The Marrukh (MAHR' ook)

In the latter part of the Sixth Iteration, the great Orc hordes of the West were driven to the coast by the combined forces of Eldrin and Grundim, directly into the teeth of the Corrumite and Mantaran navies. When it seemed likely that the orcs would be decimated, the great Orc Naval Commander, Pinnatalle Honadonnakee, in a surprise move disassembled an entire coastal village, and with the composite parts built what would constitute the First Flotilla. By the time the counteroffensive was concluded two days later, the Corrumite fleet had been sunk, Mantara had withdrawn with heavy losses, and the Orkish Flotilla had doubled in size, and was headed into the Blackwater westbound on the Weirding TIde. Though truly the first adventurers to ply those hellish waves, the Marrukh cannot be said to be adventurous; better to say they are willfully ignorant of the dangers those waves represent.
Despite an almost abject fear of drowning, the Marrukh, also derisively called "Sea-Dogs", spend almost every waking moment aboard their massive vessels on the Low Seas of Nycos. Gifted with an uncanny sense of dry land, even beyond the sight of the shoreline, Marrukh is one of only a few species to spend any time in the Black Waters than they absolutely have to.
The monstrous Sea-faring hulks of wood and canvas, or barrels and crates provide them with shelter, occupation, and a lifestyle suited to them. Raiders and brigands in most cases, there have been Marrukh vessels that have rescued other vessels (though often for ransom!) and are particularly noted for an almost manic need to keep any Undersky peoples from drowning. For this reason alone, though the raiding can be onerous, the Marrukh are allowed to live, and even have made furtive negotiation for safe havens in the worst of conditions.
Rumors abound for why this might be, but the most common belief is that the Marrukh seem to feel odd chivalry, a need to meet their opponents on equal footing. They have been known to fire a shot over the bow of an enemy, and then apologize for missing!