The general called them the 'mountain detachment'. The rank and file called them the 'tusk brigade' - but not to their faces. It probably wouldn't have made a difference. The orcs kept to themselves, they didn't gamble or drink or whore with the rest of the soldiers in camp. They didn't fight with the other soldiers either. They cooked their own food, kept their own tents. The only time I saw one raise a hand to another soldier in violence was after a village woman was brutalised by two infantrymen. One of the orc warriors came across them in the aftermath. One of the infantrymen didn't walk away. The other was beaten to a bloody pulp.
In camp they were easy companions. On the battlefield, they were terrifying. They marched without tiring, attacked without flagging. I know not what the enemy called them; only that the mere presence of orcs on the battlefield was enough to scatter the foe before us as the first horns were blown.
- From a journal recovered from the Pacification of Abrinden Rise
The first records of orcs within Dyrn are found in the annals of the northern human lords and date to the middle of the Dusk War. Scholars have long debated the true origins of the warlike race. Their skin colouration and many of their physical characteristics would suggest a shared ancestry with the goblinkin races of the north, but the goblinkin originated many thousands of years earlier. Orcs are physically considerably more powerful than even the hobgoblins and bugbears of the Wicked Vales to the north, and the timing of their emergence has led some researchers to suggest that they might in fact by Fey in origin.
Tribal Culture
Orcs have no specific homeland. Since the dusk war they have led a nomadic lifestyle, moving in tribal groups across northern Terrenos. Due to their cultural traditions, which are viewed by many within civilised society as warlike, they are often unwelcome within more populated regions. As a result, most tribes subsist on what little they can forage or raid for in the borderlands between civilization.
Orcish tribes are arranged around a chieftain, usually a senior member of the tribe who was elected by the other warriors. The chieftain was supported by a group of experienced warriors who would advise her or him on decisions, often referred to as a
Scar Council or simply
Scars. Membership of the scar council was by merit - the most powerful or accomplished warriors within the tribe would either accept or reject the presence of a new scar, and status as a scar was often fluid.
Within the tribe, orcs generally live together within large extended family units. Orcs are a shorter-lived race, and decline in old age (generally between the ages of 35 to 40) was generally sudden. Within family units, it was not unusual for an elder Orc to choose to end his or her life rather than slow down or hinder the movements of a tribe, and orcish shamans possessed the knowledge of a potion which would bring about a swift and peaceful end for a warrior who had lived out their life. While most tribes are nomadic, there are a few tribes which have claimed territory, often in mountainous areas. This brings them into conflict with both delvers and goblinkin. Orcish tribes will zealously guard territory they have claimed.
Orcs possess their own spoken language but they use delver script to write. Orcs rarely write, and this has led some to believe they are less intelligent than other races. This is, in fact, untrue. Within their culture there is a belief that words have power, and the act of writing them down harnesses that power. For that reason, most orcs are raised to believe that anything important enough to be written down should be written
permanently, by inscription or carving. Particularly kn owledgeable orcs will inscribe their learnings on their own skin, through scarification. Such orcs, on their death, are afforded great honour by being flayed after death, their pelt carefully rolled and treated to preserve this knowledge. Orcish leather, once treated, is incredibly durable, as well as fire resistant. Orcs have also been known to preserve writing through scrimshaw on their own tusks. On death these tusks will be bequeathed to others within their family or tribe. Orcs maintain tomes of such tusks, rolls of lashed together tusks known as
scrims.
Orcs go by many names during their lives. An orc is given a birth name but as they grow and develop, they adopt names given to them by their friends and family. An orc may go by different names within different social circles. An orc would never choose or propose their own name - they believe their name must be earned through their actions. To go unnamed is a vicious punishment to an orc who has broken the laws of a tribe or been craven during battle.
Demonstration is an essential part of orcish tribal culture. In particular for inter-tribal meetings to establish relations, or for the settlement of disputes, a demonstration between the two parties may be called for. This demonstration may sometimes be battle between two orcs or two bands of orcs, but as often or not will be a demonstration of knowledge, or ritual dance known as
Takha.
