Orc
Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of another new target to conquer, either for food, slaves, or simply a test of might. Motivated by a sense of superiority in might, something they deem that the other civilized races lack, they travel the world to satisfy their hunger for battle. In spite of their violent nature, some orcs develop a sense of honor and dignity, where they would not bring total destruction in their wake. Unfortunately, these Orcs are a rarity.
Orc Biology
- ( 1) Strong. +1 to your Strength score.
- (-1) Foolish. -1 to your Wisdom score.
- Size. Medium.
- Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. You are also able to wield slightly larger weapons.
- ( 3) Large Form. Requirement: Ogre Lineage: You trade the Powerful Build feature for your size category to become large.
- +10 to your Speed.
- +5 to your strength score and maximum strength score.
- Add 1 foot to your base height, increase your base weight by 33%, and you roll one additional die to determine weight and height.
- (-2) Decrepit Form. Requirement: Withered Lineage: You lose the Powerful Build trait, in addition to these changes.
- Subtract 1 foot from your base height, reduce your base weight by 33%, and you reduce the number of dice for weight and height by one.
- Speed. 30 feet.
- Regrowing Teeth. Any tooth you lose or pull out regrows after 2d6 +7 days.
- ( 1) ✦ Adrenaline Rush. This trait gives you the ability to take the Dash action as a bonus action.
- You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- ( 1) ✦ 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.
- ( 1) Tough. Requirement: Greenskin or Ogre Lineage
Your hit point maximum increases by 1 for every hit die used to determine your health.
Orc Ethnology
- ( 1) Stout. +1 to your Constitution score.
- (-1) Simple. -1 to your Intelligence score.
- ( 1) Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
- ( 1) ✦ Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
- ( 1) Energized. Requirement: Adrenaline Rush. Whenever you use Adrenaline Rush, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
- ( 1) Frenzy. Requirement: 1 level Barbarian and Adrenaline Rush. You can use your Adrenaline Rush as rage charges and vice versa.
- ( 1) War Cry. You or one creature of your choice that you can see and it can hear you gains 1d10 + your Constitution modifier in Temporary Hit Points and has Advantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
- Once you use this trait, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
- If you have levels in the Barbarian class, you can spend your rage charges to use this feature.
- (-2) Magic-Ignorance. Whenever you make a skill check related to determining magic, studying the arcane, understanding magical creatures, magical abilities, or any other skill check related to magic, you subtract your proficiency bonus from the roll.
Orc Lineages
There have been a variety of orc strains that has come and gone over the millennia. Some stray from the violent and bitter nature of the Volurcs, while others tend to succumb to their darker origin. Those that didn't squander their newfound freedom have managed to find long-lasting lines of tribes that can be traced back to the first the first daughters of Omrac himself.
Greenborn
- ( 1) Wise. +1 to your Wisdom score.
- ( 2) Disciple of the Green Prophet. Requirement: 2 level Druid You know the 2nd level spell Calm Emotions and are able to cast it by expending a primordial power charge. When casting the spell this way, you don't need to hold concentration on the spell, and the effect of the spell lasts for one hour.
- ( 2) ✦ Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 Hit Point instead.
- Once you use this trait, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
- ( 1) ✦ Menacing Presence. You have Proficiency in the Intimidation Skill.
- ( 1) Bush Craft. You have Proficiency in the Survival Skill.
Ogre
- ( 2) Mighty. You have proficiency in Strength saving throws.
- (-1) Arrogant. -1 to your Charisma score.
- ( 1) ✦ Hulking Size. Any being, of smaller size than you, has disadvantage on trying to grapple you.
- ( 1) Might Makes Right. When interacting with other ogres, if you make an ability check that would normally add your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier, you may instead add your Strength modifier to the roll.
- ( 1) ✦ Hitt Hard. You are proficent in the Power Attack manuver.
Withered
- ( 1) Dexterous. +1 to your Dexterity score.
- ( 1) Superior Darkvision. Requirement: Darkvision: Your darkvision has a range of 120 feet, instead of 60.
- ( 1) Sly Intuition. You have Proficiency in the Stealth Skill.
- ( 2) Toxic Fortitude. You have Poison Resistance and Advantage on Saves against being Poisoned.
- ( 1) Toxin Mixer. You gain Proficiency with Poisoner’s Kit.
- (-2) Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on Attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Basic Information
Behaviour
Orcs are aggressive and savage in equal measure, might reflects their nature in their strong bodies and their brutality through a proclivity for combat. They respect the strength of body and will, where they would deliberately establish holdings in areas of harsh climate and wildlife. Believing that life can't grow strong unless it is tested against something stronger. Where the strong thrive and the weak die.
While they highly value strength and growth, they tend to show more admiration among their own kind. Due to the orcs' natural might and their narrow mindset, all orcs have an understanding amongst themselves of what it takes to be an Orc. Something of which other races are lacking, which inevitably results in ill repute with other races, since they tend to look down on them as weaklings.
But despite their aggressive mannerism and precociousness to brute force, orcs can be argued and reasoned with as long as you present some form of might. If you are assured and unyielding in your words, an Orc might be willing to listen to what you have to say.
