Orcs

Orcs are a robust and naturally brawny race in comparison to humans. Scholars believe that they are ancient elves that landed in Thanthris a couple of thousand years ago, and have adapted to live in the dangerous wilds of pre-civilization Thanthris with their fast-reacting evolution. Elven scholars are known to fervorous deny these claims.

## Appearance

Orcs stand around the height of 6'0" tall and weigh around 280 pounds. They have varying green skin tones that can lean to a grey over time. Orcs have black and greys when they are in their twilight years. Their eye colors range from yellow or red. They also have dully pointed ears and tusks that can be used to tear flesh.

## Culture

### Language

Orcs speak a language called Orcish that bears a similarity to Elvish in script. Though the oral language is entirely different, with Orcish being very guttural and harsh sounding. Literacy is not common among the tribes of orcs, but the city-state of Gargoth is known to teach its script to its people.

## Religion

Orcs mostly worship an ancient religion known as Old Orcish, where they follow a slew of war gods. Orcs of Gargoth follow The Pantheon of the Eight and differ from their tribal cousins.

Old Orcish worships a pantheon of different pagan war gods and goddesses that all take the form of large-orcs. The religion promotes warring and raiding neighbors and dying on the field of battle.

Orcs of Gargoth began the following the Eight after being defeated in the War of the West out of fear that the newly formed Empire of Thanthris would attack again if they continued their pagan beliefs.

## Society

Most orcs live in tribes that cluster around the west of Thanthris just like their ancestors. Though they are not as abundant as they once were after the colonization of humans. A small amount lives in the city-state of Gargoth, which is the only known civilized settlement of the orcs.

### Gargoth

People of Gargoth are known as Gargothian. They live in a sky-citadel that once was under dwarven control until a few orcish tribes conquered the city to escape the expansion of the Empire of Thanthris. Their society mimics humans in that they have government positions that can be held. However, the distinction is that wealth or status does not play a factor in politics, but rather a form of an election where citizens of the city-state can vote for who can rule the city.

### Tribes

Scattering across the western regions of Thanthris are independent tribes. These tribes live like their ancestors. They are constantly waging war among each other and raiding the human lands. These tribes are most abundant in Orcaster.

## History

### Age of Mayhem

The Age of Mayhem is the time after the fall of the Reign of Dragons, where the native races of Thanthris began claiming territories and waging forever wars against each other and other races. Orcs scattered across the west side of Thanthris during this time and heavily populated the area.

### The Great Immigration

The Great Immigration was the arrival of humans and halflings from Ja'ren to Thanthris during the War of the Thaumaturge Kings. The newly arrived humans began systematically eradicating the local populace of orcs. Pushing many of them to the aptly named Orcaster.

### War of the West

The War of the West was the war declared by the still Kingdom of New Calmeera before it became an empire. In this war, the kingdom began taking the lands of Orcaster from the orcs where they either began hiding in the forests or seizing the city of Gargoth to escape. Ever since then, orc tribes are known to have only less than 100 people per tribe.