Orcs

The Orcs are described here even if players customarily only take on Half-Orc roles. It is important to understand Orcs to play such a character. They speak the language Uloch and also call themselves Uloch (pronounced 'oo' and 'loch' as in a kind of lake).

Description

Orcs are - like all demi-humans - mammalian. Ors can live as long as Humans but rarely do. They traditionally live in the cave-lined gorges of rugged mountains but can survive in all sorts of settings. They have usually stayed away from lowlands because other inhabitants there repel such incursions. Fully grown they are between 4'8" and 5'8" tall and weigh 83 to 200 pounds. Orcish complexion is unusually responsive to environment and shading can shift back and forth over time (for instance as an Orc moves from tunnel-dwelling to wandering the open wilderness). Their irises are red and they can see temperature differences. Ears are pointed and back-swept. Canine teeth are large and do much to give Orcs a wild visage suggestive of an aggressive temperament.

Culture

Orcs live in many groups called folds (Ugu). These are similar to those of the Wandering Lands barbarians and Orcish legends tell that they originally came from a cold northern homeland. Each Ugu is ruled by a leader (Kach) who is selected by contest of arms. Any pure-blood Orc can challenge to be Kach at any time. Orcish celebrants (Huguch) adjudicate at such challenges to ensure that both honour and life (if not limb) is preserved.

Huguch also serve the role of conveying messages between the Ugu and the spirits. Orcish religion is animistic - every cavern and ravine has its own spirit while there are others that travel with particular folds. Huguch are pragmatic and focus on offering loyalty to spirits in return for luck. If an Ugu feels it can do better then it will even abandon one guardian spirit for another.

The Orcs of the Border Mountains are in a long-running war with the Goblins (follow link and scroll down). As a result the Ugu have banded together and all the Kach choose from among them one Marshal (Gagokach) who holds the role till death.

Some Orcs are Boar-Keepers (Bochuloch). They care for and train wild boars to become 'Buck Boars' (Boch) which act as guards and trackers. Boch also provide food and clothing for Orcs which are prepared by the same Bochuloch.

A normal Uloch is between one and three experience levels. Huguch and Bochuloch are between two and three levels. Kach have four levels while only the Gagokach has five levels. Orcs cannot follow adventuring callings but Half-Orcs can. As a result Half-Orcs (Iguloch) are now welcome for the contribution they can make to fighting Goblins. However any Half-Orc that exceeds fifth level will tire of the Orc-Goblin War and depart for more interesting Human habitations.



Technology

Orcish technology is focused on warfare. They are resource poor however and most arms and armour are those stolen from others that have then been adapted for Orcish use and passed from generation to generation. They favour spears, battle axes, maces, and chain mail.

Orcish music is produced by percussion (using arms and armour) with growled and screeched vocals that echo menacingly in the mountain passes and caverns. They are expert at hastily constructing tunnels and basic fortifications. Mechanical skills are focused on producing traps defending territory. The Huguch are also skilled in concocting toxins and hallucinogens made from wild truffles.

Clothes

Orcs wear a mix of furs and hides and armour passed from parent to child. Huguch wear head-dress made from boar skulls. Kach wear the best clothes and armour and a common trapping is a vest and gloves made from Goblin skin. Orcs customarily use ink-blot tattoos in pigments of green, yellow and orange. Half-Orcs tend to mix these traditional items with Human clothing of a gothic (historical barbarian) bent.

Food

The consuming of pork is the preference of Orcs. As a result of this association others tend to shun that particular flesh. Orcs who live a traditional life eat wild boar. Half-Orcs living among Humans have cultivated the much tamer breed of pig. Some Humans actively seek this food to seem risqué and talk of enjoying the Half-Orcish meal of slices of roast pork with pickled cabbage and ginger ale.

Reproduction

Orcs are unusual in having an annual rather than monthly fertility pattern. They have a keen sense of smell for pheromones. Once every year Orcs enter into a festive frenzy involving travelling between Ugu in order to find partners and impress them with acts of bravado. Nobody can be sure of the parentage of children but as the whole Ugu care for them this is okay.

Half-Orcs

Iguloch were born in numbers during the time of Orcish migrations between the Border Mountains and Iron Mountains because some lost Orcs started to fill the ranks of Human bandit gangs. Traditionally Orcish culture was prejudiced towards Half-Orcs and recommended infanticide for such children. However in the War of the Orcs & Goblins they now deem Half-Orcs to be useful contributors to the war effort.

Adventuring Half-Orcs can be Warriors, Clerics, Mages of Thieves. They are more likely to be found living among Humans - the more to be lost among the better. They face some suspicion but rarely do they suffer violence. Half-Orcs have the same size and lifespan as Humans. They look very much like Humans but with diluted Orcish characteristics. Irises are reddish-brown but they lack the ability to see temperature. Lower canines are more pronounced. Half-Orcs tend to look wiry. They have a monthly fertility pattern.