Orc

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Goblinoids usually have skin colors from greenish to resembling human skin. They have horns, and tusks, which is why they speak with a strange accent in most languages, making them seem stupid. Orcish faces are usually heavy-lined, with an exaggerated lower jaw and brows, and rather small eyes. Slightly pointed ears are also a trademark of goblinoid appearance.

#### **Society**

Orcs, goblins, ogres. The most feared and despised of races. In the night, children of most races are fed stories about the goblinoid races: “Goblins will take you away if you’re bad and feed you to their horned children, trolls will snatch you if you wander too far into the mountains or forests, ogres will devour you whole of you’ve been bad-behaved.” Children who are fed these stories grow up, become parents and feed them to their children in turn, but some of them become paladins or hunters. And when paladins or hunters kill goblinoids, eventually they die by an orcish hand, which only reinforces the belief that goblinoids are malevolent and terrifying. Nobody ever stops to wonder - what would happen if someone befriended the orcs? What would happen if one tried to talk to them, to understand them?

When people consider orcs, they either think of gigantic, hulking beasts, or small, disgusting humanoids with a tendency towards the more vile activities life has to offer, stealing, murdering and kidnapping. In a way, all of these definitions are true, and in a way, none of them are. In orcish society, the goblins are chieftains, those creatures that are considered small and vile. The reasoning for this is because they usually are the smartest and have knowledge, and in orcish society, knowledge matters most. To the naked eye, of course, orcs are heavily brawn over brain, with trolls and ogres being hulking, gigantic, muscular creatures, but one can safely assume that with orcs, every appearance is deceiving. However, there is no strict class system. A troll, and even an ogre, can learn witchcraft, and even become chieftain of a nomadic tribe, as there is nothing preventing this. But most commonly, only goblins lead tribes.

Orcs do indeed live in tribes. They are nomadic creatures, never settling down anywhere for too long, as that would open them to be hunted by all manners of races that want their blood to be spilled, as well as open them up to many other threats. Besides, they always did it like that, didn’t they? Their tents appear usually crude, made of skins, sticks, and sometimes even mammoth tusks, but that is simply because they make them out of any material they can find in their current settlement. Domesticated boars drag their wagons for them, and said wagons are full of other orcs, books, and food. Orcs also keep tortoises, for they live for a very long time, and are portable food, and also because they’re considered adorable. Tortoises are well-respected in the orc community.

The first word written is attributed to the orcs, and is said to have been created to try and make orcs the better merchant race over dwarves. It didn’t work, as the dwarves quickly caught on and bought and sold the secret of the written word, turning it into just money, as anything their filthy hands ever touched. However, orcs still have expansive libraries, and write many words, having developed quills and papyrus and using wood to make bookshelves with skin-bound books in their wagons.

#### **Magic**

Some Orcs worship the old gods, whilst not as frequently as their beastfolk or Human brethren, there are some who reach enough devotion to speak their tenants. Their religion is older than any other religion, including the Aledian pantheon, and is possibly the first religion to ever exist, further reinforcing the idea that orcs are the most ancient species. However, instead of the divine, their magic is that of Witchery. Their shamans and witches practise the different forms of Witchery, most often Dredgery and Alchemy, famous for their Spirit Bonded animal companions.

## **Subraces**

*(Subraces are simply the possible choices when you pick a race.)*

#### **Goblin**

The smallest, most frail, and smartest of the goblinoid races, goblins have greenish skin, weak limbs, heavy jaws, small eyes, pointy teeth, small tusks… The normal appearance of a goblinoid. Most commonly, they’re the knowledge collectors and witch doctors of the Orcs. However, a goblin can be born stupid, in which case due to their normally low stature (4, maybe 5 feet at most) and weak muscles, the only job one could get would be one involved with stealth, like a hunter. Goblins often are the most greedy of the Orcs, hoarding their knowledge of witchery above all else. Famously, they invented a Fae-catcher, little iron cages designed to restrain and manipulate a Fae.

#### **Troll**

Most commonly 6, at most 7 feet tall, trolls are what people normally associate with orcs, including tusks, a heavy jaw, and horns. Normally green-skinned, of high stature, and a bit slow. However, by no means are trolls stupid - they’re just born with that characteristic slowness that means it takes a while for them to think what to say. When conversing with a troll, sometimes one will come up with something that eerily suggests that they have been listening all along. They are usually loud, proud, and make themselves seem stupid, however. The muscles of a troll far surpass that of a human, but their agility is about the same - they just have high stamina and far more strength, perhaps compensating with weight. Trolls are generally good with animals, too, enjoying the company of huge boars and small tortoises alike. Trolls are among the fiercest warriors of Scylla, having huge brawn and some brain.

#### **Ogre**

The tallest of stature of the goblinoid races, Ogres do not often look that strong. Sure, they’re big (around 8 to 9 feet tall, maybe 10 in some cases), they have huge tusks and pointed teeth, as well as having, a rare thing, human colored skin. Oh, and horns, of course. But they look fat, and are quite soft to the touch, like big pillows. This aids them in many ways, such as being able to ignore impacts due to a thick layer of fat and all. However, the punch of an ogre is still fearsome. Ogres are shy, quiet, long-lived creatures, do not copulate much, and so there’s a small bit of ogres per orcish tribe, and most commonly carry heavy weights around, or serve as assistants to goblin librarians. There’s nothing actually preventing ogres from being loud and proud, and amazing warriors, but they are almost always quite shy and quiet, preferring libraries to pubs. The characteristic slowness of trolls also applies to them. In a pinch, ogres can be fearsome warriors, not to be trifled with, but this is not the usual occupation of a typical ogre.

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