Orcs

From the tapestry imagery of the Fourth Age in the World Hymn. Depicting a group of Orcs.

## People

### Orcs of Note

Akrübad

**Orcs** are a humanoid species. They are kin to the Goblins, another humanoid species, as part of the Warborn .

## Description

Orcs have been compared to the 'great primates of Taphria' (*presumably gorillas*) in appearance, strong and robust. They are said to come in a variety of earthly skintones, from ochre to green to dark brown. They also commonly have large fangs.

In behaviour the orcs have been described as extremely violent, with a love for fighting. They even continue fighting after having suffered the most terrible wounds.

Orcs are intelligent enough to be communicated with by other species. Although, in many cases it seems to only happens through the use of goblin translators.

## History

It is claimed that the Orcs and Goblins have been around for as long as anyone can remember . According to myth, all their tribes were united under a single leader in the First Age . A few even believe they were the ones responsible for the downfall of the Saurians, though no records exist of that being true .

Orcs are mentioned and seen several times in the World Hymn. In the tapestry of the First Age, they can be seen among the species enslaved by the Saurians . An orc can also be seen in the tapestry of the Second Age, and in the hymn the following verse appears :

> "That fair-eyed orc​ that Akrübad
> Who soon to come would take and bind"
>
>

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Exactly who this Akrübad is is not said. Perhaps he is the same orc that united all the tribes in the First Age, but that is pure speculation.

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   In the Third Age, the orcs are said to suffer under the great calamity that rules the era . In the Fourth Age they lay siege to the dwarves, and are also seen in the tapestry together with goblins . In the Sixth Age the Orcs are said to wage a losing war against the Beast Herds, and are seen swarming around sheltered dwarves together with goblins and vermin .

## Culture and Society

Orcs are said to live a mainly nomadic life as part of tribes. Periodically these tribes grow vastly in numbers.

### Broods

The basic societal group of the orcs is the brood, which has been compared to a family. Orcs born to the same nest are part of a single brood, they develop together as a self-sufficient group. Each brood is lead by an alpha, also known as a chief. A tribe consists of several broods that compete for dominance and leadership. The alpha of the dominant group is known as the Warlord.

The exact nature of the reproductive means of Orcs is unknown, it has been described as unfathomable . Some speculate that there are female orcs, but it is not known for certain. Other sources say that orcs spring from the very ground.

### Ageing

As orcs age, their behaviour and societal role changes. Orcs of the youngest broods, *known as Feral Orcs*, are more ferocious and primitive than other orcs, poorly equipped too. Adult orcs, *known as Common Orcs*, are the most numerous and have developed basic weaponcraft. The oldest orcs, the veteran, are known as Iron Orcs. They can produce more advanced weapons and armour from iron, and are often well equipped. Iron orcs are also said to have an innate sense of battle tactics.

### Feast of Zagjan

*Main article: Feast of Zagjan*

The Feast of Zagjan is an annual festival celebrated among Orcs. It involves drinks, foods, games and fights. It has been said to be a method with which the broods of the orcs test their strength against each other, benefiting the tribe by weeding out the weak. It is also a place where leadership of the tribe may be challenged.

## Sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Faction info from T9A Webpage
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Informative text about Orcs and Goblins (*The 9th Scroll, issue 14, p44*)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sventaromsag, "Thousand Nights: from the Caves of Western Augea to the city of Avras" (*The 9th Scroll, issue 10, p45*)
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Letter by Liluth Araran to Lord Caenu (*T9A The Games of Zagjan, v2020, p4*)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jorge Zamoran; An account of the peoples, nations and monsters which inhabit the world: Orcs and Goblins (*T9A:FB Rulebook*, v1.3.5, p143) Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name ":02" defined multiple times with different content
6. ↑ The World Hymn: The 1st Age (*T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p126*)
7. ↑ The World Hymn: The 2nd Age *(T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p127)*
8. ↑ The World Hymn: The 3rd Age (*T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p127*)
9. ↑ The World Hymn: The 4th Age (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p128)
10. ↑ The World Hymn: The 6th Age (*T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p129*)
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Field notes of researcher Johan Möhring (*The 9th Scroll, issue 14, p45*)
12. ↑ Interview with Sigmund Selig, the Great Sage, fourth session (*The 9th Scroll, issue 10, p12*)