Half-Orcs

"'Never pretend to be something you're not.', he says. Hard to tell if that's supposed to be threatening or inspiring."

A common belief among some Human nobility is that every Half-Orc is a result of abuse and the spoils of Orcish raids. The most knowledgeable Orcs, on the other hand, will happily point out that Half-Elves come from the same sort of perversions about as often. As it often is, the truth is far more complex, and while most Humans are loath to admit it, Orcs can easily have a rugged masculine appeal to many in their number. Some hail from Nalanosa or in smaller pockets of civilization where the racial tensions are more relaxed, while others are the result of raids in a much different way. This can take the form of the rare bond of mutual respect on the battlefield, or abandoned Human children being taken in by Orcs and, ultimately, seeking mates of their own. Naturally, much of the stigma towards Orcs, from both Humans and Elves, is easily projected upon these hybrid children. Worse yet, their relative physical weakness compared to Orcs often leaves them ostracized by their less civilized kin. In Ristshan especially, they struggle to find a place where they can fit in, constantly needing to prove both their strength and civility. Their experience is often far less harrowing in Nalanosa or Golden Empire of Arrboth, by contrast, where the two races have been forced to cooperate for generations.

Racial Modifiers

Characteristics: Half-Orcs gain a +1 bonus to two characteristics of the player's choice.
Hardy: Perhaps as an offshoot of the Orcish ability to ignore pain and exhaustion on the battlefield, Half-Orcs have a considerable resistance to the same. They reduce all penalties caused by pain and Fatigue by half.
Unnerving: While Half-Orcs still possess much of the bluntness of Orcs, they are far more willing and able to do what they must to get by. They gain a +20 to Persuasion and Intimidation.
Vigorous: Half-Orcs often physically train more than others to compensate for their lack of Orcish strength. They may take a +20 to up to five Athletics and/or Vigor abilities of the player's choice upon creation. Any Half-Orc character that chooses a class that would normally pay 3 DP per point to develop Feats of Strength instead pays 2 DP per point for this secondary ability.
Stubborn: With some of the will of man and hardiness of orcs, Half-Orcs gain a +20 bonus to PhR checks to stabilize themselves, as well as to resist the effects of Criticals or any effect that would cause instant death.
Final Resolve: On the brink of death, Half-Orcs find some of the strength of their savage ancestry. If reduced to below a quarter of their total Life Points, a Half-Orc character gains a +1 bonus to Strength and may use an additional point of Fatigue per turn (normally up to 3, unless they have Use of Necessary Energy) as long as they remain in combat.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Half-Orcs are capable of breeding true with each other or occasionally with Humans or Orcs. These 'quarter-Orcs' or 'quarter-Humans' do not have particularly distinct traits, and are rare besides.

Genetic Ancestor(s)