Orcs

Of all the races of Elysium, none are more renowned for their strength and resilience than the Orcs. Capable of single-handedly taking on groups of foes and going head to head with creatures nearly twice their size, the Orcs have earned a reputation of being a race of mighty warriors. However, while it is true that many orcs choose the path of the warrior, some choose to follow the path of magic instead. Such orcs often become shamans or witch doctors, who utilize their magic to aid their allies and to communicate with their deceased ancestors in search of the truths of the world. Regardless of whether they wield magic or a weapon, orcs make fearsome opponents and stalwart allies.

## Appearance

Orcs are large, physically violent creatures with a natural aptitude for combat. As one would expect from a race known for its raw strength, the most prominent feature of orcs is their size. The average adult orc is six and a half to eight feet in height and can weigh anywhere from 250 to 325 lbs. This weight comes in the form of muscle, which is clearly defined on the body of every orc, making even the weakest orcs appear burly by the standards of other races.

The skin tones of orcs are typically darker shades of green and brown. Their hair, like their skin, tends to be darker colors, such as black, brown, or grey. While it is common for most orcs to sport thick heads of hair, not all have that option. Instead, some orcs have several small horns that grow out of their heads. These horns typically grow in between one to four inches in length.

In addition to the possibility of growing horns, some orcs may also have a set of tusks. Unlike their horns, an orc’s tusks grow to a significant size. A male’s tusks can grow up to seven inches in length and three inches in diameter, while a female’s tusks can grow up to six inches in length and two and half inches in diameter. The jaw of an orc, where the tusks grow out from, is usually square in shape and clearly defined. Their cheekbones are also clearly defined and give them a chiseled appearance. Additionally, like elves, orcs have pointed ears, however the point is less defined and the ears tend to not stick out far from the head.

While they are extremely good at learning to use weapons, they struggle to use any but the most basic magic. Most Orcs despise Elves, but have been known to work with Dark Elves for the purpose of breeding better Orc species because of their difficulty in mastering magic for themselves. Orcs hate Dwarves thanks to many occasions of conflict with this race.

## Origins

In his war against the Gods, the Rebel created the orcs to be his soldiers. He granted groups of humans immense physical strength, which transformed them into entirely different beings. These were the first orcs, but they were nothing like the orcs of the current era. These orcs had red skin, yellow eyes, and long horns growing out of their heads. Not only were they incredibly strong, but they were quick as well. They would tirelessly chase down their prey and slay them without mercy. The Elves, who were among the first to face them, dubbed these creatures the Demjik, which stemmed from their word for demon, “demjin”.

The Rebel created the Demjik for the sole purpose of killing, so he saw to it they would do so without fail. He subjugated their minds so they would obey him no matter the task. Rage filled the minds of the Demjik, but it was not directed at their foes. The atrocities the Rebel had them commit were unimaginable, but their will was no longer their own. They hated what they had done and what they had become, yet they could do nothing to stop it.

Upon the Rebel’s defeat, the Demjik finally escaped from his grasp and sought to lead free lives. They begged the Gods to restore them to their original forms. However, the Gods looked down on these Humans who willingly gave in to corruption and determined that their cursed existence was a punishment that fit their crimes; the Demjik would remain monsters, “orconeas” in the Elvish tongue, for all time.

As the Demjik wandered the world as nomads with no kingdom or leader or flag, they found that the peoples called them “Orcs,” a demeaning name derived from Elvish scorn

living as nomads camping in the outlying lands of other settlements, in slums on the fringes of cities, in rubbish dumps or in areas of marginal land such as deserts, tundras or swamps that were too bleak and desolate for other races to successfully utilize. During this time, the Orcs frequently fought between themselves and were seldom useful in battle unless they were captured by other races to be forcefully conscripted, or used as mercenaries.

Their ability to perform magic was crippled, forcing them to rely on the strength they once thought was worth any price. Finally, they were given a new name by the elves, who had suffered greatly at their hands. From their word for monster, “orconeas”, the Elves renamed them “Orcs”.

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Due to their great strength, the Orcs earned themselves a fearful reputation and it was known that any army containing Orcs would almost certainly win. But the Orcs were unhappy as they were minions to the other races; those that disobeyed would be tortured until they died. Some began gathering in secret, forming a guild devoted to seeking their freedom, encouraging other Orcs to resist. Eventually some were able to escape to their freedom and banded together into an army of their own.

Eventually the existing Orcs agreed to put aside their differences and unify into one faction. In a bitter campaign against the other races, they managed to conquer a small patch of land to use as their own, and this became the Orc Capital. But a new challenge to their autonomy arose in the Age of Dwarves. As Orcs and Dwarves both made use of mountains for their fortified cities, they were frequently in conflict. Orcs mistrusted and hated Dwarves due to their similarities, as well as differences. Dwarves were seen as a military threat, given how strong and hardy they were in battle, but were different enough for the Orcs to despise them and vice versa. This was a prejudice which was worsened during the prolonged war against the Dwarves in which the Orc Capital was ransacked and abandoned, left to ruin. Determined to defeat the Dwarves, they sought to breed the ultimate Orc warrior; so it was that Trolls (also called Ogres) were bred as Orc warbeasts. It is unknown how this was achieved, some believe that Elves were forcefully bred with Orcs, others that the Dark Elves who had begun to experiment with dark magic helped to create them.

Around this period, Goblins also first emerged. Due to their short stature and that they initially appeared during the Age of Dwarves, as well preferring to live in mountains and caves, it is believed by some that they are the product of Dwarves and Orcs interbreeding. Whether this was done willingly or by force it is currently not known. An Orc legend says that, just like the seeping of Dragon magic into the ground spawned Dwarves, poisonous stains of the Darkness left at sites of battle against him seeped into the ground and caused the Goblins to spring out of the very stones themselves.

## Features

Orcs live in clans which focus on one special skill; some clans are great hunters while others are warriors or mercenaries and others are still scavengers and metal-smiths. Orcs are frequently nomadic, and prefer to settle on the fringes of cities, in slums or in lands that are more difficult to inhabit such as deserts or marshes. Orcs pride themselves in being able to make use of landscapes that other races would find too much effort to cultivate. Orc religion is largely shamanistic, and they place importance on bones and teeth as decoration, often as trophies to mark how many beings an Orc warrior or hunter has killed. Orcs prefer to wear leathers, furs and skins for clothing. Physically, they are by far the largest and physically strongest of the races. While not usually very good with magic, the are adept at experimentation and breeding, having bred for themselves improved breeds devoted to specific kinds of warfare such as the Trolls, Wargs and Uruks.

### Pure Orcs or Krugs

Also sometimes referred to as Krags, Pure Orcs are the oldest breed of Orc. Their skin is usually green and they have long canine teeth, both on the top and the bottom jaw which often protrude outside of their lip. While not the cleverest of races, having difficulty with syntax and speech, they are extremely good fighters and average around 6-8ft in height. Pure Orcs shun the daylight, as they do not enjoy it, and while it slows their metabolism a little, they are not hugely negatively affected by it.