Orcs

Orcs are a race of of humanoid, sometimes considered a goblinoid, that are descendants Rorchus, some of the first men that existed long before the Age of Magic or the Naga Raashken Empire. Rorchus were a primitive race of humanoid that are long extinct and followed primordial gods. The Orcs are desecendents of this men, and suffer great racism from those who have otherworldly origins or exist as divine creations. Orcs tend to be far harsher than their neighbors, as they have embraced the power of demons and spirits. They often give in to primal rages, letting spirits of battle and war take over. They are highly competitive and believe the strong survive, and the weak perish. They live with other goblinoids in Abgrund. They are characterized with skin tones ranging from rusty reds and browns, to greens and grays. There are several "Bands" that make up something called the "hoard" which rule under a single "Chief of Chiefs" or "Totanskreft."
Ability Score Increase: Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Intelligence score is reduced by 2.
Age: They reach adulthood around age 12 and live up to 50 or 75 years.
Size: Orcs are usually over 6 feet tall and weigh between 230 and 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Aggressive: As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.
Menacing: You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Powerful Build: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Orcish.

Naming Traditions

Family names

You don't get a family name until you kill something and then you are given a name based on what you killed and how you killed it. Most people have names connected to their first kill, which often leads them to wait and maim until they can kill something of great significance.

Other names

Most Orcs have a "child name" which is the name they are given by their father. It is usually a simple or short name that is used until their coming of age rite. When they complete this rite, then they will typically give a new name that has been chosen by the Chief of the tribe. Child names are typically based on boring or mundane things that represent the insignificance of a child in war, and encourages them to want to grow up quickly to get a new name. They are typically gender neutral as well, though after their coming of age rites, names become more gendered. First names given after a coming of age rite are usually based off deed and status, but changed slightly. If the orcish word for "bull" is stire, and a boy wrestled and stopped a charging bull to save someone, then he might be called Stirk or Stirech, creating a new name that stems from the word for bull. First names can change over time depending on the greater deeds done by the individual. Female names typically involve more status based on fathers, or brothers. For example, the younger sister or daughter of Stirk might be Stireka. If they do something extraordinary on their own, they can get an independent name.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Orcs have a conservative society that expects strong warriors and stoicism. Even women are expected to be able to defend their home should their husband be gone. People often say the only thing more dangerous than a momma bear is a mother orc defending her home. They relish in the power of spirits of battle, rage, ferocity, and hatred in order to become elite warriors. There is a natural anger and aggression to their culture that often becomes terrifying for outsiders to enter into. They are primarily hunters and raiders, gaining wealth through taking from others.

Common Etiquette rules

Status is largely dependent on battles won, name and age. Though it often shifts as any orc that feels disrespected is likely to fight in order to gain that respect. Therefore someone who was once of great status and given ultimate respect and is rude to a lesser orc, the disrespected orc can challenge the other, and should he win, he would then gain all the status of the one defeated. Because it is difficult to keep track of who is stronger than who, a lot of talk involves a great deal of bravado and taunts in order to pick fights, though for those of better nature or self assurance, this often becomes more of a joke among friends to taunt and play fight. Women typically do not engage in such acts, but anyone who insults a wife, insults the husband, which almost certainly leads to a fight. It is said there was a Chief of chiefs who died because he called a young hot-headed boy's new wife a variety of insults because he had inherited her from other warriors (meaning she had had children with multiple other men before him). The young orc male, in such a rage to defend his new wife, mangled the chief of chiefs with his bare hands and became the new chief of chiefs himself. No one dare questioned him, or his honor again.

Common Dress code

They typically wear leathers with strong boots, knee pads, and gloves that allow them to climb over the harsh and rocky terrain of Abgrund. They might also incorporate bone plating, metal studs, and more to create intimidating yet practical armor. Non armor still involves leathers or hardy wool clothing that is durable and easy to craft. They don't have a wide variety of colors, but accent their styles with belts, straps, leathers, and bone.

