Orcs

A grey-skinned orc.

Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Intelligence score is reduced by 2.

### Trait II

* + Aggressive

As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.

### Trait III

* + Menacing

You are trained in the Intimidation skill.

### Trait IV

* + Powerful Build

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

Orcs are a species created by the Winter King as ruthless footsoldiers. It is said he used the combined genetics of Dwarves, Goblins and Giants. Raised for brutality and combat prowess, they obey the orders of whoever they feel is strongest, while each secretly believes *they* are the strongest.

Most orcs are located in the Winter Kingdom, where they regularly fight wars against the Commonwealth, to the south. There are small orc communities outside of this land, but due to orcish society's focus on combat, they are either assimilated culturally into the world around them, or soon wipe themselves out due to limited numbers.

Orcs enjoy competition, as a species, and will often join in anything that could be considered fun- why drink when it can be a drinking contest, why eat when it can be an eating contest, why bathe when it can be a not-bathing the longest contest?

The last of these questions often leads to a pungent aroma that orcs are frequently proud of. Orcish fairytale include such features as the tale of Gum'Grun the Strongstink, an orc who won all competitions through the power of his stench alone. Some tales even bost that he had "Ne'er been washed, even as a babe" and that he still had traces of placenta in his hair. While offputting for most species, the orcs believe this proves he was already "Winning" since even before birth.

Orcs still, by and large, revere and honour the Winter King as father of their race, and a particularly loving father who fed them with only the strongest of enemies. Insulting his name can be seen as highly offensive to many of the orcs, and even lead to fights breaking out.

## History

### Elven Era

It is believed that the Winter King began his experiments that would later create the Orcs in the Elven Era, however, there is only limited history or evidence of their existence before the Long Night.

### Long Night Era

The Winter Kingdom began mass-producing Orcs as footsoldiers for their army, due to the low numbers of Drow at the time. These Orcs were bloodthirsty, but kept in line by their worship of the Winter King as a god-like creator.

They proved to be a brutal and bloody force under his command, crushing all who opposed.

### Dawn Era

With the death of the Winter King, the Orcs soon found themselves leaderless and gradually forced back to the north as the Miasma naturally receded.

There were many uprisings against the Drow who remained and attempted to assert control, and the Orcs disbanded into tribes led either by powerful Orc warriors or strong Drow mages.

## Physiology and Reproduction

Orcs have a humanoid shape and reproductive system. They stand approximately six to seven and a half foot tall on average, and are very broad set and muscular.

Orc bodies seem to be naturally hairy or naturally hairless, depending on whether their tribe of origin prefers to live above-ground (Hairy) or below-ground (Hairless), but most orcs have at least a certain amount of hair on their heads, even if the majority lack eyebrows.

Possibly a trait inherited from Goblins, almost any combination of Orc and another species will prove fertile and birth a half-orc. This places them in Reproductive Group Zeta.

Orcs have a hearty constitution, they are able to hold their breath for a long time, and survive things no other species can. They are also exceptionally strong, but not intelligent on average due to their culture's focus on war.

## Mental Capacity

Despite their warlike culture, Orcs can prove to be surprisingly intelligent. They were bred for adaptability, so Orcs raised outside of Orcguard tend to be fast learners and adapt to their cultures. These Orcs are referred to derisively as "No-Orcs" by those raised in Orcguard, who pride themselves on refusing the comforts of other species.

## Orcs and Other Races

Orcs are feared due to their combat prowess and violence. In cultures outside of Orcguard, they are generally avoided. However, due to the fear, they are not mistreated outside of the highest echelons of society, as opposed to Drow who are still seen as monstrous due to the Winter Kingdom.

Mercenary companies, however, are often less discriminating- the violent tendencies and history of orcs can boost the morale of those they fight alongside, as well as scare their enemies. Nothing is worse than facing down a charging Orc unprepared.

So-called "No-Orcs", Orcs not raised in Orcguard, are treated with fear that they may be a spy by the general population, although most nobles and military commanders agree that Orcguard would never use spies due to their twisted nobility.