Most centers of population in the hill/mountain region are situated on ancient Mountain People ruins. This is true of New Orc City. This city was a mining center even in ancient times, but seemed to also have some small religious significance (the Eternal party has seen a pyramid in town). The trail leading to New Orc City and the other trade routes also are the remains of stone roadways of yore. The Orcs have mostly repaired the road between Albany and New Orc City. They have also reopened the tunnel through the mountains to the Dwarven folk beyond. This cuts off a significant time walking west around the mountains. They were just starting to see some profits in the last half of year 50.
10,000 Orcs make a formidable army, by far the largest in the area. So how come the Orcs have not conquered everything else? For one thing, the Orcs believe in a (somewhat unorganized) Bandit existance. Forming a large army for the purposes of sacking a town (such as nearby Albany) has not crossed occurred to them. And if it did, they would figure that if they kill off the Avaloners, there would be no merchants to trade with or steal from!
The 10,000 figure includes orcs affiliated with the city (at first roving bands, now "escorts" for merchants through the short cuts and road repair crews. Yes, 10,000 is a large number -- but it is an Orc number as well -- tribes are easily that big.
Today, they are in a somewhat confused state between trading and looting. Marvin had convinced them that trading was more profitable in the long run (with much less effort). But it has been hard work rebuilding the roads and opening the cave route. The Orc population may have also been reduced after recent events. Remember, the 10,000 number was pre-retribution by the Orc god. Now that they know he is unhappy -- some Orcs may feel that New Orc City has a bull's eye painted on it, especially after the weird floating creatures attacked the city's outskirts!
The Avaloners have speculated that most Orcs don't have metal weapons, and their poor stone and wood weapons, not to mention generally bad morale and military ineptitude, have so far kept them up in the mountains. And there may be other reasons.
Site Map | 30 June 98
copyright © 2001 by Michael Moran Alterio, Michael Babriecki, Harry Ching, Stephen Martin, and Donald R. Parrish III (all rights reserved)