Orc (/ɔːrk/)
The Brutes of Strength & Ferocity
The humanoid stands about 7 feet tall, with a large muscular body, grayish skin, coarse hair and a stooped posture. It has a low forehead and a pig-like face, with lower canines that resemble boar tusks. It also has ears that are pointed at the end.
Orcs are savage raiders and pillagers with stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks.
Gruumsh One-Eye. Orcs worship Gruumsh, the mightiest of the orc deities and their creator. The orcs believe that in ancient days, the gods gathered to divide the world among their followers. When Gruumsh claimed the mountains, he learned they had been taken by the dwarves. He laid claim to the forests, but those had been settled by the elves. Each place that Gruumsh wanted had already been claimed. The other gods laughed at Gruumsh, but he responded with a furious bellow. Grasping his mighty spear, he laid waste to the mountains, set the forests aflame, and carved great furrows in the fields. Such was the role of the orcs, he proclaimed, to take and destroy all that the other races would deny them. To this day, the orcs wage an endless war on humans, elves, dwarves, and other folk.
Orcs hold a particular hatred for elves. The elven god Corellon Larethian half-blinded Gruumsh with a well-placed arrow to the orc god's eye. Since then, the orcs have taken particular joy in slaughtering elves. Turning his injury into a baleful gift, Gruumsh grants divine might to any champion who willingly plucks out one of its eyes in his honor.
Tribes like Plagues. Orcs gather in tribes that exert their dominance and satisfy their bloodlust by plundering villages, devouring or driving off roaming herds, and slaying any humanoids that stand against them. After savaging a settlement, orcs pick it clean of wealth and items usable in their own lands. They set the remains of villages and camps ablaze, then retreat whence they came, their bloodlust satisfied.
Ranging Scavengers. Their lust for slaughter demands that orcs dwell always within striking distance of new targets. As such, they seldom settle permanently, instead converting ruins, cavern complexes, and defeated foes' villages into fortified camps and strongholds. Orcs build only for defense, making no innovation or improvement to their lairs beyond mounting the severed body parts of their victims on spiked stockade walls or pikes jutting up from moats and trenches.
When an existing territory is depleted of food, an orc tribe divides into roving bands that scout for choice hunting grounds. When each party returns, it brings back trophies and news of targets ripe for attack, the richest of which is chosen. The tribe then sets out en masse to carve a bloody path to its new territory.
On rare occasions, a tribe's leader chooses to hold onto a particularly defensible lair for decades. The orcs of such a tribe must range far across the countryside to sate their appetites.
Leadership and Might. Orc tribes are mostly patriarchal, flaunting such vivid or grotesque titles as Many-Arrows, Screaming Eye, and Elf Ripper. Occasionally, a powerful war chief unites scattered orc tribes into a single rampaging horde, which runs roughshod over other orc tribes and humanoid settlements from a position of overwhelming strength.
Strength and power are the greatest of orcish virtues, and orcs embrace all manner of mighty creatures in their tribes. Rejecting notions of racial purity, they proudly welcome ogres, trolls, half-orcs, and orogs into their ranks. As well, orcs respect and fear the size and power of evil giants, and often serve them as guards and soldiers.
Orc Crossbreeds. Luthic, the orc goddess of fertility and wife of Gruumsh, demands that orcs procreate often and indiscriminately so that orc hordes swell generation after generation. The orcs' drive to reproduce runs stronger than any other humanoid race, and they readily crossbreed with other races. When an orc procreates with a non-orc humanoid of similar size and stature (such as a human or a dwarf), the resulting child is either an orc or a half-orc. When an orc produces young with an ogre, the child is a half-ogre of intimidating strength and brutish features called an ogrillon.
The Mighty Menagerie have met and fought many Orcs. Many of which were part of the Blood Hand Orcs, but there have been a few they've come across in civilized lands as well. They have also met many half-orcs which range across the alignment spectrum.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Orcs were a race of humanoids.
