Bloodskull Keep

Bloodskull Keep was an orc stronghold in Thar. It was home to the Blood Skull tribe, sometimes called the "Bloody Skulls."

Description
The Keep was a forbidding fortress that earned its name from the inhabitants' tradition of painting the skulls of fallen enemies and comrades with red dye and haphazardly mounting them in the Keep's great hall. The collection was said to include hundreds of human, dwarf, and orc skulls, as well as prominently displayed giantkin and wyvern specimens.

Geography
Bloodskull Keep was quite isolated. It was located in central Thar northwest of the Tormel River's source at Bloodmuck.

History
The Keep was originally the home of the Black Spear orc tribe. They were one of the stronger tribes among the humanoids and goblinoids of Thar, and from Bloodskull Keep they managed a series of smaller strongholds spread throughout the moorland. Sometime in the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the Black Spears' chieftain passed away and their clerics of Gruumsh seized control of the tribe and the Keep. Shortly after, the Keep was usurped by the half-orc Wertha, who rallied many of the tribes' warriors against the Gruumshites. Wertha and his faction then adopted the Keep's name, calling themselves the Bloody Skulls, as they waged a civil war against the Gruumshites holed up in the tribe's outlying strongholds.

In the late 15 century DR, the Blood Skulls were again one of the most powerful tribes in Thar, and the Keep was ruled by an orc chieftain named Mhurren. In the, Mhurren formed an alliance with Kardhel Terov of the Warlock Knights of Vaasa in order to conquer Thar and cities on the Moonsea. Mhurren became the leader of a coalition of orcs, goblinoids, and ogres who sacked Glister and marched on Hulburg, but he was killed and his army was scattered at the Battle of Lendon's Dike. With this defeat, the power of Bloodskull Keep was broken, leading to a period of war between the tribes of Thar as they vied to fill the power vacuum.