The history of the Orcish race in Iralas is long and turbulent.
Early History
Originally hailing from Karkarand, the continent's harsh conditions led early Orcish culture to develop a tribal lifestyle, focused on physical prowess and hunting skills. Their general preference for weapons such as axes and maces can even be derived from this time period, as the wildlife of Karkarand possessed far thicker hides than those found in other parts of Iralas, requiring far heavier blows to kill.
Much of the history of the Orcs tells of the conflict with Karkarand itself. This is visible in their language as well, with the word gudnak meaning essentially both 'battle', 'conflict', 'struggle', and 'life'.
Over time, however, the Orcs managed to carve out quite a life in the rough wastes of Karkarand. It is said that there was even a time when great cities arose; shipping the valuable ores of Karkarand all over Iralas in exchange for knowledge. There were even said to be great places of magical study, with the grandest of them all being Garak Kor, the greatest of the Orcish cities.
The Fall
The period which Orcs refer to as Ekor, or 'the fall', was not a singular event. The exact time period and the number of events is not generally agreed upon, and what we know is a mixture of study, archeology, and Orcish oral traditions.
What is known relatively certain, is that early on in the 4th Era, something emerged or awakened in Karkarand. Whether this refers to an individual creature or being, or is used to indicate a change in weather or simply a coincidence, is not known. The result of this change was a severe increase in the 'hostility' of the continent itself; raids of monsters increased, wildlife grew more ferocious. This drove the Orcs to the walls of their cities and settlements.
The second event was a great magical cataclysm in Garak Kor. It was said that thunder sprung from the city itself, and that fire rained from the heavens for 3 weeks. The exact nature or origin of this event is not known. Some Orc stories speak of sabotage, possibly by the elves of Elleseand, jealous of the knowledge and power gathered by the Orcs (Note that the Orcish word for elves, ogash, can be translated as 'knife'; referring to their 'knife-shaped ears' as well as the 'knife of betrayal').
The third event, which took place at the end of the 4th Era, was The Year of the Black Star.
Diaspora
Put together, the Fall caused a great many Orcs to migrate south, towards Imland, Dorwin, and beyond. Few remained in their native Karkarand. Given their distinctive appearance and cultural distinction, Orcs were prime targets of populists and demagogues, looking for easy scapegoats for their problems.
In Dorwin, the Orcs were enslaved in large numbers, and put to work in the province of Dorion.
Elsewhere, they became known as 'savage brutes', and their tribal culture was often referred to as 'bands of raiders'. While their culture does embrace seeking out the inherent struggle with life and nature, no Orc is particularly dispositioned to be a 'raider' or 'bandit'. Many sociologists now believe that Orcs, for a large part, simply took the role that society cast them in.
Even for all their struggles and misfortune, the Orcs culture is a proud one, embracing their low position in the world as just another part of gudnak. There are many examples of Orcs finding a new place in the world; the increasing number of Half-orcs found in Iralas is proof of that.