Greenskins
Greenskins
The term 'greenskin' refers to a number of related races, namely those of the orc, goblinoid, and some giantkin; most notably the ettins and trolls. Interestingly enough, a number of the races that make up this group do not have green skin. Bugbears and hobgoblins in particular do not ordinarily have green skin, and some goblins do not have green skin. The reason that these non-green goblinoids are included in this grouping is that their gods were destroyed by the gods of the orcs many thousands of years ago and the goblinoids were absorbed religiously into the greenskin cultural group. The giantkin were accepted into the greenskins by the whim of Ulthor or through an alliance of some type. The ettins share a number of facial features with orcs and are thought to be somehow related to them. They have been part of the greenskins since their creation despite being giantkin. The trolls, while not related to orcs or goblins, are part of this group because of both the common color of their skin as well as the fact that they regularly assist and live with orcish and goblin tribes. To escape destruction during the purging of other greenskin pantheons, the god of trolls, Vaprak, swore fealty to Ulthor, the head god of the orcish pantheon. Ulthor, while strong, is not invulnerable. Nothing reminds him or his followers about the dangers of being ill-prepared for combat like the tale behind the loss of Ulthor's left eye. After stumbling upon a meeting of the elven gods, Ulthor launched an attack and promptly had one of his eyes shot out by a well-placed arrow by the god hosting the meeting. To embrace this defining story, priests of Ulthor carve out one of their eyes to show their devotion. The greenskins do not shun those who are injured in battle, in fact many embrace battle injuries as a physical tapestry of their bravery and feats of warfare. Those few greenskins who lose a limb in battle and survive generally find a way to maintain their combat effectiveness. It is not uncommon to see an orc whose missing arm has been replaced by a crudely shaped piece of metal that has been embedded deep into their flesh to serve as a blade or other weapon, nor is it rare to see one-legged greenskin warriors who now bear a wicked peg leg that can be used to easily pierce a prone foe with the force of their entire bodyweight behind the attack.Sealootaz
A subsect of greenskin culture, the aptly named 'sealootaz' are greenskins who sail in piratical warbands. These greenskins work as bandits, mercenaries, and privateers upon the seas of Edradus. Like other greenskins, they are generally led by the most powerful and cunning greenskin warrior, though unlike other greenskins they eschew the title of chieftain for that of captain. Powerful sealoota captains form vast 'greenfleets' which are the sealoota equivalent of a greenskin horde. When interacting with other greenskins, sealootaz identify themselves with their titles. On sealoota ships, orcs are referred to as 'plundraz,' goblins are referred to as 'bilgerats,' and giantkin are referred to as 'shipwreckaz.' Sealootaz are noted for their adeptness at naval combat as well as their unorthodox tactics. One favored stratagem of the sealootaz is to load goblins into cannons and fire them as part of their bombardments in order to put warriors on enemy decks before boarding. As their travels oftentimes lead them to islands and put them in contact with the natives of the islands, it is not uncommon for sealootaz to be found with tattoos. In fact, some sealootaz use tattoos as symbols of their status along with their plundered loot. Sealoota captains can often be easily identified as they wear many pieces of flashy and expensive jewelry and are oftentimes heavily tattooed. Sealootaz prefer the use of cutlasses over other melee weapons. Most sealootaz use regular cutlasses, though the more brutal and brutish sealootaz use heavy, two-handed cutlasses to hack through their opponents. Captains generally have their cutlasses bejeweled and plated with gold, or otherwise modified to display their status.Goblinoids
Goblins
Prior to the destruction of their gods, the goblins were a proud folk who marauded villages and engaged in violent conflicts across the land. Now, the goblins have had their pride almost completely shattered. After their gods were slain by the orc god Ulthor in a time long since forgotten, the goblins were subsumed into the orcish culture and given the lowest status amongst the greenskins. Being small and physically weak, especially in comparison to the brutish orcs, did not do much to help them. In fact, it is likely the clever mind and silent feet of the goblins that have kept their people alive and thriving despite their poor living conditions, even by orcish standards, and their renowned use as cannon fodder during large greenskin engagements. Goblins do not generally rise to positions of power within greenskin tribes unless the tribe is made up of goblins that is. Though sometimes they occupy a position of power that is not formally recognized. One goblin that occupied such a position was Gibroth Jaggletooth. Gibroth was always known as a clever goblin who used his intellect for hatching great schemes. However, the scheme that gained him some modicum of fame was when he found a large, brutal berserker of an orc to serve as his muscle. With some gentle prodding, he managed to convince the orc to slaughter his chieftain and take the throne as warchief. Once the orc had done this, Gibroth served as his 'advisor' and guided his every move as warchief. With the powerful orc's fearsome reputation dissuading all who would dare to think of becoming the chief themselves, Gibroth was able to guide his tribe onto the course he deemed was most beneficial for himself. Recently, it has been rumored that some terrifying beast of a goblin has appeared in the land of the Dales. This goblin, a black-skinned, fiery-eyed, taloned, eleven-foot tall monster has gathered a war host of goblinoids to his side so that he may wage a war upon the entire realm. This creature calls itself the Scorched King.Ashen Goblins
