For Gold & Glory: Card of the Week: Ironclaw Orcs

Ever since I discovered Tolkien and D&D, I've loved orcs. It's a shame that they never took off as a creature type in Magic.

From Prisoner to King

It was only a moment of weakness. I had exhausted my magic, and without it I was just another human. I was younger than I am now, but even then I was no paragon of strength. I had a sword and could defend myself with it, but I was no expert swordsman. And the Ironclaw Orcs that captured me towered above my height and looked far stronger. Without my magic I was no match for them, so I accepted their chains instead of dying in a futile gesture of combat.

The orc-folk led me deeper into the Ironclaw Mountains, squabbling all the way—“Gakul sanguth othgha makh!” “Nar! Tur mok othghukh murn, kul glong sha ga gromnashk!”—and so on, their harsh gloating voices leaving little doubt to my fate even though I did not then understand them. For two days they dragged me along, allowing me no rest longer than enough to choke down the foul dried meat they gave me (never enough) or when an argument came to blows (brutal, but over quickly). Even when they slept at midday, those guarding me would mercilessly poke at me with their spears—an entertainment, no doubt, to make the time of their watch pass the quicker.

When finally we reached the caverns that served as their home, I was treated no more gently. The rest of their tribe gathered around to welcome the raiders, and they quickly took to jeering me. I was pushed into the dirt more times than I can count as the warriors showed me off as a prize, and pelted with offal and rocks by the women and children. But before I was hurt beyond recovery, I was shoved into a dark and loathsome cave—I assume that if the raiders wanted me dead they’d have killed me rather than captured me, and so I must have been meant for some other purpose. But despite the filth and discomfort, despite the incessant noise from the tribe outside, I was finally allowed to sleep.

I do not remember any dreams from that night, evil or otherwise, for I slept as one dead. I awoke all too soon to the prodding of my captors, and though I was far from well-rested I had rested enough to once again call upon my magic. I did not wait even for the Ironclaws to open the crude portcullis that held me in—with the green mana I drew upon, I Grew my own self to Gigantic size. With newfound strength coursing through my body, I smashed through the gate like it was kindling, then turned upon my captors. Flinging them against the walls of the cavern with ease, I advanced upon the rest of the tribe.

But as fierce as the orcs had been when I was weak, none now dared to stand against me. Each one I approached shrunk away, some throwing their weapons to the floor in surrender. And when I came to the leader of the warband that captured me—the leader of the whole tribe, as far as I could tell—he cowered from me too.

“Right!” I bellowed, even as the magic wore off and I shrank back to my normal stature. “Are there none who would stand against me? None who would contest my rule here?” I knew that for as long as the orcs remained intimidated, they would do as I say. To ensure that they did find new bravery in my reduced size, I called upon the Mountains and sent forth Lightning amongst them. As I suspected, they cringingly followed my orders thereafter.

I remained the ruler of the tribe just long enough to commandeer food and supplies for myself. I took only what I could carry—my own possessions returned to me, heavy clothing and a sturdy tent, and water and gray stale bread (I had no desire to eat the suspect meat that they fed me again)—enough to get me out of the Ironclaw Mountains and back to the relative safety of Sursi. I suppose that they were as happy to see me leave as I was—without their fear of me, they could return to their usual raiding and infighting. Perhaps they would be more careful in who they captured next time.

As for myself, I was relieved to leave them behind me. Sure, I could have stayed in the caves. I could have even been king. But in my own way, I knew that my rule would only be as secure as the fear I could hold over them. It would be no use being a king only to die to a knife in the back, and I am sure that the knife would have come sooner rather than later.

Orcs Across the Multiverse

Orcs are relatively rare on Dominaria, as well as most of the other planes of the Multiverse that are well-traveled by dueling mages. But on other worlds, this is not so. Orcs are populous or even dominant on many worlds all but untouched by planeswalkers—known mostly through legends and lore—such as Azeroth, Faerun, and the world of Bretonnia and the Empire. But the most famous of such worlds is Eä.

The orcs of Eä are, if not the literal progenitors of orcs elsewhere, the quintessential orcs. Though the orcish races are as diverse as the planes on which they're found, they all share characteristics of Eä's orcish folk. Quarrelsome and wicked on their own, they were most powerful when united under the domination of a greater power. Indeed, the greatest of these Dark Lords is said to be their creator. Several theories abound on their creation, though the most widely credited is that the great evil Power of Eä tortured and mutilated elves until they became a ruined and terrible form of life.

"The Age of Men is over. The time of the orc has come!"

The Narrow Usefulness of Orcish Allies

Ironclaw Orcs are rarely called upon in battles between mages. Though they are strong, their cowardice is a significant drawback. For the energy it takes to summon them into battle, there are many other beings that are more powerful, useful, or loyal.

However, some red mages have found a use for the Ironclaw tribe. These disciples of Sligh depend on the full and efficient use of all mana available to them, and it so happens that the mana needed to summon Ironclaw Orcs fits the requirements of such a strategy. There are very few other beings, at least summonable with only red mana, that require the same expenditure of mana. To the these mages, the cowardice of the Ironclaw tribe is not enough of a drawback simply because there is little alternative to summoning them.