Orc

Orcs wander the cursed lands of the forebears, hunting the terrible beasts there and making their camps in ruined cities. Given a bad reputation by non-goblins who believe creatures who live so close to the cursed ruins must be cursed themselves, most orc tribes are rather docile to other races, providing guides and supplies to travelers lost in their territory. Orcs sport stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks.

## **Tribes Like Plagues**

There are a rather large population of orcs who are tired of living off cursed lands and fending for their lives on a daily basis. These orcs gather in tribes that exert their dominance and bitterness at being forced to live in the ruins by plundering villages, devouring or driving off roaming herds, and slaying any humanoids that stand against them. After savaging a settlement, orcs pick it clean of wealth and items usable in their own lands. They set the remains of villages and camps ablaze, then either use the lands as their own, or move on to the next village.

## **Outland Survivors**

Because of the need to be constantly alert and ready for battle at the drop of a hat in the ruins, orcs are a race that are always active. They have a fiery passion and a need to be doing something. This often manifests itself as a tendency for excitability or irritability.

As such, orcs seldom settle permanently, instead converting ruins, cavern complexes, and defeated foes' villages into fortified camps and strongholds. Orcs build primarily for defense, though their knack for converting scavenged materials into armor, weapons and building materials has been perfected into almost an art form by many orc tribes.

Orc tribes have had the greatest success of all the races at resettling forebear lands. Though extraordinarily rare, there have been a few cases of orcs converting small forebear towns into safe settlements, often sporting a central marketplace where the orcs trade goods with other ruin-dwelling races.

## **Leadership and Might**

Strength and durability are the greatest of orcish virtues, as these are the virtues that keep them alive in their harsh lands. Orcs embrace all manner of mighty creatures in their tribes, they proudly welcome ogres, trolls, half-orcs, and orogs into their ranks. There is strength in numbers and orcs understand that alliances made can be the difference between surviving and not.

## **Orc Names**

Orc names are strong and guttural sounding, with female names being slightly more melodic. They don't have surnames, but do use epithets like "Knee Smasher" and "The Behemoth".

Male Names: Brod Skull Clobberer, Zhakk Death Slicer, Jar Dark Defacer, Drol The Crooked, Zhundok The Wild, Narlag Fiend Quelcher, Movrag The Rotten, Shunzakk The Giant, Mondob Breath Skinner, Unuk The Brute.

Female Names: Kiz The Delirious, Dhaov Eye Piercer, Mak The Vivid, Rhil Heel Slayer, Rhoddao The Broken, Baomzuak Vermin Piercer, Muwgan The Vivid, Bhuvnov Giant Sword, Ieluz Pride Sunderer, Dhamek Horror Glaive

## Orc Characteristics

*When creating an Orc character, you can use the suggested ability score increases or, as detailed in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, you can instead increase one ability score of your choice by 1 and one different ability score of your choice by 2.*

*(Str. +2; Con. +1)*

**Darkvision.** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Adrenaline Rush.** As a bonus action, you can take the Dash action. When you take the Dash action in this way, you gain temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

**Relentless Endurance.** When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

**Powerful Build.** You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag or lift.

**Languages.** You understand Common and Orcish