Orcs
To feel the thunder of orcish war drums outside the gate and to hear a chorus of voices growling is the nightmare of every civilized place in the world. For no matter how thick its walls, skilled its archers, or brave its knights, few settlements have ever withstood a full-scale onslaught of orcs. Every soldier who lives through a fight with orcs tells of confronting a hulking foe that can cleave through a warrior with a single blow, part of a force that can cut down enemies as though they were trembling stalks of wheat before the scythe. Only a skilled and determined hero can hope to survive single combat with an orc.
Life in the Tribe
Orcs survive through savagery and force of numbers. Theirs is a life that has no place for weakness, and every warrior must be strong enough to take what is needed by force. Orcs aren't interested in treaties, trade negotiations or diplomacy. They care only for satisfying their insatiable desire for battle and to survive. Although appearing savage on the outside, orc have an extreme code of honour. Their desire for battle usually comes from necessity in their environment or from wishing to increase their own glory. Future Warriors
Young orcs must mature quickly in order to survive their perilous upbringing. Their early years are fraught with tests of strength, fierce competition and nothing in the way of maternal or paternal love. From the time a child can wield a stick or a crude knife, it asserts itself and defends itself while learning to fight and to survive in the wild. The children that can't endure the rigors of a life of combat are culled from the main body of the tribe, and left behind. A fully grown orc warrior is well prepared for a lifetime of combat. Search, Destroy, Repeat
When a tribe is on the move, orc warriors are commanded to scour the surrounding landscape for any opportunity to spill blood and bring glory to their gods. Often, bands of warriors work on a rotation, with one group heading out on a raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the chief can plan where to send raiders next. The territory that orc war parties cover can extend for many miles around the lair, and any encampment or settlement of elves, dwarves, or humans in that area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can subsist on this sort of prey and booty for quite some time. War Wagons
Orcs pillage and scavenge wherever they go-everything is loot, and loot is always something to be proud of. In order to haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe's den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from various caravans, and then decorated with uniquely orcish accessories. A war wagon is a source of great pride for a war chief, comparable to a human army's banner or flag. Many are clad in armor and festooned with garish trinkets and grisly trophies that hang from hooks and spikes. A war wagon makes a good shield against arrows when orcs besiege an elven fortress, and a heavily modified wagon could serve as a battering ram if a settlement dares to close its gates, blocking the way to the treasures and tasty food that lie within. A heavily laden wagon that requires the strongest orcs to return it to the camp is a sign of great success. One that can be moved by the runts of the tribe is proof of a shameful performance. The loss of a tribe's war wagon can undermine the chieftain's authority and cause the tribe to collapse into chaos, with the survivors scattering either to join new tribes or to strike out on their own. At the other extreme, warriors that return home with a heavily laden wagon or after heroically defending it from thieves gain great respect and advance higher in the tribe's pecking order. All Are Fighters
Most of the orcs that stay behind when the warriors go on their raids are weaker than their tribe mates or otherwise not suited for a life of battle. But even these orcs are trained in combat, and all of them are expected to act like warriors if the camp is attacked or threatened. Raiding
When orcs attack a settlement, they will kill anyone who presents a threat, but they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more or less intact, the orcs leave themselves the option of returning to raid the community over and over. Strength Respects Strength
Orcs appreciate physical prowess and formidable combat ability in any form. As such, they might accept other creatures into their ranks from time to time. Orcs have been known to associate with gnolls, wereboars and ettins, all of which can markedly improve a tribe's murderous efficiency. For a promise of sufficient food and loot, a troll might accompany a tribe temporarily. A group of orcs can be dominated by evil creatures of immense power, and they accept this subservient role either because they are forced to or because it offers them a measure of security while they engage in their savagery. Green dragons, for instance, sometimes use orcs as sentinels or shock troops. Orcs are sometimes attracted to the service of frost giants or fire giants, who then "reward" their loyalty by turning them into slaves. If a tribe is defeated and driven from its lair, the survivors might come under the sway of a strong but dimwitted creature, such as a hill giant or an ogre. It is also not unheard of for an exceptionally strong and charismatic evil human to lead stray ores that no longer have a tribe to call their own. When Tribes Team Up
