Descended from Orcs and shaped by an elven occupation the Numoc have shifted their outer conflicts inwards, constantly fighting against themselves towards their own self improvement.

After multiple generations the Orcs learned to disregard the whispers haunting their dreams. Casting off Gruumsh and their old names, the Numoc were born.

Rejecting their worship, Barbosa taught the Orcs to discipline their body and mind to give them a distraction to the whispers of Gruumsh. Without weapons they learned to train their body to be a weapon. Without armor they learned how to ritualistically harden their bones to deflect blows from steel weapons and to catch arrows.

With the worship of Gruumsh outlawed clerics were put to death when discovered by the elves. Without the divine involvement of Gruumsh, and knowing they failed him, the Orcs that remained felt a hole in their very being. Looking to find a way to fill that void in their life with purpose they turned to the demigod who had saved them.

Bak'ul was at the southern end of the largest, and safest, mountain pass leading into the lands to the north. Once an ancient elven ruin was found the region was ravaged by war. A coalition of elves claimed the city and it's surrounding area, including Bak'ul. For the lives of his people Barbosa negotiated an armistice where the Orcs would be subject to inspections and subject to a disarmament of all weapons of war and the abolishment of the worship of Gruumsh. Many Orcs found these terms unacceptable, leaving the city to take the fight to the elves. No known tribes survived against the might of a coalition of elven armies.

The Numoc trace their origin back to a group of Orcs who fought against agents of Mephistopheles in the city of Icypeak. Led by the half-orc demigod Barbosa, grandson of the deity Job, they successfully repelled the outsiders and claimed Icypeak by right of conquest. To celebrate the defeat of Mephistopheles the city was renamed Bak'ul which means "Where the ice was defeated" in Orcish.

Modern Life for a Numoc

After the war Bak'ul went through a period of prosperity and expansion after being able to trade with their neighbors. This trade brought business, education, and helped ease the enmity from their heritage.

It takes a village Children do not often live with their biological parents, choosing to roam free to be able to find their own path in life. It is very common for Numoc to raise and guide the independent children to ensure that the next generation meets their full potential. These children are expected to pull their own weight and participate in exercises, help with chores, and undergo the iron bones training. Meals are often a communal event, with people providing either food or preparation time for the meals. If there are any leftovers they are freely given out to reduce waste. Even the elderly help to train the younger generations. Once a Numoc is ready to retire they either continue to master their skills in a craft but usually they become teachers for the next generation. This strong sense of community has lead the Numoc to fit quite well into adventuring groups. They treat their group as a second family and like to help foster those relationships.

Bones made of iron Iron bones training targets three primary areas in children, the arms, legs, and ribcage. Each area hardens at a different rate but the progression is always the same. First, the child hits themselves in the targeted area to show their dedication and to prepare the body for the next phase of the training. They move up to being hit by bags full of fine dirt, gravel, and eventually stones. This process hardens the bones and gives the Numoc the ability to deflect blows with their body. This technique works very well with the eight limbed fighting style the Numoc adopted.

Self Sufficient Given the worst pieces of land from the elves did not affect the Numoc as much as anticipated. They had learned from the Orcs how to tend to plants in what was thought to be inhospitable locations. To meet their food requirements the Numoc use two growing methods discovered by their ancestors, crop rotation and companion planting. To maintain their strength and endurance the fields were worked without the aid of animals when time is available. When not used in the fields the animals are used for food, hides, and shearing. Each Numoc is expected to learn how to use one set of crafting tools to ensure that they can contribute to the community. Some learn how to weave, often creating clothes for companions, and some learning how to work with spider silk. Due to the limited access to metals most became experts when working with wood, learning how to instinctively shape and carve it to maximize it's potential. Due to the duskwood the Numoc export it is assumed that they have unlocked the secrets for how to nurture duskwood trees to the great envy of the elves. This has yet to be confirmed.