half-orcs
human-orc hybrids, commonly called half-orcs are fairly common sight in the wild northern reaches West Colassia. They are a rare sight else where.
Like most hybrids, half-orcs are sterile. Most half-orc children are the product of unwilling sexual unions so half-orcs are half-orcs are often viewed with pity or revulsion, even if that particular half-orc was an exception to the rule and was not the product of rape.
Half-orcs are physiologically slightly weaker than orcs are, but they still considerably stronger than humans. Half-orcs are slightly less churlish and considerably smarter than full orcs.
Civilization and Culture
Gender Ideals
Orcs tribes are usually harshly patriarchal and they tend to value orc women for their ability to bear sons. Half-orcs are sterile, so half-orc women among orcs can fullfill the traditional gender role of full orcs. Among humans, female half-orcs don't fit into traditional gender roles much better.
Most female half-orcs thus choose to pursue lifestyles that play to their strengths and their main strength is their strength.
Thus, male and female half-orcs are pretty androgynous when it comes to gender norms. Strength and toughness is what matters, not the plumbing downstairs.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Most half-orcs try to assimilate to either humans or orcs, not both. Because most half-orcs are sterile, they cannot really pass on inter-generational traditions or lore, so the half-orcs have been slow to develop their own distinct.
Half-orc children are often treated poorly by their full human or full orc parents and guardians. A few civic minded half-orcs have taken to adopting and raising unwanted half-orc children. These half-orcs are often staunch Zarthus worshipers.
This new tradition is very slowly creating an emerging half-orc culture.
Historical Figures
The most famous half-orc of all time was Mordock the Destroyer the Conqueror. A charismatic warlord and powerful sorcerer that united the human and orc nomadic peoples of the early Third Age along with many monsters and forged them into a mighty army that conquered huge swaths of West Colassia and held the territory for decades.
Much to the chagrin of his many enemies, Mordock died peacefully in his sleep at the age of eighty-two making him one of the longest lived half-orcs of all time.
Mordock's short-lived empire crumbled almost immediately after his death.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Half-orcs often have trouble fitting in with human or orc society. Life tends to be hard for half-orcs.
Sometimes this crucible forges strong half-orcs and sometimes this breaks them. A great many half-orcs are ambitious and driven to make their mark or die trying. A disproportionately high number of half-orcs become adventurers.
A few half-orcs forge their identity as beings stretched between two worlds. They are proud of their outsider status and rub in the face of humans and orcs a like. A majority of half-orcs seek to live almost entirely among humans or entirely among orcs. They often work hard to assimilate into their local culture and sometimes compensate for their outsider status by being especially zealous on behalf of the local culture.
Half Orc Character Creation Rules
Half-orcs characters have the same freebie points and attribute spread that normal humans have.
Burly: Half-Orcs get -1 all non-magical Strength rolls, including inflicting damage. -1 Willpower difficulty on feat of Strength checks
Surly: +1 difficulty all non-magical Charisma and Manipulation rolls
Sterile: Half-orcs are sterile
Geographic Distribution
Related Myths
Comments