Half-Orc

Born from Orcish and Human parentage, half-orcs bear two cultures on their broad shoulders. Tall, strong, and fierce, half-orcs are one of the more common hybrid lineages.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

A half-orcs’ non-human pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see, though this is merely a curiousity. Half-orcs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall, usually on the stocky side, and tend to weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. Like dwarves and orcs, half-orcs have a potential for a long life, but their lust for extreme physical challenge can often lead to this potential being cut short - most half-orcs like around as long a human, as a result.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Half-orcs often choose early on in their lives to follow their more human heritage, or orcish heritage - but there is always a strong sense of community and joviality in both. In human communities, half-orcs are often very group oriented, often getting stuck in with activities with the whole town or street with loudness and gusto. In orc bands, far from the towns and Great Cities, half-orcs are more often the voices of reason and caution, frequently taking on more domestic duties, but still strongly valued within the bands. For half-orcs, family and friends are all about who you choose, and take loyalty seriously. Half-orcs will not forget loyalty and trust, but cannot forget betrayal either.

Facial characteristics

Half-orcs often have very strong facial features - tough jaws, sharp teeth, and broad foreheads - though this is often worked with scars or piercings. Dreadlocks are often common, alongside well oiled and sculpted facial hair. Skin tones range from dark fleshtones, to browns, to olive, to grey, to greens, with plenty of variation.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Half-orcs are commonly found in the outer provinces, both in Great Cities, towns, and many others in orcish bands. Other great concentrations of half-orcs are across the Sleeping Dragon Peaks, where their long limbs and strong frame make them excellent mountaineers and high altitude farmers. While not as common as half-elves, half-orcs are more common than their full blooded orc cousins, and can usually be found in most settlements.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Half-orcs usually either follow the Cadrithic Pantheon or Finality, depending on their focus on human or orc culture respectively. Most half-orcs lean towards the Quintarchy of Change, but many others like the structure and discipline or the Quintarchy of Order - common Gods of the half-orcs are Tarron, God of Labour, Dolgunn, God of Smithing, Deitus, God of Loyalty, Reyn, God of Natural Change and Equinax, God of Law.

History

Most half-orcs come from lineages after the Great Disaster, but were well established come time after first discovering New Cadrith, descended from early human and orc couples. Half-orcs have always occupied a niche between the two cultures, often blending them in their own architecture and art. Military and labour professions come easy to half-orcs, where many storied regiments of half-orcs and their commanders have illustrious battles and deeds in their name.

Family legacy is not well traced by half-orcs, but most simply prefer to live as they are, without quibbling over origins.

Lifespan

70 years

Average Height

6'6"

Average Weight

220 pounds