Civilization and Culture
History
Historical Figures
The First Orc
The first ever recording of an Orc, or Green Skarn as they were called at the time, was about 900 years ago. This makes the Orks seen as the youngest race in Jordaheim to this day.
The most common story as to why there are Orcs in the world is that they were the result of an experiment. Once there was a cabal of wizards that sought to enhance the Skarn under their service, creating a new breed of warriors that weren't marred by the decrepit state that was intentionally left by their original master. They achieved this feat with the use and knowledge of alchemy that the Hobgoblins used to create Goblins. By adding the essence of Ogres, they managed to create a new breed of Skarns that were mighty in stature, brutal in battle, and able to travel and fight in sunlight with no issues. The color of their skin was simply a side effect of their work, which gave them their namesake.
The cabal used these Green Skarns to conquer a sizeable part of the Egralian continent, establishing a wizard kingdom in one of the most hostile parts of the world. Their kingdom, built on the backs of green Skarn's and subjugated slaves, lasted for about 27 years before it collapsed. While the Wizards council had created a creature that could be spawned in vast numbers for their plans of world domination, they unintentionally imbued the green Skarns with a sense of Independence. The green Skarns turned on their masters and slaughtered the wizards, reducing their kingdom to rubble. However, this also led to the destruction of the means to create more of their kind, and once again, the Skarns began to decline.
They would roam around the world, surviving by pillaging and raiding for supplies, their numbers dwindling slowly with each passing month. With their prevalent conflict with human kingdoms, the name of their kind changed. The name Skarn was a name given by elves during the infernal war, who still refer to them by their old name. But for those that speak the common tongue, they were called Blight-orc rather than Skarn, since it was easier to say.
Years went by until on Blight-orc by the name Omrac managed a feat no other batch brother couldn't even imagine, a small deed of kindness. This act of kindness is speculated by many scholars of what it actually entails, but no clear story can be gathered. Whatever occurred, this act inspired him and his brothers to reevaluate their existence, to actually seek an existence other than constant mayhem and violence. They set out on a quest to find a way to grant them a means to create life that does not require dark magic. After years of searching for a means to bear children, the last few green Blight-orcs managed to appeal to the goddess of nature and her mother, the prime goddess of life. Through an act of self-sacrifice, Omrac spilled his blood on a blessed hill. Resulting in the creation of the only 11 Scarn females to ever exist. These were the daughters of Omrac and the mothers of the Orc race.
Many orcs venerate their great father, with shamans claiming that his extraordinary deed of self-sacrifice caught the attention of the gods, which eventually resulted in Omrac becoming the first and only male demigod of Ork's. His daughters are said to have ascended to demigod status as well upon their deaths. This is, however, highly disputed by clerics of the other religions, claiming that such savage creatures are unlikely to be welcomed by the rest of the divine. But the Orks don't really care for that.
Common Myths and Legends
The Skarn
Their actual name is rarely used, often referred to by the other races as Blight-orcs, Gural, Thralls, Dreg-Orcs, Rukthar, and a myriad of names that are often synonymous with "Ruin". Ever since they first spawned upon Jordaheim, ruin is the only thing the Skarn have brought upon the land. Even their origin is a tale of cataclysmic ruin.
At the end of the Second Pandemonium, the " withering " took hold of the elves. A condition that caused them to rapidly age if they lingered in a place that lacked magic or strong negative emotion for a significant amount of time. One of the remaining elven kingdoms' solutions to this problem was to create a powerful elixir that would mitigate the dependency on magic. It worked wonders, initially. As time passed, those who consumed the elixir would undergo significant mental and physical degradation.
Heightened aggression, frail physique, and inability to form cohesive thoughts were among the more common symptoms. And the more generous once.
Their splendorous kingdom fell into desolate ruin, and these once great and proud elves turned to decrepit savages, forgetting their vast elven legacy. Lingering in stagnation, squabbling over scraps and mounds of dirt to call home. The other Elves who had refused the elixir turned away the few who still had enough mind to beg for help, unable or unwilling to help them.
But there was one who saved them, first fiend. He promised not just to halt the deterioration, but also to grant them immense might in the process. Through a horrid sacrifice, they accepted the fiend's offer. With mud, dark magic, and a horrible sacrifice, the once elves were twisted further into something new. These became the very first Skarn, mighty in stature, hardy to any blo,w and untouchable to ailments. While they were elated to have healthy bodies and minds once again, they had unknowingly become slaves to the first Fiend.
Given enough time, they would begin to rapidly deteriorate into a decrepit state once more. The only remedy for this was the dark magic that only the fiend could deliver. With no other choice, they offered themselves up to him, becoming his warriors of chaos.
The Scattering
After the crimson devil was defeated by Angelus, the remaining Skarns scattered across the world. Leaderless and directionless, they fell into the twisted instincts of slaughter and wanton destruction that have been ingrained by their dark master. But since Satragore was no more, the Skarn's were unable to sustain themself's due to the dependency on dark magic. With time, their forms began to deteriorate and their numbers dwindle. The once legions of towering brutes became war-bands of decrepit mongrels. However, while the first fiend is dead, there are still creatures in the world who are more than capable of wielding the dark arts.
