Lore:Armlet of Torug

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Armlet of Torug

The Armlet of Torug was a powerful relic belonging to King Torug gro-Igron, the founder of Orsinium. According to legend, Torug used the gem-encrusted, magical bracelet to tame the savage wilderness of Wrothgar and establish his city.

Prior to his passing, King Torug began preparing his tomb atop the deadly cold mountain known as Sorrow. His desire was to be interred with his enchanted armlet at the summit. When the time of his death neared, Torug indeed climbed the mountain with his most cherished possession, but decided to abandoned his own tomb. Instead he climbed higher towards the summit and placed himself in a cairn of his own making. Before dying he placed a curse upon his upon his armlet and entombed it alongside him, where it would wait for a worthy Orc to claim.[1][2] Torug's epitaph was later inscribed in Old Orcish upon various monuments on the path leading to his tomb, wherein it chronicled Torug's dying journey and his resting place at the summit.[1]

The armlet remained at the summit of Sorrow for centuries thereafter, although several looters did attempt to claim his armlet over the years but fell victim to its curse.[3] Over time, legends about Torug's shrine and his armlet grew and were recorded in ancient texts. Fragmented of these texts were later mistranslated and historians came to believe the cryptic phrase "Sorrow's Kiss" was mentioned, relating to Torug's armlet in some way.[4]

Recovery[edit]

The armlet on a frozen graverobber's arm

In 2E 582, the House of Orsimer Glories in the newly rebuilt Orsinium hired the famed treasure hunter Lady Laurent and her faithful manservant to lead an expedition to Sorrow and recover the armlet for the museum. With the aid an Orcish scholar who specialized in King Torug's history and the Vestige, the group climbed up the mountainside, braving wild beasts and avalanches.

The expedition team eventually discovered Torug's epitaph along the mountain path, which pointed them to the summit of Sorrow. As recorded in mistranslated ancient texts, the phrase "Glushun Zugka" was found inscribed upon the epitaph too, which the team also mistranslated to "Sorrow's Kiss". Eventually the expedition team reached the summit and discovered Torog's cairn, surrounded by graverobbers frozen solid in ice. Upon the wrist of one of the graverobbers was Turog's armlet, which Lady Laurent's manservant attempted to recover. However, as soon as he donned the armlet he too was frozen.[3] The expedition team realised the error in the translation - and that the word on the epitaph was not "zugka", meaning "kiss", but actually "zugra", which meant "curse".[2]

The fate of the armlet was disputed among the expedition team. Some argued the armlet could become a symbol to bind the Orcs together and a tribute to our past glories. It should remain on the mountain so that future Orcs would be required to climb Sorrow to see it, and understand what Torug and their ancestors were capable of achieving. Others argued that such an important relic belonged in the museum, where every Orc could gaze upon it in comfort. Ultimately, the fate of the armlet remains unknown.[5][2]

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