Gorruk'tal

Gorruk'tal

Orchish for "Blood Reef"

An island in the Northern Ocean.

Gorruk’tal is a volcanic archipelago scarred by fire and sea. Its black sand shores are a mix of razor-sharp basalt and ash-laden sand. Its waters are treacherous with reefs that biofluoresce faintly red at night, earning it the name Blood Reef. The air smells of salt and sulfur, and the sea around it is littered with the bones of wrecked ships.

At its heart looms the Ash Maw, a smoldering volcano that breathes smoke into the sky day and night. From it flow rivers of cooled lava that carve the land, leaving mounds of obsidian rock ridges to cool. Around the base of the mountain lie steaming Red Springs, pools said to pulse with the divine blood of Claydos himself.

Dense, twisted jungles grow along the lower coasts, filled with strange birds and predatory reptiles. Cliffside settlements cling to the basalt heights, while fortified docks cut into the stone serve as the strongholds of each clan.

The Six Clans

Gorruk'tal is controlled by six orc clans. Each clan's ethos and motives are based on the alignment chart.

Blackjaw Clan (Lawful Neutral)

Location: Northeastern cliffs of Gorruk’tal, where the basalt forms tall natural walls. Their fortress-settlement overlooks the Cliffs of Binding, Sheer Drops where they execute traitors by casting them into the surf. Reasoning: They chose defensible High Ground, a seat of order where storms crash endlessly against the stone.

Driftmaw Clan (True Neutral)

Location: Western shoals, where reefs and wrecks cluster. Their “villages” are built on scavenged timbers and lashed rafts, floating among the coral and shifting with the tide. Reasoning: They thrive on salvage, closest to the wrecks and Trade Routes that feed them.

Stormfury Clan (Chaotic Neutral)

Location: Southern coast, where the storms strike hardest. They keep their ships anchored in a wide bay called the Howling Gulf, where constant winds tear through the masts. Reasoning: They welcome storms as holy trials, and their bay lets them sail into tempests faster than any rival clan.

Iornfang Clan (Lawful Evil)

Location: Eastern volcanic ridges, where obsidian spires thrust up like jagged teeth. Their fortress, Fangspire Hold, is carved directly into the stone. Reasoning: The sharp ridges are nearly impassable, making them ideal for a fortified seat of tyranny. From here they demand tribute and enforce dominance.

Dreadscale Clan (Neutral Evil)

Location: Northern jungles, where twisted roots and mists hide their camps. They live in stilt-houses above the marshes of the Venom Fen, a place crawling with serpents and biting insects. Reasoning: The jungle provides ambush cover and isolation—perfect for raiders who turn on friend and foe alike.

Ashfang Clan (Chaotic Evil)

Location: On the volcano’s southwestern slope, closest to the Red Springs. Their settlement is half-village, half-pyre, where smoke rises day and night. Reasoning: They believe themselves closest to Claydos by living near his “throne.” They use volcanic fire to burn sacrifices, both living and dead.