| Orc | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Classification | Natural Humanoid |
| Faction/Affiliation | Independent |
| Character classes | Barbarian, Warrior |
| Racial capital | Prime Material Plane |
| Homeworld | Prime Material Plane |
| Primary language(s) | Orc |
| Alignment | Chaotic Evil |
Orcs are a race of humanoids who have been a problem within Abeir-Toril for centuries. They are commonly found on Faerun.
Background[]
Orcs are known for having terrible tempers. They are easily offended and impatient, orcs often prefer voilence as an answers and rarely prefer other answers. However, orcs are great at getting information since they are creatures of not though, but action. Some exceptions to this profile do exist, however, such as the famed King Obould whose jobs were accomplished through insight and planning.
Culture[]
Orc culture is extremely warlike, when a war ends, the orcs are already planning for the next one. Orcs usually see life dedicated to survival. They also believe that one must subjugate enemies and control as many resources as possible. This usually puts them at odds with other races. This belief is mentioned in part by Gruumsh and his pantheon, which teaches that all races are inferior to the orcs. Eyes of Gruumsh are orcs specially affiliated to the one-eyed god and offer sacrifices, read omens, and advise tribes through Gruumsh's will.
In society, orc males dominate and orc females are merely prized possessions and slightly better than livestock at worst. Male orcs pride themselves on their number of wives and sons, as well as their scars from battle and rituals. Orcs also prize the possession of slaves, though very few own them.
Orcs do not usually erect cities but instead rely on those left behind by others. They then improve fortifications on the titties or set up camp sites, dens or settle in small, natural caverns. Orcs can ironwork on their own and can also stonework, though their tools are often inferior to those of more disciplined races.
Orcs are often in confederations of tribes, loosely held together by a despotic chief. Bands within these tribes may wander far from their homelands, but continue to greet those orcs who belong to the same tribal network as kin. Bloodragers are champions of the tribe, they use primal strength and ferocity to defeat their enemies. Most are bodyguards or lower-ranking chiefs within the tribal structure. Another common orc deity is the Cave Mother
Kingdom of Many Arrows[]
A group of orcs belonging to a state of formed first a century ago by the famous Obould Many-Arrows. They are different compared to their brethren because they have a different cultural attitude. While most orcs are warlike and savage the orcs of Many-Arrows, ruled over by King Obould XVII, are remarkably civilized, to a point that has made their neighbors interested. The Kingdom of Many-Arrows has maintained peace with the neighboring dwarves of Mithral Hall and the other races living in Luraur. Many believe war could break out if any minor conflicts come into play. Usually, orcs of Many Arrows emerge as heroes.
History[]
Where the orcs originated from is not known since they were not natives to Abeir-Toril. The first legends of orcs tell of the battles between their primary god Gruumsh and Corellon Larethian, the creator of the elves and eladrin. The latter two races tell of how Corellon beat Gruumsh and took his eye, though many orcs deny this charge, they acknowledge Gruumsh as the god with one eye.
However, because of early conflicts orcs did not appear en masse till later. When the Days of Thunder was occurring when Abeir-Toril was not yet united, creator races introduced orcs into the world. They built a portal on the Spine of the World that opened up to the orc homeland. Through this portal the ancestors of the mountain orcs poured through and gradually migrated southwards.
Later the Imaskari repeated the mistake of the creator races, opening up another portal in which the gray orcs came through. This led to the Orcgate Wars during which Gruumsh and his allies slayed most of the Untheric pantheon. Eventually the portal was closed but the gray orcs stayed behind.
For millennia orcs have plagued civilizations as raiders and pillagers, but more recently a confederacy of orc tribes united under the flag of King Obould Many-Arrows, a chosen of Gruumsh, forged a more civilized nation known as the Kingdom of Many-Arrows, located along the northern borders of Luruar. Even though tensions between other races and the Many-Arrows people have occurred, the kingdom has not waged battle against its neighbors for decades and by all appearances seems fascination in peace, rather than violence.