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Imperial Orcs see money as something that separates free citizens of the Empire from slaves. Perhaps more so than many humans they understand the freedom that comes with being able to buy and sell things freely. A number of the first generation were raised in [[The League|League cities]], and possessed a well-developed appreciation for the power that comes with wealth. In keeping with their instinctual desire to be part of a group, however, many Orcs see a distinction between personal wealth - enough money to live in comfort - and the wealth of the legion - the wealth that comes from and is used to keep everyone in the legion well equipped, fit and capable of doing their jobs.
 
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bonesetter.jpg|align=left|width=200}}
==Overview==
Imperial Orcs see money as something that separates free citizens of the Empire from slaves. Perhaps more so than many humans they understand the freedom that comes with being able to buy and sell things freely. A number of the first generation were raised in [[The League|League cities]], and possessed a well-developed appreciation for the power that comes with wealth.  
 
In keeping with their instinctual desire to be part of a group, however, many Imperial Orcs see a distinction between personal wealth - enough money to live in comfort - and the wealth of the legion - the wealth that comes from and is used to keep everyone in the legion well equipped, fit and capable of doing their jobs.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bonesetter.jpg|caption=Bonesetters look to the health of their comrades, but their remit is much wider than that.|align=left|width=400}}
==Bonesetters==
==Bonesetters==
Many legions pool the majority of their wealth and resources, using it to provide for the members of the legion on the basis of need. A warlord will usually appoint one or more individuals to look after a legion’s wealth. By tradition these people are called bonesetters and are usually trained apothecaries, physicks or both.
Many legions pool the majority of their wealth and resources, using it to provide for the members of the legion on the basis of need. A warlord will usually appoint one or more individuals to look after a legion’s wealth. By tradition these people are called bonesetters and are usually trained apothecaries, physicks or both.


Bonesetters are expected to attend to the physical needs of the legion, but their remit runs well beyond this. Most bonesetters proactively work to enrich their legion, investing the legion’s resources as they see fit to try to increase the legion’s wealth. Bonesetters have no formal powers but they often broker deals for the skills of individual legion members or even the whole legion, if they are confident that their warlord will support them. A competent bonesetter who is working in the best interests of their legion can usually count on their support. Few orcs want to annoy the individual whose responsibility it is to treat the wounded but more importantly, the genuine bonesetter is assumed to be making deals for the benefit of the entire legion.
Bonesetters are expected to attend to the physical needs of the legion, but their remit runs well beyond this. Most bonesetters proactively work to enrich their legion, investing the legion’s resources as they see fit to try to increase the legion’s wealth. Bonesetters have no formal powers but they often broker deals for the skills of individual legion members or even the whole legion, if they are confident that their warlord will support them. A competent bonesetter who is working in the best interests of their legion can usually count on their support. Few Orcs want to annoy the individual whose responsibility it is to treat the wounded but more importantly, the genuine bonesetter is assumed to be making deals for the benefit of the entire legion.
{{CaptionedImage|file=WheresTheBeerGone.jpg|title=Adherence to the letter of the law combined with a single-minded dedication to their task.|align=right|width=300}}
==Thief-takers==
Orcs despise criminals or indeed anyone who puts their own interests above that of their group. As a result Imperial Orcs find themselves natural supporters of the Imperial legal system. If an Imperial Orc witnesses corruption or lawbreaking, they are likely to take steps to immediately arrest the criminal, and take them straight to the nearest magistrate for judgement. As a result many  have found a niche for themselves serving as thief-takers.


Thief-takers earn their income by collecting bounties on criminals who have fled the law and more rarely by taking payments from private individuals looking to identify perpetrators of crimes. Thief-takers are overseen by the Imperial magistrates and the most effective work closely with them. Some legions encourage their members to take this work, believing that it earns wealth for the legion as well as performing a valuable service, but some orcs enjoy the work so much that they make a life for themselves outside the legion forming small bands with other successful thief-takers.
Since the legions settled in [[Skarsind]], many bonesetters have set up their own brokerages, supporting the health and prosperity of their neighbours as well as their legion. One of the most prominent positions a bonesetter can aspire to is the [[Bonesetter of Torfast Trading Post]], responsible for overseeing the Imperial Orc trade hub that serves as the centre of the [[Northern trade network]].
==Reavers==
A handful of legions no longer maintain links with the armies. They have come to enjoy the freedom and wealth afforded by mercenary work. These groups, called reavers, support themselves by raiding, adventuring, and hiring themselves out as guards and escorts to merchants prepared to [[military unit#Paid Work|pay]] to secure the martial might of an [[orc]] [[military unit]]. With their income not tied to the vagaries of the [[Military unit#Imperial Guerdon|Imperial Guerdon]], or the strategies of the [[Imperial Military Council]], bands of reavers may quickly become wealthy.


