Orcs

Orcs are one of the most misaligned races in Nexxis. Historically Orcish war-bands have been a scourge to civilized races, bringing ruin to villages and cities the world over. This seems to not always be the case however as many orcs are integrated within larger cities and the largest, most infamous Chiefdom of Tovaar has not led an official war in decades (although some smaller groups have splintered off and led raids in the past). Orcs are said to have been created when the blood of Gruumsh met with the blood of Corellon Larethian when the latter plucked out the eye of Gruumsh with a spear. More devout Orcs will claim that Gruumsh plucked his own eye out in defiance, unwilling to admit that anything close to an elf could harm an orc. The larger, dumber, and more evil Orog is a relative of the common orc, but their alignment is not a topic of debate.

### Physique

Orcs have heavy-browed simian faces resembling something like a pig mixed with a gorilla or mandrill, often with tusks to match. They are tall (6-6.7 feet) and have very broad figures. Their hair is coarse and dark, their eyes equally so. Orcish skin is green, gray, or reddish-brown and is commonly tattooed.

### Culture

Orcs have a culture that values strength above all else. Strength does not care who wields it, therefore it is up to the bearer of strength to determine how it is used, this is the ultimate lesson of Orc culture. This core belief, along with the beliefs instilled by Gruumsh and the Orcish pantheon (namely in domination, use of fear as a tool, and of resource control) have ensured an unending cycle of violence and destruction. As for millennia the Orcs have struggled to maintain footholds in the world, and have made few friends with the endless war and pillaging they are known for. It only makes sense that they would start to find another way as time has gone on.

Orcs are largely tribal, and it is within these small tribal units that pillaging or looting groups would commonly be created in order to further the existence of the tribe. Tribes are led by leaders known as chieftains and it is the role of the chieftain to determine where and how the tribe would subsist. Orcish tribes rarely grew larger than a few hundred before one group would decide to create their own new tribe and the tribes that existed would rarely make anything new for themselves. The constant splintering of new tribes and clans, along with the effects of constant war, left many orcs in the past with no family to speak of, leading many orcs to lives as barbarians and marauders or easy recruits for mercenaries or more powerful (and usually evil) creatures like dragons or ogres.

Across Enterris and Zawadi this culture has been largely unchanged and seems to be going strong, but in Yú'é there has been a strong resurgence of Orcish unity in Tovaar. Former small tribes have been united by a smaller group of warlords, forming the Oronivaar (tribe without walls). This tribe seems to be above the constant warfare of the other orcs, instead devoting themselves to peace within the borders of Tovaar. While some larger settlements have been founded by half-orc individuals in the past this is the largest and longest standing orc settlement of its kind and they venerate Tovaar the Gatebreaker as their divine patron. This tribe has done much to create a true Orc homeland in the world, and has a proper city in the form of Losh't Oro. Unlike their tribal nomadic counterparts it is rare for the Tovaari orcs to practice any form of slavery (even though keeping slaves was rare enough in orc culture anyways).