Blackbloods

All Blackbloods descend from the original Orgundi that were created by Danshi to protect the True Elves during the Firstborn War. In terms of sheer numbers Blackbloods make up the largest percentage of the sapient population on Miranda; although humans outnumber any of the individual species.

The Orgundi' were created in during the Firstborn War upon the request of Mardac to look over Ellowyn's people while she was gone. Unbeknownst to Mardac they were created by torturing True Elves Danshi had captured until only rage remained. She then put a spell on them that mask their truth until a Red Moon shone over the land. When they went berserk the Orgundi nearly destroyed all of the elves left on Miranda. It would take Mardac over a hundred years to even reach a stalemate in their battle. Several hundred more years until they could push them back.

Mardac and his Dark Elves drove the Orgundi back until they could only hide in the most remote lands. For a thousand years they hunted the orcus, killing any they found. The elves attempted to kill all of them, but could never find them all. Danshi was replenishing their ranks. When the elves eventually turned on themselves the Orgundi' were diminished, but not extinguished.

When the Sha'rek'ta took their first steps the descendants of the Orgundi fought them off. The Sha'rek'ta wielded powerful magic they pulled from the earth, but the Orgundi were greater in number and ferocity. Unlike any other race during the Age of the Ancients the Orgundi were not diminished.

During the Age of Legends the Orgundi split into two evolutionary paths, the Goblinoid and Orcus. The Orcus retained most of the strong physical characteristics of the Orgundi, but with a far diminished rage. The goblinoids were shorter and squat with overly long arms and large bodies atop short legs. The Orgundi died out.

During the Dark Age the first appearances of the Draconic bloodline appeared. Most scholars attribute these creatures to goblinoids changed by powerful dragon magic or the Heart of Mir.

The Return of the Gods saw the last of the evolutionary splits among the original Orgundi. The first appearances of the Bugbear and the Hobgoblin.

This branch is the least changed from the Orgundi in physical form and nature. All orcus species still retain the blood rage, but to a far lesser degree. Capable of great feats of strength when taken by the rage the orcus are not the nearly unstoppable juggernauts of their ancestors.

The most numerous of the orcus, Orcs have evolved and spread across the world. As clever as humans if not as intelligent, several orc cultures have arisen from the ashes of their ancestors. As all orcus they retained the tusks protruding from their lower jaw; although smaller than the Bugbear.

Bugbear are shaggy haired and larger than their kin, typically standing over seven feet tall (200+ cm) and thick-muscled. Bugbears are typically found only in colder environments where their ancestors hid from the elves who hunted them.

The most numerous of the dependents of the Orgundi in terms of sheer numbers. They are the second most numerous sapient species on the planet - and until the Age of Empires were the most numerous. Far smaller in stature than their predecessors, goblinoids have squat legs, oversized arms, and larger chests for their bodies. Their heads are more squat and wide than humans and in general their hair more prominent and wiry. They still have the tusks, although far smaller than any of the orcus.

The smallest and most numerous of the goblinoids. The goblin's squat legs and long arms allow them to knuckle-walking if they wish, but most walk upright most of the time. Their long fingers give them an excellent grip on objects far heavier or unwieldy to others - it also makes them superior climbers.

A mating between an Orc and Goblin results in a Hobgoblin. Hobgoblins pack the physicality and rage of the orcs into a more goblin-like frame.

This branch are incapable of interbreeding with the other branches of the Blackbloods, but descended the Orgundi. It is widely believed that the Sha'rek'ta took some surviving Orgundi and experimented on them sometime during the height of their power.

The Kobold only surviving species of the Sha'rek'ta experiments. They are mid-height with fine scales and a reptilian face, including a long forked tongue, heat pits, and double-lidded eyes. Unlike any other Blackblood, Kobolds go through three distinct phases of their life. These stages revolve around the awakening of their “dragon magic” (second stage) and their transition to a wyvern-like creature (third stage).

• blackbloods