Norodaj and the Sea Dragons

old winds and endless rain muted the joyful voices of my company as we battled against the elements. One had to wonder what delicious spices, valuable draperies or precious jewellery drove the merchantmen of my company so far north but without doubt they knew exactly how to make a profit. As we huddled around the campfire that night in the bitter cold only another tale of these forlorn lands from the Master lifted our spirits.

Crossing the mountains to the icy north, the Waraxe and Howling Wolf clans encountered the Norodaj. After unfathomable elves and vanishing dwarves, these rough sea folk dressed in furs and leathers, wielding axes and spears seemed more familiar to the orcen kind. They fought and screamed and died like they should and the orcs moved along the coast plundering and burning villages with growing confidence.

Word spread of their destruction and a number of Norodaj clans assembled further along the coast on a chain of islands that encircled a beautiful bay. Undeterred the orcs plundered the shores, tossing burning wreckage and unfortunate captives into the waters as they goaded the silent Norodaj fishermen watching from the islands. So embroiled by their lust for blood and destruction the orcs failed to notice their lack of terror with man, woman and child looking on stoically, almost expectantly.

It was not by chance the Norodaj had chosen this particular bay for refuge. Little did the orcs know, these tranquil waters and rich fishing grounds were not only home to these few human clans. For many years now the Norodaj humans and lizardmen in these parts had lived in harmony. With their shared reverence for Tanora they had declared the bay to be holy waters.

Beneath the tranquil waters yellow eyes watched as they patiently awaited their orders. Without warning, fearsome lizardmen leapt from the water, roaring cries of “Glory to the Goddess!” as they slew many of the orcs where they stood. The bay was the entrance to a vast underwater temple dedicated to their goddess Zelphia and the temple guards were unforgiving towards the blasphemous orcs that had desecrated the holy waters they defended. Their scales glistening with water and crests raised, the armoured warriors were a formidable sight never before encountered by the orcs. Terrorised, the few surviving orcs fled with horrific tales of roaring sea dragons that reared from the waters.