Orcs

Strong of arm and stout of body Orcs are often characterized as dimwitted, violent, and often savage, filling people's heads with images of bandit marauders and ill-tempered thugs. In reality Orcs are as varied as any human, dwarf, or elf, but their origin as a race bred to wage war has carried a stigma over the centuries, leading to them being distrusted and outcast from regular society.

## Abilities

Ability Scores: +2 Str, +1 Con

Size: Medium

Base Speed: 30ft.

Darkvision: You can see in Darkness as though it were Dim Light, and Dim Light as though it were Bright Light within 60 ft. You cannot discern color in Darkness, only shades of grey.

Menacing: You gain Proficiency in the Intimidate Skill.

Relentless Endurance: Once per Long Rest when you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright you may drop to 1 hit point instead.

Savage Attack: When you score a Critical Hit with a melee weapon attack you may roll one of the weapon's Damage Dice an additional time and add it to the extra damage of the Critical Hit.

Languages: You know Common, Orc, and one language from your Country of Origin.

Base Height: 4'10" + 2d10 Inches

Base Weight: 140 lbs X 2d6

Age: Orcs are considered adults at the age of 18, but are generally short-lived, usually only living to be 60 years old, with orcs over 80 a rarity, a leftover from their use as soldiers by the Alarans, to be used and disposed of quickly.

Appearance: Though Orcs often take some traits from their Country of Origin, the changes are often much more subtle than other races. Orcs have universally green skin tones, dark eye colors, and darker hair colors, generally black or dark brown. Orcs tend to have naturally intimidating features, often large noses, thick brows, and naturally large and sharp teeth.

## Common Perception

Orcs are often regarded as violent, savage, and cruel, often mistrusted and shoved into the margins of society as a result. Most Orcs are forced to work jobs of menial labor and as door guards just to make ends meet. Some are able to leverage their natural strength into positions as mercenaries and soldiers, though the stigma against them can lead to a lack of work, and often to either the criminal underground as hired thugs, or to banditry. Some are able to prove themselves better than their inherited reputations, becoming generals, great warriors, and politicians. Orcs often form tight-knit communities, often in poor parts of cities or in the rural areas of a country, for they must support each other if no one else will. Orcs often feel a kinship with Tieflings and Dark Elves, their unusual skin and marginalized positions often giving them something to talk about, if nothing else.

## Alaran Origin

Orcs were created to serve as infantry in the Alaran armies, quickly replicated and trained, and were often seen as disposable. According to surviving records the Alarans tried to keep them in combat as often as possible, as they feared the would use their natural combat prowess to revolt against their masters. Such an event never seemed to have passed, it seems.

## Variants

Mark of Finding:

Replaces Ability Scores, Menacing, Relentless Endurance, and Savage Attacks

Ability Scores: +2 Wis, +1 Con

Hunter's Intuition: When you make a Perception or Survival Check you may roll 1d4 and add the result to the check.

Finder's Mark: Once per Long Rest you may cast the Hunter's Mark spell, at 3rd Level you may cast Locate Object, you may only cast one of the two spells per long rest.

Spells of the Mark: If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic Class Feature you may add the spells on the following table to your Spell List.

 2nd
 3rd
 4th
 5th