Orcs
Masters of the Forests
Culture & Society
Like Goliath society, Orcs follow a more tribalistic Herd structure. Where they differ from their brethren, however, is that an Orc "Herd" is actually a Clan, were all the members are either adopted, direct, or extended family; a single roaming household, rather than a collection of several households coexisting in a single group. Their leaders, however, are the same Voltak, Górtra, and Dóven common among the other Giants. These are typically nothing more than the eldest members of the family, given the greatest level of responsibility in regards to caring for it. The exception to this are Yngva who traditionally handle the spiritual matters of the Clan. In nearly all cases, Yngva are not the oldest member, but are instead the mother of the current Voltak, stepping down and ceding their position to the next mother whenever a new Voltak ascends. In Orcish clans the Yngva also frequently serve as their healers. Generally, though, they have no traditional concept of gender among themselves. Instead, one's primary role within the Clan is what's typically focused on, with only minor emphasis on parentage, sexual anatomy, or other characteristics; it's not uncommon to hear "Forge Spouse" and "Warrior" used among Orcs in much the same way as most cultures use typical gender structures. They do, however, tend to adopt basic gendered language when dealing with other races, as a matter of ease. And while Goliaths Herds are constantly moving, Orc Clans are only semi-nomadic in nature, rarely leaving a set of established ancestral lands. Unfortunately most newcomers see an untamed wilderness whose Orcs seem to roam endlessly, taming indigenous beasts and trading with settlers without any real rhyme or reason. With limited exceptions, they simply don't understand the significance of the lands they're settling- nor how Orcish custom dictates their movements around that land. And this does, unfortunately, have the tendency of causing clashes with other races coming into their native regions, some of which turn violent.Too much Ghur in me and I joked I could take on a full grownt Varba... I stopped laughing whenever I actually encountered one alone a week later.
Violent clashes only further solidify prejudiced ideas of Orcs as a bloodthirsty race. But Orcs are far less barbaric and bloodthirsty than these tales make them out to be. Indeed, those that manage to see past the stereotypes and "barbaric exteriors" note an almost unshakable courage in the face of uncertainty, and an unflinching endurance of hardship- both brought on by centuries of difficult lifestyles, discrimination, and more.
Magic & Religion
The Orcs maintain a slightly larger pantheon than most Giant ethnicities, headed by a figure named Baaga, who is known in their mythology as the half-brother of Anaam. Other deities of the Orc pantheon include the aforementioned Anaam, who acts as the central figure of the Goliaths respectively- as well as their shared consort Ineva (who spends half of the year with each brother). Yurtrus likewise plays a part in their faith, as does the lesser Deity Bhaal. According to their lore, when they were exiled from the Underdark after the wars, Anaam and Baaga fought over how the world should be divided between them. When Baaga won the battle, he exiled Anaam to the cold north while he and his children remained in the warmer south. Bhaal, being their father, was angered to see his sons fight and placed a curse on Baaga and his children in retribution. Knowns as the Blood Curse, it initiated 130 years of violent death and bloodshed as the children of Baaga were consumed by rage- indiscriminately murdering one another as a result. For this reason, Baal is frequently called The Ruiner among the Orcs. It's believed by many Archivists that this myth, and perhaps the figure of Baaga himself, were created to explain the cultural split between the Orcs and their Goliath brethren. Still, many Orcs remain fearful of the ancient legends of the curse, and the ruin it brought to their ancestors. As a result, Bhaal’s worship is greatly shunned among the Orcs. Even those rare few Orcs who carry the Barbarian rage are said to have inherited the blood of the Ruiner due to their uncontrollable pull towards violence and anger, and oftentimes likewise shunned from their Clans, going on to become outcasts and wanderers; unlike their Goliath bretheren who embrace their warfaring history, Orcs are typically semipacifist in nature- frequently relying on elements of faith, such as meditation, to suppress the more "violent tendencies" they believe inherently come from being Giant-kin.
Common Name
Orc Genetic Ancestry
The Phet Parent Species
Giants Related Ethnicities Other Relations
Orc Genetic Ancestry
The Phet Parent Species
Giants Related Ethnicities Other Relations
- Dwarves
- Gnomes
- Halflings
Common Hair Colors
Common Eye Colors
Common Skin Tones



- Agrimur
- Farlkur
- Treshat
- Bagrak
- Hjamar
- Kimgurn
- Trevkalt
- Kharag
- Avidur
- Lazgar
- Taala
- Flosi
- Dura
- Turk
- Nauta
- Mija
- Gimja
- Atuk
- Shar
- Klaas
- Altje
- Saane
- Badbog
- Mezosh
- Torleg
- Yazgash
- Krahnuk
- Alvirek
- Valgarth
- Raghat
- Paanek
- Umura
- Hjelved
- Rokur
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Comments
Author's Notes
Credits and Additional Information
- Quote from the Orc Adventurer (in the Tavern) was provided by Lyraine Alei
- The traditional Orcish River Call-and-Response was inspired by the Eel River Chant by Meredith Buck
Read Before You Comment
I absolutely love getting feedback on my setting and its worldbuilding. I love it even more when people ask questions about the things in it. I want both. I encourage both. And it makes me incredibly giddy whenever I get either.
However, there's a time and a place for critique in particular- mostly when I've actually asked for it (which usually happens in World Anvil's discord server). And when I do ask for critique, there are two major things I politely request that you do not include in your commentary:
➤ The first is any sort of critique on the way I've chosen to organize or format something; Saleh'Alire is not a narrative world written for reader enjoyment... It's is a living campaign setting for Dungeons and Dragons. To that end, it's written and organized for my players and I, specifically for ease of use during gameplay- and our organization needs are sometimes very different than others'.
➤ Secondly, is any critique about sentence phrasing and structure, word choice, and so on; unless you've found a typo, i've blatantly misued a word, or something is unclear because of how I've worded it? Then respectfully: Don't comment on it; as a native English speaker of the SAE dialect, language critique in particular will almost always be unwelcome unless it's absolutely necessary.
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