The ashen goblins are the goblins who lived in the ashlands during the Ashfall. These goblins share the same general traditions and customs as the goblins of the rest of Edradus. Unlike the other goblins, their skin tone ranges through various shades of gray rather than the more common greens found amongst their kind. These goblins were changed by the magical radiation of the Ashfall, becoming able to survive in the environment. This has also contributed to a larger number of sorcerers being born to their people, a majority of which are wild magic users.Bugbears
The most physically intimidating of the goblinoid races, the bugbears generally bully the weaker goblins into serving them. Bugbears generally prefer to rove in familial or warrior bands, though they often get roped into tribes with other goblinoids or greenskins. Bugbears are no less stealthy than their goblin kin, a trait most surprising for a race so large and seemingly brutish. The bugbears possess a staggering amount of strength with which they brutally and efficiently wield various implements of war. Generally, bugbears prefer to use longer or heavier weapons such as mauls, great clubs, great axes, greatswords, pikes, halberds, and glaives. The bugbears also are noted for their innate bravery. Bugbears may have the single most intimidating set of traditions and rituals of all of the goblinoids, if not of all of the greenskins. When they have slain or captured their foes after a battle, they drag them back to their camp before initiating their rituals. First, they cut the eyelids off of their victims. After all of the eyelids have been removed from their victims, they then decapitate them. These heads are then displayed around the bugbears' territory to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies as well as to warn others as to what fate is in store for them.Hobgoblins
Larger, stronger, faster, smarter, and braver than the common goblin, hobgoblins are rightfully feared by the 'civil' races of the realm. They share in the cruel enjoyment of brutality and war that the rest of the goblinoids revel in. Hobgoblins are raised in a rigid, disciplinary warrior society where martial prowess, courage, and honour are the most valuable traits in an individual. Their orderly and disciplined upbringings are the opposite of the chaos that other goblinoids are generally raised to enjoy, and as such the hobgoblins are the ones to take on leadership roles and organize large war parties and armies of goblinoids. Hobgoblins can increase their social status within their tribes or legions by performing acts of bravery and bringing death to their enemies. Within larger conglomerations of goblinoids, hobgoblins are typically the ones to receive the newest and strongest equipment as they are the ones who know how to maintain and use it best. Hobgoblin commanders will suffer no disobedience, hesitation, or cowardice from their troops and have been known to regularly execute the weak and cowardly so as to bolster morale and reinforce the overall strength of the troops under their command.Orcs
Renowned across Edradus as a fierce and savage warrior race, the orcs are the most well-known of the greenskin races. Orcs are an intimidating sight, with their people generally being anywhere from six to nine feet tall and possessing bulky, muscular frames, orcs inspire fear in the civilized people of all lands. Orcs are the most numerous and common warriors of the greenskin armies. Their skin tone is generally green, though the exact shade and tone varies from orc to orc and tribe to tribe. Born with a love of war and combat, orcs seek out foes and fights wherever they go. The orcs are not particularly known for anything beyond the sheer quantity of fearsome warlords their race has produced over the millennia. The most famous of these warlords is Durag Battlehammer. Descended from the dwarven god Dacard Battlehammer, Durag possesses the ancestral strength and burning rage of his divine patriarch. Durag rose to power in the year 693 of the first era. Over the next five years, he consolidated his power and united the greenskins of Vukeron before leading them to battle in the Greenskin War. Orc groups are organized into groups of different sizes. The smallest and most commonly encountered of these groups is the warband. Warbands consist of anywhere from a few orcs to even fifty or more greenskins. The next largest grouping is the tribe. Tribes can vary wildly in size but generally contain three to ten warbands. Finally, the largest