They come from a forest that borders the Northern Wastes, where within it is eternal darkness. Their skin is a reflection of everything around them. Noise would mark out the prey from the predator. Those that crash through the forest, are not hidden, they are brought down. They are fearless and the animal intellect that is found within Orcs is taken to extreme levels due to the struggle to survive. Their favourite weapon within the forest is the blowpipe and you can be guaranteed that they will be watching you at all times as soon as you enter to the moment that they let you leave. During the time researching them it was witnessed that they practice cannibalism, that those that die are eaten by those that live. Whether this is the belief that Strength is gained from the flesh of those that have perished, old wisdoms can be passed on by eating the brain or whether it is a simple precaution of having to fight your own if they have been raised as unliving. It is hard to say but either way it is the fate of all the Black Orcs to end this way; to be consumed by the continuing line of their kin.
The interesting thing is the religious aspect that everything is done by in their life. There is a belief that a one handed person will lead them to paradise. It is probably an orc, but it is not documented, though the shaman implied it was such. On the subject of paradise they are not clear. But this is the likely method by which the Empire has manipulated them for their own ends. From the conversations that I have witnessed and taken part in it seems to me that the Black Orcs have been lied to since their first contact with the Empire’s people and that being civilised is all part of what they have been led to believe is the route to paradise.
What is known of ‘The Prophecy of One-Hand’, leading to paradise, is that it has always been around and the markings on cave walls suggest it predates contact with the Empire.
What it also suggests is that He comes back for them to lead and unite them.
It is known that Orcs and Black Orcs differ, but is this due to Empire conditioning and lies? The ones that exist in the forest today are different from the Orc Tribes of the Heartlands. This is to do with where they live more than anything else. What I don’t know (and I don’t know if anybody can know) is whether the bloodlust that drives Orcs to be only at peace and contentment when knee deep in the blood of those around exists in the wild Black Orcs. For in fact they are separate tribes, but if they fight, if they war, then they do not boast of it.
It takes 5 years for the Black Orcs to be fully conditioned by the Empire. The Empire gets it replacements from the forest to this day.
What will they do when One-Hand returns for them? Does the Emperor have his own Orc general who claims to be such?