Description
While they differed greatly, orcs shared certain physical qualities. Orcs of all kinds usually had stooped builds, grayish skin, and coarse black hair, with low foreheads, reddish eyes, and faces of porcine appearance that featured large lower canines similar to a boar's tusks. They also had wolf-like ears that were pointed on the ends. Orcs were roughly the same size as humans and similar humanoids, though usually typically larger.Subraces and Related Races
Mountain orcs
The most common orc subrace, as well as the first historically accounted for, mountain orcs could be found throughout most of Faerûn, which they travel through along mountain ranges descended from the Spine of the World in the far north.Gray orcs
A less bestial and more civilized subrace of orcs brought to Faerûn during the Orcgate Wars through one of many Imaskari portals.Orogs
A breed of orcs descended from mountain orcs who live mostly in the Underdark, though in recent years they have been returning to the surface in large numbers and taking over Mountain orc tribes, using their abilities to bully their 'lessers' and plan raids.Ogrillons
The result of orcs breeding with ogres.Ondontis
A pacifist cousin of the orc with a fey nature.Neo-orogs
Magical hybrids of gray orcs, orogs, and other creatures. Generally split into two groups, black (trained as scouts) and red (trained as elite shock troops)Boogins
The result of mountain orcs breeding with quaggoths. While not strictly subraces, the result of a human and orc breeding was known as a Half-Orc while the offspring of a half-fiend and orc was a tanarukk.Biological Traits
Biology
Orcs were sensitive to bright light, which could blind them.Ecology and Habitats
Homelands
Orcs were found in many parts of Toril, though some areas had a higher concentration than others. Marauding bands of mountain orcs were most commonly found in mountain ranges in the northern parts of the world, particularly around Faerûn. Gray orcs were commonly found to the east, near the portal from which they emerged in High Imaskar. The orcs in the Sword Mountains were responsible for several conflicts with Waterdeep, including the Orcfastings War, and an onslaught caused by the Black Claw. They were also at least partially responsible for the Trollwars. However, of all the orcish homelands, Many-Arrows probably stood out the most as the only civilized orc nation built along the same lines as its human and elven neighbors.Kingdom of Many-Arrows
A subset of orcs belonging to a state first formed a century ago by the legendary Obould Many-Arrows differed from the majority of their kin in cultural attitudes. While most orcs were warlike and savage, the orcs of Many-Arrows, ruled over by King Obould XVII, were remarkably civilized, to a point that has made their neighbors curious. These orcs maintained a tenuous peace with the dwarves of Mithral Hall and the other races in Luruar, though many suspected war could break out at any moment should the delicate balance between the races be upset. It was from this region that the most unusual kind of orc would sometimes emerge - heroes.Dietary Needs and Habits
Diet
Orcish cuisine was notoriously unpalatable for many other races. Some compared the taste of their goulashes to the taste of an old soldier's boot. Some even went as far as to claim that orcs did, in fact, use discarded shoes in their cooking.Biological Cycle
Lifespan
Orcs bred fast and lived short lives compared with most other races. They were considered adults anywhere between 11 and 14 years of age, middle-aged at 17, old at 23, and venerable at 35 years of age. The average orc seldom lived longer than 40 years, even if it managed to avoid violent death. It was unheard of for an orc to live longer than 45 years without magical aid.
Adult male orcs generally stood between 59 and 71 inches tall, and adult females averaged two inches shorter. Males weighed in anywhere between 136 and 190 pounds, while females weighed between 96 and 150 pounds.
