Orcs in strongholds follow their own law called 'The Code of Malacath.' The will of Malacath is clarified by the stronghold's resident wise woman. This method is to ensure that the strongest Orc becomes chief, contributing his genes to the next generation of Orcs who, in theory, should be stronger than the last. Only the chiefs are allowed to have wives, and due to this, they often have several. The strongholds are led by a chief, who killed the previous chief to prove his strength. Every man, woman, and child in the fort is also trained from birth to defend it. Every Orc has a specific job and is obligated to perform it.

Strongholds are governed by a rigid class system. These provinces came to be known as High Rock, Skyrim and Hammerfell. The Orcs would form small, tightly-knit strongholds and villages across these provinces while others gradually contributed to the formation of the predominantly Orcish city of Orsinium.ĭuring the early Fourth Era and the sacking of Orsinium, many surviving Orcs fled east into Skyrim while others fled into the Dragontail Mountains or the Wrothgarian Mountains and successfully integrated into the clanish strongholds. Instead of claiming one area, they would settle in multiple provinces dependent on the preferences and lifestyles of each individual tribe. The early Orcish people founded the tribal and independent lifestyle of living. All of the Orsimer people were also changed into what they are now known as, the Orcs. The Daedric Prince Boethiah ate Trinimac, corrupting his body and spirit, and he emerged as the Daedric Prince Malacath.

In the middle of the Merethic Era, the Orsimer and their leader Trinimac attempted to halt the movement of the prophet Veloth and the Chimer.

Elder scrolls orc strongholds