of the types of gatherings of greenskins is a horde. A horde contains a minimum of five tribes. Groups of orcs, and consequently other greenskins, are led by the most capable warrior. This is generally the strongest and smartest of the group. Leaders are replaced either through duels to the death or by succession after the death of the ruling chieftain or warlord by the hands of an outsider, though this generally leads to a bloody battle between the top warriors of a group to see who is most worthy to succeed their old master. Orcs are one of the most interesting greenskins physiologically as they have abnormally large and powerful adrenal glands which, in times of intensity such as combat and warfare, flare up and release copious amounts of adrenaline, testosterone, and growth hormone into the individual. This is what sends orcs into their fierce battle rages. It also has the effect of promoting growth, both in stature and muscularity, in the surviving orcs. Older orcs who have survived many wars and skirmishes will be taller and stronger than their younger kin who have not experienced many battles.Ashen Orcs
The ashen orcs are the orcs who lived in the ashlands during the Ashfall. These orcs are, culturally, no different from the 'normal' orcs of the rest of Edradus. Unlike the other orcs, their skin tone ranges through various shades of gray rather than the more common green. These orcs were changed by the magical radiation of the Ashfall, becoming able to survive in the environment. This has also contributed to a larger number of sorcerers being born to their people, a majority of which are wild magic users.Half-Orcs
Born to an orc and a non-orc, half-orcs are a diverse race with varying appearances and abilities based on what their non-orc parent is. Half-orcs will be of either the 'civilized' variety or the 'wild' variety regardless of their heritage. The civilized half-orcs are those who were raised in cities by either their non-orc parent or someone else. They will generally be more removed from the orcish culture, unlike the wild variety of half-orc. The wild half-orcs are those that were raised in greenskin society. Feeling like they have something to prove to their full orc comrades, these half-orcs are commonly instilled with a hard work ethic, combat prowess, and ambition. Whether they were raised in a town with a loving family or born into the constant combat of life in a greenskin clan, half-orcs make for mighty and resilient fighters and are prized for their strength and bravery. Able to withstand even the deadliest of blows, half-orcs push through and prove their tenacity with every hardship they endure.Orogs
The largest and strongest of the orcs, orogs, also called mountain orcs, are renowned for their skill both in combat and at the war forges of the orcs. Long ago, a tribe of orcs managed to impress Sargoth, the orc god of strategy, by managing to defeat a large army of dwarves using cunning and various stratagems in order to outplay the dwarven forces. In recognition of their victory, Sargoth transformed the tribe, increasing their height, strength, and intelligence so as to help lead them from victory to victory. The tribe then moved into the mountains, and would often come into conflict with the dwarves as a result. With the mountains as their home, the orogs were capable of fending off many foes that they would have stood almost no chance against before. The heightened intelligence that was bestowed upon the orogs, as well as their close proximity to the dwarves, led to them picking up smithing. Smithing was taught to and practiced by nearly all orogs. This resulted in the orogs having the best equipment of all the orcs. Their tribe would wade into battle wearing full plate and wielding great axes and great swords of fine craftsmanship. Eventually, the orogs learned enough to innovate and create their own new war gear. The most famous of their creations is the armor known as mountain plate. Mountain plate is a type of plate armor that is created with metal that is at least one inch thick. The armor is incredibly bulky and heavy and can only be worn and used effectively by the strongest warriors. The armor is too heavy to make use of straps and as such the various pieces are bolted together. The orogs always take time to make sure that their weapons and armor are in the best shape, doing their best to maintain all the equipment that the tribe has accumulated.Tanarukk
The most fierce and frightening of the different breeds of orc, the tanarukk are the spawn of demons. When an orc tribe turns to the worship of abyssal forces, their newfound deity may see fit to bless some of the unborn orc children with an empowered demonic form. Once born, these tanarukk grow rapidly into massive and strong warriors. Tanarukks reach maturity at the age of five and are stronger than the average orc after only a year. Physical prowess is not the only thing that tanarukk boast. They are also more intelligent than the average orc. The physical form of each tanarukk can vary wildly from tribe to tribe as they will be born with features and qualities similar to that of the demon or demon lord who blessed them. Tanarukk blessed by Baphomet may have large, bull-like horns and brown skin whereas those blessed by Kharneth may have blood-red skin, claws capable of flaying the flesh of their foes, and fangs that can crack through bone. Regardless of who or what has blessed the tanarukk, their abyssal blood allows them to become sorcerers.Giantkin
