Ourworld:Orcs

The Orcs are not a PC race!

The Orcish Tribes

Living on the southern plains and foothills of the great western continent, the Orcs live a life that is short, harsh and brutal. Beset on all sides by enemies perceived and real, they live in crude fortifications and are constantly in a state of war. They fight the Goblins who live deep in the mountains, who harass them, they fight the hill giants who blunder in and cause havoc, they fight the voracious trolls but mostly they fight each other. They fight the raiders and settlers from other races and occasionally, they form great warbands to take the fight to others. Theirs is a totally conflict driven society; every endeavour is geared somehow towards battle, thus they are expert smiths (though their tools are barbaric) and engineers of war machines.

The Orcs

Brutal looking humanoids, Orcs average about 6’0-6’6 and are very muscular and bulky. Their skin tends towards varieties of light green to dark green and they have fangs that grow up to 6’ long from their mouths. Their eyes are deep set and often red, black or orange in coloration. They ritually scar and tattoo themselves, and this indicates their rank. Social standing is in direct relation to one’s skill at arms and viciousness. They don’t have peaceful contact with any nations, treating other races as either foes or prey. If they fight a truly superior foe, they will often fight to the death. There is no word for theft or rape in Orcish as the concept of ownership is simple- you can have it if you can take it. They have no formal laws and disputes are resolved through fights. Still, the clans instinctively band together for survival and intraclan violence is surprisingly rare. This also explains how such a violent race can construct fortifications and live together for mutual defence. At war, they prefer the use of savage, two handed melee weapons and are especially fond of greataxes, though any big weapon that causes great gouts of blood to splash out is popular. Their warbands are composed of mobs of beserkers, warriors, scouts and war priests. While they have contingents of ranged bowmen, they consider this form of war undignified and bowmen have a low social standing. An exception to this is the Orcish siege engineers. Their war machines are terrifyingly effective and every Orc thrills at the sight of a Flesh Harvester in full swing.

Orc, medium humanoid +2 Str, -2 Int, -2 Cha All Orcs are proficient with either greataxe or handaxe. +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Survival. Racial training vs goblinoids and giants. 1/day an Orc may fly into a blood frenzy, this grants +2 to hit, +2 to melee damage, -2 ac and the ability to fight to -9 hitpoints. Stacks with rage.

Orcish Blood Sacrifices

Orcish religion equals sacrificing sentient beings to the Blood God, a primitive deity of war, strength and survival. Their prophesies speak of his coming to their lands to wipe out all life, and their rituals are designed to placate him and beg him not to come. Huge mounds of charred bones litter the lands where entire villages have been sacrificed, their blood consumed and their flesh eaten in a frenzy of worship.

How the Orcs see the other races:

Ailokim: The greyskins are clever little things, but they bleed red enough. Weak and puny, the Ailokim invite only disgust from the Orcs.

Dwarves: The Orcs know little of the Dwarves, but would love to try their excellent siege weapons against the Dwarves’ defences. In war they are tough foes, and if the Orcs can be said to respect another race, it would be the Dwarves.

Goliaths: Very few Orcs know of the Goliaths, those that do fear their strength and size but on the whole, despise their inherent weakness: pacifism. also, there must be a lot of blood in each one...

Keltoi: The Orcs hate the Keltoi pinkskins, pure and simple. They hide behind their firesticks and their magic and would relish the opportunity to reduce their settlements to smoking ruins.

Laideann: Some of the Orcs have been known to trade with Laideann, but generally mistake them for Keltoi anyway- all pinkskins look the same to them.

Lizardmen: Very few Orcs have seen the Lizardmen, and would likely have much to share culturally: savagery and violence, mostly. They would likely try to kill or enslave them all and take their lands.

Summer Islanders: They make excellent slaves due to the fact that their settlements are easily raided.

Teleri: The Orcs also hate the Teleri; they’d dearly love to sacrifice them all to the Blood God and burn their infernal ships.

Umberkim: They fight well, but are ultimately slaves to the Ailokim.

See Also

Ourworld
Societies	Keltoi, Laideann, Ailokim, Teleri, Goliaths, Goblinoids_and_surrounds, Dwarves, Orcs, Ashlands