Singleton Stratford

Author of Both Sides of the River Ventenar Singleton Stratford, born Ongaah the Small, was among the 21 rescued humans, liberated from Orcish bondage, taken over the years from the nearby Alexian Fort and town of Covington in the foothills of the mountains to the east of Nia-Agliare.

Among these freed prisoners were 8 human woman all from town but as some had been held captive for multiple winters the Covington militia also discovered 11 Half orc children all very young. The Ventenar in command of the posse decided to heed the pleading of a the rescued prisoners and took their children back with them as well.

The Fort and Town were filled with celebration on hearing the news of the return of some of their lost daughters and wives and friends but once reunited, many claimed that the Half Orc children were not theirs at all. Many of their families would refuse to take in a Half Orc child, some might even go a step further, abandoning the child to the wilds, or worse.

The people of Covington have been in a nigh state of war with the area Orc and Bugbear tribes and Bandits that plague these hills for generations and while a pious folk, the hatred and feuds which now take on a family matter caused stark divisions in the community.

This created a conundrum as to what to do with these children. Eventually, it was so ordered by the Commandant that

A. It has been investigated and concluded that these children did not belong to any of the families of Covington and must be the orphans of other poor human captives from lost travelers, tribes of wild men, hermits and the like. This matter is closed as is public discussion of baseless rumormongering. Continued rancor will be treated as sedition. Let none claim ignorance of the law.

B. That these children, despite their inherit wickedness and eventual bloodlust are still children of the Goddess, innocent of any crime or sin of their own doing and still of Alexian blood. And thus must be provided for under the oath

C. It is so ordered and ruled that the Orc-blood foundlings are wards of the Fort and are to be remanded to the custody of FT Covington.

Cont.