The Black Ogre
``They might fight, or one of them might die, but Orcs make sure that whatever is going on, it`s going to get settled real quick. And then it`s over``
- http://coskoniotis.deviantart.com -
My first avatar in Morrowind was a Redguard warrior, who I played ` till the end, relishing his prowess in battle despite the clunky combat. Oblivion marked the rise of a Breton battlemage, storming the gates of Daedra planes. For a long time I thought only Bretons have what it takes to make a dragonborn in Skyrim until I used Helgen as testbed for the rest of the powers. Suddenly two handed warriors had more fluidity with a berseker rage.
Next I did some reading here and on UESP on orc lore, stumbling on the theme for this build. I believe the Code of Mauloch is not only a way to live for the orcs, but also a tool to inspire other races to some basic rules of conduct ... taught by example, blood and violence. The avatar is a member of Black Ogre Guild, diplomats (in the orc way of thinking) chosen for their stuborness to respect without failing the tenets of the Code. He is a simple two handed warrior, who charge the enemies using berseker rage and a couple of shouts, but he is not stupid. Mauloch doesn`t like stupid people.
Lore: Code of Mauloch
The Daedric Prince of Outcasts, known under the names of Mauloch, Malacath or Malak, sit in the center of orc worship because of the Code who, albeit unwritten, had kept his people together for thousand of years. The result is a culture of determined warriors who maintain the Orsinium dream alive and rebuilded their ``kingdom`` once more beetwen Skyrim and Hammerfell.
- Malacath Peak by BillNyeThe ScienceGuy at http://www.nexusmods.com -
Backstory
The Black Ogre Guild goal is simple: expand the third Orsinium, located in Western Reach, into a kingdom worthy of their ancestors. The target is, of course, Skyrim where the agent will create fiefdoms (Windstad Manor, Lakeview Manor, Heljarchen Hall), buy houses to establish an orc presence in the cities (Breezehome, Honeyside, Vlindrel Hall, Hjerim, Proudspire Manor), become thane of all holds, establish strong ties with factions that fit his values and defeat strong foes like Alduin, Ulfric Stormcloak, Harkon or Mirrak.
All orcs are born warriors, but not all of them are capable to be faithful to the Code. Black Ogre`s members are, in a sense, zealots because their faith is unshakeable and they do not commit crimes, showing the values of orc life to other races.
Gameplay
The orcs are cunning, relentless, fierce and despise hiding in shadows or behind spells and similar looking shouts. They love to kill fast, overwhelming enemies with ofensive and defensive abilities that complement their berseker rage and straight-to-the-throat tactics. Battle experience taught them the value of simplicity, the need for just a few strategies who can be swaped fast in combat. Because of this Berseker Rage, Elemental Fury, Unrelenting Force, Marked for Death, paralyze poison, one - two followers and a really big warhammer is enough. If nothing works, use Ritual Stone to keep the mob/boss focused on something else, while you hack away.
- Orcs by manzanedo.deviantart.com -
Two – Handed : Strike hard with the meanest looking weapon you can craft or buy and watch Great Critical Charge or Sweep carve through enemies. The Code of Malacath spurn stealing, but not the rewards for a good job, making a lot of good two handed weapons unavailable. For roleplaying I use crafted warhammers, Wuuthrad and Volendrung.
Heavy Armor : Focus on the right tree for extra defense and reflect, badly needed in close combat, after the necesary perks in two-handed.
Smithing : Orcish armor, what else? I`m not a fan of armor design in Skyrim, but this strangely fit the race. On the side note, the Code will make smithing somewhat difficult since the ingots and precious stone need to came from stores and veines, because mines used to belong to someone, even if now are inhabited by Forsworn, bandits or spiders, for example.
Enchanting : While enchanting is a strange skill for a warrior race, the extra effect come in handy to increase combat skills and health/stamina regeneration, after the perks for two-handed, heavy armor and smithing.
Block: Usually I forget to block, except when someone/something decide to wipe the floor with my team and I have to reload. Even then, block, rage and Elemental Fury look silly.
Abilities
Rage of Outcasts
Requirements: Berseker Rage, Marked for Death, Volendrung
Description: Destroy end quest bosses ability to fight back by absorbing their stamina and dealing huge amounts of damage using the rage of those who had been an outcast to long.
