Theft of the Sun
"O, Tlaxakarr,
city of the sun
O, Metarraxa,
city of the moon
Lost Beyond the Sea
Taken from You, Me"
-Start of the Song of the Sun, the great Orcbandsong.
Summary
Orcish, Goblin, Birdfolk, Troll, and Ogre legends all hold that, in the Years of the Eldar, they were kidnapped by the Elves from their mighty Empire of the Southern Sun.
Historical Basis
The historical basis of this myth is the subject of a great deal of scholarly debate. Elves deny it entirely, holding that they never took slaves, a claim that seems at odds with their own modern behaviors regarding captives. However, the only sources for the myth or the myths themselves, and it seems likely to most scholars that these originated as an Orcish myth to justify their ongoing anti-elvish raids. In particular scholars are skeptical due to the lack of any such mythology on the part of humans.
Variations & Mutation
Only Ogre and Troll version of the tale tell of their inclusion in this slave trade.
Legends disagree primarily on two aspects: the role of humans (as betrayers or as fellow-victims), and the final fate of the Empire (fell to the Elves, or drove them off). The latter legend tends to have an eschatological bent, looking forward to the day when the Empire should come to reclaim the now-free slaves, and to wreak vengeance against the elves.
Related Ethnicities
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