The best soil

"Bloody 'ell, she's got a brass skillet!" Nanny Fisher exclaimed in admiration of the young Marcher's salmon leap to drive the ball through the defending Marcher and into the open goal beyond. Big Harry Bounder had been large enough to touch the rafters in his ma's house when he was barely thirteen and that was before five years ranging the borders of Mitwold had given him the stamina, and the build of an ox. People didn't just try and leap through Big Harry Bounder, not if you knew what was good for ya. And there he was laying in the mud, flat on his back, with a look on his face like he was surprised a pidgeon had made a nest on his head.

"She caught him by surprise is all!" protested Robin Friar defensively. Robin's wife was Harry's uncle's sister and the monk was clearly not best pleased to see family kissing the mud. At least she hoped it was that. One of the team ran over to help Harry back to his feet, while two others remonstrated with him for letting the other side score.

"Caught him bloody napping more like" laughed Nanny, amused by the stiff-necked response. "Point is, it took some bottle that did. Ran straight at him, I thought sure she was going slip past, not kick the bloody door in! Best goal I've seen for months I reckon."

Robin Friar frowned slightly... but then a moment later he cast a conspiratorial grin at Nanny Fisher. "Fair play. Paragons save us, but she's faster than the wind and twice as powerful. Reckon you might be right and all."

The Chalkdown Navigators were gathered round their new star player Proudly celebrating their first ever win. Two of them grabbed the girl and hoisted their hero proudly into the air, bearing her aloft on their shoulders. "Chalk Down! Chalk Down!" came the celebratory shouts as they carried the orc away.

Marchers - human and orc alike - enjoy violent physical team sports to a degree other nations find a little offputting.

Overview

For some time now the Marchers have been marching steadily towards embracing the Mournwold Orcs, the former Jotun thralls who still occupy some of the best land in the territory. There were clear similarities between them and their neighbours: a shared appreciation of a hard day's graft, a deep-seated love of the land, a refusal to put on airs and graces. There were problems however, deep theological problems. The Mournwold Orcs believe they reincarnate which flatly contradicts Doctrine (although, admittedly, slightly less than it used to). Attempts to resolve this problem made no progress, but at the recent summit, the priests of the Marcher Assembly crossed the rubicon and said to hell with it - these people are Marcher - we'll deal with Doctrine later.

It is timely moment to grasp the nettle, for the Imperial Synod chose that summit to confirm a major change of doctrine. The new Doctrine of Enlightenment has removed one of the many barriers keeping orcs from joining Imperial nations. It has further smoothed the transition of the Apulian orcs from being Grendel to being part of the League. It has removed another barrier between the Great Forest Orcs who established steadings in Miaren and Hercynia and their Navarr neighbours. And more than anything it has had a profound impact on the orcs in the Marches - especially the removal of the previous statement that "only humans reincarnate".

Those orcs who once were thralls of the Jotun are Marchers. They've been patient, and we won't keep them waiting while the rest of the Empire argues about what we know to be true. We send Sister Meredith with the egregore Jack to welcome them into our nation, and we will look to the paperwork later.

Mel Bleak, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: greater Majority (264-0)

The Mourn Orcs are Marchers, there is no doubt of this and denying such is false. Further, the matter of Orc souls should be left to Orcs. We encourage the Humans of the Empire to give our new siblings time while we guide them in the ways of the Abyss and Ancestors. Let us have these conversations of our souls together. We encourage the Marchers to ad us in finding proof and understanding their new citizens.

Bloodcrow Knott, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority (78-0)

The pursuit of virtue supersedes doctrine and the Law. If the Mournwold Orcs are willing to commit to living the life that they are living to the full extent of virtue and greatness, this assembly will welcome and defend them.

Sister Meredith, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority (264-0)

Marcher Orcs

• Mournwold Orcs are joining the Marches as citizens

It's been a long time coming. During the Autumn Equinox, Mel Bleak of the Mournwold proposed a mandate that would see the former Jotun thralls become Marchers. Sister Meredith went out with the egregore to begin bringing the first orcs into the Marches. And, as the judgement wryly says, “ we will look to the paperwork later.” Both priests are known to and respected by the Mournwold Orcs; Mel's words and Meredith's presence are warmly greeted and the two will never want for a pie or a pint of beer anywhere there are Marcher Orcs for the foreseeable future.

And there will be paperwork. The Marcher Orcs reject the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss, and many question the Doctrine of the Ancestors. They reject any suggestion they do not reincarnate as long as they do not take up weapons. They continue to celebrate their heritage, but marry it to the same stubborn work ethic, love of tradition, and appreciation for violent team sports that their human neighbours already enjoy.

There's resistance in some parts of the nation, human nature being what it is. But the spectre of hatred embodied by the folk of Whittle no longer hangs over the nation. The hard work of humans and orcs alike has convinced many of those who might have been on the fence that these orcs are more like them than they aren't. And the Doctrine of Enlightenment is clear that both humans and orcs can come together, embrace virtue, and forge a brighter future than anything dreamt of in Human Destiny.