Other Information
Race: Orc
Stones : Advanced Atronach - buy and drink bottles of different magnitude from the Healer line of fortify restoration potions, without aiming for the 100% spell absorbtion ; Ritual Stone stored in Aetherial Crown for dire emergencies.
Stats Distribution: 0 Magicka | 4 Health | 1 Stamina
Followers : Any warrior bound by honor and law (Mjoll the Lioness, Farkas, Borgakh the Steel Heart, Uthgerd the Unbroken), a dog or a troll.
Shouts : Unrelenting Force for stagger, Marked for Death for bosses to stuborn to die and Elemental Fury for mobs and over-the-top enemies. Be aware that Marked for Death will never reach the third level, because this orc will not get involved with Dark Brotherhood in any way.
Equipment:
Morning Star : Fortify Health and Stamina Regeneration
Red Sand : Water Breathing or Aetherial Crown
Man against Man : Fortify Heavy Armor and Two Handed
Journey, Journey : Fortify Carry Weight and Two Handed
Yearning : Fortify Two Handed and Health Regeneration
Liese : Fortify Two Handed and Health Regeneration
The Old Sorrow, Wuuthrad and Volendrung
- Reflecting on Skyrim by gaunty25.deviantart.com -
Roleplay
Born into a life of constant strife, our hero adopted the way of the Black Ogre who understand that the other races will never respect or accept a orc kingdom if someone doesn`t expose them to this simple tenets:
- Respect for forging and blacksmithing: orcs use only weapons and armor crafted by their hand or bought from smith and armorers.
- Don`t lie : treat fairly everyone and ignore people that want you to lie.
- Don`t kill and don`t attack people without reason : it`s honorable to fight those capable to defend themselves or to protect and help others. If possible, challenge those who insult your honor but keep in mind that even swift justice ``is to be lauded among civilized people, it is often misinterpreted as brawling – or worse, grievous assault – where local custom is used to a less efficient response``
- Don`t steal : everything you have is bought, crafted or received as reward. An orc is not a grave robber. He doesn`t shame his enemies, striping naked their bodies; he doesn`t shame himself with the looting of houses, mines, burial mounds, abandoned fortress, etc. He survive by hard work and people`s appreciation – wood chopping, mining ore, job/favors and taking, within reason, items from his employers who don`t have the steal tag AFTER the job is done. Also, he only take skins and bones from animals or dragons, because anything else belong to some other innocent victims.
- Respect the traditional roles of a clan chief and his wives: marry an orc girl to get the benefits.
Quests
Main Quest : Enjoy the stomp, but refuse to kill Paarthurnax.
Civil War : Side with the Imperial Legion. There are many pro and cons with both sides, but Ulfrik is the better fighter.
Bards College : Stick with logical verses in Tending the Flames quest and enjoy the fight while retrieving flutes and drums.
College of Winterhold : Simple quests, compared with the effort I put in Morrowind to advance in the House Telvanni. Avoid tasks that require stealing like Forgotten Names.
Companions : Being a Harbinger as a result of non stop fighting? Yes, please! Still, cure the lycanthropy at the end, just to avoid the bickering between Malacath and Hircine.
Dark Brotherhood : No. To many targets incapable to defend themselves, like Grelod the Kind, Narfi, Ennodius Papius or those bound in the Abandoned Shack.
Thieves Guild : Stealing check. Pickpocket check. Breaking and entering check. Framing check. Cool weapons and gear check. Unfortunately, NO!
Daedric Quests : Yes to Azura, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Malacath (duh!), Mehrunes Dagon, Meridia, Peryite and Sheogorath. Note : The Sanguine`s A Night to Remember is the only quest that tempted me to break the no crime rule. Epic party, plenty of drinks and hilarious NPC that act so out of their nature, you got to smile.
Divine Quests : All four.
Dawnguard Quests : Vampires, gargoyles, death hounds and Lord Harkon, all more than capable to defend themselves. Avoid being a vampire and start spilling the blood!
Dragonborn Quests : A chance to become the most powerful dragonborn? True. Learn the secrets of Black Books? True. While those are worthy goals, Solstheim is in dire need of some orc values.
Sidequests : Save and determine along the way if the path is or not against the rules.
- Mjoll the Lioness by axeface.deviantart.com -
Closing Notes
There is a posibility to play a less ethical avatar who can pay money (leave 100 gold on the floor) or a blood price (use a damage health potion or let some crabs get a huge chunk of your health) for whatever crime he commit. It is in the Code, but not the way of the ``pure believer``as I see it.
