Orcs

The tough fighters who still prefer to lurk in deep forest, orcs are fierce and proud, and are not about to be pushed into any society that doesn't suit them. Orcs distrust magic the most out of all the races, as they had to deal with the postwave world very personally throughout their history. Some still look with suspicion upon casters, especially sorcerers.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Orc names are short and varied, sometimes with surnames that invoke particular qualities, like "the unshakable" or "swiftfoot". The orcs that still live in wild tribes outside of the influence of nations do not name their children until they are four years old, as babies often die, and they don't believe an adult orc should die to save one. A name, to an orc, is very important, and calling someone by something other than their name is greatly insulting,

Major Organizations

Historically, orcs haven't had time or enthusiasm for politics, a tribe's leader is either the most respected or the strongest, and they have complete control. Orcs within nations have been excellent at organising the people around them; Tariksan has an excellent orc-lead expeditionary force, known for it's skill, commitment, and disipline.

Beauty Ideals

Orcs paint their bodies with swirls (either with paint or tatoos) as even they know their form is less than beautiful. Different styles appeal to different people, but if and when an orc complements another on appearance it is these marks that they refer to.Other things orcs think are beautiful are variation in skin colouring and unusually coloured eyes. They usually all have short hair, unless they have been living among humans for a long time.

Gender Ideals

Orcs are almost blind to gender, and male and female orcs are sometimes hard to tell apart when they are clothed.

Relationship Ideals

Orcs don't have a word for "marriage", and often refer to their partner as their mate. This slightly crude language occasionally offends polite society, but there is a distinct difference. Orcs don't believe in making official agreements about affairs of love, and are free to make as much or as little personal commitment as suits them. They usually have a few flings before settling into long term relations, at least one of which usually leads to a child. It's common for orcs to be bisexual in these early relations, but usually settle into a hetrosexual partnership. A long term commitment is sometimes symbolised by partners painting each other, or a part of each other; putting your beauty in the hands of someone else is a sign of trust.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Orc is a simple, rough, but surprisingly beautiful language to those who have got used to the slightly gutteral sounds. It is written in dwarvish script, and the similarity is there in the softer sounds, although orcish has a slight primordial influence. Orcs also speak common, and occasionally know conversational giant or goblin if they share territory with them.

History

Post-wave, the ancestors of the orcs embraced the chaotic and dangerous world that had suddenly sprung up around them. While most of the first people attempted build tall walls around their settlements, or retreated to safer places, the orcs hit the challenge of survival head on. They got larger and more brutish, as only the toughest survived, and their skin developed a green or grey tinge to help them stay hidden. They are the only race to maintain a distrust of magic, as they dealt with the concequences of the wave more personally. This doesn't nessicarily mean they don't use magic, but it is always treated with much more respect.

The last of the races to accept the modern world, many orcs fail to be completely settled in a relatively comfortable world. They are closest to the humans who live on the ragged edges of society, and indeed half orcs are very common in wild places, like the northwest areas of Tariksan.