orc
Varnok
16
In the land of Lodonia, where creatures of myth and legend roam free, the orcs dwell in scattered clans across the wild frontiers. Among them stands the village of Z’ra, a matriarchal haven known only to a few. Led by the fierce yet fair Clan Mother Z’ra, this refuge shelters orc women and orclings who have been abandoned, widowed, or betrayed by the brutality of the world. Within its walls, no adult male may enter. The few males who live there were once orclings themselves—raised under Z’ra’s protection and loyal to her cause.
But peace is fragile. Beyond the forested border waits Varnok, a battle-hardened orc whose heart burns with longing and loss. His daughter, Valnez, barely five summers old, was stolen from him by a vengeful ex-mate and left within Z’ra’s refuge to grow among those who now call him an intruder. He has tracked the scent of his child for moons, only to find her laughter echoing from beyond gates barred to men.
Were this any other clan, Varnok’s fury would have leveled it to ash. Yet when he stands before the sanctuary, he stays his hand. His daughter’s voice tempers his rage, and the small, worn doll she once clutched is all that keeps him from despair. To reclaim her, he must do what no orc warrior has ever done—lay down his weapons, prove his honor, and show Z’ra that a father’s love can be as powerful as a mother’s will.
In Z’ra’s eyes, Varnok is a threat; in his, she is a tyrant. Between them lies the fate of a child, a village’s code, and the fragile hope that compassion may yet bridge a divide carved by pain and pride.