The Black Ogre
``They might fight, or one of them might die, but Orcs make sure that whatever is going on, it`s going to get settled real quick. And then it`s over``
- http://coskoniotis.deviantart.com -
My first avatar in Morrowind was a Redguard warrior, who I played ` till the end, relishing his prowess in battle despite the clunky combat. Oblivion marked the rise of a Breton battlemage, storming the gates of Daedra planes. For a long time I thought only Bretons have what it takes to make a dragonborn in Skyrim until I used Helgen as testbed for the rest of the powers. Suddenly two handed warriors had more fluidity with a berseker rage.
Next I did some reading here and on UESP on orc lore, stumbling on the theme for this build. I believe the Code of Mauloch is not only a way to live for the orcs, but also a tool to inspire other races to some basic rules of conduct ... taught by example, blood and violence. The avatar is a member of Black Ogre Guild, diplomats (in the orc way of thinking) chosen for their stuborness to respect without failing the tenets of the Code. He is a simple two handed warrior, who charge the enemies using berseker rage and a couple of shouts, but he is not stupid. Mauloch doesn`t like stupid people.
Lore: Code of Mauloch
The Daedric Prince of Outcasts, known under the names of Mauloch, Malacath or Malak, sit in the center of orc worship because of the Code who, albeit unwritten, had kept his people together for thousand of years. The result is a culture of determined warriors who maintain the Orsinium dream alive and rebuilded their ``kingdom`` once more beetwen Skyrim and Hammerfell.
- Malacath Peak by BillNyeThe ScienceGuy at http://www.nexusmods.com -
Backstory
The Black Ogre Guild goal is simple: expand the third Orsinium, located in Western Reach, into a kingdom worthy of their ancestors. The target is, of course, Skyrim where the agent will create fiefdoms (Windstad Manor, Lakeview Manor, Heljarchen Hall), buy houses to establish an orc presence in the cities (Breezehome, Honeyside, Vlindrel Hall, Hjerim, Proudspire Manor), become thane of all holds, establish strong ties with factions that fit his values and defeat strong foes like Alduin, Ulfric Stormcloak, Harkon or Mirrak.
All orcs are born warriors, but not all of them are capable to be faithful to the Code. Black Ogre`s members are, in a sense, zealots because their faith is unshakeable and they do not commit crimes, showing the values of orc life to other races.
Gameplay
The orcs are cunning, relentless, fierce and despise hiding in shadows or behind spells and similar looking shouts. They love to kill fast, overwhelming enemies with ofensive and defensive abilities that complement their berseker rage and straight-to-the-throat tactics. Battle experience taught them the value of simplicity, the need for just a few strategies who can be swaped fast in combat. Because of this Berseker Rage, Elemental Fury, Unrelenting Force, Marked for Death, paralyze poison, one - two followers and a really big warhammer is enough. If nothing works, use Ritual Stone to keep the mob/boss focused on something else, while you hack away.
- Orcs by manzanedo.deviantart.com -
Two – Handed : Strike hard with the meanest looking weapon you can craft or buy and watch Great Critical Charge or Sweep carve through enemies. The Code of Malacath spurn stealing, but not the rewards for a good job, making a lot of good two handed weapons unavailable. For roleplaying I use crafted warhammers, Wuuthrad and Volendrung.
Heavy Armor : Focus on the right tree for extra defense and reflect, badly needed in close combat, after the necesary perks in two-handed.
Smithing : Orcish armor, what else? I`m not a fan of armor design in Skyrim, but this strangely fit the race. On the side note, the Code will make smithing somewhat difficult since the ingots and precious stone need to came from stores and veines, because mines used to belong to someone, even if now are inhabited by Forsworn, bandits or spiders, for example.
Enchanting : While enchanting is a strange skill for a warrior race, the extra effect come in handy to increase combat skills and health/stamina regeneration, after the perks for two-handed, heavy armor and smithing.
Block: Usually I forget to block, except when someone/something decide to wipe the floor with my team and I have to reload. Even then, block, rage and Elemental Fury look silly.
Abilities
Rage of Outcasts
Requirements: Berseker Rage, Marked for Death, Volendrung
Description: Destroy end quest bosses ability to fight back by absorbing their stamina and dealing huge amounts of damage using the rage of those who had been an outcast to long.
