Red Wolves

The most powerful orc nation in Miranda is located in the southern Anor Mountains. They have forged alliances or conquered all of the other tribes, clans, or nations that have dared to invade their territory. Unlike their cousins to the west, the Red Wolves remain a force of terror in Miranda. They have denied their past history, when they were honorable warriors, instead they embrace the violence and blood-fury that rages in their hearts.

Bloodwolf was one of the most powerful orcish war leaders in the Western Realms when Carthia was conquered by Turan and the surviving carthins driven west over the mountains. While many of the other war leaders took this opportunity to harass the Carthins as they fled over the mountains, Bloodwolf allowed them safe passage through the lands he controlled.

The Red Wolves claim the entire Anor Mountain range, which they called The Gray Bones. However, in reality they only control the southern half. Various Turanian outcasts, ogres, goblins, and a few troll conclaves control the northern half; however, none of these groups could work together to defend their territory.

The Red Wolves have attacked north several times; however, each time the Turanians have sent their most elite mountain warriors to turn their invasion aside. The Turanians know that if the Red Wolves get a foothold in the north, the southern trade route will be closed. Ranork began his rule demanding that the trade routes be closed, choking off Turan from outside assistance. Then the Red Wolves can easily conquer their lands.

This rocky outcropping resembles a skull when looked at in the dawn’s light from the western entrance of Mazimbi’s Gap (Southern Trade Route). The Red Wolves have slowly hollowed out the area around the rocks and use it to watch the caravans entering the gap. Through a complex series of tunnels those stationed in the skull can send a runner to alert the hidden garrison.

Like a giant military encampment, each person is expected to have a great deal of loyalty to the people in their unit and their commander. In the same manner, the commander is responsible for their people; therefore, any hint of a coup will result in the death of the commanders involved.

This is the person at the top of the heap in Red Wolf society. They represent the top commander of all the entire military, which includes anyone not a slave. Unlike rules of other nations, the Supreme Overlord answers to nobody including the people they rule. However, there is a military council that advises the Supreme Overlord, since no one person could manage the entire society without loyal seconds.

Even in the Red Wolf society there are those who are not part of the military structure. These slaves are typically prisoners that may prove valuable, or those former warriors that failed in their task. Typically failure results in death, but if someone high enough in rank uses their influence they can commune death to slavery.

A slave can have a chance to become a member of society. Any slave earning an accommodation from a commander will move from slave to trooper, the lowest soldier. This gives the full rights and privileges of any member of the Red Wolves.

The Red Wolves are a hodge-podge of several clans and races all held together by the iron fist of the orcs and their overlord. To hold their position the overlord must consistently blood his troops in battle and fill their hands with loot. Otherwise, an overlord may find a rebellion on their hands.

Main Article: Carthia

The Red Wolves have some calvary; although it tends to be goblins mounted on sturdy war rams which cannot keep pace with Carthin horses. When the Red Wolves attacked west, striking for the Irillian heart — they sent a large number of their troops into Carthin. After a five-month campaign, less then one in ten warriors returned.

The Red Wolves treat the Carthins in the way a master treats a loyal dog that has bitten him. They believe the Carthins are weak, with little will for battle. They ride around on their horses, attacking from a distance. The cowards will fall to orc blades once the zeti and wyvern have been harnessed as war mounts.

Main Article: Kith

Probably the least likely to be attacked by the Red Wolves. In order to reach the kithkin, the Red Wolves must journey around the north of the Shifting Sands, where any army will get attacked by the Turanian gate garrison and Carthins. Only then can they swing south to attack the kithkin.

However, regardless of the difficulty in attacking this has happened several times. The Red Wolves consider the kithkin consummate warriors that understand the need to give ground in order to counterattack. Their ability to stalk any that move through their lands completely undetected will bring great honors to anyone that successfully attacks them. In addition, one of the strongest trophies is the possession of a kithkin hide.

