Half-orc

Written by Salen

It was inevitable with a slave based culture that there would be some degree of interracial coupling. Orc guards developing feelings for their captives, or just plain taking what they want through force. That wasn't the shock. What was however was the fact that they were biologically compatible enough to bear offspring. It was long thought that interracial breeding was impossible, being too different from each other. The first Half-orc shattered those illusions; almost literally.

by Llyncis

Early days

In the early days of the first Half-orc children being born there were arguments on what to do with them. One nation outlawed them and killed the newborns on sight, leading to some orc guards sneaking their slaves out and trying to flee, or hiding the children in plain sight disguised as slaves or even orc children. This was quickly abandoned as barbaric (even to the orcs) and they began to treat them with a little more compassion, yet the attitude towards them was revulsion at best.

Finding their place

The only nation that actively treated them with any kind of respect was Toth. This warlike nation worshiped Wend, the god of battle and saw the Half-orcs as perfect soldiers to use on the front lines and other types of dangerous posts. They were stationed in the north, on Irktusk and took to war like no other since the warlord Kair. They were fierce, strong, and stubborn. An almost perfect mix of their human and orc parents.

Physical Traits

Half-orcs are large like their orc parent, and have skin the color of whatever orc is their sire. The major difference between orcs and Half-orcs is the absence of tusks of any kind. They are often bald, growing very little hair (and when they do it is more likely to be on their face) and have great strength, surpassing their orc parents at times.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Half-orc females take names that seem long and complicated. No one is sure why this began, but it is something that continues to this day. Some examples are:

• Argrahantar

• Bedestalfar

• Grandylanor

• Wrangraphar

Masculine names

Males usually are named with short powerful names, quick and to the point. Some examples are:

• Harg

• Krald

• Norgh

• Forgh

Family names

Family names are uncommon, as the children come from slaves and parents who just don't want them. They take surnames that describe their chosen weapon, best attribute, or the conquests they have achieved. Some examples are:

• Longaxe

• Stonehammer

• Darkeyes

• Strongarm

• Snowrunner

Culture

Coming of Age Rites

When a Half-orc child reaches maturity (somewhere around 11) they are sent out into the wild with only a weapon of their choosing. They must slay a creature bigger than themselves and return with its skin, teeth, or claws as proof. Children that are found to fake this rite are banished into the icy lands for good to find their own way in life.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Half-orc funerals are always cremations. No one knows why this is, but it is enforced with warlike tenacity.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Half-orcs find beauty in battle. They have grown up in a world that reviles them and respects only how well they fight. As such there are very little artists among their number throughout history so they tend to work in mediums that they understand. Violence.

Gender Ideals

Half-orcs don't have too many strict gender ideals, neither do orcs in general for that matter, as both males and females can attain any career path they choose, from warrior to baker. In fact most female half-orc make better warriors because of their levels of aggression are higher.

Courtship Ideals

Half-orcs are not particular with what race they mate with, being half human it has been found that they are compatible with both human and orcs, yielding a full child of either one of the stems. If they lay with a human the child is human, with an orc, the child is a full orc. The only ideal that they do have however is violent sex. Just like everything else in their violent life, their sex is usually very rough and warlike.

Preferred Climate

Though they can be encountered anywhere in the Shards, Half-orcs have come together in the northern Island of Irktusk and created a warlike society in the western forests of that island. The warlord Toth has allowed them to gather as such manily bcause they are doing no harm as yet. Rumors of rebellion are so far just that. Rumors. If at anytime they seem to be rallying to over throw their orc betters, then all out war may come to pass.

To Slave or not to Slave

One of their questions still on the tusks of some orcs is are they a lesser race to enslave? Or are they close enough to orcs to be slavers?It is an endless debate that has been going on ever since they abandoned killing the half-orc babies. While some slavers take half-orcs as slaves without anyone knowing (mostly as ringers in the slave arenas) it is so far not allowed in two of the three nations, and frowned upon in Gromsh. Whether they will settle this debate in the coming years or not is unknown.

by Llyncis