Orc
"It's a sad state that many of the Orcish communities have fallen into. Due to their Primal Energies originally given to them as a boon by their creator, this usually drives them to form massive warbands that are the antithesis of humanoid peace. However, that's not to say that all Orcs and by extension Half-Orcs have let this curse take hold of them. Most are better than that."Orcs are an interesting species in the world of Aedir. While they appear to be a war hungry and species revolving around primal anger and war, they are often misunderstood. Most assume this anger is something the Orcs can control in the first place, but this is in fact an anchor to ground the Orcish race by their creator, Gruumsh, the Thousand Blades (God of War, Chaos, Anger and Wrath). This curse makes Orcs a thorn in the side of progress and humanity, as often this race is seen as the antithesis of peace and prosperity. This is why many Orcs that manage to integrate into other Humanoid settlements are often loners, due to feeling alone. Misunderstood they are, but that misunderstanding has led to centuries of conflict and the loss of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of lives throughout the world.Esarius. The World Archivist
Additional Information
Social Structure
Orcish society is incredibly foreign to those that don't understand how Orcs work. First things first in Orcish society is Strength. Strength is the most important thing an Orc could have and without it, that child is ultimately forced to fend for itself or killed as it's too weak. Orcs constantly fight, whether that means between themselves or killing and enslaving humanoids. An Orc Warband constantly switching War Chiefs as Chiefs get usurped by stronger ones until it leads to their ultimate downfall. As a result of their respect of strength, the hierarchy is solely based on one's strength. Orcs don't really give a damn about a lot, except for their pride, their strength, having sex and eating. If a Chief can promise those four things, most Orcs would follow them until they mess up, with which another Orc would challenge them to a "Glurak" or an "Honorfight" in Common.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Orcs are spread out throughout the World from the Cold Wastes of Graza to the island of Bruttania Meljabul. Orcs are found in lesser numbers in the Veilnum, having adapted to the pirate lifestyle instead of one of raging warbands. However, Orcs are not present in Isodyrn, due to many of the Orcs there being repelled by the Gnomes and the Thri-Kreen that call Isodyrn home.
Average Intelligence
Orcs on average are not very smart people. This is due once again to Gruumsh's influence and Orcish culture. Those that usually use brains more than brawn are casted aside or killed early on. However, that is not to say that all Orcs are dumb. Orcs have an innate prowess with combat, almost to that of the Hobgoblins. Orcs that have assimilated into Humanoid culture are also some of the wisest people in the world. You have to be if you want to overcome your rage.
The Orcs in Meljabul, located on the island of Bruttania are abnormally intelligent. This is a closely held secret within the Orcish Circles, but many people believe the King of the Brutish Kingdom, Queen Viktorya had something to do about it to receive the support from the Orcish Circles.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Orcish Names are very hard for many other Humanoids to say. This is due to their names being very gruff and filled with a majority of consonants. Other names also tend to sound like sounds as well, as their names originally formed from grunts uttered during battles.
Male Orcish Names: Grazk, Orshk, Kazr, Vorzt, Agugh, Kutash
Female Orcish Names: Rulfim, Mor, Uloth, Shagdun, Murob
Orcish Surnames: Murok, Grazkz, Shuri, Hrathri, Turmzi
Gender Ideals
Ironically, in some aspects, Orcish society would be seen as very progressive. Orcish Women actively fight alongside the Orcish Males, even while they are carrying children. Strength is very profound within Orcish communities, and if a Female Orc can make herself prominent enough to topple the Orc War Chief, she would usurp and no one would complain. However, that's where most of the progressive ideals stop. Female Orcs are expected to further the Orcish Race, and if they are infertile, they are usually forced to fight on the battlefield. And that usually leads to the unsettling result of Half-Orcs being born.
History
Orcs were created to be the ideal foot soldier by Gruumsh, the Thousand Blades during the Uprising Wars. This is because during the battles, Devils were becoming thinner and thinner and the Demon Alliance needed hardy and strong soldiers to command their front lines. And so, Orcs were created with nothing else in mind than battle prowess. Gruumsh empowered the Orcs with the innate ability to tap into their primal anger and using that to amplify their strength in combat.
Orcs were killed in the Millions by the Solar League by Gods and the Humanoids in Aedir alike. After the end of the Uprising Wars and up until the Evetic Conquest of Mount Celeste, tensions with the Orcs and the Humanoids were at their all time high, both sides usually killed each other the moment they saw one another. This is due to the scars of the war which still burned bright.
In the millennia after the war, tensions have cooled but are still high. Most Humanoids view Orcs with pity, disdain and worry and Orcs view the other Humanoids with Anger and burning hatred. If it's one thing an Orc hates it is being humiliated on the battlefield, which is something Gruumsh has held over their head empowering their rage. His grasp is still strong over the Orcs, especially the ones in Graza who fight for their life every day of their life from birth to death.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Tensions with the other Humanoid races are... tense since the dawn of the Orcish race. This is due to Orcish Warbands often being the demise of earlier Humanoid settlements and causing a lot of death and carnage within those settlements. However, Orcs who "assimilate" into other Humanoid cultures are welcomed with open arms due to their strength, they make great laborers and workers, black smiths, anything you can think of. Orcs usually find themselves in those positions anyways, because they don't complain as long as they can eat.
Orcs have especially high tensions with Dwarves. Especially in Graza where conflict between the few Dwarven Citadels and the roving Orcish Warbands often clash and have been for centuries. Orcs often find Dwarven Citadels very appealing as nine times out of ten they are very defensible. Orcs will often throw hundreds of Orcs just to use those Citadels as their Fortress and their Warband Camps, often enslaving or outright torturing their Dwarven captives.
Orcs have a very one way relationship with Goblinoids. They are utterly terrified of Hobgoblins if they encounter them due to their discipline and military prowess. However to Bugbears and Goblins, they are authoritative and controlling, viewing them as eternally the slaves of Orcs. Warbands often employ Goblins as their foot soldiers and slaves if the Warband is prominent enough.
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
Around 50 years maximum.
Average Height
Around 6 feet tall.
Average Weight
From 230 pounds to 280 pounds.
Average Physique
Orcs are extremely well built, for both Males and Females. For constant and grueling training and exercise on the battlefield, Orcs are incredibly strong and are physically one of the most muscular races in Aedir itself. This is partly due to engineering on Gruumsh's part as well, as he wanted to prime species for carnage and death. As such, he made the Orcs a very stocky and muscular race so they could take a lot of hits on the battlefield.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Orcish skin has a faint greenish tint. It's unsure why this is, but people assume it might be so Orcs can camouflage into grass. Although no Orc in their life would do this, they would rather die in a blaze of glory than hide like a coward. So the real reason is unknown.
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