Behaviour
Personality
Orcs had poor temperaments and were given to anger more easily than some races. Easily offended and impatient, orcs generally preferred violent solutions and rarely considered multiple ways of approaching a problem. However, in spite of this, many orcs were excellent at getting results, since they were creatures of action, not thought. Some exceptions to this profile did exist, however, such as the famed King Obould.Additional Information
Social Structure
Society
Traditional orcish culture was extremely warlike and when not at war they were usually planning for it. Most orcs approached life with the belief that to survive, one had to subjugate potential enemies and control as many resources as possible, which put them naturally at odds with other races as well as each other. This belief was spurred in part by Gruumsh and his pantheon, which taught that all races were inferior to the orcs. Most orcs were part of a confederation of tribes, loosely held together by a despotic chieftain. Bands within these alliances might wander far from their homelands, but continued to greet those orcs who belonging to the same tribal network as kin. Eyes of Gruumsh were orcs specially tied to the one-eyed god and offered sacrifices, read omens and advised tribes on Gruumsh's will. Orc bloodragers were champions of their tribe, who used primal strength and ferocity to overcome their enemies. Most were bodyguards or lower-ranking chiefs within the tribal structure. Male orcs dominated most orcish societies and females were usually, at best, prized possessions and little better than livestock at worst. Male orcs prided themselves on their number of wives and sons, as well as their scars from battle and rituals. Orcs also prized the possession of slaves, though relatively few owned them. Most orcs didn't build cities of their own, instead relying on those left behind by others and improving their fortifications or operating out of small camps and dens, often in natural caves. Orcs managed ironwork on their own, as well as stonework, though their tools were often inferior to those of more disciplined races.Uses, Products & Exploitation
Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Humanoid, the player should roll a Medicine Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Orc Tusks | Orcs have a set of lower canines that resembled boar tusks. While these tusks have little uses, except for ornamentation and trophies, they can be used to collect the bounty for an orc. | 5 sp | 1 lb. | ∞ | - |
| 5 | Orc Blood (3 vials) | The gift of fertility that was granted to the orcs by their deity, Luthic, also gave their other fluids full compatibility with other humanoids. As such, drinking the blood of an orc can temporarily grant other humanoids some of the legendary ferocity of the orcs. Use: When you drink this vial of blood, you feel more aggressive for the next 10 minutes. During this time, you may spend your bonus action to move up to your speed toward a hostile creature you can see. After the 10 minutes have passed, you must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one point of exhaustion. | 1 gp | 1 lb. | ∞ | - |
This kind of creature may carry a few coins. This kind of creature may have a small hoard. This character usually carries: 1 Greataxe, 1d4 Javelin, 1 Hide Random loot, generally very little. they can be carrying weapons and armor which could range in quality and abilities.
Possible Trinkets
Possible trinkets
1d20 Item Weight Value 1 1 waterskin of a clear, hard liquor 5 lb. 5 sp 2 1 leather strap lined with human scalps 2 lb. 2 sp 3 1 string lined with several humanoid ears -- -- 4 1 necklace of human bones 2 lb. 2 sp 5 1 pouch of jewelry (from victims/enemies) 3 lb. 15 gp 6 1 pouch of chewing tobacco 2 lb. 3 sp 7 1 pouch of mushrooms (poisonous?) 4 lb. 3 sp 8 1 crude wooden statue of an orc with a sword 1 lb. 5 sp 9 1 medallion engraved with an unblinking eye (symbol of Gruumsh One-eye) 2 lb. 8 sp 10 1 war drum, made of wood and a stretched animal hide 3 lb. 2 gp 11 1 war horn 2 lb. 1 gp 12 1 giant eagle claw, marked with over a dozen small notches 2 lb. 5 cp 13 1 set of lopsided playing dice, made of bones -- 2 cp 14 1 incomplete set of playing cards, in poor condition -- 3 cp 15 1 half-full vial of black ink with a sewing needle inside (for tattoos) -- 3 gp 16 1 very poor map, drawn like a child, that could be anywhere -- -- 17 1 bear fur cloak 4 lb. 2 gp 18 1d4 dried meat ration(s) 2 lb. 5 sp 19 1d4 small animal carcass(es) 1 lb. 1 sp 20 1d4 small bottle(s) of war paint 1 lb. 7 cp
This creature produces 2-12 pieces of Harvested Meat, weight total of 8-48 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 4-24 sp There is a stigma to eating meat belonging to sentient creatures that have a humanoid form and features. Harvesting the meat may be frowned upon and even considered cannibalism. Some communities may refuse to buy the meat (and some evil communities may pay a premium). The meat may even be difficult to eat, or unedible. Of course, these are all up to the Dungeon Master to decide.
Civilization and Culture
History
The first legends of orcs told of the wars between their primary god Gruumsh and Corellon Larethian, the creator of the elves. The elves told of how Corellon defeated Gruumsh and took his eye. But many orcs denied this charge, saying that he always had the one eye and that Corellon cheated with magic because he couldn't win in fair combat.
Orcs were not actually native to Toril, but migrated from elsewhere to different parts of the world on several known occasions.
