Half-Orc

Whether united under the leadership of a mighty warlock or having fought to a standstill after years of conflict, orc and human tribes sometimes form alliances, joining forces into a larger horde to the terror of civilized lands nearby. When these alliances are sealed by marriages, half-orcs are born. Some half-orcs rise to become proud chiefs of orc tribes, their human blood giving them an edge over their full-blooded orc rivals. Some venture into the world to prove their worth among humans and other civilized races. Many of these become adventurers, achieving greatness for their mighty deeds and notoriety for their barbaric customs and savage fury.
Ability Scores: Choose one of: 

• (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1 
• (b) Choose any +1; choose any other +1; choose any other +1

Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Darkvision. Thanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Half-orcs' grayish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

half orcs have small tusks that just from the sides of their mouths. These tusks are rounded at the tips but many orcs practice "cutting", a procedure where a half orc sharpens their tusks to better resemble their orcish parent.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Half-orcs usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. A half-orc who wants to fit in among humans might trade an orc name for a human name. Some half-orcs with human names decide to adopt a guttural orc name because they think it makes them more intimidating.
Male Orc Names: Dench, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh, Keth, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront, Shump, Thokk
Female Orc Names: Baggi, Emen, Engong, Kansif, Myev, Neega, Ovak, Ownka, Shautha, Vola, Volen, Yevelda

Beauty Ideals

Orcs regard battle scars as tokens or pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an Orc, or half-orc as a former slave or a disgraced exile. Any half-orc who has lived among or near orcs has scars, whether they are marks of humiliation or of pride, recounting their past exploits and injuries. Such a half-orc living among humans might display these scars proudly or hide them in shame.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc. Orc is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants. It has no script of its own but is written in the Dwarvish script.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Each half-orc finds a way to gain acceptance from those who hate orcs. Some are reserved, trying not to draw attention to themselves. A few demonstrate piety and good-heartedness as publicly as they can (whether or not such demonstrations are genuine). And some simply try to be so tough that others just avoid them.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Lifespan

Half-orcs mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.

Average Height

Half-orcs are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall.

Average Weight

between 180 and 250 pounds.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Half orc skin color ranges between shades of grey, brown, green and in some cases dark red. In rare cases a half orc's skin will look closer to that of their human parent.

Related Ethnicities

• Midgard
• Muten
• Nemthraz
• Northern Aetrus