Half-Orcs

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After the breaking of the Orcish Empire, the remaining Orcs struggled to find identity and stability. While some formed into new tribes, others were subsumed by the culture of the local area. This meant that mixed Orcish/Human settlements became much more common, and with them came half-orcs. More stable than their Orcish cousins but more slaves to emotion than a human, half-orcs sit uneasily between the two races as they strive to find their own culture and path.

## Appearance and Biology

Half-orcs’ grayish, greenish or brownish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their Orcish heritage plain for all to see. Half-orcs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and usually weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. They also inherit strength and toughness from their Orcish family, meaning it's not uncommon for half-orcs to work martial or manual labour jobs.

Unlike some hybrid races in nature, half-orcs are as fertile as their parent races with pregnancy lasting an average of 7 months. However, childbirth is more dangerous for them as the babies can mature too quickly and damage the mother. Half-orc culture is therefore fiercely protective of pregnant women, with everyone in the extended family willing to sacrifice resources to keep them safe. Women who die in childbirth are honoured as warriors who have died in battle, and half-orc culture is very accepting of women who do not want to be mothers - not everyone chooses to be a warrior.

## Culture

As a relatively new race, half-orcs are still developing their own culture and for the most part they adopt the customs of their human and Orcish parents. In practice, this works out as a more lenient version of Orc culture, where half-orcs consider themselves lucky not to need every member to be a warrior or able to fight. To have a chance at being an artisan or a farmer without courting the Orcish madness is considered a blessing, and half-orcs are therefore encouraged to follow whichever profession suits their skills and inclination.

   This does not mean that half-orcs are completely unaffected by the madness. Though their human blood moderates the impact of their Orcish heritage, half-orcs feel emotion powerfully. Some half-orcs hear whispers in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel exultation when they join in melee combat—and either embrace it or are repulsed by it. For all half-orcs, rage doesn’t just quicken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. An insult stings like acid, and sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures—feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing—fill their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to action than contemplation and to fighting than arguing.

Many half-orcs turn to religion to soothe and channel these emotions, whether that is a connection with the spirits of the land or adopting a human god. Half-orc clerics, paladins and shamans are not uncommon as half-orcs strive to find a life that will let them feel in control.

## History and Origins

Half-orcs have always existed, but it's only in the last couple of hundred years that they have existed in any great numbers, with enough members to begin to count as a race of their own. In some blended Orcish/human towns, half-orcs are beginning to outnumber either of their parent races, and come into a power of their own.

Half-orcs are not a race with a rich history. They are instead a race at the beginning of their path, developing their own culture for the first time and with many new decisions to make. As they can breed among themselves to create more half-orcs, some are beginning to whisper that we might be witnessing the birth of the next great Empire, with the Selvani city of Gareke blazing the path.

## Half-Orcs as Player Characters

Ability Score: Str +1, Con +1, +1 to any attribute

Speed: 30' walking

Size: Medium, from 5' to well over 6'

Weight: 180-250 pounds

Darkvision: Thanks to their orc blood, half-orcs have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

Menacing: You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

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.

Savage Attacks: When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Diet: Half-orcs are omnivores

Languages: Tribal Orcish, one other of choice