"So... what are we going to sell them?" asked the young orc of Brûm to the old trader, as they caravan stopped in the small trading outpost near the forest of the witches of Ded, and as they began unloading they cargo from the pack beasts.

The trader, a broad and muscular orc of the dustlands, laughed, before throwing a bag to the rookie merchant that his dad asked him to take as helper. The younger orc caught it mid-air. "You should have asked before!" he said.

The apprentice trader opened the bag. "Glass beads? trinkets? cheap booze?" he looked then to his father's friend. "Are we going to fool them?!" he asked, nervous.

Even before the arrival of the caravan, there where more than a tribe of ozcuras in the outpost, and more were coming, being many of them armed... even worse, he had seen even some of the feared witches of the forests of Ded, there to oversee the sales... to try to trick a witch, was something he wasn't sure to try!"

"No, orc, we aren't going to cheat them. Not much at least!" said the experienced trader, winking, as they placed their products, while he continued explaining. "Something have as much value, as somebody put on it. And well... Ozcuras are a bit like magpies. They like shiny things. So we provide them shiny things!"

"I... I don't think I get it"

Meanwhile, with the arrival of the caravan of Brûm, the trading outpost in the outskirts of the forest of Ded came to life: While the witches sold their potions, buying the supplies needed by their order, the grey orc ozcuras sold and exchanged the loot of their raids, gathered food and feathers, while changing them for iron tools, trinkets and shiny glass beans from the red orc brûmer traders, who claimed with their voices the benefits of their products.

While some ozcurillas played between the discarded garbage, looking for something shiny, a ozcuro picked from one of the blankets extended in the ground with products a battered Brûm helmet, who despite being old and broken was carefully polished to look bright and shiny.

"Oh!" said one of his wives, carrying a pup. "I could use a helmet for the next raid!"

"Shut up or I will shut you up" ordered her male with a growl, as he kept staring at the helmet "If I buy something, I buy something for me!"

"Is a very good helmet my sir!" said the Brûmer merchant "And very cheap as well! Is like I'm not selling it, really! Is almost a gift!"

---

Orcs in general are better know for being warriors and warlike: and before the arrival of the merchant Vanolosé orcs from the south, in Polforia humans didn't even thought these monsters will even do as complex as trading, as often they even ignored the orcs had any kind of culture in their own.

But the northern orcs traded, but mostly among themselves, between the green, red, high and later grey orcs -kaiehm, brûmer, Galaw and Ozcuras respectively.-

For example, between the red orcs of Brûm and their northern grey ozcuras orcs of Ded, was more often that a state of war existed, due the animosity of the black dragons that ruled Brûm and the witches of Ded:

However, in times of peace, commercial exchanges were normal: The dustlands of Brûm, poor in wood, food and other items, was rich in minerals, which they exchanged raw or procesed for their needed supplies.

Aside of this, the forests of Ded had some other exportations, as the potions produced by the witches, the valious feathers of the birds of the forests -used for clothing for nobles and decoration- jade, obsidian, domesticated and wild animals from the forests, exporting and importing as well slaves.

This trade with Ded was so important for Brûm, that was adopted in their fashion the feathers and warpaint used by the ozcuras, servants of the witches of the forests.

---

Drawing done for , creator of the Dustlands of Brûm and the Brûmer red orcs -later adapted in my world- for winning the Contest of Aiers. He wanted that I draw some Ozcuras and Brûmer orcs interacting with each other in a peaceful way.

I looked some textbooks looking for reference for some colonial times trading, in case you are wondering. :3

Orcs of Brûm:

Mature Content

Orcs of Ded:

Mature Content

Mature Content

Mature Content

Edit 20.07.2021: I always liked this drawing, but back in the day I made scans of terrible quality. So as I found the notebook with this drawing looking for something else, I decided to re-scan it with better quality and add digital lights and shadows to it!