Half-Orc
Half-Orcs are the resulting offspring of Human and Orc parentage, or the offspring of two parents that are half-orcs themselves.They are most commonly found in regions of Crestfall where orcs are known to have established home ranges, such as the mountains of Gryttrheim, although many have been known to occupy various other places across the continent as well.
The ability for humans and orcs to interbreed has been a topic of interest amongst Crestfallen anthropologists for some time, as it would imply that the two races may have diverged from a single common genetic ancestor. This theory is muddied, however, by the fact that orcs have also been known to be capable of producing offspring with the Elf races of Crestfall as well, who originated from The Feywild and thus have no direct ancestral ties to Teranuz.
Appearance
Half-orcs have a strong tendency to inherit the majority of their physical traits from the orcish side of their families, including large, muscular builds, grey or pale green skin tones, and enlarged lower canines, otherwise known as "tusks". Most half-orcs tend to be slightly smaller in stature than their full-blooded orc relatives, however, which is generally the easiest method of identifying a half-orc from a full-orc. Features such as eye and hair color can be inherited from either side of a half-orc's lineage, although still with a slight predisposition towards the orc side's genetics.Traits and Abilities
As the children of humans and orcs, half-orcs are lucky enough to inherit the former's adaptable, ambitious nature as well as the latter's natural strength and resilience. Half-orcs also inherit the orc's keen eyesight, allowing them to see clearly in lower light levels than the average human.History
Half-orcs are believed to have existed for as long as humans and orcs have been in contact with one another. During the Pre-Vancian Eras of Crestfall, political marriages between the human tribes of northern Zholia and the orcs of Gryttrheim; as one might expect, these unions often resulted in half-orc offspring. During this period in history were considered to be natural-born diplomats, bridging the gap between the two disparate races to allow a greater degree of trade and coexistance between the two. Following the events of the Millennium War, relations between humans and orcs began to sour, primarily due to many of the orc tribes' voluntary service to the Eladrin as mercenaries and shock troopers for either side of the conflict. While this was purely an act of self-preservation on the orcs' part, their willingness to side with the oppressive Eladrin colonists cemented the humans' perception of orcs as brutal warmongers, a sentinment that would unfortunately extend into the Rebuild and Modern Eras as well. Half-orcs in the present are frequently presented with the unfortunate lingering sentiments of this stigma, with many predominantly-human societies regarding them with suspicion at best and distrust at worst. Efforts to mend this perception in the Modern Era have succeeded in gaining some ground, though there is still much work to be done to fully repair the rift that has been created between orcs and humanity.Notable Half-Orcs
Player Characters
- Baraka, a kensei monk and member of The Notorious FFP
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