Orc
The chaotic embodiment of nature
Scholary note on introduction: The exact origins of Orcs are unknown, as orc history is exclusively passed on orally. Digging to the roots of orc history is made even more impossible by the violent nature and culture of Orcs, making the process of research not only extremely hard, but potentially dangerous for the scholar too. Orc history is therefore exclusively described from other races. One should be wary of this, as their tendency to clash with other races creates an often heavily biased viewpoint toward orcs. A last remark: This is entrance is still a work in progress, as more and more is discovered about this race by the day, recent events have resulted in increased non-violent encounters between Orcs and other races, which has provided much insight into orc history, culture, and society.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Humanoids like race. Phenotype ranges from gorilla-like builds to normal human-sized.
Genetics and Reproduction
Species reproduce by heterosexual mating. Crossbreeding between species has been observed, especially the (often violent and non-consensual) reproduction with humans, creating an off-breed of Half-Orcs.
Growth Rate & Stages
The maturation of orcs is rapid, a feature often believed to be a evolutionary product of the Orcs' inherent violent nature. Orcs can gain maturity by the age of 10, at which point they can weigh over 200 lbs.
Ecology and Habitats
Orcs have no preference for particular habitats. Their sturdy and violent nature allows them to survive in virtually all climates including but not limited to mountainous, arboreal, volcanic, subterranean, tropical, moderate, alpine, and arid.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Orcs have been observed to eat every organic matter they will find.
Biological Cycle
Orc lifecycles compare to humans, though with its respective differences where the difference could be expected. Young orcs mature young, a trait which is often cited as its main reason for their lack of intelligence and general short-sighted lifestyle. Once mature, a male Orc will reproduce until it's (often violent) death. Although their society is patriarchic in culture, orc females tend to be just as violent and dangerous as their male counterparts. It should therefore surprise no-one that Orc courtship is often barbaric and life-threatening for all parties involved. Orcs tend to grow no older than the age of 50. This number is heavily skewed, as orcs generally die a violent death before they reach old age. The exact age to which an orc can grow is unknown because of this fact.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Patriarchal & Tribal
Facial characteristics
Characteristic facial traits of orcs are enlarged lower-jaw fangs and elven like ears (pointy)
Average Intelligence
Comparable to toddlers
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Possess the ability to see in the dark. Although generally not intelligent, the species inherited keen senses and an instinctual sense of awareness.
Civilization and Culture
Average Technological Level
Early Bronze Age.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Orcish, Hoggish and Tribal dialects.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Reader beware: What follows here are translated excerpts from the infamous dwarven book 'ilv genocide eth orstirth', 'to genocide the orcs' in common. Some passages might be considered distasteful and insensitive.
"[...] Mork and Gork are what these savages call their 'Gods'. Nothing short of Demon princes is what they are. Beholding them in one's sight renders one blind for all eternity, dwarf, elf, human, and orc alike. And in their traditional barbaric ways, the orc consider this an honor!" [p.345, L.30] "Worship of their demonic entities is done in strict hierarchical and tribal manners. The Shaman is considered the conduit of their evil gods and stands in direct contact with their so-called 'gods'. In Orc customs, he is considered the wisest (a shamble, orcs are as thick as iron) in the tribe, and acts as an advisor to the tribal chieftain. The shaman can often be found dancing in ecstasy when he is not off hallucinating on wild mushrooms. Nothing short of a low-life junkie is their shaman I tell thee, reader: worthy of nothing more than complete annihilation is what these orcs are." [p.354, L.2] "A recent discovery made after the capture and interrogation [read: torture] of a half-blood mud revealed that Mork and Gork might not be the only demonic princess the savages worship: an unknown demon known as "Da Big 'Un" has been mentioned. It is unknown who or what this demonic god is." [p.356, L.13]
