Orcs

Ümbria's fierce, loyal, and brave race of warriors, hunters, war-shamans, conquerors as well as herdsmen and shepherds.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Orcs are a humanoid race. They tend to have green skin with variations in grey, brown, and red skin tones. Orc's muscles are naturally larger than that of a Human's. Orcs also have more muscles and muscle groups than almost every other Ümbrian race. An Orc's teeth, jaw, hands, and feet grow far larger than that of a Human's (even when accounting for height and weight). Orcs also tend to have pointed ears with the tips pointing backwards. orcs have thinker bones and skin when compared to Humans. These plus the larger number of muscles lead to Orcs to being less susceptible to most types of physical damage. Orcs do, however, have fewer bones in their bodies due to the larger size of each individual bone. This means more of an Orc's vital organs are not protected by his/her ribcage. The lower number of bones also means Orcs are less flexable than that of Humans or Elves.

Genetics and Reproduction

A female Orc may carry her unborn child for close to 2 years before giving birth. It is also very rare for a female Orc to give birth to more than one child at a time with the rare birth of twins being seen as a gift from the gods and and cause for great celebration. Orcs females are "married" to an Orc male as close to the begining of a female's "ready year" (the year at which a female Orc is ready to start giving birth) as possible. Orcs do not have traditional marriages like most other races do. When a female Orc is "ready" all the male Orcs who want that female as their own fight one another in a all-out brawl to gain the female's hand in marriage, this is call "joining ceremony" with the two Orcs becoming "joined." The female picks which Orcs she prefers the most and they are joined before leaving to consummate the joining. Because Orcs have such a slow reproduction time, Orc men can take on multiple wives, attempting to get each one pregnant as soon as the previous bith has taken place. If a female Orc is not impregnated with in a week of her previous birth, she may leave her husband and look for a new Orc to be joined with. This would start the joining ceremony over again with the male Orcs fighting for the females hand. The formerly joined Orc may fight for his former wife's hand again but him being chosen again is very unlikely.

Growth Rate & Stages

Live for only around 70-130 years. 5 stages of life: 0-6 baby, 7-17 child, 18-32 young adult, 33-84 adult, 85+ elder. (all in years)

Ecology and Habitats

Orcs can live in most climates as long as there is enough food in the area. Orcs generally live in the forests, hills, and plains of Ümbria. Some clans of Orcs do live in mountains or deserts but these are rarer as there tends to be less game in these areas. Some clans of Orcs will change their hunting grounds as the animals they are hunting move on, however, other Orc clans have opted for more permanent residence building houses, forts, villages, and walled in areas to contain their herds.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like many of the other Ümbrian races, Orcs eat a mixture of meats, vegetables, and fruits. Orcs, however, require far fewer vegetables and fruits and far more meat in their diet than that of many of the other Ümbrian races. This dietary requirement has lead most populations of Orcs to focus on hunting game rather than farming. This has also lead many Orcs to become capable herdsmen and shepherds.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Orcs are a very family / clan oriented race with the rare exception of an Orc or Orc family living with other races. Orcs are also very territorial putting a large emphisis on gaining and controling land. Orc families join together in what is called a clan (or tribe if the clan is large enough) and these groups tend to own a large area of land used and shared by each member of the clan. The shared land would be broken up into sections called holds, each owned/controlled by a different Orc (or Orc family if the clan was large enough), based on which Orc took or found said hold. A great achievment in an Orcs life is that of finding, taking, or fighting for a hold of land that then would be added to the clan's shared land. The use of this land/these holds vary depending on the clan. Clans tend to fall into one of two types: Roaming and Rooted.
Roaming: Roaming clans are generally more aggressive and hostile towards other clans and other racial groups. They are also the type most associated with hunting game and following the game as it moved across the land. This type of clan does also take and defend their holds/shared lands but they tend to not of build permanent defences to hold back invaders. This is because these types of clans will most likely be leaving their current area to follow the game they are hunting. Another reason is that roaming type clans also tend to have much larger territorial areas becasue they need to follow their game wherever it may go so building forts and wall would be, in a way, outdated by the time they were finished. The way these clans defend their territory is to simply have scouts patrolling the holds looking for any invasion. In an Orcs mind, a small village halfway built within known clan territory is viewed as an invasion. This small probably defencless town would be swiftly raided, looted, and destroyed with little care as to weather or not it was an actual threat to the clan. Roaming Orc clans will employ Wargs for faster and easier travel as they follow their game.
Rooted: Rooted clans are generally more open to relations with neighboring towns, nations, and races (but only so much). Rooted Orcs are more likely to build permanent housing, defences, and defensible structures (such as fortresses). Rooted Orcs are also the type most likely to walls / pens to hold their herds of animals instead of letting them roam free. Rooted Orcs often construct a fortress or keep in a easily defencible spot (on mountain, hill, etc.) and use the surrounding area for some farming and pastures for their herds of animals to feed on and live in.
Orcs take great pride in fighting, each other or enemies of their clan. This fact makes going into battle against rival clans, hostle nations, invading armies, or random towns a joyous day and one to be remembered / talked about for years to come. Because Orcs enjoy battles so much, the other races have created the stereotype that Orcs are constantly looking for peoples to fight / raid. This stereotype is true to a degree. When an Orc gears up physically and mentally for a fight not much short of divine intervention could hold that Orc from back from that fight. However, Orcs are not stupid and know when they are outmatched and will not engage in a battle they are sure to lose unless they are left with no other option but to fight (What's the use of a good fight is no one is left to tell everyone else how awesome I was?). This does not mean Orcs will retreat from a fight once presented one (In Orcish, the word for retreat is the same word as coward), they will, however, choose to not cross paths with a fighting force far exceeding their own strength / numbers if possible.

Facial characteristics

Large jaws. Long sharp teeth usually extending out of the mouth even when mouth is closed. Pointed ears pointing backwards. Large brow ridge. Usually no eyebrows. Facial hair usually covering the neck, jaw, and cheeks and connecting to the sideburns extending around the ears.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Worldwide

Average Intelligence

Orcs have around the average intelligence as the other races. Where in many Ümbrian races excel, Orcs struggle to learn or understand things such as mathimatical, engineering, and scientific principles. However, Orcs are fantastic problem solvers especially when it comes to personal and immediate issues. Through trial and error, Orcs have learned the best ways (that they have found so far) of doing things (farming / hearding / building / forging / fighting / etc.) for them, the Orc way, even if they may not know why they do them this way.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Orcs see through their eyes, hear through their ears, smell through their noses, feel through their skin, and communicate through their mouth / throat. Orcs have exceptionally good smelling capabilities being able to smell scents five time further and more accurately than a Human.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Common, Orcish

Origin/Ancestry

One of the many races created by the gods to populate Ümbria.

Lifespan

70-130 years

Average Height

5' 10" - 7' 0"

Average Weight

350-550lbs. male. 200-350lbs. female.

Average Physique

An Orc's muscles are naturally larger than that of a Human's. Orcs also have more muscles and muscle groups than almost every other Ümbrian race.