Orc

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The Orcs are a proud, misunderstood people, with a past to match. They have green skin, tusks, and lifespans similar to those of humans.

## The Old City

Almost all of Kalarain’s orcs have ancestral roots in what is now only referred to as the Old City. The City was a settlement somewhere in what is now far north-east Lenore, near the Thur Farim Border. Here, Orcs lived by their own means and by their own laws, shunning the outside world. This isolationism often took a violent turn when outsiders dared to trespass into the harsh lands they call home, and this led to an image of Orcs as savage barbarians, an image has persisted through the centuries.

In the early 5th century AS, around 700 years ago, the Old City was reduced to nothing. The nature of this loss, and the events leading up to it are unknown. All that is know is that the City was completely destroyed, not a single building left standing, and everything razed to the ground. And to the Orcs, this was an unimaginable failure. In self-inflicted punishment, they allowed the Old City’s name to slip from their memories. They had failed the Old City, and were no longer worthy of its name. The site of the Old City is lost now, even to maps.

The Orcs are now a diaspora people, living in exiled communities across the world. After the fall of the Old City, many travelled west, an unfortunately timed expedition that coincided with the Southern Continent Incursions of the Methusian Empire. The Methusian Empire, upon encountering this unfamiliar race, tried to take them as slaves. Many orcs, with a lot of feelings to vent after the loss of the Old City, found a new purpose here and declared a blood vendetta. Over a span of literal centuries, these orcs spent their waking days attacking and going after Methusia. When The Methusian Empire retreated from the Southern Continent, the orcs chased them to the Northern Continent.

The most populous orc community is Yen-Shehyr, a new city in eastern Mosshaven build by the descendants of those who followed Methusia back. Yen-Shehyr was built in the memory of what was lost. While many flock to this new chance to live as they did, just as many view it as a foolish attempt to grasp at what they do not deserve.

## The Aspects of a Good Orc

For all their talk of abandoning memories of the Old City, Orcs still cling to the ways that defined life in it. One of the more interesting practices that lingers is the idea of Aspects, traits that define what a “Good Orc” should be. These aspects should ideally be balanced, however it is almost inevitable that an Orc’s temperament will favour one aspect.

The aspects are as follows:

**Warrior:** The Warrior is aggressive, not just on the battlefield but in their presence. They are defined by their enthusiasm and tendency to take risks, as well as a more jovial, dominant social presence. Warriors are frequently leaders in Orcish society, as their energy lends well to commanding the respect of crowds. Despite this, they often eschew the realities and logistics of such a position, delegating if not forcing the responsibilities on others.

**Mother:** The nurturer of orc communities, the mother is peaceful and sympathetic, understanding that a life of constant struggle will lead to self-destruction. The Mother understands the need for compromise, and is seen as a tempering aspect to the Warrior.

**Smith:** The Smith is the recluse and the creator. The Smith is not an outcast, but those defined by this aspect prefer to stay away from the spotlight. The Smith is a creator, but desires no praise for what they make, only a space and solitude to work. While the Warrior and the Mother find their worth most readily in company, the Smith takes to a life of quiet contemplation.

**Rival:** The Rival is an aspect both dreaded and desired by orcs. A Rival is necessary for growth, for adversity and for the challenge that is the fire that forges the strongest orcs. Yet, the aspect of the Rival is rarely an aspect praised. Ruthless and decisive, with a sharp and vindictive temperament, those defined by the Rival will do whatever it takes to achieve their ends, daring those around them to stop them.

**OOC Note**: This interpretation of the orc race comes from player Vera Dawson. Minty.