The Golden Horde was an orcish state on Balebu. It was famous for its mounted warriors and for its cultural innovation.

Society

The Golden Horde was, at its core, a savage clan structure. However, it developed a specific new variation of this, which became known as Muthrin society.

The clan held together first and foremost due to economic and military prerogatives. All constituent tribes acted as autonomous social units; since the Horde was nomadic, it had to consist of mobile, modular units. The radj was the chieftain of the largest such tribe, and all other chieftains owed him allegiance. This allegiance was implemented in the form of tribute - a proxy for taxation - and military obedience.

The primary Muthrin commodity were mounts; the Golden Horde was relatively special for its use of horses rather than badeep. Mounts were essential for the nomadic lifestyle to transport people and goods. Thus, tribes counted their wealth in horses, all warriors trained with their own prize horse, and the Horde's primary tool of power was its cavalry, the Golden Riders.

History

A variety of orcish tribes, many of which embraced the nomadic badeep herder lifestyle, lived in eastern Central Balebu, where the Rownor Kingdom had once stood. Among all these, the Treinhakk tribe under Chieftain Duthrak was the most powerful; it had 90 riders and dominated the plains thanks to the great swiftness allowed by their use of horses (taken from Rownor's cavalry stables) rather than badeep. Treinhakk had been one of the more successful tribes after the disastrous southern campaign; it had broken off from the main host as soon as the opportunity presented itself and claimed some territory of its own. Now, its riders dominated the plains, and several human villages as well as a large but weak orcish warrior tribe in the ruins of Kolderson Castle. Thanks to these economic and military resources, Duthrak could gain the allegiance of one tribe after another, forming the Golden Horde.

The muthradj's tent camp constantly moved in the plains, rallying tribes from all around and spreading the muthradj's glory. Tribes joined the Horde because of the economic advantages it presented, out of military necessity, or simply because of its status. Very quickly, the Golden Horde became one of the most powerful orcish clans in the region. Muthradj Duthrak had to prove his worth, and he had the perfect thing in mind: a successful campaign against a weak enemy.

The goblinoid Bromalnor Empire, which bordered the Golden Horde just to the south, was falling apart, and Duthrak knew he had sufficient military strength to invade. His glorious campaign began in 386, and the Horde rode down parallel to Balebu's eastern coast, pillaging Bromalnor cities as it went.

Bromalnor was easily defeated, but Duthrak couldn't push very far west, because Ochebanian armies had likewise marched on the weak goblinoids. Still, he had bitten off more than he could chew, and spent the next few years desperately beating down rebellions from goblinoid settlements while trying to hold together his fractured vassal tribes. Duthrak finally died from natural causes in his radj's tent in 369, and his three children failed to hold the Horde together. It broke apart into smaller tribes.

Still, the Golden Horde had left a lasting impression in Balebian orcish society. The Muthrin culture it had birthed spread to various corners of the continent, and the eastern tribes continued hailing the legacy of the Golden Horde for centuries to come.