The Orc Stronghold actually belonged to the Goblins of the Valley. The orcs drove them out when they invaded the region.
I feel there may be an orc invasion plot that is brewing, this will either play out as part of the final main quest stories update or it may get left on the cutting room floor like some other arcs (RIP
Fae Arc
).
My reasons to believe in the Orc Invasion are as follows:
-There are orcs from the start living in the Shrine of The Ancients. They are camping in the rooms. But they do nothing else. I think they were a scout team.
-The orcs led by Urakh, came up through the Mashrlands where they razed the Wendigo Clan & captured Caleah, before driving out the Valley goblins to claim their Stronghold. He then begins his attack on the Temple but he & his lads get killed by MC & Gabriel.
-The orcs that seem to randomly attack the Temple during "Cover Your Tracks" I think were supposed to join up with Urakh or perhaps were sent to find out why the main horde haven't heard from him in so long?
-The Dark Forest orcs start with scouts but then they & their boss move into the Tower as their base. They make the mistake of attacking MC's Family Farm for resources, killing all the livestock for food & kidnapping the only female they found (Julia), they also killed Taurus & took his female (Molly). This directly led to MC avenging his family.
I wouldn't be surprised if this is all pre-emptive forces to a larger threat brewing to the south...