Verses of Martok (VG)
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Part One
Verse One
Long ago, there were many tribes of orcs and goblins on the continent of Kojan. A great upheaval struck Telon and destroyed much of Kojan, leaving only a few islands of survivors. Before the upheaval, all tribes were in constant war to win the favor of Ghalnn the Souldrinker and possess his terrestrial avatar, the greataxe Harvester.
For centuries after the cataclysm the tribes invaded each other's lands, trading control of Harvester. Eventually, only two tribes remained: the Martok and the Gulgrethor.
Verse Two
Like all tribe leaders before him, Karujin of the Gulgrethor believed he was the chosen one to possess Harvester. Karujin's first invasion of Martok was a complete failure. Gwarn and the Martok champions destroyed half his force and sent him back to Gulgrethor defeated.
Karujin rebuilt his forces and started making plans for a second invasion. But losing the first war undermined the tribe's confidence in his ability to lead. Several warlords planned to assassinate Karujin and take over Gulgrethor.
Verse Three
Before this rebellion was achieved, legend says Karujin awoke from a particularly sleepless night with a power and presence some Gulgrethor wrongly believe to be the manifestation of Ghalnn. Infused with this new mastery, Karujin slew the dissenters and rallied his army for a second invasion.
The second invasion was different from the first; it was an ambush. Many Martok sages detected deceitful and treacherous magic cast that day, all unknown to any goblin mage and all tactics condemned by Ghalnn.
Part Two
Verse One
Karujin's forces savagely stormed the lands of Martok, killing all in their path. Using deceitful tactics and unnatural magics, Karujin took Martok by surprise. Gwarn was barely aware of the ambush by the time Karujin stormed the fortress gates.
Gwarn gathered his three eldest sons and a few guards to make their stand against the Gulgrethor force. Grakkor was the youngest son of Warcheif Gwarn and was one year from his age of ascension. Gwarn forbade him to join, forcing him to stay behind in safety.
Verse Two
Gwarn and his sons stormed the fortress courtyard. Wielding Harvester in his charge, Gwarn cleaved a half dozen Gulgrethor with each swing. But the Gulgrethor were too many, and bolstered by unnatural magic they proved to be too strong.
The mighty Gwarn fell to the horde. One by one, each son picked up Harvester until each was overcome by the massive army. Karujin stood over the last son, placed his boot onto the chest of the young orc, and pulled Harvester from his death grip.
Verse Three
Grakkor watched the horrific slaughter from the window of the highest tower in the inner keep. Realizing that there was nothing he could do now, he led his family through the secret tunnels of the fortress to seek refuge in the dangerous enchanted forests.
The few Martok survivors that escaped the chaos were scattered throughout the island, most of them alone and unprotected. Knowing that none of them would survive on their own, Grakkor realized now his purpose; to rebuild his once great society.
Part Three
Verse One
Grakkor set out for the highest peak to the north to light a beacon where the lost Martok could gather. To reach the peak, he would have to venture through the most dangerous caves known: the Fanx Caverns. The caved were filled with many beasts that most Martok had never seen. Each were ready to make him their next meal.
Grakkor summoned the courage to charge each room with such ferocity that when he reached the exit not a single beast remained alive.
Verse Two
Grakkor climbed the summit and lit the largest fire he could, but it would not be bright enough. Grakkor descended back into the caves where he gathered from every beast anything that he could burn. Taking the various creature parts, he tied them up in some cloth and threw them into the fire.
From all around the island, the brightest beam of light ever seen shot through the thick Martok night. Instinctually, the remaining Martok survivors headed to the beacon until everyone was reunited.
Verse Three
The one question everyone wanted to know the answer to was who lit the beacon. A small party was formed to climb to the top and find any evidence of who the hero was that saved them. When the party reached the charred site of the beacon, there lie Grakkor, dead at the edge of the fire with his sword swill clutched in his hand. The hero had been found.
So important was Grakkor's sacrifice that the Martok trials of ascension were changed to mimic his heroic fight and held in the same caves even today.
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