All that's required for the Marcher orcs to prosper is for the Imperial Synod to let them get on with it. The disavowal of Human Destiny shows that the Way can change to meet the challenges of the future, and the Marcher Orcs are confident that in time the Way will find a path to reconcile their firmly held beliefs with those of the Imperial Orcs. As long as nobody starts anything, there won't be anything as the Marcher proverb has it.

The Mournwold orcs are not all joining the Marches overnight, and it's likely that some of them never will. They're just too set in their old Jotun ways. To be fair though, most who felt like that left earlier in the year. Those who remain are the ones who want to be part of the Marches. The Marcher egregores report that among those who are taking the step of seeking to bond with them, almost all are proving successful. But it will still take time to fully integrate the orcs. For the moment the overwhelming majority of them remain in the Mournwold, but there are already some seeking new homes and fresh opportunities in Mitwold, Upwold, and even (very cautiously) Bregasland.

We encourage the Marchers and the Mournwold Orcs to enter into debate and discussion around our shared beliefs and where those beliefs differ. We urge the Marchers to show understanding and lenience as they guide the Mournwold orcs on their journey to understanding the Way. As called for in statement 191 give them time.

Darian Numbers, Assembly of Nine, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority (8-0) with Primacy

Nightsoil in the Fields

• The Marcher Orcs are heretics

The field is not entirely free of stones of course. The Marcher Orcs are heretics. They believe that they reincarnate - that belief is absolutely central to their entire way of life. They won't give that belief up, it would tear them apart to do so. Hap the Soft said during the meeting at Golden Hoof farm last summit that the visit by the Marchers and Imperial Orcs who urged the Mournwold Orcs to join the nation was the kind of event a future human might one day see in a true liao vision. But the possibility remains that this goes wrong - everyone hopes this is the moment that marks the peaceful union of former thralls with their human neighbours... but the risk remains that it could be a monumental moment because it signs the death warrants of thousands of orcs.

Both the Marchers and the Imperial Orcs have vowed to support the former thralls, to find a way to reconcile their faith with the Way. It would now need a clear statement with a greater majority in the General Assembly or the Assembly of Nine to destroy what has been built over the last few years... A statement of that significance that denounced the Marcher Orcs, or demands that they abandon their ways, has the potential to be the first stone that drowns the Marches in an avalanche of blood and horror. Not because the orcs will fight, but because they won't – but their neighbours might.

As long as everyone stays calm, and open to the possibilities, and nobody calls in the magistrates to investigate the entire Marches for heresy, everything will be fine. The Marcher Assembly could pass the following mandate, just in case anyone does try something that foolish.

We meant what we said, the pursuit of virtue supersedes doctrine and the law. The life of the Mournwold Orcs is one of Virtue and this assembly welcome them to the Marches. We send (named priest) with 50 doses of liao to make sure the Marches know what's what. We will defend our cousins against any who might attack them.

Synod Mandate, Marches National Assembly

By passing this Mandate the Marcher Assembly makes it clear that they embrace the Marcher Orcs even though they are at odds with doctrine and that it doesn't matter as long as they are sincere in their embrace of virtue. It would do nothing in the short term, but in the future if anyone tried to denounce the Marcher Orcs as heretics, the people of the Marches would fight hard to protect them.

The Marchers are not the only nation that could take a stance in support of the Mournwold Orcs. The Imperial Orc Assembly can pass the following mandate.

The matter of orc souls should be left to orcs. We send {named priest} with 25 doses of liao to let Imperial Orcs know that the Mourn Orcs are Marchers. We demand the humans of the Empire give our new siblings time while we offer them guidance in the ways of the Abyss and Ancestors.

Synod Mandate, Imperial Orcs National Assembly

If this mandate is passed, the Imperial Orcs Assembly makes it clear that on matters of orc souls, their human peers should defer to them. It acknowledges that the Marcher Orcs have different beliefs to the Imperial Orcs, but commits to trying to find a middle ground. In the short term, Imperial Orcs preachers will visit the Mournwold orcs to debate and discuss their shared understanding of virtue, and their differing stance on what happens after one dies. In the long term, if anyone tries to denounce the Marcher orcs as heretics, the Imperial Orcs would step in.

There's not much chance the Marcher Orcs will give up their belief in reincarnation, for all the reasons already mentioned. Doing that would require accepting that millions of their ancestors were mistaken, and passed on those mistakes to their children, and have been devoured by the Howling Abyss. These orcs know their belief is correct, and won't abandon it in the foreseeable future no matter how many preachers or friars come to debate the Howling Abyss with them. What they will do is embrace the virtues as enthusiastically as any other Marcher, strive to live their lives to the full, take Pride in small things, and be Loyal to great things.

The reward for a good job is more work.

