I'm exploring possible avenues to start a long-term fan fiction, and want the lore to be able to back it up. Any help with these questions would be much appreciated!

The fanfic will take place after 4E 201, the year in which the game of Skyrim takes place, so pretty much any lore is game.

1) Tell me all you know about the Orc Strongholds in Skyrim. By Strongholds, I refer to http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Orc_Strongholds. I'm looking for origins, ways of life, religion, etc.

2) Do the aforementioned orcs have a historical record of any friction with other races/groups? If not, is there anywhere I can find information about racial conflict in Orsinium?

3) Is there any reference to similar strongholds in provinces other than Skyrim anywhere in lore?

Thanks in advance.

1) I know that http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Largashbur starts the Malacath quest, and if I remember correctly, the strongholds I ran into always mentioned "Malacath blah blah...By Malacath, blah blah..."

2) For one, right now Orsinium is gone I think. Some posters were confirming that from 'Lord of Souls'. http://www.imperial-library.info/content/pocket-guide-empire-third-edition-orsinium As for friction, I think the strongholds only let Orcs in as when I approached one, the Orc was very racist towards my Argonian.

3)Not sure...

That is all I could dig up, but I would wait for more input. Good luck!

To look up more, here is the IL:
http://www.imperial-library.info/

The reason for the strongholds in Skyrim is that Orsinium was once again sacked, in the early 4th era, and many Orcs fled east. The strongholds' function is to allow Orcs to live "the way Malacath intended Orcs to live". Regarding their culture, it is important for Orcs (at least males) to die honourably, preferably in battle (there is even a random encounter with an Orc in Skyrim who wishes you to give him an honourable death right there and then), and strength and steadfastness are the most valued attributes. This is reflected in Malacath's quest in Skyrim where he declares an Orc chief unworthy of his title because he let Malacath's shrine become overrun, and he accuses the chief of being lazy and manipulative ("lacking honour"). They are very nationalistic and patriotic despite lacking a proper homeland, and in (at least) Morrowind and Skyrim, you see loads of Orcs using Orcish equipment only. Furthermore, the strongholds in Skyrim don't let outsiders in unless they've proven themselves worthy.

That's all I can remember off the top of my head.


EDIT: Among Orc women, it is considered honourable to bear many children, preferably children of a high-ranking man such as a chief (quote from Skyrim).

You can get permission to enter by doing quests for orcs. In-game books (I think it was called "the way of malacath") confirm that this is a real practice.

So Orsinium does not exist at the moment. That's quite an important thing to know! Much appreciated mate, having isolated pockets of a racial group will push my fanfic in a certain direction, I think. Much obliged


A lot of that confirms suspicions, and is therefore very helpful I'll run through the Malacath quest at some point to give me a better idea, but thank you very much for the input

Good to know, this could be very helpful. Thank you

Does anyone else have an input? I realise that there might not be a great amount of writing on the subject, and I'll have to do a lot of the creative work myself, but I do want to make sure I know everything I should about this topic before I start brainstorming.

I was talking to an Orc female in-game, and I gleaned a few pieces of information from her.

• Orcs engage in polygamy.
  
• The (I think) second wife is called 'The Forge Wife' or something like that, and her responsibility is, in part, to teach her husband's children (particularly the daughters) the art of forging.
  
• I was really given the impression that women had a large share of the Orcish blacksmithing population, and that it as by no means an exclusive, or even male-dominated profession

You might want other people to confirm the details of what I've said, as this information is several days old.

I've spoken to the women you've spoken to, and can confirm the information you've said, which is good. much obliged mate.

I remember someone saying that one of the Skyrim loading screens mentioned Orsinium as being on the border of Skyrim and High Rock, but I've never seen this said loading screen in game, and I played for 160 hours, so I can't confirm. Now if someone knows how to rip these loading screens from the game, we could solve this dilemma right away...

- The only male Orc allowed to have children in a stronghold is the chief, and he has many wives.

- Many Orcs leave the strongholds because of differences with the chief, or because of being cast out.

Many orcs also leave their strongholds to serve in the legions. The Legion provides an alternative life, an opportunity to see the world, etc, whereas Orc Stronghold life is really restricted.

EDIT: And I don't think much was said regarding racial conflicts yet, so here goes: The greatest conflict is with the Bretons and Redguards, who have exterminated their homeland twice now as a joint effort. They also have a strenuous (if working) relationship with the Nords, and they're disliked by elves of all stripes, with perhaps the Bosmer being the exception. They are on best terms with the Imperials, or more specifically, the Legion, which they've long been an important part of and which sheparded them safely to Skyrim the last time Orsinium was sacked.

I'd say orsimer live like lions

The women do all the work, while the alpha male largely does nothing, but maintain power and rights to breed. Other males are automatically rivals, and its expected that children and brothers of the chief will challenge the chief for the right of rule, through a contest of arms. Also, it look like they live in a mostly "might makes right" sort of way.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:The_Code_of_Malacath

The book mentioned above is "The Code of Malacath", rather than "The Way".
I think. Now I'm not sure lol.

Anyways, there's a random encounter with an "old" orc warrior who asks you to fight him and try to kill him, claiming that he's too old to become a Chieftain now, so he left the stronghold to die at the prime of his strength rather than deteriorate through senescence.

edit: ninja'd by Sithis :ph34r:

There's also an Orc Chieftan who hopes his son will one day challenge him to open combat and replace him as chieftain (i.e. kill him). [censored], I love the orcs.

This has all been a great help, thank you very much for all the input guys.

Makes you wonder what they were like when they were still Aldmer.

I imagine the Aldmer were probably a mix between all known surface-dwelling Tamrielic elves. It seems like the various races of exiles mostly took things away from the Aldmer, instead of finding new things on their own. There are obvious exceptions (Tribunal) but, for example, some evidence suggests that the Aldnmer may have venerated Daedra, since Xarxes (an Altmer god and Aldmer dawn-time hero) is aligned with Hermaeus Mora.

If you write this I'll read it. I've suddenly developed a strong interest in the Orc.

i'll just stick this here rather then start a new thread

another question for my orc character:
would an an honor bound orc ever use a sneak attack with a bow or would an Orc always give someone the chance to defend themselves?

It's honorable to fight in open combat. To kill someone using stealth is cowardly.

thought so wasnt sure if was taking it a step to far in fact i raided a camp where half the people were asleep i waited for them all to get up draw their weapons then hacked them all down

Does anyone know any Orcish swears?

None in the least bit

I dunno. In oblivion they say "Krot" a lot. Especially when they think you're stupid.