Orc
Orcs are powerful, with broad shoulders, barrel-like chests, and thick bones. The average Orc stands six to six and a half feet tall, weighing two hundred and fifty pounds or more. Their skin, hair, and eyes are the colors of the night, stone, and moss. Males and females are hard for anyone but another Orc to tell apart.
Orcs are careful to maintain their appearance, belying the opinions of other cultures, which see them as simple, unrefined savages. Their skin is often covered with intricate tattoos and piercings. They tend to shave what little hair they have, or style it into Mohawks, braids, and spikes held in place with animal fat or hooves rendered into glue. Their armor is covered in spikes, designed to be equally protective and terrifying. Every orc carries at least one weapon—–even from a young age—–and the most powerful Orcish warriors tend to have oversized, ornate weaponry that signifies their status.
Orcish society is brutal, violent, and erratic. Orcs prefer to forcibly seize what they need from other cultures, rather than creating anything themselves. They are renowned as ferocious fighters, relying on unwavering determination and sheer aggression. This makes them unpredictable and dangerous combatants, but hinders their abilities to maintain large organized armies, or conduct war with sophisticated strategy.
Magic and technology are viewed as weapons of the enemy rather than skills to hone. Agriculture is something that lesser creatures practice. An Orc takes his food by force, whether by hunting or raiding, and the flesh of men is especially sweet.
Only the strongest and clever survive in Orcish society. Anyone can take what he or she wants; the act of taking proves the right of having. This leads to a fluid leadership system with squabbling warlords that may be female or male, pouncing on any perceived opportunity. It is rare for Orcish leaders to unite others tribes under one banner. As a result, Orcish "kingdoms" tend to never grow larger than a clan or tribe.
Orcs typically respect their religious leaders, the shamans. Shamans are not revered as much as they are feared, for the shamans have the ear of their terrifying gods. Most shamans remain neutral during power struggles between Orcish warlords, but it is not uncommon for a shaman to seize control for him or herself.
Orcish nations tend to have very few cities and roads. Most settlements are no more than crude military fortifications. Typically, the only large cities seen in Orcish lands were built by another culture before the Orcish warriors conquered, enslaved, and/or destroyed the original population. Larger Orcish cities are notorious as places full of robbers, looters, disease and slavery. Such cities are typically dominated by urban guerrilla warfare between the High Chiefs.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Their senses include, hearing, sight, smell, taste, feel and if trained enough can utilize magic in various ways to sense their surroundings.
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