Chapter 4: the Religion and traditions of the Savage"It is to the good of all races that the savage orc is nothing short of violent and completely incapable of rational thought, as they are often too busy fighting each other to notice a superior race removing their taint from this mortal realm. It is therefore that in this chapter a blueprint is provided on how to destroy the savages from within. First off, [...]" [P.422, L.1] "[...] and let it be clear that the Great Clash is the best thing to have happened to the orcs, as now their leadership has completely shattered, making it easier to crush them one by one. In the east, there are the Black Orcs, but don't be fooled by their name: they are not all black by skin color. These vile beasts, truly the evilest of all of the demonic orcs, are distinguished by their use of black armor, therefore lending them the surname 'black'. These demon spawn stand in direct obedience to one single chieftain, making them more organized, and therefore more dangerous and demonic. It is absolutely vital if one were to completely genocide these savages, that one starts with their leadership. The Black Orcs have been observed to lose cohesion and morale when their leader is put out of his misery. The first observation of this fact was [...]" [P. 450, L.4] "The Tribal Orcs are truly the embodiment of absolute chaos. As one could expect of savages, they lack all sense of authority and civilization. The genocide these barbarians is to fight fire with fire: nothing short of an army set on the destruction of the orcs is needed to completely annihilate these savages, as intrigue and assassinations will do nothing to disrupt their anarchic and barbaric leadership. Yet sometimes, once every century, there has been observed that one orc rises above all others, and has the right to call upon the hordes to unleash their tidal wave of destruction of the world. The last time this happened the chaos unleashed upon the world was nearly enough to wipe out all civilization, were it not for the intervention of the Gods themselves." [P. 462, L.27]
Chapter 6: Divide and Conquer
History
On The Origins of the Orc Race
On The Origins of the Orc Race
"Orcs... such violent creatures can only be the result of some force of nature. It must be. What else could explain the catastrophic tidal waves of destruction left in their wake?" - Unknown Officer, p.68 l.44 in Diaries from the front, an Anthology.As mentioned multiple times throughout this scholarly contribution, the exact origins of the orc race are unknown to almost all living sentients. Rare non-violent interaction between orcs and other races (often mediated by half-racial breeds acting as peace-keepers) has resulted in the Orc point of view of their creation. It is often believed, in Orc culture, that they stem from two gods: Gork & Mork. Not much is known about these deities, yet the rituals and habits of their followers reveal that at least the violent and unpredictable nature of the orcs can be considered a divine inheritance. Without straying too much into the religion of the orcs, it is believed that these two deities saw their counterparts and their children, and grew ever more jealous and envious. So they shaped the race we now know as Orcs from the still wild parts of the world in grizzly hills, and their children grew just as wild and unpredictable as both their fathers as well as the parts they were created from. How much of this story is true is still an often discussed subject in the scholastic community, as the more agnostic and atheistic members of this community label this as 'superstitious nonsense', and uphold that orcs are merely a sub-species of the Sapien class, though anyone in the possession of some intellect tends to find the comparison with Humans to Orcs a comical event, and would question the sanity of the claimant. Yet the fact that the Orc can cross-breed with humans might lend at least some credit to this theory. Alas, I stray too far from the narrative, and the exact origins will probably be obscured from all of history, forever.
The Great Clash
Although there is still much unknown, there is one event in orc history which can be described as defining: The Great Clash. At some point in history, the exact date and time unknown, the two main sub-races of the orc species clashed, forever creating a rift between the race we now know today as the Tribal Orcs (located primarily in the area known as the Grizzly Hills) and the Black Orcs (primarily located in the area known today as Hoggs's Feet). The exact reason for this conflict is unknown, yet what is known is that this clash resulted in the Black Orcs being cast out of the Grizzly Hills, leaving the Tribal Orcs as the sole rulers of The Lonely Mountain. From this moment on, communication between these two races has been severely decreased, and rare encounters between these two races often ends in a bloodbath.The Great Clash
Common Myths and Legends
- Legend of Mork and Gork
- The Mighty Boar of Blight Forrest
- The wyvern of Grizzly Hills
- Da Big 'Un
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Hostile towards all other races, though recent events have created an unusual influx of diplomacy stemming from the Tribal Orcs
Origin/Ancestry
Unknown
Lifespan
around 50 years
Average Height
5'2"-6'9"
Average Weight
200-350 lbs
Average Physique
Muscular and large
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Green, Gray, Black & Human-like colouring
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Myths
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