Imperial Orcs territories
Though they control no territories, the Imperial Orcs are legally considered the tenth nation of the Empire. Some critics claim that the Imperial Orcs cannot be considered on par with real nations because they do not possess lands of their own but Imperial magistrates have repeatedly confirmed that any newly conquered territory could be assigned to the Imperial Orcs.
The problem for the Imperial Orcs is that the assignment of newly conquered territories is determined by vote of the Imperial Senate, but with no lands they possess no senators and hence no votes in the Senate. This problem is compounded by the other nations' focus on reclaiming territories that were once part of their own lands; there is little chance they would be able to claim Holberg or Skarsind even if they wanted them. To gain lands of their own, the Imperial Orcs must look to the lands controlled by the barbarians that have never been part of the Empire.
The Imperial Orcs strongly supported Empress Britta, and fought in all her campaigns. She promised them her support in gaining lands for themselves if her campaign of expansion was successful, but with her death that promise remained unfulfilled.
The Plan
After the orcs agreed to join the Empire, the first problem that had to be addressed was where they would live. The human nations that had formed or joined the Empire held lands of their own. Territories that were liberated from the barbarians were incorporated into existing nations. But as slaves, the orcs claimed no lands of their own and no Imperial senators, not even the Freeborn were keen to offer the Imperial Orcs a home within their borders. To resolve the problem the representatives of the orcs proposed a simple plan - the orcs would become a nation without territories, claiming no land of their own until they could conquer one following Imperial statute. This proposal relieved the fears of many senators and helped to win the support of the League, although it was heavily criticized by the Highborn.
Although decades have passed without any new territories being added to the Empire, the agreement still forms the basis for what most Imperial Orcs refer to simply as the "Plan". Help the Empire conquer new lands and have the senate assign them to the Imperial Orc nation so that they will have a homeland of their own. Most Imperial Orcs are not naive about the obvious military, political and historical difficulties that must be overcome to achieve their plan, but many believe that their journey to full citizenship in the Empire will not be complete until they do so. As a result the leaders of the Imperial Orcs and the legions themselves make a deliberate effort to keep the orcs together as a people, enduring the hard life in the legion camps as a sacrifice that must be made to achieve their ultimate goal. Individuals who settle down in other nations are seen as undermining the moral imperative for the Imperial Orcs to be given lands of their own and are regarded with open hostility by many.