As the lingering warmth of autumn faded away, several citizens of
Magnagora began to report sightings of shifty looking orcs on Spectre
Island, all sneaking about while carrying large sacs of spectral
essence. All attempts to detain one of the thieving braves failed as the
orcs always managed to evade capture by the slimmest of margins. A later
attempt to interrogate the orcs of Shallach, led by Yurizhi and
Jarlegiya of Magnagora, resulted in nothing more than the death of the
reticent creatures.

It was not until several months later that Yiskka Feyranti, captain of
the Crimson Lady, announced to the city that she had caught one of the
orcs stowed away in her ship's hold. Eager to finally get answers,
Nefara of the Geomancers along with Cyna and Avurekhos of the Nihilists
quickly took responsibility for the orc's 'wellbeing' and dragged him in
chains to the Bridge of Torment where he was to be vivisected, flayed,
and finally fed to the trio's expectantly waiting demons. Though the orc
put on a defiant face at first, his resolve swiftly crumbled and he
revealed that the orcs had been collecting undead essence on the orders
of the 'smart one' recently come to the ruins of Shallach.

After gaining access his lair, the 'smart one' turned out to be an orc
mystic named Vorugh Soulseeker and his driving ambition was to find a
way to return his people to strength by giving them the gift of Undeath.
Appealing to the Magnagorans by providing tantalizing scenarios where a
tribe of naturally stealthy and cunning warriors would be in their debt,
he enlisted those gathered to help him complete his elixir of undeath.

Before too long, Cyna succeeded in gathering the necessary ingredients
and the elixir was successfully completed. The chieftain of the orcs,
Xhurug Deathstalker, downed the foul mixture before it had had time to
cool and promptly dropped dead. Yet for the first time in Orcish history
the strongest of orcs rose once more, his form practically melting and
shifting before the eyes of those gathered. With a shout of elation
Vorugh immediately turned back to his work, more driven than ever to
bring the benefits of undeath to the entirety of his people.

Penned by My hand on the 11th of Klangiary, in the year 464 CE.