Consumate Warriors
Orcs are indefatigable warriors. Able to march for days without rest, before immediately taking to the battlefield, their imposing physical size belies a nimbleness that stands them in good stead during combat. While not as tall as the goliath or firbolg, they are as broad or broader at the shoulder than these races of the ordning, approaching the size of the larger beastfolk such as minotaurs or loxodon. Their size sees them favour heavy weapons, such as the greatsword or the battleaxe. As often seen fighting in armour as out of it, their hearty constitution makes them resistant to injuries that would slay lesser warriors. Orcish skin is tough, so tough in fact that during childhood and adolescence they must undergo ritual cutting of the skin to facilitate growth. These ritual incisioks and later injuries form dense scars which, while remaining flexible, increase their natural defences.
Orcs can march and fight for many days without food, but when rations are available, they are voracious eaters. Orcish blood clots rapidly and they are resistant to diseases and suppurations that would bring down other warriors. There are reports that orcs have regrown amputated digits, or even entire limbs lost in battle.
Orcish spellcasters have developed the
per takha, referred to in other languages as
bladesong. For many centuries it was thought that orcs were not capable of harnessing arcane magic and that the bladesong was some sort of shamanistic magic, but it is now understood that this is not the case, and that
per takha is the traditional practice of arcane magic within orcish culture.
Per takha channels the magic of the warrior to grant them additional resilience and agility on the battlefield.
Orcish Physiology
Orcs have developed a number of adaptations that lend themselves to the battlefield. Orcs are obligate carnivores and store almost all of the protein they absorb in the form of broad sheets of muscle. During times of exertion, this muscle is broken down, allowing them to be indefatigable on the battlefield. History reports orcs surviving forced marches of up to a week in duration without sleep or rest. Orcs arriving on the battlefield after such forced marches are visibly smaller, having burned much of these muscle deposits, but still remain ready to fight. Orcs durig periods of low exertion will continue to build muscle and grow larger seemingly without pause. Orcs who are lazy or avoid exertion are known within orcish culture as
he nui rawa te taitamariki - "to big, too young". Within orcish cultiure attaining this size is expected only at the end of the life, when old age approaches.
Orc speech has also contributed to commonly held prejudices against the orcish race. Orcish language when overheard by others is guttural and often common is spoken haltingly. While some have interpreted this as a sign of lower intelligence, in actual fact orcish vocal apparatus produces sound in a range below the hearing of many of the first races. This
infrasound carries for long distances through mountains and on the battlefield, but to many, inlcuding humans, elves, and delvers, it renders portions of orcish language unintellgible. Some other races, such as aarakocra and the other birdfolk races, and some of the beastfolk races, are more able to discern the nuances of orcish speech.
Intertribal Relations
The orcs are stratified into broad family and cultural groups known as tribes. Some tribes maintain a geographical unity, settling in one area or roaming a particular region. Other tribes are united by blood but separated geographically.
The Ashen Hands
The Ashen Hands are one of the last marauder tribes, and are descended from orcs who ravaged the borderlands to the east of the Ashwood during the Dusk War. To this day the Ashen Hands continue to prey on the various borderland farms and settlements within the region of Old Phandal. Currently led by the chieftain Hama Pakaru, the Ashen Hands are renowned for their viciousness on the battlefield.
The Many Paths
One of the largest of the mercenary tribes, orcs descended from the Many Paths are sought after warriors. The demonstrate by pledging their allegiance to others in battle. The fielding of a detachment of orcish warriors from the Many Paths has been known to turn a battle, and their emblem, a circle with four arrows pointing away from it, is a common sight on the field of battle. It is not unknown for orcs from this tribe to be fielded on both sides of the battle, and as part of their demonstration they will honour their oath, battling their kinfolk without prejudice. They are led by the chieftain Arak Bramada, as well as the cleric Bugdal Ogrumna, under whose teachings the tribe has flourished.