Other Information
Race: Orc
Stones : Advanced Atronach - buy and drink bottles of different magnitude from the Healer line of fortify restoration potions, without aiming for the 100% spell absorbtion ; Ritual Stone stored in Aetherial Crown for dire emergencies.
Stats Distribution: 0 Magicka | 4 Health | 1 Stamina
Followers : Any warrior bound by honor and law (Mjoll the Lioness, Farkas, Borgakh the Steel Heart, Uthgerd the Unbroken), a dog or a troll.
Shouts : Unrelenting Force for stagger, Marked for Death for bosses to stuborn to die and Elemental Fury for mobs and over-the-top enemies. Be aware that Marked for Death will never reach the third level, because this orc will not get involved with Dark Brotherhood in any way.
Equipment:
Morning Star : Fortify Health and Stamina Regeneration
Red Sand : Water Breathing or Aetherial Crown
Man against Man : Fortify Heavy Armor and Two Handed
Journey, Journey : Fortify Carry Weight and Two Handed
Yearning : Fortify Two Handed and Health Regeneration
Liese : Fortify Two Handed and Health Regeneration
The Old Sorrow, Wuuthrad and Volendrung
- Reflecting on Skyrim by gaunty25.deviantart.com -
Roleplay
Born into a life of constant strife, our hero adopted the way of the Black Ogre who understand that the other races will never respect or accept a orc kingdom if someone doesn`t expose them to this simple tenets:
- Respect for forging and blacksmithing: orcs use only weapons and armor crafted by their hand or bought from smith and armorers.
- Don`t lie : treat fairly everyone and ignore people that want you to lie.
- Don`t kill and don`t attack people without reason : it`s honorable to fight those capable to defend themselves or to protect and help others. If possible, challenge those who insult your honor but keep in mind that even swift justice ``is to be lauded among civilized people, it is often misinterpreted as brawling – or worse, grievous assault – where local custom is used to a less efficient response``
- Don`t steal : everything you have is bought, crafted or received as reward. An orc is not a grave robber. He doesn`t shame his enemies, striping naked their bodies; he doesn`t shame himself with the looting of houses, mines, burial mounds, abandoned fortress, etc. He survive by hard work and people`s appreciation – wood chopping, mining ore, job/favors and taking, within reason, items from his employers who don`t have the steal tag AFTER the job is done. Also, he only take skins and bones from animals or dragons, because anything else belong to some other innocent victims.
- Respect the traditional roles of a clan chief and his wives: marry an orc girl to get the benefits.
Quests
Main Quest : Enjoy the stomp, but refuse to kill Paarthurnax.
Civil War : Side with the Imperial Legion. There are many pro and cons with both sides, but Ulfrik is the better fighter.
Bards College : Stick with logical verses in Tending the Flames quest and enjoy the fight while retrieving flutes and drums.
College of Winterhold : Simple quests, compared with the effort I put in Morrowind to advance in the House Telvanni. Avoid tasks that require stealing like Forgotten Names.
Companions : Being a Harbinger as a result of non stop fighting? Yes, please! Still, cure the lycanthropy at the end, just to avoid the bickering between Malacath and Hircine.
Dark Brotherhood : No. To many targets incapable to defend themselves, like Grelod the Kind, Narfi, Ennodius Papius or those bound in the Abandoned Shack.
Thieves Guild : Stealing check. Pickpocket check. Breaking and entering check. Framing check. Cool weapons and gear check. Unfortunately, NO!
Daedric Quests : Yes to Azura, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Malacath (duh!), Mehrunes Dagon, Meridia, Peryite and Sheogorath. Note : The Sanguine`s A Night to Remember is the only quest that tempted me to break the no crime rule. Epic party, plenty of drinks and hilarious NPC that act so out of their nature, you got to smile.
Divine Quests : All four.
Dawnguard Quests : Vampires, gargoyles, death hounds and Lord Harkon, all more than capable to defend themselves. Avoid being a vampire and start spilling the blood!
Dragonborn Quests : A chance to become the most powerful dragonborn? True. Learn the secrets of Black Books? True. While those are worthy goals, Solstheim is in dire need of some orc values.
Sidequests : Save and determine along the way if the path is or not against the rules.
- Mjoll the Lioness by axeface.deviantart.com -
Closing Notes
There is a posibility to play a less ethical avatar who can pay money (leave 100 gold on the floor) or a blood price (use a damage health potion or let some crabs get a huge chunk of your health) for whatever crime he commit. It is in the Code, but not the way of the ``pure believer``as I see it.
