Lore

When one speaks of an orcs, they aren't necessarily speaking of the species known as Orcs; so much as a tribal warrior culture that is frequently adopted by a wide variety of races. It is, often possible to find humans, half-elves, orcs, and goblins in an 'Orcish Horde' attempting to tear down the monuments and cities of civilization. These disaffected, often blood-thirsty individuals typically worship the aggrieved god of Conquest and Destruction known as 'Gresh'.

While Orcish "culture" and its disdain for the trappings and monuments of civilization (represented most often by the collective works of elves, men, and dwarves) such as it is have spread far beyond their race: This entry is largely about the species of "orcs" and their sordid history. The reason other species are mentioned so often amongst the writings of orcish culture is that orcs are genetically compatible with most other sentient species, producing half-orcs after adopting or indoctrinating conquered peoples into their culture.

Orcs generally have a poor temperament and are given to anger more easily than other races. Easily offended and impatient, orcs prefer violent solutions and rarely consider multiple ways of approaching a problem. However, despite this, many orcs are excellent at getting results and pride themselves on being creatures of action rather than thought or communication.

Traditionally, Orcish culture is extremely warlike. When not at war, they are typically planning for it. Most Orcs approach life with the belief that to survive, one must subjugate potential enemies and control as many resources as possible, which puts them at odds with virtually all other cultures as well as one another. This belief is spurred on in part by the mythos surrounding their god Gresh, and their belief in the continuous betrayals he experienced at the hands of other gods while exhibiting kindness.

Orcish culture is typically male dominated with females usually as prized possessions and sometimes little better than chattel, though this is not without significant exceptions, and most warbands do contain at least a few women warriors. Powerful chieftains pride themselves on their number of mates and sons, as well as scars from battles and rituals. Orcs also prize the possession of slaves, though relatively few own them.

 

Most orcs do not build cities or castles of their own, instead relying on those left behind by others and improving their own fortifications or operating out of small camps and dens, often in natural caves. Orcs are capable of iron and stone work but their tools are typically inferior to those stolen from other cultures.

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Quirks​​

• Orcs are genetically compatible with goblins, elves (including drow) and humans, but not with half-elves, producing half-orcs in each instance. While orcs are also genetically compatible with goblinoids, these races typically lean one way or the other depending on which bloodline is stronger in successive generations.

• The crossing of pointy-eared Half-Orc/Half-Elves and round-eared Half-Orc/Half-Humans create a sterile half-orc; resulting in most tribes pointedly rejecting either elves or humans entirely to avoid future cross-breeding. Half-Orcs of either kind that breed with orcs simply produce more Orcs.