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A translation from Orcish to Modern Wynnic by Sturlo, Roothome clan archivist, 9th Century A.P.
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Long ago, the orcs, goblins, trolls, and ogres were all one creature. This creature, named Uray, was born from the roots and rich black earth of a hill called Omfalos, which bore a glade of ancient trees on its back. When they were born, Uray didn't know where or who they were.
They wandered down the slope of the hill, through the tree branches and fields of wildflowers, but the grass and flowers were so tall and so thick that they could hardly see where they planted their feet; and once, they stepped into the grass only to feel sharp pain in the sole of their foot. They had stepped on a shard of warm, sable stone, as large as the tooth of a mighty beast, and it drank a droplet of their blood.
Uray, curious, carried the stone with them until he came upon a vast, raging river that misted white spray and salmon and glittered in the sunlight. Finding themself covered in mud, nettles and pollen, they bathed themself in its clear waters, and the wound on their sole was soothed.
When Uray placed the stone in the river, however, it transformed before their eyes. The layers of ancient earth were washed away, trailing a ribbon of silt downstream. When they pulled it from the water, the stone had taken the shape of a colossal spade, the perfect size to be hefted by Uray; and thus, the two were given form by both the water and the earth.
Having been given no other purpose, Uray began to wander the land. They were strong and fierce, wise and clever, hardy and brave– a perfect being. However, they were also alone, for there was no other creature like them in the entire world. Their only companion on their travels was their great stone spade. As they walked, they dragged it through the ground behind them, carving meandering paths through the woods and plains, although they never crossed the same path twice.
Although they were lonely, Uray saw other creatures on their travels near and far. They saw chimeras, the most primordial of all things, shape-changing spiritfolk close in nature to Gaea itself. They saw many wild animals that resembled the chimeras – fish, wolves, bears, cats, birds – although they were simpler things bereft of the wisdom of speech. They saw the distant fey spirits of the trees, rivers, and winds, who danced in shadows and the night sky. They saw humans, too, huddled in families around fires.
They watched from afar as all the living things of the land hunted each other and protected each other. They watched them spill blood and find companionship, cry and roar and sing together. But Uray remained alone, and none of Gaea's other children ever approached them.
One day, after many suns and moons had passed, Uray felt a tremor in the solid ground beneath their feet, and the earth suddenly seemed to open up around them. In their surprise, they lost their grip on their spade, and it fell from their hands into the darkness below. The tremor ended, but having nothing else to keep them company besides the lost spade, Uray descended into the chasm themself to find it.
They fell down, deeper and deeper until finally they landed in a bed of soft mosses and loam. They found the spade there, but discovered that there was more than just earth down here; there was a nest of underground tunnels, dotted with ancient ruins into which someone had once carved unintelligible words and runes.
Although they had retrieved the spade, Uray could not climb back up the chasm the way they had come, and so decided to explore the ruins and tunnels, searching for another way. They couldn't see the sky, but several days and nights passed before they found another point of light.
Uray emerged from the underground in a hidden cove surrounded by high cliffs, sheltering a beach of pure golden sand. Before them was a sight they had never seen; an endless ocean, stretching away to a horizon dotted with clouds. The beach was a point where the sea and sky, and the land and sunlight all came together as the totality of Gaea's beauty.
Gazing out over the sand and sea, Uray realized that they had reached the edge of the world. They had crossed the land several times over and discovered many of its secrets, but had never found another creature like themself; they were still alone. It was then that Uray decided they wanted to wander in loneliness no longer.
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