Sweating with exertion, Lauff hefted the mace above his hands, the orc ahead of him crashed forwards, stampeding towards him, arms outstretched, ready to wrestle him to the ground. Lauff brought the mace down hard on its head and the orc went very still. Lauff raised the mace in triumph to the Orc sitting proudly on a throne made of stone and ivory. “I’ve done it father. Happy now?”
Orcs are some of the forerunners of the marauding war bands of monsters that plague the surface level of Orizon. There are few who do not fear the destruction and death that comes at the hands of the orcs. This fear has made things difficult for half-orcs. On the ground half-orcs are feared and reviled, or they are the product of the marauder’s rape and pillage, so they are simply reminders of horrible times. On the skylands half-orcs are seen as savages or monsters. Within orc society half-orcs are seen as weak and passive. Half-elves may be of two worlds, but half-orcs are welcome in none.
In society at large, half-orcs either revel in their association with their monstrous heritage, taking positions as thugs and toughs or smiths and soldiers. Others try to intentionally distance themselves and try to withdraw from society. Still others keep on the move, trying to find somewhere to call home. Those half-orcs that find themselves a home embrace it wholeheartedly and will defend it to the death.
In orcish society half-orcs are either the weaklings of the war band, bullied and abused, or they exploit their superior intelligence and adaptability to take control of the war bands, becoming tacticians or champions.
Half-orcs, because they are half-breeds, are nearly infertile. A half-orc could only have children with considerable dedication. Unlike their human parents, half-orcs can only have human or orcish children, or other half-orcs like themselves and they will try their best to ensure that those children grow up well suited for the society that the half-orc chose to live in, giving them the opportunities, they never had.
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