Sea Orcs
Overview
Originally refugees from an island kingdom that sank below the sea in the Calamity, much of their history has been lost to time. At first slaves to the Kymosian wizards, they soon broke free and took to the Pacjour Seas to find their new homes. They are known as the heroes of the sea as they inhabit and settle on islands out in the open waters. Being adventurers, explorers and sailors, Sea orcs are known to build floating villages and great fleets. Like humans, Sea orcs were quick to action, tenacious and bold, and possessed an adaptability that was unusual among most races. This was useful to the race given that they were considered outsiders just about everywhere they have gone; they had the ability to thrive in unwelcome or unusual locations, which was a necessity for a Sea orcs’s welfare. The Sea orcs’s personality tended to be short-tempered and sullen, though their mental capabilities have often been underestimated and they were significantly more cunning than their cousins the Orks. More often than not, Sea orcs preferred simple pleasures such as feasting, singing, wrestling, or wild dancing to refined pursuits such as poetry or philosophy. Most Sea orcs were free-spirited like their habitat would create, exploring, sailing, and living lives on the open sea.Physical Description
Compared to more muscular humans, they were much taller and more lean, mostly due to the amount of swimming they will be forced to do throughout their lives. Their skin colors range from grayish, deep green, to very dark blue, and their hair was most often black, though it grayed very quickly with age. In general, they did not live as long as humans, maturing by their sixteenth year and often dying before their sixtieth. Tattooing was a great step in Sea orc culture, usually special tattoos are given to an orc upon reaching adulthood, often combined with ritualistic scarification. Men generally received these tattoos on their faces, buttocks and thighs, women on their lips and chins. The facial form gives details of the wearer's lineage, status, and origin. They often combined tattooing with scarification, in that the skin on the arms are carved with chisels, but not punctured. This left parts of the arm with grooves rather than a smooth surface. Tattoos were also common on these arms, as usually these orcs told stories and celebrated their exploits using tattoos or scarification.Society
On flotillas of the Pacjour Sea, the Tuskbreaker orcs live often in clans led by chieftains elected by the tribe itself. These tribes focus on trading and surviving on the seas, usually separated from the main governing body of the Tuskbreaker clans, a single warchief that leads the tribe by their strength and will. Due to their background, the Sea orc clans were one of the first societies in Ekrune to outlaw the practice of slavery, and they actively still fight Kymosian and Calishite slavers to this day. The children of the Tuskbreaker’s live in their hometown until they come of age, where they are told to go on their own and make a journey for themselves. This fact causes a great number of adventurers to come from Tuskbreaker seas, although not all of these “journeys” are specifically adventures and violence, many do seek that life. Interactions with other nations are usually along the lines of trade, as two of the great powers are quite disliked by Tuskbreaker’s (Calimshan and Kymos) for their slaving ways. Interacting regularly with the various peoples of Ekrune, Sea orcs living in developed orcish cities have a well-rounded knowledge of foreign cultures. Their home is a meeting place for almost every race, creed, and social order on the planet. Most Sea orc have learned to delight in the differences that define all people. Those steeped in tribal tradition, however, have not, going so far as to lead war parties against foreign peoples that trespass on lands they have claimed.Race Relations
Elves tend to be the least accepting of Sea orc, citing the great and long rivalry between their patron gods as a sign that they are not meant to mix. A lifetime of struggle and work leaves the average Sea orc often seeming rough and impersonal, yet people who break through his exterior might find a well-hidden core of empathy. Human societies tend to be the most accommodating, and adventuring Sea orcs dwelling there can often find work as mercenaries and enforcers. Even in places where there is a general tolerance for Sea orcs, however, many humans mistreat them when they can get away with it. Of all the other races, Tuskbreakers are most sympathetic with halflings, who often have an equally rough lot in life. Tuskbreakers respect the halfling’s ability to blend in and disappear and admire their perpetually cheerful outlook on life in spite of hardships. Halflings fail to appreciate this fact because they usually are too busy avoiding the large, intimidating Sea orcs.Stats and Meta Info
Ability Score Modifiers: Sea orc characters gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature. Size: Sea orcs are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. Type: Sea orcs are Humanoid creatures with the orc subtype. Base Speed: Sea orcs have a base speed of 30 feet. Languages: Sea orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Half-orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Draconic, Giant, Minotaur, Gnoll, and Goblin. Weapon Familiarity: Sea orcs are proficient with greataxes and falchions and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon. Darkvision: Sea orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Sacred Tattoo: Many sea orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Sea orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. Heart of the Sea: Sea orcs are born near the sea are always drawn to it. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor) and Swim checks, and these are always class skills for them. They can hold their breath twice as long as normal, and spellcasters gain a +4 racial bonus on concentration checks when attempting to cast spells underwater. Hatred: Sea orcs raised among orcs must prove themselves against their people’s enemies. Sea orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against humanoids and monstrous humanoids of of the aquatic subtype because of their special training against these hated foes. Tenacious: Once per day, when you fail a Fort or Will save, you can reroll the save and take the result.Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Small tusks
Lifespan
60-80 years
Average Height
5′0″‒6′10″ (1.5‒2.1 m)
Average Weight
154‒438 lb (69.9‒199 kg)
Related Organizations