An orc tribe typically has no more than a few hundred members, because a larger group would need a prohibitive amount of resources to remain strong. As a rule, a tribe is violently hostile toward any other tribe it meets, seeing the rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims. On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an ore horde- a sea of slavering killers that washes over the countryside and leaves vast tracts of devastation in its wake. Such an event is rare in the extreme, but its consequences can lay low entire nations that are unable to stand against the wave. Orc Culture and Beliefs
Orcs live in constant fear of omens, and their behavior is rooted in that mentality. They believe that they can see the influence of fate everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens- both good and bad- and deciding how the tribe should react to them. As a race, orcs have no noteworthy universal social traits, but some commonality does exist in the crude written communication that all orcs employ and in the way that they use pigments to decorate and distinguish themselves and their lairs. Omens and Superstitions
Orcs believe that any seemingly unimportant discovery or event- a bear's claw marks on a tree, a flock of crows, or a sudden gust of wind- might be a communication from the gods. If the tribe has encountered a similar omen before, the priests understand how to interpret it, but if a sign from the gods has no clear explanation, the priests might have to meditate for hours or days to get a vision of its meaning. Every group of orcs has particular superstitions and recognizes certain omens. These tenets vary from tribe to tribe, and are often based in events that the tribe has experienced. Here are a few examples:
Orcs have a written language adapted from that of the dwarves, but they aren't a literate culture and rarely keep records or write down their thoughts. When ores need to communicate in writing, they use crude symbols to convey basic information, such as "food stored here," "danger close," or "go this way." An orc raiding party might leave such a sign in its wake, as an aid to other warriors that travel through the same area later on. Mountain guides, druids, and rangers might be familiar with many of these symbols, enabling them to keep their charges from inadvertently stumbling into a tribe's territory. Orcs in Wyrring
Orcs are numerous, but limited in Wyrring. They typically keep to the wide open plains of the Barrens, but will often conduct raids into Aedia. Orc Names
Orc names don't always have meaning in the Ore language, and most noteworthy orcs are given epithets by their tribe mates. Source: D&D 5e Volo's Guide to Monsters
Orcs survive through savagery and force of numbers. Theirs is a life that has no place for weakness, and every warrior must be strong enough to take what is needed by force. Orcs aren't interested in treaties, trade negotiations or diplomacy. They care only for satisfying their insatiable desire for battle and to survive. Although appearing savage on the outside, orc have an extreme code of honour. Their desire for battle usually comes from necessity in their environment or from wishing to increase their own glory. Future Warriors
Young orcs must mature quickly in order to survive their perilous upbringing. Their early years are fraught with tests of strength, fierce competition and nothing in the way of maternal or paternal love. From the time a child can wield a stick or a crude knife, it asserts itself and defends itself while learning to fight and to survive in the wild. The children that can't endure the rigors of a life of combat are culled from the main body of the tribe, and left behind. A fully grown orc warrior is well prepared for a lifetime of combat. Search, Destroy, Repeat
When a tribe is on the move, orc warriors are commanded to scour the surrounding landscape for any opportunity to spill blood and bring glory to their gods. Often, bands of warriors work on a rotation, with one group heading out on a raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the chief can plan where to send raiders next. The territory that orc war parties cover can extend for many miles around the lair, and any encampment or settlement of elves, dwarves, or humans in that area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can subsist on this sort of prey and booty for quite some time. War Wagons
Orcs pillage and scavenge wherever they go-everything is loot, and loot is always something to be proud of. In order to haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe's den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from various caravans, and then decorated with uniquely orcish accessories. A war wagon is a source of great pride for a war chief, comparable to a human army's banner or flag. Many are clad in armor and festooned with garish trinkets and grisly trophies that hang from hooks and spikes. A war wagon makes a good shield against arrows when orcs besiege an elven fortress, and a heavily modified wagon could serve as a battering ram if a settlement dares to close its gates, blocking the way to the treasures and tasty food that lie within. A heavily laden wagon that requires the strongest orcs to return it to the camp is a sign of great success. One that can be moved by the runts of the tribe is proof of a shameful performance. The loss of a tribe's war wagon can undermine the chieftain's authority and cause the tribe to collapse into chaos, with the survivors scattering either to join new tribes or to strike out on their own. At the other extreme, warriors that return home with a heavily laden wagon or after heroically defending it from thieves gain great respect and advance higher in the tribe's pecking order. All Are Fighters
