Orc

Those that say Orcs are the same as the rest of us are, frankly, lying. No, they're a different breed. Oh, not the grunting, foul creatures in the awful stereotypes, no. They're the best and worst of us. Imagine: humanity, thrown into the fire. Out they come from their terrible ordeals, either smelted to pristine steel or burned to bitter ash.

-Sara X'Tor, Governor of Sol V, 2393

Basic Information

Anatomy

As a human, but with generally larger weight, musculature, and bone mass. Prominent lower canine teeth are common, but not omnipresent. Skin tone is generally more ashen than human coloring, comparable instead to elf coloring.

Genetics and Reproduction

Orcs have a shorter gestation period (~7 lunar months) and a larger litter size (averaging two children) than humans. Humans and orcs can and often do interbreed. Mixed offspring are often of a moderate size between orcs and humans, but are otherwise a full member of their mother's subspecies.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Enhanced night vision relative to humans is a common trait among Orcs.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Orcs have names as any human, but also carry a matrilineal Clan name reserved for the final position. Therefore, an Orc man might be named Thomas Singer Jearn, where his human father was named Jonathan Singer and his orc mother was named Miriam Singer Jearn (nee Miriam Jackson Jearn). This Clan name takes the final position no matter the order of the given and surnames.

Major Organizations

Orcs are a central Party to the Sol Accords. As such, they belong to a vast number of diverse organizations throughout the galaxy.

Beauty Ideals

Orcs share beauty ideals with humans, for the most part. The tusks are a sticking point for some people (of both subspecies), but are seen as exotic in other circles.

Gender Ideals

Sexual dimorphism in orcs is slightly reduced relative to humans. Men and women are equally capable of hard labor, and there is therefore little reason for orcs to designate roles by gender. A select few jobs, especially restaurateur, are considered more suited for men.

Courtship Ideals

Orcs favor traditional human methods of courting, with marriage an important institution. A man, whether human or orc, is expected to ask his orc bride-to-be's mother for her hand, as the mother will be a matriarch in his children's Clan.

Relationship Ideals

An orc man is expected to behave as any human man. An orc woman is expected to show firm temperance to her kin, despite a reputation for some amount of ferocity in society at large. A Clan matriarch especially should be cool and collected, and capable of giving advice to clan members of all ages.

Average Technological Level

Orcs are known to have a tech bent, and are slightly more adept than humans with True Magic as well, despite little interest in its pursuit. The Sungjeong Drive, the only faster-than-light drive native to the Milky Way, was invented by an Orc.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Orcs do not have a true language; a number of devised languages have been proposed, and fallen flat.

Common Etiquette Rules

It is considered inappropriate to speak to an older orc woman without introducing oneself. Otherwise, human mannerisms will appease orcs.

Common Dress Code

Orcs share a fashion sense with humans, and dress casually for even their clan rituals, unless the matriarch specifies otherwise.

History

Orcs first appeared in the human gene-pool in 2217. An outbreak of a harmless form of influenza was at first ignored by the medical community; it was only detected and considered a threat when children born to infected mothers began to show unusual mutations, including ashen skin colors and rapidly-growing mandibular canines. The outbreak was stopped within two years, but a sizable enough population of mutated youth blossomed into its own subspecies when it was discovered that orc oocytes could not be safely vaccinated against the mutation. Forced to choose between sterilizing all orc females to, ultimately, commit genocide and allowing the new race its fundamental right to exist, the governments of Sol III accepted the newly designated subspecies.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Scientific Name

Homo sapiens robustus

Lifespan

70 years

Average Height

1.6m

Average Weight

75kg