The large number of orcs prepared to carry out this work, and their strict adherence to the letter of the law, particularly enacting magistrates’ orders which would make others’ lives politically very uncomfortable has meant that in recent years more and more of this work is brought directly to the Imperial Orcs. In particular a number of magistrates have adopted the “culprit’s walk” where suspects are forced to walk around the orc camp before being released on bail. The culprit’s walk makes it easier for orc thief-takers to identity suspects that fail to return for trial as well as making the culprit aware of the resources available to bring them to justice. There have been three attempts by the Senate to ban the culprit’s walk but thus far they have all been unsuccessful.
Reavers are mostly tolerated by other Imperal Orcs; as often as not their wealth helps to enrich the Imperial Orc nation and thus can still claim to be serving the Empire in their way. The primary bone of contention used to be that reavers were often loyal to their own band first, and to the rest of the Imperial Orc nation and the Empire a distant second. However with Imperial Orcs legions increasingly abandoning the Summer Storm and the Winter Sun to follow the Guerdon, the distinction between the two groups is increasingly blurred.


==Reavers==
Reaving is seen as a good way of life for those Orcs who chafe under the leadership or strict discipline of army life. Furthermore, the line between legions and reavers is easily crossed. Legions that find themselves unable to respect a general or the demands of the Military Council may up the reaving lifestyle, sometimes for years at a time. Reavers who become prosperous may enjoy the luxury of supporting one of the Imperial Orcs armies without concern for Guerdon shares, or as a route toward taking a more significant role in Imperial Orcs society.
Most orc legions support large groups of heavily trained soldiers who are no longer serving directly in the Imperial army. These soldiers are usually deployed with the orc armies, to further bolster their strength, but periodically they perpetrate raids on barbarian lands to earn much needed wealth for their legion. This arrangement ensures that more power remains with the warlords rather than being commanded directly by the Imperial generals. Wise generals work closely with those warlords whose legions are part of their army; ensuring they have enough opportunities to raid barbarian lands to keep their legions supplied helps ensure their continued support and cooperation.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Weavers Market.jpg|title=Orcs raised in the League possessed a well-developed appreciation for the power that comes with wealth|align=right|width=400}}


A handful of legions have come to enjoy the freedom and wealth that raiding brings and no longer maintain links with the armies. These groups, called reavers, usually support themselves primarily by raiding and by hiring as mercenaries with one of the Imperial armies. Reavers are largely tolerated by legion orcs; their raids help to enrich the orc nation and the Empire and damages their enemies, but are often disorganized or poorly focused. It is seen as a good way of life for those orcs who chafe under the leadership or strict discipline of army life to still serve the nation.
==Resources==
Until recently most Imperial Orcs favoured [[military unit|military units]] and only a few invested in [[herb garden|herb gardens]], [[mana site|mana sites]] or other static resources. Now that their dream of a homeland of their own has been realized, increasing numbers of them are moving there to take up stewardship of the valuable resources left by the departing Wintermarkers. They are swiftly proving themselves to be capable as [[farm|farmers]], [[business|business owners]] and more, and for the most part they are able to fill the many needs of their nation's people.


The line between legions and reavers is easily crossed. Legions that find themselves unable to respect the generals of the armies often take up the reaving lifestyle, sometimes for years at a time. Likewise reavers who prosper enough to become prominent often join one of the armies to allow them to play a full role in orc society.
However most Imperial Orcs still regard [[mine|mines]] with a great deal of distaste and few Orcs can be convinced to work them. As a result the Imperial Orcs usually avoid them and those that do own them often have to hire Wintermarkers or other Imperial citizens to work them. The shortfalls in metals and other materials that the Imperial Orcs need were traditionally provided by reavers, but increased opportunities to [[Northern trade network|trade]] with other Imperial nations and even the Thule means that there are now more options available to ensure that an Imperial Orc can avoid the stigma of having to work a mine.  


==Resources==
The [[Steward of the Mines of Gulhule]] in particular plays a role in keeping the [[Skarsind]] mines operational. This [[ministry]] involves ensuring that sufficient mine workers are employed to exploit the rich mineral wealth of the Skarsind mountains.
A few Imperial Orcs maintain lands and resources near to the legion camps. Most orcs regard mines with a great deal of distaste and few orcs can be convinced to work them. As a result Imperial Orcs tend to avoid them and the few orcs that do own them usually hire local labour. Shortfalls in resources and other materials that the Imperial Orcs need are usually provided by reavers.


