Orc

They say today’s orcs descend from foot soldiers created by the vengeful god Nemain and sent to our world to destroy the favored children of Chauntea. But Nemain quickly lost interest in the feud and left her warriors stranded without a home. Those left behind lived a nomadic life on whatever they could secure from the giants in the north. Generations in inhospitable lands granted those with orc blood the gift of superior resilience.
In the north they domesticated elephants and other large beasts. Many beasts were bred as mounts in the war against their colossal foes, but they had other uses. Many of the finest animal trainers in Arvor’s history were orcs. Early humans sought alliances with them to learn to domesticate these beasts, and many of these alliances led to lasting partnerships.
Some clans remain in the Sparselands, but most died or moved on after they were abandoned by the goddess. Today, the half-orc descendants of orc-human partnerships are more common than orcs themselves and live in most towns and cities.
Orcs and half-orcs live regrettably short lives. For some of them, this is cause for mindfulness and appreciation of small moments, while others rage against the injustice of a pantheon that allows elves to live for centuries while Orcs rarely live to see their sixtieth birthday.