The Orrathi Empire

Situated as it is, the Gorgonis Sector faces a multitude of threats from the Eye of Terror. Of course, such a lawless region of space is continually beset by pirates, but there are greater enemies, too. Among these are the Orks of the Orrathi Empire. While the Orrathi do not have the wide-ranging influence of the Naraka Syndicate or the fierce loyalty of their enforcers, they make up for it in numbers, and they have certainly proven themselves to be a worthy match on the battlefield for the agents of the Imperium.

Art by Dave Gallagher

The Orrathi are not the largest Orkish empire, but they have enjoyed a period of prosperity under the reign of Warlord Kragnar Sharptooth. He might not have been the first Ork to unite the disparate tribes of Orrathus Prime, but he made a name for himself in the annals of history by virtue of his keen (for an Ork) intellect and tactical know-how, allowing him to realize his ambitions in a way few Warlords could.

About fifteen years ago, Kragnar took the throne in typical Orkish faction by launching a coup against the reigning Warlord. After successfully usurping control, he decided to celebrate his new era by rallying Orks from across the Empire and pursuing a new target - Pacifica, an Imperium holdout just on the border of Orrathi space.

Pacifica had faced Orrathi incursions before, but they were not prepared for the full brunt of what Kragnar could muster, rallying a force far beyond the raiding parties they were used to. So too, Kragnar knew that Pacifica's defenses were outdated, and that they were cut off from resupply by the surrounding warp storms. It seemed as though Pacifica's fall was inevitable, and with it, Kragnar could boast that he had captured a planet from the Imperium - a mark of status that would be celebrated in great halls for generations.

However, conquering Pacifica proved to not be as easy a task as Kragnar had anticipated. Although the initial waves of attack managed to occupy about a third of the planet, the humans valiantly fought back, managing to hold the line until the Eye of Terror abated. That prompted a rapid reponse from Gorgonis Major and other Imperial worlds, not only pushing back the Orks but landing troops on Orrathi planets. Faced with a costly and grueling campaign to repel the Imperials, Kragnar pragmatically agreed to a peace treaty, and a tenuous peace between the Imperium and the Orrathi still stands today.

Though the Imperium would be thrilled to eradicate such a threat to Pacifica and establish a foothold in lawless territory, the location of the Empire within the Eye of Terror has limited Imperial efforts to mount any substantial invasion in the time since peace was declared. Today, both sides eye one another cautiously, stockpiling weapons in the expectation that one day the conflict will be reignited - but when that day comes is anyone's guess.

Art by Dean Ellis

The capital planet of the Empire is Orrathus Prime. Much of the planet's surface is an inhospitable wasteland awash in acid rain, dotted with dense cities under environmental domes. These domes are linked by a vast network of travel tubes, such that transit from one dome to another is possible without leaving protection. It is thus possible to go one's entire life under some sort of roof, and in fact, many Orks do.

The fact that such a harsh and unforgiving world would be the cradle of a great empire is a paradox noted by many Imperial scholars. Some theorize that the planet was once a colony established during the Dark Age of Technology, and that the Orks took control long after it suffered an ecological collapse that left the cities abandoned. Others contend that Orrathus Prime was once a verdant and productive world, but was reduced to its current state after milennia of exploitation. Either way, the Orrathi Empire's expansion has been driven by the peculiar conditions of the capital - many of the Empire's subject worlds were conquered by Orks seeking living space away from the overpopulated hab-domes, or resources that the barren homeworld could not provide.

In addition to the capital, the Orrathi exert control over three systems, all within the Eye of Terror and all populated entirely by Orks. These planets are ruled through a crude form of feudalism, where Orks from Orrathus Prime will periodically shake their colonies down for food, ores, and other materials to bring back to the capital, by force of arms if necessary. However, there are two other planets of note that lie within the Orrathi sphere of influence, but are not under direct control.

One of these is Melixorum, a temperate planet with a medieval technological level. Though it has a small Orkish minority, the majority of the population consists of Gretchins. Once, it was home to a multitude of warring kingdoms, but the planet was united under one ambitious Gretchin warlord generations ago, and his descendants have ruled ever since. The current leader, High Overlord Runnak, believes Melixorum to be an independent world under a defensive and trade agreement with the Orrathi. The Orrathi, meanwhile, believe it is part of their territory. Both sides believe the other agrees with their outlook.

Art by Adrian Smith

The other planet of note is Geerack, a volcanic world located midway between Pacifica and Orrathus Prime. During the war, Geerack, then an Orrathi colony, was invaded by humans, who managed to conquer it for the Imperium. However, with the Imperials outnumbered and the Eye of Terror preventing further reinforcements from landing, the humans were unable to eradicate the Orks, and the Orks refused to leave. Today, though the ruling class of Geerack is human, Orks make up most of the population - and there is a brewing resistance movement among Orks who wish to retake the planet. They are led by Toragg the Bloody, the self-styled Warlord of Geerack, who rules from a castle made from a broken-down Gargant perched on a hilltop. Once a captain in Kragnar's army, Toragg sees the resistance as an opportunity for him to grab power, and he has no interest in rejoining the Orrathi Empire, with his sights set on using the planet to carve out a domain for himself.

One thing the Imperium has discovered is that the moon of Geerack has a thin but breathable atmosphere, and has been identified as suitable for colonization - something the Orks never attempted. A research station has been set up on its surface, but much of the moon has yet to be mapped. And who knows what secrets it could be hiding?