Half-Orc
Whether united under the leadership of a mighty
warloek OI' having fought to a standstill after years
of eonfliet, ore and human tribes sometimes form
allianees, joining forces into a larger horde lo lhe terror
of eivilized lands nearby. When lhese allianees are
sealed by marriages, half-ores are bom. Some half-ores
rise lo beeome proud ehiefs of ore lribes, lheir human
blood giving them an edge over lheir full-blooded ore
rivaIs. Some venture inlo lhe world lo prove lheir worlh
among humans and other more civilized raees. Many of
lhese beeome advenlurers, aehieving grealness for lheir
mighly deeds and nOloriely for their barbarie eustoms
and savage fury.
Scarred and Strong
Half-ores' grayish pigmenlation, sloping foreheads, juttingjaws, prominenl leelh, and lowering builds make their orcish herilage plain for ali lo see. Half-ores sland belween 6 and 7 feel lall and usually weigh belween 180 and 250 pounds. Ores regard battle sears as lokens of pride and ornamenlal sears as lhings of beauly. OlheI' sears, though, mark an ore 01' half-ore as a formeI' slave 01' a disgraeed exile. Any half-ore who has lived among 01' near ores has sears, whelher lhey are marks of humilialion 01' of pride, reeounling their pasl exploils and injuries. Sueh a half-ore living among humans might display lhese sears proudly 01' hide them in shame.The Mark of Gruumsh
The one-eyed god Gruumsh erealed lhe ores, and even those ores who turn away from his worship ean'l fully escape his influenee. The same is lrue of haIf-ores. lhough lheir human blood moderales lhe impaet of lheir orcish heritage. Some half-ores hear the whispers of Gruumsh in lheir dreams, ealling lhem lo unleash lhe rage tha! simmers wilhin lhem. Others feel Gruumsh's exultation when they join in melee eombat-and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. Half-ores are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embraee it or rebel against it. Beyond the rage of Gruumsh, half-ores feel emotion powerfully. Rage doesn't jusl quieken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. An insult stings tike acid, and sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures-feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing-fill their hearls with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to aelion than eontemplation and to fighting than arguing. The mosl aeeomplished half-ores are lhose with enough self. eontrol to get by in a civilized land.Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Half-ores usually have names appropriate lo the eullure
in whieh they were raised. A half-ore who wanls lo fit in
among humans mighl trade an ore name for a human
name. Some half-ores wilh human names decide to
adopt a guttural ore na me beeause they lhink it makes
lhem more intimidating.
Male Ore Names: Deneh, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh,
Kelh, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront. Shump. Thokk
Female Ore Names: Baggi, Emen, Engong. Kansif.
Myev. Neega. Ovak, Ownka, Shaulha, Sulha. Vola,
Volen, Yevelda
Major Language Groups and Dialects
You can speak. read, and
write Common and Ore. Ore is a
harsh. grating language with
hard consonants. It has
no script of its own
but is written in the
Dwarvish script.
Lifespan
75 Years
Average Height
6 Feet
Average Weight
250 Pounds
Related Ethnicities
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