Art & Architecture

Most Orcs live in tent like houses, similar to that of a yurt. It is often easy to move in the case of a volcano eruption, or when traveling during wars. Though they can be set up and taken down rather quickly, they are still more elaborate than most tent like structures. They have seperate bedrooms, open living spaces, and are often decorated with talismans, trophies of war, tapestries and rugs, or other raided decorations. More permanent structures will have more pueblo style houses made out of sandy brick or rock, and raised up with ladder and roof entrances to prevent invasions.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Orcish diets have completely changed form their elvan ancestors. Like many fiends, they crave meat and flesh and have thus created a culture of smoked and salted meets, blood sausages and puddings, and even marrow dishes. Though their smoking techniques and volcanic salt is a common source of trade for less hostal orc bands, it has not been widely shared. Traveling merchants willing to risk going into Abgrund to trade often either make heavy profits by obtaining volcanic salts and smoked meats, or are raided and lose out completely, making it a risky business often requiring escorts and guards.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Children are often brought into the world under the help of a midwife or band shaman, and the sister wives. Because of high mortality rates children are not considered "people" until the age of 5. There is typically no real rite or ceremony involved other then a feast or celebration (especially in the case of boys). Between the ages of 5 and 12, boys, while getting better treatment than women, are encouraged to learn how to fight and became a warrior. They are also called girls, and are belittled by the other men when not in the presence of women, to show that until they make their first kill, and grow into their tusks, they are not truly "men." When they partake in their coming of age rite, they are then considered men and often given a new name soon after based on their first kill (for a family name) and based off deeds (for their first name).

Coming of Age Rites

When a male starts growing out his tusks, he can choose to partake in a coming of age rite. For orcs, this means making a pilgrimage to Wildan (the Capital) and climbing Glutzahn Volcano. He must make it to one of the high peaks where lava flows, and lay flat on the burning rock for as long as he can manage. When he can no longer take it, he must then climb all the way back down unaided to be healed in the Ziernsee Oasis. There, the shamans of Wildan will treat the boys burns and make predictions or prophecies based on the markings of the burns left behind. When they have healed, he may return home to show his markings to his father and tribe members. Then he is considered a warrior. All orcs who are considered men among their people have these burn marks. Even Half orcs raised among orcs are expected to make such a trip, or be considered "feminine" of spring of weaker humanoids.

Funerary and Memorial customs

When someone falls, they are left the crows and vultures, to decompose naturally. If there are too many bodies present, or someone dies in the town limits, then they will typically be taken and laid out beyond the town limits, or stacked in a single area, leaving gruesome displays for those that travel past them.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Orcs care little for physical beauty. In fact, scars and wounds are often displays of battle and deeds are far more important. Warriors and people of power and strength are idolized, with women being valued by either their own strength, or the strength of the men in their lives. For example, if two man go to battle together, and fight well together, one or the other might try to marry the other's sister in hopes of blending powers of strength and battle. They may even engage in tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarings as shows of strength and status.

Gender Ideals

Men are the warriors and leaders of orcs as they have a very patriarchal society. They are expected to defend their name, and their status, against all insult and provide for their people. Displays of anger and aggression are not uncommon if not even encouraged. Women are expected to listen and follow, but also be strong in their own right. It is great pride for a woman to give birth to a strong son. Ones value as a woman is often determined by their ability to have strong children (especially sons) therefor a woman who does not marry, or have children, often is forced to join men in battles and parties. Though she would never been seen as an equal to the warrior men, or even mothers of boys, she is expected to be strong and fierce. These women are often expected to be companions for men on raids and war bands.

Courtship Ideals

Because of the high mortality rate of Orcs, who are often warring with each other, outside nations, and going on their own raids and warbands, it's not uncommon for a man to have multiple wives, as men are smaller in numbers. Additionally, when a male orc dies, he may have named a "warbrother," that inherits all of his possessions in the event of his death (including wives). Marriages are often arranged among fathers and older brothers though a woman has the opportunity to refuse. However refusal typically must mean she has already chosen someone to marry, who's family must be willing to accept her, or she must be willing to join as a warmaiden. If a woman refuses the choice of her father and brother, for a different man, a dual will often occur to prove the other man's strength. A woman can also dual for her own right to choose if she is strong enough.

Relationship Ideals

In a relationship, the wives will often share their own space within their tent like homes, and the man of the house will have his own space. Children also sleep with the women, until a man is old enough to get his own room, which typically does not last long before he gets his own home all together. Daughters continue to sleep with the wives until they are married. Wives that have sons typically are of higher "rank" than the other wives. If two wives have had the same number of boy children, then it might be the older that is of higher "rank" as the wiser. Women who mature and have fulfilled their "duty" as wives are typically regarded with respect as elders, and may begin to study as band shamans and spiritual leaders or midwives. The women take care of domestic duties and care, while men are expected to go to war, provide money, and provide food.