Races: The Orcs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The race of Orcs is described here even if players customarily only take on Half-Orc roles. It is nonetheless important to understand both mixed and full blood Orcs to play such a character. The Orcs speak the language Uroch with many clannish variations.
Description
An Orc is - like all demi-human races - mammalian. Fully grown they are between 4'7" and 5'8" tall and weigh 76-200 pounds. They have dark brown to black hair that lends itself to forming dreadlocks. Their skin is beige but usually covered in clan patterns of ink-blot shaped tattoos in pigments of green, yellow and orange. Their irises are red. They can see heat. Jaws and canines are large and do much to give Orcs an animalistic visage which is enhanced by a naturally aggressive temperament. Ears are pointed and back-swept.
They can live as long as a human but rarely do. Orcs traditionally live in the caverns and crevices of rugged mountains but can survive in all sorts of settings. They have usually stayed away from lowlands because other races there cannot abide them.
Culture
Orcs live in many clans (Ugu). The clan is ruled by a chieftain (Kach) who is selected by contest of arms. Any pure-blood Orc can challenge to be chieftain at any time. Orcish shamans (Huguch) adjudicate at such challenges to ensure that both honour and life (if not limb) is preserved.
Shamans also serve the role of conveying messages between the clan and the spirits. Orcish religion is animistic - every cavern and ravine has its own spirit. Shamans are pragmatic and focus on offering loyalty to spirits in return for luck. Orcs hold that the spirits of the dead haunt homes and family members.
The Orcs of the Border Mountains are in a long-running war with the Goblins. As a result the clans have banded together and the chieftains choose from among them one Marshal (Gagokach) who holds the role till death.
Some Orcs are Boar-Keepers (Bochuroch). They care for and train wild boars to become Buck Boars (Boch) which act as guards and trackers. The boars also provide food and clothing for Orcs which are also prepared by the same Boar-Keepers.
A normal Orc is between one and three experience levels. Shamans and Boar-Keepers are between two and three levels. Chieftains have four levels while only the Marshal has five levels. Orcs cannot follow adventuring Callings but Half-Orcs can. As a result Half-Orcs (Iguroch) 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 other races that have then been adapted for Orcish use and passed from generation to generation. They favour spears, battle axes, maces, and scale mail.
Orcish music is produced by both percussion (using arms and armour) and growled 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 the clan territory. The shamans are also skilled in concocting toxins.
Clothes
Orcs wear a mix of furs and hides and armour passed from parent to child. Orcish shamans wear head-dress made from boar skulls. Chieftains wear the best clothes and armour and a common trapping is a vest and gloves made from Goblin skin. Orcs also get tattooed. Half-Orcs tend to mix these traditional items with human clothing.
Food
The consuming of pork is the preference of Orcs. As a result of this association all other races 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 form of food but it is considered a dirty vice. Nonetheless those intent on shocking others will claim to enjoy 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 cycle. Once every year orcs enter into a mating frenzy involving fighting over partners and travelling from clan to clan in order to find partners. Nobody can be sure of the parentage of children but as the whole clan care for them this is okay. Gestation takes only six months.
Half-Orcs
Half-Orcs 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 all mixed blood children. However in the War of the Orcs & Goblins they now deem Half-Orcs to be useful contributors to the war effort and welcome them into the clans. Adventuring Half-Orcs can be Warriors, Clerics, Mages of Thieves.
Half-Orcs are more likely to be found living among humans - the more humans to be lost among the better. They still face prejudice but rarely do they suffer violence (in part because they themselves have a violent reputation). They have introduced to humans the art of tattooing.
Half-Orcs have the same size and life expectancy as humans. They look very much like humans but with diluted Orcish characteristics. Hair will tend to dark brown and eyes will be orange-brown. Canines will be more pronounced and overall there will be an impression of robustness. Half-Orcs have monthly hormonal cycles but the attitude they have towards sex is similar – if they are attracted to someone then they should try to sleep with them. Like Orcs they have a particularly strong sense of smell for pheromones. They lack the ability however to see heat.