Main Article: Kresh

The Red Wolves consider the Kreshites to be weak, they study for battle but refuse to fight. At first the Red Wolves tortured any Kreshites they captured, seeking their secrets of battle. When the priests would prefer to die rather than teach them the way of battle, the overlord spent several years slowly killing any priests he found for pleasure.

However, this hatred has subsided over time as the priest gave little enjoyment while they were slowly killed. Now, the Red Wolves just ignore the priests — even those strong enough to travel among their lands. Some Kreshites have even fought for the Red Wolves when it suited them, this could be why there are orders to stop killing the priests.

Main Article: Sithara

Although the Shoag have the same home ground advantage as the kithkin, the Red Wolveshave more success attacking their territory. This stems from the fact that theshoag must defend their hatcheries from the Red Wolves, who prefer to use their eggs in food and drink. The Red Wolves have also conquered several tribes of trolls and swamp goblins that help them survive the deadly swamps and wetlands.

While a shoag skin is not as great of a trophy as a kithkin, there is still much power to be gained by single-handedly defeating a shoag. The lumbering brutes mayseem awkward and clumsy, the exact opposite is true. They are surprisingly fast on land and the masters of the low waters, many Red Wolves have been killed without their companions less than two meters away knowing it.

Main Article: Turan

The Red Wolves hate the Turanians as no other nation. The Turanian military and magicians have turned back every attempt to seize the gap and command the southern trade route. Twice the military has sent their elite mountain troopers into Red Wolf territory to destroy critical areas, once they even assassinated the overlord.

When the Red Wolves attacked Turan in revenge they were routed from the field during the Battle of Salt Flats after three days of fighting. The Turanian racist and xenophobic attitudes make it impossible to slip covert troops behind their battle lines. The few Turanian humans that have allied with the Red Wolves are too valuable to waste on suicide missions. This is a war with no quarter asked or given — only death or victory.

Everyone that is a part of society is a member of the military. As such, they are expected to be a skilled warrior in addition to their other tasks in society. A small group of people are called a squad and controlled by a sergeant. Several squads are a platoon and ruled by a captain. This continues up the chain of command to the Supreme Overlord.

Any failure or slight represents a blemish on those of your squad and a failure up the entire chain to the Supreme Overlord. Therefore, any mistake is a personal slight of the nation’s ruler, which they typically take very seriously. This makes sure that everyone is focused to accomplish their tasks, as studied during their training, and if something goes wrong who is the proper person to blame.

The military is the society, anyone not in the military is a slave — there is no other option. The military controls all aspects of Red Wolf. Free members of society have a rank in their unit. Members of higher rank are afforded more privilege to offset their higher responsibility. The ranks, progressing from high to low are Supreme Overlord, Marshall, Commander, Captain, Sergeant, and Trooper. Like all military structures there is only one Supreme Overlord, but thousands of troopers.

From birth free members of society are taught loyalty to their unit and chain of command. This is what holds all of the disparate societies together under one ruler. However, an individual may challenge the right of their direct superior to command their unit — in this case leadership is typically determined by trial of combat. However it is treason, which is punishable by death, to talk others into leading a coup against a leader.

Unlike the various specialty units, the orders cross all unit boundaries. The creation of the various orders was enacted by Ungar when he as Supreme Overlord. The orders have their own entrance requirements, with the most elite orders being the most restricted. However, since they cross unit boundaries they bind individuals together regardless of their station.

Most of the orders were created for those that have received certain commendations or have preformed nearly impossible tasks. Acts of extreme patriotism or heroism can bring membership to one of the more restricted orders. This gives someone loyalty to both their unit commanders and their order, which makes entire units attempting a coup very difficult — as any unit large enough to stage a successful coup will have members from many different orders.

Comprised of almost exclusively ogres, the Black Shields are considered one of the most elite units of the Red Wolves. Heavily armed and armored, they are expected to break the back of any opposition — which is told no better than their creed, “The hammer of god strikes no harder.” Among the common troopers they say the first thing a Black Shield learns is the swagger; however, this is the result of awe not disrespect, as no trooper would turn down an invitation to join them.

