Orc

Orcs were a race of humanoids that 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.

Orcs in Tiriande

Though numerically, orcs are uncommon in the Dungeonscape, travelers and new arrivals from the Prime Material are often surprised by how many of them appear in the streets. This attitude can be confusing to the average citizen of Tiriande, to whom orcs are just another sapient species that live in the city.

That said, the Imprisoned City is not wholly free of the prejudices and cultural biases against orcs that are prevalent throughout Toril. Orcs are underrepresented in higher and public-facing jobs, primarily employed for menial labour and guard duties, and mostly live on the outskirts of the city.

There is a significant orcish presence within the ranks of the Hatcheteers, as they are well-suited to a life of eking out a survival on the edges of civilization, and find themselves drawn to life on the edge.

The rest of this article details orcs as they are seen on Toril and other spaces of the Prime Material plane. It may therefore be coloured by those attitudes.

Description

Orcs varied in appearance, based on region and subrace, but all shared certain physical qualities. Orcs of all kinds usually had grayish skin, coarse hair, stooped postures, low foreheads, large muscular bodies, and porcine faces that featured lower canines that resembled boar tusks. Many also had wolf-like ears that were pointed on the ends, similar to elves. Orcs were roughly the same size as humans and other similar humanoids, though usually robust and muscular.

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 whose deeds were accomplished through planning and insight.

Popular opinion of orcs throughout the city is that they are direct to the point of rudeness, with little patience for etiquette or indirectness. Treat them with the same honesty and unmasked genuineness, however, and they can be fast friends and very loyal.

Society

Traditional orcish culture was extremely warlike and when not at war the race was 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. Eyes of Gruumsh were orcs specially tied to the one-eyed god and offered sacrifices, read omens and advised tribes through Gruumsh's will. Most orcs were part of a confederation of tribes, loosely held together by a despotic chieftain. Bands within these alliances might have wandered far from their homelands, but continued to greet those orcs who belonging to the same tribal network as kin. 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.

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. 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 is from this region that the most unusual kind of orc would sometimes emerge - heroes.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Aggressive, low foreheads, tusks

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Darkvision

Civilization and Culture

History

The origin of the orcs was unknown, though they appeared to be non-native to either Abeir or Toril.[citation needed] The first legends of orcs told of the wars between their primary god Gruumsh and Corellon Larethian, the creator of the elves and eladrin. The latter two races told of how Corellon defeated Gruumsh and took his eye; though 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. However, in spite of this early conflict, orcs did not appear en masse until long after this. During the Days of Thunder when Abeir-Toril was yet united the first orcs were brought over to the world by the creator races, who built a portal in the Spine of the World mountain range that opened up to the home plane of the orcs. Through this portal the ancestors of the mountain orcs poured through and gradually migrated southwards.
Later, the Imaskari repeated the mistake of the creator races, opening up another portal through which the gray orcs, a variant subrace, appeared. This led to the Orcgate Wars during which Gruumsh and his allies slew most of the Untheric pantheon. Eventually, the portal was closed, though the new breed of orcs remained behind.
For millennia orcs have plagued civilizations as raiders and pillaging hordes but more recently[as of when?] a confederacy of orc tribes united under the banner of King Obould Many-Arrows, a chosen of Gruumsh, 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 has not waged war against its neighbors for decades and by all appearances seems interested in peace.

Lifespan

50 years

Average Height

Usually over 6ft

Average Weight

230-280 lb