The race of Orcs is described here even if players customarily only take on Half-Orc roles. It is nonetheless important to understand both mixed and full blood Orcs to play such a character. The Orcs speak the language Uroch with many clannish variations.
Description
An Orc is - like all demi-human races - mammalian. Fully grown they are between 4'7" and 5'8" tall and weigh 76-200 pounds. They have dark brown to black hair that lends itself to forming dreadlocks. Their skin is beige but usually covered in clan patterns of ink-blot shaped tattoos in pigments of green, yellow and orange. Their irises are red. They can see heat. Jaws and canines are large and do much to give Orcs an animalistic visage which is enhanced by a naturally aggressive temperament. Ears are pointed and back-swept.
They can live as long as a human but rarely do. Orcs traditionally live in the caverns and crevices of rugged mountains but can survive in all sorts of settings. They have usually stayed away from lowlands because other races there cannot abide them.
Culture
Orcs live in many clans (Ugu). The clan is ruled by a chieftain (Kach) who is selected by contest of arms. Any pure-blood Orc can challenge to be chieftain at any time. Orcish shamans (Huguch) adjudicate at such challenges to ensure that both honour and life (if not limb) is preserved.
Shamans also serve the role of conveying messages between the clan and the spirits. Orcish religion is animistic - every cavern and ravine has its own spirit. Shamans are pragmatic and focus on offering loyalty to spirits in return for luck. Orcs hold that the spirits of the dead haunt homes and family members.
The Orcs of the Border Mountains are in a long-running war with the Goblins. As a result the clans have banded together and the chieftains choose from among them one Marshal (Gagokach) who holds the role till death.
Some Orcs are Boar-Keepers (Bochuroch). They care for and train wild boars to become Buck Boars (Boch) which act as guards and trackers. The boars also provide food and clothing for Orcs which are also prepared by the same Boar-Keepers.
A normal Orc is between one and three experience levels. Shamans and Boar-Keepers are between two and three levels. Chieftains have four levels while only the Marshal has five levels. Orcs cannot follow adventuring Callings but Half-Orcs can. As a result Half-Orcs (Iguroch) 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 other races that have then been adapted for Orcish use and passed from generation to generation. They favour spears, battle axes, maces, and scale mail.
Orcish music is produced by both percussion (using arms and armour) and growled 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 the clan territory. The shamans are also skilled in concocting toxins.
Clothes
Orcs wear a mix of furs and hides and armour passed from parent to child. Orcish shamans wear head-dress made from boar skulls. Chieftains wear the best clothes and armour and a common trapping is a vest and gloves made from Goblin skin. Orcs also get tattooed. Half-Orcs tend to mix these traditional items with human clothing.
Food
The consuming of pork is the preference of Orcs. As a result of this association all other races 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 form of food but it is considered a dirty vice. Nonetheless those intent on shocking others will claim to enjoy 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 cycle. Once every year orcs enter into a mating frenzy involving fighting over partners and travelling from clan to clan in order to find partners. Nobody can be sure of the parentage of children but as the whole clan care for them this is okay. Gestation takes only six months.
Half-Orcs
Half-Orcs 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 all mixed blood children. However in the War of the Orcs & Goblins they now deem Half-Orcs to be useful contributors to the war effort and welcome them into the clans. Adventuring Half-Orcs can be Warriors, Clerics, Mages of Thieves.
Half-Orcs are more likely to be found living among humans - the more humans to be lost among the better. They still face prejudice but rarely do they suffer violence (in part because they themselves have a violent reputation). They have introduced to humans the art of tattooing.
Half-Orcs have the same size and life expectancy as humans. They look very much like humans but with diluted Orcish characteristics. Hair will tend to dark brown and eyes will be orange-brown. Canines will be more pronounced and overall there will be an impression of robustness. Half-Orcs have monthly hormonal cycles but the attitude they have towards sex is similar – if they are attracted to someone then they should try to sleep with them. Like Orcs they have a particularly strong sense of smell for pheromones. They lack the ability however to see heat.
posted by Daniel | 8.5.06
<< Home