Orcs

Born hard for warfare and conflict, an orc never relents in the heat of battle.

Written by Rat_King

"Adai Hatha! A battle will decide all!"

-An orcish chant before a duel

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The warlike nomads that roam Rhoygir and Seneca who live for the battle as the warchiefs bellow the drums and sound the horns of conflict.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Physical Appearance (Common Orc):

• Humanoid, tall and brawny.
• Possesses varying shades of green skin.
• Possesses tusks at the lower jaw.

Species Variants

Red orcs

• Skin tone usually vary in shades of red, light brown or orange.
• More aggressive temperament that the common orc.

White orcs

• Skin tones usually vary in shades of white or light blue.
• Tusks are less pronounced than other orcs.
• More docile than the common orc.

Ecology and Habitats

Orcs may be nomadic people but by moving around a certain places each variant has become specialized to it's niche dwellings. Both white and red orcs have evolved to adapt to harsh and extreme environments. The red orcs rove the wild desert lands of Rhoygir and the white orcs drift about in the cold northern climates.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Nomadic orcs follows whatever tribal government their clans abide to. As for assimilated orcs, the usually live under feudal governments alongside humans and dwarves.

Facial characteristics

Two tusks located at the lower jaw

Geographic Origin and Distribution

• Present in all Ascary, more common in Rhoygir as one of it's original inhabitors and is Seneca as Mercenaries or assimilated people.
• Through the Senecan colonies some of the assimilated orcs are also present in Carrion

Average Intelligence

Despite having the privilege of being allowed to study in a Senecan collegium, the orcs have the lowest average intelligence in all of Ascary

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Common orcish names:

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Masculine orcish names:

• Algol
• Mul
• Bors
• Urgran
• Kaval
• Olfin

Feminine orcish names:

• Mazu
• Dura
• Obil
• Utha
• Izma
• Aviz

Just like the dwarves, orcs don't use unisex names.
Unique to the orcish naming schemes is that they don't have surnames. The orcs that do have surnames are the ones assimilated by the Senecans. An orcish name usually begins and ends with the given name, If however an orc is considered a brave, the clan would grant him/her a titular title that befits the deeds or the features of the brave. For distinction, a clan indicator follows the orc's name. Take for example, "Algol 'Redtooth' of the White mountain clan" or simply "Algol 'Redtooth'". 'Algol' is the given name and 'Redtooth' is the title granted to him.

Major Organizations

Although not truly an organization by orcs the Edel Orcs or the "Noble Orcs", is a Wesschelian elite army that also acts as educators of the Wesschelian culture to young orcs, in order to fully integrate them into the Wesschelian empire. They are comprised of firstborn sons from orcish families, as part of an agreement to the emperor that they would give their firstborn sons to be drafted to the Edel Orcs as an exchange for allowing them to settle under the empire. From a young age, they would be taught the ways and culture of Wesschelia and the added task that they would be trained as the emperor's shield.

Beauty Ideals

Males having large pronounced tusk is generally seen as attractive by females in most nomadic clans.

Average Technological Level

The Senecan orcs have grown accustomed to steam engine machinery, gunpowder, and steel. The Rhoygari orcs however lag ever behind their assimilated cousins.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Urghuz is the main language used by the orcs, it is a blending of old orcish languages. This language is used so that they could communicate to different orcs.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Orcish bards have the tremendous task of retelling old orcish legends and compose pieces for exceptional orcs, all done in song. Despite being a race that favors warfare, orcs tend to have a passion for music. And in many instances, warfare and music overlap. If ever there is a war drummer playing his heart out in front of a battlefield has raised the morale of orcish warriors.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Orcish braves usually receive body markings, usually colored tattoos. But the tattoos vary in color, shape and where it would be placed depending on the tribe. For example, the orcish dagger clans in Seneca where they would commonly mark curving lines colored red that would resemble a crooked dagger and would be placed in various parts of the body like the chest or beneath the eyes.

History

Since the orcs are a nomadic race of people, most of their history remains unwritten. But one fact will always remain clear. Since the dawn of their species, they have roamed the vast lands of Rhoygir often in conflict with the beastmen civilizations. Their history passed down as legends sung in the tales of orcish bards as they sing songs of heroic men and women on the days of legends. Orcish clans would often war against beastmen kingdoms and amongst other clans.

The orcs later came into conflict against human tribes and dwarven clandens as they were displaced from Lecarne. These frequent warring between these people left an impression in the minds of the future inhabitors of Seneca. Soon enough the orcs find themselves fighting alongside humans and dwarves in the first continental war, and be later invited into the Senecan alliance.

Historical Figures

Chief Mirgal "Beastbane"

Red orc chief of the Black Scorpion clan. Became "Beastbane" after the sack of 5 beastmen cities and the razing of the city of Nur-Aya, leaving a train of beastmen corpses in his warpath. In his old age, he challenged the Manticore of Rihat. Although he and his comrades succeeded in slaying the beast, he did not survive the wounds he suffered.

Kurke Uldorf

Captain of the Edel orcs, and renowned minstrel. Served the Edel orcs in fighting the emperor's enemies and educating unassimilated orcs. In an attempt to reconnect to his culture he fancied being a minstrel and learned the lute. His works would become popular in Wesschelian taverns and later played in the emperor's court long after he's dead.

Rulfr "Thunderdrum"

A former mercenary soldier turned pirate captain of the Rhoygari seas. After his time-fighting in Seneca as a mercenary, he studied their ways and their technology especially on the use of gunpowder and sailing ships as he was often sent to fight in coastal cities. He mutinied on the captain after being withheld from his pay in previous battles and decided to terrorize the high seas as a pirate. Although he is not the most successful pirate in all of Ascary, he did kickstart a new age and fascination with piracy in Rhoygir and Seneca.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

• As fellow members of the Senecan Alliance, the are on good terms with both humans and dwarves despite warring against them in the times of Scarsis.
• Ever since the orcs emerged in Rhoygir the beastmen had always been their natural enemy.
• Thanks to the elves, the orcs were forced to fight alongside the Senecans. As they would assist the beastmen breaking the stalemate against orcs and pushing them to the edges of Rhoygir. And because of that most orcs spite the elves.
• Only the assimilated orcs have met the Nazca, perceiving them as an alien culture that are constantly hostile to the Senecan colonies

Orcs by Rodrigo Aguirre Llasera

Origin/Ancestry

Primal Orcs

Lifespan

40 - 75 years

Average Height

1.85 - 2.70 m

Average Weight

70 - 185 kg

Average Physique

tall and Brawny

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

green, white, or red