Ice Orcs of Kylma
The southern continent of Kylma stretches from the warmer northern shore off far to the winter wastes. The Orcbane Mountains cut the Hugond Plains off from the much colder lands to the south in which are known to live a wide range of creatures adapted to the harsh environment. Those few adventurers foolish and lucky enough to cross the mountains and return talk of hordes of Orcs adapted for the bitter cold. These Ice Orcs have rarely been seen north of the mountains save for the time when the Hugond holy site of Kruan was desecrated and true winter returned to the Hugond Plains and the Crimson Coast. Then and only then did growing numbers of Ice Orcs start entering the lands north of the mountains. Where the Ice Orcs originated from and what their aims are remain a mystery but their presence in numbers is a well understood fact. Many of the Ice Orcs worship Khashaba.
Lore of Kima (Kylma)
Before the arrival of the Higher Races, the southern continent was sparsely populated, its vast lands lightly touched by man. Humanity existed then as scattered peoples who tended forests, plains, and waterways, living in harmony with the natural world. These lands were known simply as Kima, a name shaped by their harsh, guttural dialects. At this early age, mankind was primitive, guided by instinctive druidic practices long before the structured teachings introduced by the Higher Races.
Ancient songs tell of small communities dwelling in the lower hills of the northern mountain range. These peoples had begun to grasp the earliest concepts of order and society. They worked stone, understood the veins of colour within exposed rock faces, and learned from the open scars carved by the mountains themselves.
The emergence of the Higher Races brought with it the Ice Orcs, beings driven by conquest and enslavement. They sought to dominate mankind, forcing them into servitude to meet their needs and spare themselves the burdens of labour, so they might focus solely on war. The enslaved were treated with cruelty, and few survived long under Orcish rule. In time, the Ice Orcs enacted near-total genocide upon the people of Kima. Had it not been for the Indersta Sea, known to the Ice Orcs as Vras Nen, the Death Water, they may have spread their devastation even further. The Ice Orcs possessed neither the desire nor the courage to cross open seas, and so eventually turned inward, warring endlessly amongst themselves.
With the passing of mankind, the lands north of the Orcbane Mountains became as frozen and desolate as those to the south. The druidic rituals once practiced by humanity had held the creeping cold at bay, nurturing balance in the land. In later ages, this same unseen stewardship would be mirrored by the Hugond who now inhabit the region, though they remain largely unaware of this ancient continuity. Lore and song speak of survivors who escaped the Ice Orcs by sailing westward, knowing their enemies would not follow. Some settled islands several hundred miles offshore, these were said to be the mountain folk, who would later become known as the Blood Islers. Others sailed even farther west, those who had once tended the forests and open plains.
It is believed that around -300 Imperial Timeline, the westernmost exiles returned. They came transformed, bearing greatly enhanced druidic powers that would become the foundation of their culture. These people would come to be known as the Hugond. Through their rituals, winter was pushed back, restoring plains and forests to the land. Upon their return home, they flourished, founding temples and embracing a nomadic way of life. Cities held little importance to them, though they established Kruan, their most sacred and revered site. For a long age, the Hugond lived untouched, even by the Ice Orcs, who shunned the warmth of these restored lands. This peace endured until the invasion, or return, depending on one’s perspective, of the Blood Islers, and the corruption of Kima into Kylma.