Marcher Proverb

The Black Canal

• The Black Canal is nearing completion, but still requires 3 crowns, 20 weirwood and 22 white granite to complete
• The project has helped to shift views across the Marchers, with many speaking positively of the Mournwold orcs work ethic

One factor that has done much to shift the wider Marcher opinion of the Mournwold Orcs was their shared work on the Black Canal. Having orcs from the Mournwold working side-by-side alongside the Marchers gave both a chance to appreciate each others company. The best way to mend fences is to put them back up together as the old Marcher proverb has it. People were sceptical at first, but the orcs soon won them round with their impressive work ethic, every bit the equal of a hard-working Marcher navvy. One sure sign that people are being won over is the way folk eventually stop referring to them as the Jotun thralls, and start calling them the Mournwold Orcs. And it's not that long after that someone just says refers to them as Marcher Orcs...

Black Canal

Commission Type:Great Work

Location: River Meade (Mitwold and Mournwold)

Cost: 20 weirwood, 22 white granite and 3 Crowns to complete

Effects: Raises level of investment in farms in Mitwold by 1, in businesses in Mitwold and Mournwold by 1 and in mines in Mournwold by 2

It's also given the orcs themselves a broader perspective, allowing them to see more of the Marches than would otherwise have been possible. They're especially keen on foot-the-ball, provided there's no weapons involved, and while they haven't won any matches yet, the Chalkdown Navigators are starting to put up an impressive showing. They take a particular interest in farming, they are clearly impressed by the scale and industry of the biggest farms in Mitwold, and eager to learn as much as they can. Farming has been the only life they have ever know, but it's never been respected by the Jotun the way it is by the Marchers, never lauded or studied the way Marchers do. The orcs are eager students, lapping up whatever new ideas and techniques, Marcher yeofolk will share, happily exchanging a lesson in how to create a land-drain in exchange for a day's hard graft digging it. A few express an interest in settling in Mitwold, it's a rich fertile land, more productive even than the Mournwold, and the thought of farming it clearly appeals to the more outgoing among them.

Some would say the Black Canal has already served it's purpose, forging a common bond between the Marchers, orcs and humans alike. Others point out that it a lot of time and money has been sunk into this great project and it would be daft not to finish it now. There's still a lot of material needed to complete it however - 20 weirwood, 22 white granite and 3 crowns in all are still outstanding. Once that's provided for then the work will be quickly completed and the benefits will start to flow.

Sword and shears both cut alike.

Marcher Proverb

The Fruit of the Tree

• The Marcher nation could raise a fifth army

When the Marchers liberated the Mournwold from Jotun shackles, the presence of the former thralls, who controlled much of the best farmland and mining (and still do) meant that the nation could not fully exploit the wealth of the territory. Not without clearing the old woodlands at Alderly at any rate.

Now that the orcs are becoming Marchers, that is no longer the case. The Marcher Orcs will be as enthusiastic about a fifth army as anyone else. After all, they may personally refuse to pick up a weapon, but they are not pacifists in a general sense – and their former Jotun traditions make a virtue of supporting the armies that protect them and allow them to live prosperous lives. Now that they are increasingly embracing the Marchers, the orcs are more keen than ever to ensure that they do their bit to protect the nation. They know well what will happen to them if the Jotun ever return.

The situation in Bregasland means that a fifth Marcher army could be a risk. If that situation degenerated further, if the territory went into open rebellion, then the Marchers wouldn't have the means to support five armies and would suffer accordingly. Fortunately the nation has the breadbasket, which could mitigate some of the impact of that. Provided the Marchers don't lose control of a territory for any reason they should have no problems supporting five armies.

This might not be the best time politically to raise a new army, but it would certainly capture the triumphant mood in the Mournwold. While the Marcher Orcs won't fight in army for obvious reasons, the Marchers could call on them to join the new army bringing their long experience supporting others and their skills as quartermasters, healers, apothecaries, physicks, and other support roles that don't require them to lift a weapon. As time goes by that will change, though. Every generation contains some orcs ready to risk their soul and take their chance to cross the Abyss, to fight like their warrior-ancestors urge them to fight. Now that they can become citizens of the Marches they can join the Marcher armies and give the Jotun a damn good kicking.

Alternatively there are more than a few Mournwold miners who could be persuaded to take the Imperial crown for a few years. They'd need some training to form the core of a good army, but most of them are as strong as an ox, not afraid of hard work and experienced working with engineers. Those are all skills an army could make use of.

Or the Marchers could look elsewhere to find the people who could form a new army. There is time to get this right - with the Mournwold finally united, and all the people pulling in the same direction at last, this is one opportunity that isn't going anywhere.

Marcher Orcs in Play

It is still not currently possible to play a Marcher Orc as your player character, or for existing orc characters to join the Marches.

Further Reading

• Mournwold Orcs
• TBC - 385YE Winter Wind of Fortune discussing the Doctrine of Enlightenment