that the Orcs would drink; this would corrupt them and
turn them into hulking, ravaging beasts, only interested in destruction and
war. Their skin would turn a putrid green and they would grow to over nine feet in
height; their muscles would increase to an unnatural size, and their eyes would
turn black as tar. Such was their savagery that they could not travel in more
than a band of ten to fifteen, or they would kill each other, and only the
strongest could keep them in control. He would be the chieftain. The Shaman
they would serve with utmost devotion, for he made them and, in turn, controlled
them. Stories speak of them raiding other tribes and stealing the women, children,
and men who were not warriors. They would force the men to mate with the women,
and when they were with offspring, they would take the child and take it to the
Maw; a few weeks later, that child would return fully grown and transformed into
one of them. This would continue until the woman was spent and could no longer
give birth. Then, she, too, would be transformed.
In battle, the Maw Tribe feels no pain and will fight long
after death. Out of all the dangers of the Pillars of the Sky, the Tribe of the
Maw most terrified you for what they are and what they could turn you into if
you were ever captured.
The Crimson Eye Tribe: A tribe that follows the old Orcish
ways of conquest and power. Unlike the Tribe of the Maw, the Crimson Orcs are
not as beastly as the Maw; they are still unnaturally large, standing close to
two and a half meters in height and powerfully built, but their muscles do not
look unnatural. They are more cunning than the Maw but can be equally as vicious.
Like the Maw, however, they also transform others into one of their kind, but
they can only do it to other Orcs or half-orc. Those captured are said to be
taken deep beneath the earth into a cave of red and black crystals. The dust from
these crystals is sprinkled into the eyes of those captured, and then they go
through a painful transformation; growing in stature, their skin turns a dark
red with veins of black spidering across their flesh, and their eyes turn the color
of dried blood, except for their irises, which glow a putrid yellow. The Crimson
eye do not fight amongst themselves, with axe or sword, but with cunning and
guile. They are led by those who can wield the power of the Arcane and those
who are most cunning and cruel.