Most Imperial Orcs favour [[military unit|military units]] and only a few invest in [[herb garden|herb gardens]], [[mana site|mana sites]] or other static resources. [[Imperial Orcs territories#The Plan|The plan]] needs as much military might as can be brought to bear, and when it is complete the goal is to relocate to the new territory which will be more difficult for those with close ties to existing resources.
{{Imperial Orcs Links}}


[[Category:Imperial Orcs]]
[[Category:Imperial Orcs]]
[[Category:Nations]]
[[Category:Archetype]]

Latest revision as of 12:40, 11 April 2024

Overview

Imperial Orcs see money as something that separates free citizens of the Empire from slaves. Perhaps more so than many humans they understand the freedom that comes with being able to buy and sell things freely. A number of the first generation were raised in League cities, and possessed a well-developed appreciation for the power that comes with wealth.

In keeping with their instinctual desire to be part of a group, however, many Imperial Orcs see a distinction between personal wealth - enough money to live in comfort - and the wealth of the legion - the wealth that comes from and is used to keep everyone in the legion well equipped, fit and capable of doing their jobs.

Bonesetter.jpg
Bonesetters look to the health of their comrades, but their remit is much wider than that.

Bonesetters

Many legions pool the majority of their wealth and resources, using it to provide for the members of the legion on the basis of need. A warlord will usually appoint one or more individuals to look after a legion’s wealth. By tradition these people are called bonesetters and are usually trained apothecaries, physicks or both.

Bonesetters are expected to attend to the physical needs of the legion, but their remit runs well beyond this. Most bonesetters proactively work to enrich their legion, investing the legion’s resources as they see fit to try to increase the legion’s wealth. Bonesetters have no formal powers but they often broker deals for the skills of individual legion members or even the whole legion, if they are confident that their warlord will support them. A competent bonesetter who is working in the best interests of their legion can usually count on their support. Few Orcs want to annoy the individual whose responsibility it is to treat the wounded but more importantly, the genuine bonesetter is assumed to be making deals for the benefit of the entire legion.

Since the legions settled in Skarsind, many bonesetters have set up their own brokerages, supporting the health and prosperity of their neighbours as well as their legion. One of the most prominent positions a bonesetter can aspire to is the Bonesetter of Torfast Trading Post, responsible for overseeing the Imperial Orc trade hub that serves as the centre of the Northern trade network.

Reavers

A handful of legions no longer maintain links with the armies. They have come to enjoy the freedom and wealth afforded by mercenary work. These groups, called reavers, support themselves by raiding, adventuring, and hiring themselves out as guards and escorts to merchants prepared to pay to secure the martial might of an orc military unit. With their income not tied to the vagaries of the Imperial Guerdon, or the strategies of the Imperial Military Council, bands of reavers may quickly become wealthy.

Reavers are mostly tolerated by other Imperal Orcs; as often as not their wealth helps to enrich the Imperial Orc nation and thus can still claim to be serving the Empire in their way. The primary bone of contention used to be that reavers were often loyal to their own band first, and to the rest of the Imperial Orc nation and the Empire a distant second. However with Imperial Orcs legions increasingly abandoning the Summer Storm and the Winter Sun to follow the Guerdon, the distinction between the two groups is increasingly blurred.

Reaving is seen as a good way of life for those Orcs who chafe under the leadership or strict discipline of army life. Furthermore, the line between legions and reavers is easily crossed. Legions that find themselves unable to respect a general or the demands of the Military Council may up the reaving lifestyle, sometimes for years at a time. Reavers who become prosperous may enjoy the luxury of supporting one of the Imperial Orcs armies without concern for Guerdon shares, or as a route toward taking a more significant role in Imperial Orcs society.

Orcs raised in the League possessed a well-developed appreciation for the power that comes with wealth

Resources

Until recently most Imperial Orcs favoured military units and only a few invested in herb gardens, mana sites or other static resources. Now that their dream of a homeland of their own has been realized, increasing numbers of them are moving there to take up stewardship of the valuable resources left by the departing Wintermarkers. They are swiftly proving themselves to be capable as farmers, business owners and more, and for the most part they are able to fill the many needs of their nation's people.

However most Imperial Orcs still regard mines with a great deal of distaste and few Orcs can be convinced to work them. As a result the Imperial Orcs usually avoid them and those that do own them often have to hire Wintermarkers or other Imperial citizens to work them. The shortfalls in metals and other materials that the Imperial Orcs need were traditionally provided by reavers, but increased opportunities to trade with other Imperial nations and even the Thule means that there are now more options available to ensure that an Imperial Orc can avoid the stigma of having to work a mine.

The Steward of the Mines of Gulhule in particular plays a role in keeping the Skarsind mines operational. This ministry involves ensuring that sufficient mine workers are employed to exploit the rich mineral wealth of the Skarsind mountains.

Further Reading

Core Brief

Additional Information