Most of the orcs that stay behind when the warriors go on their raids are weaker than their tribe mates or otherwise not suited for a life of battle. But even these orcs are trained in combat, and all of them are expected to act like warriors if the camp is attacked or threatened. Raiding
When orcs attack a settlement, they will kill anyone who presents a threat, but they are more interested in grabbing plunder and food rather than in wanton slaughter. The elderly, children, and any who seem weak or meek enough might escape death. If they leave the population more or less intact, the orcs leave themselves the option of returning to raid the community over and over. Strength Respects Strength
Orcs appreciate physical prowess and formidable combat ability in any form. As such, they might accept other creatures into their ranks from time to time. Orcs have been known to associate with gnolls, wereboars and ettins, all of which can markedly improve a tribe's murderous efficiency. For a promise of sufficient food and loot, a troll might accompany a tribe temporarily. A group of orcs can be dominated by evil creatures of immense power, and they accept this subservient role either because they are forced to or because it offers them a measure of security while they engage in their savagery. Green dragons, for instance, sometimes use orcs as sentinels or shock troops. Orcs are sometimes attracted to the service of frost giants or fire giants, who then "reward" their loyalty by turning them into slaves. If a tribe is defeated and driven from its lair, the survivors might come under the sway of a strong but dimwitted creature, such as a hill giant or an ogre. It is also not unheard of for an exceptionally strong and charismatic evil human to lead stray ores that no longer have a tribe to call their own. When Tribes Team Up
An orc tribe typically has no more than a few hundred members, because a larger group would need a prohibitive amount of resources to remain strong. As a rule, a tribe is violently hostile toward any other tribe it meets, seeing the rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims. On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an ore horde- a sea of slavering killers that washes over the countryside and leaves vast tracts of devastation in its wake. Such an event is rare in the extreme, but its consequences can lay low entire nations that are unable to stand against the wave. Orc Culture and Beliefs
Orcs live in constant fear of omens, and their behavior is rooted in that mentality. They believe that they can see the influence of fate everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens- both good and bad- and deciding how the tribe should react to them. As a race, orcs have no noteworthy universal social traits, but some commonality does exist in the crude written communication that all orcs employ and in the way that they use pigments to decorate and distinguish themselves and their lairs. Omens and Superstitions
Orcs believe that any seemingly unimportant discovery or event- a bear's claw marks on a tree, a flock of crows, or a sudden gust of wind- might be a communication from the gods. If the tribe has encountered a similar omen before, the priests understand how to interpret it, but if a sign from the gods has no clear explanation, the priests might have to meditate for hours or days to get a vision of its meaning. Every group of orcs has particular superstitions and recognizes certain omens. These tenets vary from tribe to tribe, and are often based in events that the tribe has experienced. Here are a few examples:
- If a dwarf or a human invokes its god upon dying, you must carry the corpse's ears for three days to ward off any retribution, and then bury or burn them.
- Three ravens is always a good sign.
- It is good luck to spit where you are about to sleep.
- Gnome bones can ward off diseases if they are worn.
- Don't stand inside a ring of stones, mushrooms, or any other kind of circle.
- Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To ward it off, you must swallow a stone.
- If you bury five stones at dawn before a long journey, you will always find your way back to the war hearth.
- Stomping your foot three times wards off bad magic.
Orcs have a written language adapted from that of the dwarves, but they aren't a literate culture and rarely keep records or write down their thoughts. When ores need to communicate in writing, they use crude symbols to convey basic information, such as "food stored here," "danger close," or "go this way." An orc raiding party might leave such a sign in its wake, as an aid to other warriors that travel through the same area later on. Mountain guides, druids, and rangers might be familiar with many of these symbols, enabling them to keep their charges from inadvertently stumbling into a tribe's territory. Orcs in Wyrring
Orcs are numerous, but limited in Wyrring. They typically keep to the wide open plains of the Barrens, but will often conduct raids into Aedia. Orc Names
Orc names don't always have meaning in the Ore language, and most noteworthy orcs are given epithets by their tribe mates. Source: D&D 5e Volo's Guide to Monsters
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Female Names: Kansif, Ownka, Emen, Sutha, Myev, Neega, Baggi, Shautha, Ovak, Vola, Engong, Volen
Masculine names
Male Names: Grutok, Lortar, Abzug, Shugog, Urzul, Ruhk, Mobad, Shamog, Mugrum, Bajok, Rhorog, Jahrukk
Other names
Epithets: The Filthy, Skull Cleaver, Eye Gouger, Iron Tusk, Skin Flayer, Bone Crusher, Flesh Ripper, Doom Hammer, Elf Butcher, Spine Snapper, Death Spear, The Brutal
Languages spoken
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