The Night Hunters is the only elite unit, with the exception of the calvary, to field only goblins. The Night Hunters are used for night infiltration into enemy encampments and fortifications. The goblins exceptional senses and natural camouflage make finding them difficult to all but the most trained soldier. The only weakness of the unit is one of discipline as the goblins often discard their plans when something more interesting crosses their path.

The economy is completely under the control of the military state. Troopers are fed, clothed, and housed according to their rank and unit they belong to. A trooper with additional decorations and accommodations can often gain more perks that is normally allotted to their rank.

The economy survives on three basic premises. Each trooper is kept well fed and maintained so that little spending money is needed. All non-military products from the mines can be sold to passing caravans. Any caravan foolish enough to cheat the Red Wolves, which often is seen as refusing to do business with their slaves, will be attacked and looted — which bring the same results.

The job of a privileged slave is to work in the mines. The Red Wolves occupy much of the Anor Mountains, which is rich in minerals, ores, and gemstones. Since no trooper would ever take on the position of merchant, the slaves are responsible for selling the extra ore to the caravans travelling through the gap. They are watched over by those units that failed to please their commanding officer.

The military has several years of the most military-valued ores buried around the lands in hidden stashes. These are only kept in case of an outside invasion closes access to the best mines, the Red Wolves will not be crippled.

Most of the population is from the various orc societies that joined under the banner of Red Wolf when they attacked the putrid elves. Red Wolf was a great leader, who personally slew the entire noble guard and killed the noble family before finally succumbing to their foul magic.'

The belief that there is something bigger or more important than service to society is banned by the Red Wolves. They tolerate the Kreshites because they speak of the inherent power of all people and the responsibility of the individual to better society. While the commanders twist the word around for their own benefit, the Kreshites have never corrected them.

Like all tools of warfare the Red Wolves seek to master the magical arts. Any free person born with the knack of using magic will be placed into a unit for the perfection of magic. This allows the Red Wolves to maximize their learning efforts.

All of those practicing magic are part of the same army unit and report to a single Marshall. The various units are dedicated to the arts specific to accomplishing their battlefield tasks. Some are direct support, communications, healing, siege, and foresight.

There is probably not a single nation that has so closely tied their magicians to their military. While the magician units are often seen as one of the most elite within the Red Wolves, there have been several mistakes made that create some friction between the magicians and regular units. This has given rise to the love-hate relationship that exists between the regular units and magician units.

Many would call the Red Wolves as lacking any form of culture, but there is actually a more complex underpinning to the patchwork of races. It is a rough society where might makes right and loyalty to one’s superiors is more important than loyalty to any national concept.

Located on the most northern border of the area the Red Wolves control, this fortress nearly overlooks the gap through the mountains used by the southern trade route. Several times the Red Wolves have tried to sally forth an invasion of the north from this fortress, but the land can support as many troops as they need to be near the front.

Currently, it has the reputation of a deathwatch. It is told that the only way you get transferred out of this fortress is when you body is transported back to your family. The commander usually makes a couple of efforts each year to intercept caravans, but he can’t do much more than that.

The orcs don’t know who built this city, but “he who finds it gets to keep” has long been an orcish saying. Made from blocks of granite so heavy it takes several ogres to lift a single one, this city appears several thousand years old. The city itself seems patterned upon a great circle, with a huge obelisk in the center. Around the obelisk are various troughs stained permanently black-red with blood.

This is the center of the orcs power. The city itself is impenetrable to an outside invasion. Solidly set atop a plateau with a good supply of water and food inside the city. The sally doors are cleverly hidden and easily operated by a single chain and winch system.

About eighty percent of the people here are orc, with the rest being a mix of ogre, human, goblin, and a host of other races. However, they all have two things in common: A lust for gold, and desire for battle.

The only fortress located near the lowlands of both Sithara and Turan. Located on the point where the three nations mark their borders, this city sees a major battle at least once every year; however, it has never fallen out of orcish hands. The best warriors of the Red Wolves and their mercenaries are housed in the fortress and it’s their lives if they must retreat. However, for every enemy killed they collect a heft bounty.