## Gor’Karn – The Fallen Orc City **Type**: Ancient Orc War-City **Region**: Deep Orc Territories, near the Valley of Ketaca **Status**: Ruined, Cursed, Sealed in Necrotic Energy --- ### Overview Gor’Karn was once the **spiritual and martial heart** of the old orcish world. Founded in the name of **[[Grushnar]] the Reclaimer**, it served as both a fortress and holy site—where oaths were forged in flame and the dead were given to the sacred fires. It stood unbroken for centuries until its fall by betrayal, necromancy, and spiritual collapse. Now, Gor’Karn lies in ruin. The city is **haunted by the echoes of its own legacy**, guarded by restless undead, and pulsing with corrupted magic drawn from the **[[Sacred Stone]] of [[Grushnar]]**. --- ### Structure & Layout ###### - **The Antechamber of the Six**: Ceremonial entryway guarded by six orc warrior statues representing the Six Shields of [[Durgath]]. Holds the Rite Stones. ###### - **The Catacombs of the Lost**: An underground labyrinth where honored warriors were laid to rest. Now stalked by specters, wights, and bone golems. ###### - **Hall of Remembrance** : A mural-lined hall that reveals spiritual visions of Gor’Karn’s final days to the worthy. ###### - **Sanctum of the Sacred Flame**: The city’s heart. Houses the corrupted [[Sacred Stone]] and [[Korgath|the Wraith Lord]] [[Korgath]]. --- ### The Fall of Gor’Karn - The orcs of Gor’Karn refused to submit to foreign magic or undead tyranny. - **[[Korgath]]**, once one of the Six Shields of [[Durgath]], broke his oath and sought to preserve the city through necromancy. - In doing so, he **cursed the [[Sacred Stone]]**, drawing in spirits and corrupting the land. - The gods turned their eyes away, and the city was swallowed by darkness. --- ### Current State - Bathed in necrotic mist and broken echoes of magic - Anyone who dies within Gor’Karn risks **rising as an undead bound to [[Korgath]]** - The **[[Sacred Stone]] pulses** like a beating heart, drawing in travelers, souls, and seekers of forbidden knowledge --- ### Key Elements ###### - **The Rite Stones**: Three soulbound gemstones used to unlock the sanctum door. Each one represents a fallen orc champion. ###### - **Sacred Flame (Now Extinguished)**: Originally burned beneath the Sanctum. Its ashes still glow faintly, awaiting restoration. ###### - **The Six Shields of [[Durgath]]**: Warriors bound in life and death to protect the city. Their spirits linger, twisted and tragic. --- ### World Connections - **Tied to [[Grumthar]] Ironfurrow** through his ancestral weapons and lost companion, [[Sela]]. - **Spiritual nexus for orcish history**, divine war magic, and ancient relics - **A key site in the unraveling of the Spell Engine’s influence** --- #### Victory Path Options: 1. **Return the Sacred Stone to the Altar mid-battle:** - Requires coordination, possibly a player breaking from the fight to complete the ritual. - Once restored, [[Korgath]] begins to _weaken_, losing legendary resistances and regeneration. - Final blow must come from a weapon or person marked by [[Durgath]]’s legacy (e.g., a PC who received a vision or placed a blade on the altar). 2. **Use the Phrase “My blood before shame…”** - This phrase is a key. If spoken aloud by a character marked by orcish ritual, it **temporarily severs [[Korgath]]’s tie to the stone for one round.** - Doing this allows radiant damage to interrupt his regeneration or suppress his legendary actions. - Multiple uses may be possible if others in the group speak it as part of a final stand. 3. **Invoke [[Durgath]]’s Spirit:** - If the players have performed acts of honor, [[Durgath]] may manifest for a single moment, helping to **weaken or banish [[Korgath]]’s soul**, allowing the party to finish him. - This is not automatic—consider requiring an Insight check to roleplay the moment properly or sacrificing something (like a magic weapon) as a final offering. --- ### Summary (in-world truth vs player solution): - **[[Durgath]] believed [[Korgath]] couldn’t be defeated** because he refused to use the same dark power [[Korgath]] embraced. - The players **can succeed** not by brute force, but by restoring what [[Korgath]] destroyed: **honor, legacy, and spiritual balance.** - Doing so lets them **break the cycle of undeath** and reclaim Gor’Karn’s name.