No tribe of greenskins is complete without the devastating warriors with the blood of giants. The greenskins recognize two types of giantkin as their allies and brethren; these being the ettins and the trolls. The ettins were the first to be joined into the ranks of the greenskins and the trolls were assimilated in as part of an agreement between Vaprak and Ulthor. The giantkin serve as shock troops, bodyguards, and beacons of fear for greenskin chieftains. In some situations, they may also serve as living siege weapons by wielding oversized weaponry or by hurling mighty boulders to break down walls, doors, and gates.Ettins
The ettins are a strange race of twin-headed giantkin that bear more than a passing resemblance to the orcs. It is unknown how they were truly created, but there is speculation that they were either the result of a transmuter's experiments or the tampering of Demogorgon. One piece of evidence that supports the idea that they were created by the mixing of orcish and giant blood is that, unlike other giants and giantkin, ettins can be afflicted with lycanthropy. Whatever the case, ettins have the blood of giants and the facial features and temperaments of orcs. They are, however, noticeably less intelligent than the average orc, though many times stronger and tougher due to their immense size difference. The ettins generally live in filth and squalor, with lairs filled with all manner of detritus. They wear primitive clothing, generally uncured hides stitched together, and use weaponry that is cobbled together from various sources. Orc chieftains easily win ettins to their side with the promises of food and wealth. Ettins that serve a warchief directly may be trained to use certain weapons and armor, resulting in a hulking beast of destruction. Some warchiefs opt to have their ettins equipped with a two-handed weapon such as a great axe, maul, or greatsword, and others decide to equip them with a one-handed weapon and shield, or even two shields in some rare cases. Almost all of these 'war ettins' are trained in the use of plate or mountain plate armor. Ettins are oddities in a few ways. Unlike other giants and giantkin, they do not have a deity of their own that they worship. Instead, they turn either to the worship of one of the giant deities, one of the greenskin gods, or a more insidious force such as Demogorgon or another demon lord. Rarely, an ettin may become a cleric or warlock through their devotion to their deity. Ettins, though known for their two heads, may survive with only one. How exactly this works is unknown. Ettins with one head are, overall, weaker than a normal ettin as they lose out on the benefits of having two heads and also must take the time to learn how to control their entire body by themselves rather than only controlling one half as they did before. The process of learning to control the full body is recorded to be a minimum of two months. Ettins with one head are generally shunned by others of their kind for this deformity. The last strange thing about ettins is that they are able to crossbreed with a number of other races. They are known to be able to crossbreed with the main giant races as well as ogres, trolls, and cyclopes, with the spawn of these unions sharing the general appearance of the non-ettin parent but with two heads.Trolls
In ancient times, Vaprak, the god of trolls, took the side of the orcish deities in the war between the goblinoid and orcish gods. His assistance ensured both his survival in the conflict and positions of power for his people in greenskin society. The gods of the orcs recognized the strengths of the trolls and integrated them into the various tribes, warbands, and hordes as powerful shock troops. Though not renowned for their intelligence, some trolls mutate or are born with a greater intellect. These trolls quickly rise to positions of power, usurping the positions of various chiefs and forming hordes. The trolls are the most frightening of the greenskin races. Being the tallest, strongest, and hardiest of the greenskins as well as being capable of regeneration and random mutation makes them the most deadly and fear-inducing warriors fielded by the greenskin tribes. Unfortunately, the trolls are far from perfect warriors. The trolls are not very intelligent, even by orcish standards. The trolls are regarded as the most feral of the greenskin races for this reason. There are very few widespread types of troll, although there are likely innumerable types of different mutations that have occurred. Trolls have been spotted with multiple heads, many arms, many legs, and likely hundreds of other strange differences. The two types of trolls that are common enough to be classified not as mere mutations are the trolls and the ashen trolls. The trolls, much like the orcs or goblins, are the unmodified and unmutated trolls. The ashen trolls are the ashland equivalent to the troll. Like the ashen orcs and ashen goblins, these trolls were mutated by the magical radiation of the Ashfall and became suited to surviving and thriving in the ashen environment.
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