Orcs

Orcs are fighters, strong in Body and Will, they bow to no-one. Roaming the land raiding villages as they see fit or residing in one of the five great settlements, an Orcish life is a simple one. Why build or grow yourself what you can just take from the weak and defenseless? An Orc who isn't Fighting is Feasting, and if he isn't Feasting he's sleeping.   At least, that's how it used to be, until The Last Great Orcish Aggression, or as the Orcs know it "The Age of Blood". Orcs have always been a source of conflict, causing many of these larger skirmishes over the centuries, always between the Orcs and one of the other races that had grown tired of being pushed around. But around 230-240 years ago, they finally found a battle they could not win. In a surprising show of co-operation between the Humans and the Elves, the Orcs not only found themselves up against one Race, but four. With one loss after another, a 60 year genocide swept over the land and the Orcs were all but wiped out. Now only two settlements remain along with several smaller nomadic groups whilst the majority of the survivors find themselves treated as second class citizens in Human and Dwarven cities.   Struggling to earn a living, employed mainly as muscle for physical labor, paid little and treated worse, the Orcs now living in the cities of the other races attempt to make a living with what little work they can find. Finding employment mainly in industry, used for low skill or highly physical jobs, bodyguard positions and even the occasional low ranking foot soldier. Mostly under the jurisdiction of nobles, a few merchants and other higher ranking individuals.   In more recent years Orcs have begun to find themselves out of work, in the beginnings of being replaced by Human advancements in Mass production and Automated machinery. With their lack of skill for much beyond basic laborers, a few Orcs have found themselves out on the streets or returning to the herds and settlements, most of which are also struggling. Orcs, knowing little about agriculture or sustainable living after centuries of simply taking what they need from the weak, found themselves unable to support even the smallest numbers.   It was only the arrival of the Dragonborn that has kept the Orcish race from dying out. When the Dragonborn made themselves known to the Orcs they were initially met with skepticism and distrust. After all who would bring salvation without asking for anything but knowledge in return? However once the Dragonborn had proven themselves, their knowledge of agricultural techniques, Medicine and Sanitation created a stable environment for the Orcs. In return the Orcs taught the Dragonborn about their history and their Ideology, even going as far as to make a few Dragonborn Honorary tribesmen, teaching them the ways of Orcish combat. But is that all the Dragonborn are truly after?