Half-Orc

She took the creature by the neck and held it 'till it stilled. She retrieved her axe from its corpse and tossed it limply aside before moving unto the other. By then though the pack had already scattered and in her rage she sundered a handful of trees before returnin' to the cart just as pleasant as before.

- Helen Abernathy, Human Caravan Leader on an encounter with Gnolls

Conflicts between Orcs and Humans are commonplace and victories are found on either side, but in the occasional stalemate the two warring parties may join together out of mutual respect for the other's strength. When alliances like these are made, Half-Orcs are born. Half-Orcs oftentimes have the strength of the Orcish peers with the cleverness of their Human ancestors, making them strong candidates for leadership positions in their tribe and gifted enough to feasibly pursue such ambitions however the Half-Orc, while bearing the strengths of both races, is never truly welcome in either culture beyond their birth-home causing many to go off on their own, to prove themselves to the broader public rather than be seen purely for what lies in their blood.

His Eye Upon Them

Like full-blooded Orcs, Half-Orcs have a close connection to Gruumsh, He Who Guides, regardless of if they foster it or not. Half-Orcs commonly start to receive visions of eternal battle and feel a compulsion to prove themselves, oftentimes in combat, about the time they reach adulthood. It is believed that this is a remnant of Gruumsh push his people to be better, to seek more, and to take back what should already be theirs. Regardless of the cause, this compulsion tends to cause many Half-Orcs to seek adventure, to explore and prove themselves to all.

Strong and Scarred

Like Orcs, Half-Orcs treat scars as battle trophies, signs of great battles still won or terrible failures barely survived. They take great pride in their accolades and are oftentimes willing to spin the tale to the curious for the chance to yet relive their accomplishments. A Half-Orc companion will be the arm with which you strike down your enemies and an individual who will always remind you that a battle won is a battle fought.

Basic Information

Biological Cycle

Half-Orcs tend to reach adulthood at 14 and live up to 75 years in rare cases they don't perish in battle.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human
• Orc

Lifespan

75 years

Average Height

5' 6" - 6' 4"

Average Weight

180 - 250 lbs.