Orcs and Half-Orcs

Age	Although their lives are often cut short through battle, it is believed they live as long as humans - potentially slightly shorter.
Languages	Orcish, Common
Major Characters	to be determined

Largely left to their own devices, the orcs are the only civilization, aside from goblins, occupying the inhospitable Badlands Northwest of the mountain range known to them as Kez gudjag Nad Shedag.

They are a mostly nomadic people divided among chieftains, but they do have two major cities, a written language system, and a well-developed system of beliefs. Humans view them as violent savages and are generally suspicious of them due to their intimidating features and massive size, but some ambitious traders and even more ambitious warriors make the trek to their major cities. From time to time humans who have shown prowess in combat are allowed to fight alongside and even join orcish tribes, which has lead to the half orcs sometimes seen throughout Viridian, but for the most part orcs keep to themselves.
It is true the orc people are constantly engaged in battle and are deeply feared by their goblin cohabitants, but for them war and bloodshed is a way of honoring their beliefs: they view time as an infinite thread that is kept woven together through pain and healing created by the constant dance of Dam ul Dam. Dam ul Dam is the name for the battles between orcish clans at agreed upon holy sites. They view individual lives and deaths as threads in the interwoven fabric of time. For the orc people the most important part of life is developing strong, able, and courageous warriors. For this reason, even minutes after two chieftains have held knives at each other’s throats on the battlefield, the clans will share food, water, and other resources to promote the health and safety of the Orcish people. Their major cities host temples for their druidic elders (see magic).
Half-orcs are accepted by Orcish people as their own. Still, at the age of sixteen both half-orc druids and half-orc warriors are encouraged to travel across the Kez gudjag Nad Shedag into Viridian cities to decide whether they are meant to take part in the sacred Dam ul Dam, or follow their human blood. Generally noble human families prize having a half-orc warrior amongst their armies' ranks, but for the most part commoners are intimidated by these massive people.