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About
Stronghold is the recurring faction that appear in all Heroes series in exception of Heroes V in which they went on as expansion race.
Stronghold on Heroes VI was the later announced race as 4th faction. Their announcement was a bit of controversial since the 4th faction was supposed to be returning faction while the 5th faction was entirely new faction during the first 3 announcement by developer, the 4th announced faction turned out to be Stronghold meant that they left Dungeon and Sylvan in vanilla which the first time in the history of Heroes series.
Nomadic barbarian tribes, the Orcs are the scattered but proud survivors of a long persecution. They are strong, if straightforward, warriors and shamans with access to only certain types of magic – essentially either “blood magic”, which is chaotic in nature and linked to their demonic origins, or simple shamanistic spells.
Vital Statistics
Associated colours: blood red and brown.
Symbols: A bloody red hand, various abstract patterns that represent Father Sky and Mother Earth. A bright red stylized jaguar’s skull.
Worship: “Mother Earth” and “Father Sky”
Core philosophy: “Never again”. This is our home. Your kind is not welcome here. We have made this place our own. No one shall take it from us, and no one shall ever tell us what to do again.
Country / kingdom: The Pao islands (an archipelago in the Jade Sea)
Capital city: Taumata-Kunyak
Lore
“We walk our own path, alone”
Nomadic barbarian tribes, the Orcs are the scattered but proud survivors of a long persecution. During the First Eclipse, the wizards of the Seven Cities experimented with forbidden magic. By injecting demon blood into human criminals, they created a “mutant” race of shock-troopers: the Orcs. Half-brothers to the Demons, the Orcs were trained from birth to become their ultimate Nemesis. They would eventually defeat the Demons and push them back within their prison-world. They were rewarded for their tremendous acts of courage appropriately. The peoples of Ashan decided to make them… slaves.
At the time of the Second Eclipse, the Orcs have gained their freedom but there are still those who prefer them in chains. Orcs are strong warriors and shamans with access to only certain types of magic - essentially either “blood magic”, which is chaotic in nature and linked to their demonic origins, or simple shamanistic spells.
Worship
The Orcs have no god. The Orcs need no god. This being said, their Shamans pay homage to “Mother Earth” and “Father Sky”, two powerful spirits they meet when they travel into the “Dream World”. Sages of other factions have compared these spirits to the “Life” and “Death” aspects of Asha.
Social Organisation
Orcs have a tribal organization. Each family group has its own herd or hunting grounds, and either follows the herd or changes the hunting grounds with the season. Each clan also has a chieftain and a shaman, who handle the physical and spiritual needs of the tribe. Marriages between tribes are common; so are short, sharp conflicts growing out of raids, real or perceived slights to honor, or disputes over prey. If there is any threat to the Orcs as a whole, however, such quarrels are quickly forgotten and any invaders face a unified front.
Architecture
The Island Orcs are less nomadic than their Steppe or Desert brethren are. They tend to build more “permanent” habitats on the ancient Shantiri ruins that cover the Pao islands. Mostly makeshift huts and troglodyte villages, with a predominance of scavenged materials, like bones, wood, and hide.
Magic
Because they are a “created race”, Orcs do not belong to Asha’s natural order. Thus, they have no connection to the Dragon Gods. As they were created then enslaved by the Wizards, they have nothing but hatred for Arcane magic. However, their demon blood grants them access to a limited form of Chaos magic.
Orc Shamans use blood rituals, sometimes involving the sacrifice of weak Orcs or Goblins, to focus and empower their “magic”.
Recent Events
It's been almost a century since the Orcs broke their chains, led by Kunyak the Liberator. Yet, their new-found freedom is still fragile and the greatest danger may actually come from within. Since the death of Kunyak, the Orc nation has lost its unity and is now divided into countless small tribes scattered on the Pao islands.
Since the death of Kunyak, the Orc nation has lost its unity and is now divided into countless small tribes scattered on the Pao islands.
The tribes are fighting each other, and some unscrupulous Orc chieftains are not above selling their own kind (defeated enemies but also “weak” members of their society) as slaves in exchange for power and fortune…
Stronghold warfare: “Rush now, think later!”
Orcs were created as shock troops to fight Demons, and their tactics reflect this. Lightly armored and heavily armed, they rush straight at the enemy, counting on their numbers, speed, ferocity and toughness to break the lines of the opposing army without suffering too many casualties. Due to their origins, Orcs are naturally resistant to magic and especially to magic wielded by Demons (fire, possession, illusions…).
Military strengths
Frontload damage, high mobility, magic-proof.
Military weaknesses
Poor support abilities, tactically limited.