Orcs were known to the elves of Faerûn during the Dawn Ages. At that time, they occasionally stole livestock from elven farms and attacked the elves themselves when encountered, but the elves had little trouble dealing with them. Rarely, they gathered into great hordes that swept across the lands. Some time around −24,400 DR, a nabassu demon of the Abyss called Haeshkarr commanded a horde of these orcs in the pillaging of Occidian, an elven city. They then assaulted Sharlarion, and the elves paid dearly to defeat them, with the heroine Kethryllia Amarillis battling Haeshkarr.
During the time of the First Flowering, well before −18,800 DR, orcs migrated through portals originally constructed by one of the creator races and arrived in northern Faerûn. But for more than fifteen millennia, they were not much more than feral savages who spent too much of their time fighting each other to catch the attention of the elven nations of the time, let alone trouble them.
Eventually, around −3800 DR, the northern orcs came together in proper tribes for the first time. Then, under two centuries later, mighty orc leaders unified their tribes into the first orc horde. In −3605 DR, this orc horde marched south and invaded Netheril, causing much devastation to the young nation until the Netherese and elven armies repelled them. Although they'd been defeated, the orcs discovered a love of warfare after that. Every few generations thereafter, when they'd grown populous enough again, they would gather in hordes to threaten the southern realms regularly.
Later, in the south, rebel wizards of Mulhorand and Unther led by Thayd opened a portal in Thay to the orc homeworld in −1081 DR. Some years later, in −1076 DR, an orc horde poured forth in their hundreds of thousands, triggering the Orcgate Wars, one of the biggest and most destructive conflicts involving orcs in Faerûn. They were not defeated until −1069 DR, and the remaining orcs dispersed around the land.
For millennia, orc hordes menaced the elven, human, and dwarven realms of Faerûn, toppling Ammarindar, Phalorm, Delzoun, Eaerlann, and Illefarn and at times devastating the Sword Coast down to Calimshan, as well as Chessenta and the Vast.
In the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, a confederacy of orc tribes united under the banner of King Obould Many-Arrows, a chosen of Gruumsh. He forged a more civilized nation known as the Kingdom of Many-Arrows, located along the northern borders of Luruar. In spite of tensions between the orcs of Many-Arrows and other nations, the kingdom had not waged war against its neighbors for decades by 1479 DR and by all appearances seemed interested in peace.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Relations
They had been a threat to the civilized cultures of Toril, particularly Faerûn, for as long as any could remember. This changed somewhat in the years preceding and immediately after the Spellplague, when a horde of mountain orcs under the command of King Obould Many-Arrows unified into a single kingdom, one that was remarkably civilized.Sources
Source(s):
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Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Humanoidus, Bipedia, Orc
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid (Monster Orc)
Lifespan
50 years
Conservation Status
Long ago Orcs, Bugbears and other Goblinoids were attacked on sight as they were often the aggressors, however the past two thousand years or so have seen Orcs finding some acceptance, more so in larger cities. However, there is still discrimination and disappearances of Orcs all the time as well as attacks outside of city walls. Many places still don't consider the murder of a Orcs the same as the murder of others. Half-orcs are given a bit more respect and an orc in the respected company of half-orcs may be treated far better than those without.
Average Height
Usually over 6 ft (1.8 m)
Average Weight
230‒280 lb (100‒130 kg)
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Orc
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Tag(s) | Orc |
| Alignment | Usually Chaotic Evil |
| Challenge Rating | Orc (1/2) Orc Eye of Gruumsh (2) Orc war chief (4) |
General Information
| Patron Deity | Gruumsh |
| Vision | Darkvision, low-light vision |
| Average Lifespan | 50 years |
| Subraces | Gray orcs, mountain orcs, neo-orogs, orogs |
| Favored Climate | Temperate |
| Favored Terrain | Arctic Terrain, Forest Terrain, Grassland Terrain, Hill Terrain, Mountain Terrain, Swamp Terrain, Underdark Terrain |
Appearance
| Average Height | Usually over 6' |
| Average Weight | 230-280 lbs. |
| Skin Color(s) | Gray |
| Hair Color(s) | Black |
| Eye Color(s) | Reddish |
| Distinctions | Aggressive, low foreheads, tusks |
History
| First Appearance | Monster Manual, 1st Ed. |
Session Reports
See Also: Orc on Forgotten Realms Wiki