Half-Orc

Summary

Half-Orcs in this setting are variable based on their heritage, so check the subrace section below before creating your character. The Half-Orcs of Erek enjoy a unique level of respect by those around them due to their hunting prowess, but those on the mainland tend to exaggerate their violent tendencies. As a result, most Half-Orcs there travel the coastline looking for odd jobs or joining adventuring parties, rarely settling down.

Subraces

In this setting, the traits that Half-Orcs express depend on the race of their non-Orc parent. As a result, Half-Orcs lose Darkvision and Menacing, and +2 Strength is the only stat increase they all share by default. As with any lineage, you can opt to choose a different stat increase at the DM's discretion. When you create a Half-Orc, you can choose one of the parentages below. When using D&D Beyond, you can create a custom sub-race or make feats that grant you these additional abilities.
Human

+1 to any two stats. You get an additional skill or language proficiency of your choice.

Elf

+1 DEX. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep. Additionally, you have proficiency in Perception.

Dwarf

+1 CON. You have Darkvision out to 60 feet. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Satyr

+1 CHA. You learn your choice of the Chill Touch or Minor Illusion cantrips.

Goliath

+1 CON. You have resistance to cold damage and are acclimated to high altitude and cold climates. Additionally, you gain proficiency in Athletics.

Culture

Half-Orcs share the heightened emotions of their Orcish parents, and this behavioral tendency has often put them at odds with those around them. While no more villainous than any other people, years of exclusion and conflict have conditioned many Half-Orcs to put their own needs above those of others, so they are often evil-aligned. In a modification of traditional Orc custom, which advocates the rule of the strongest Orc, many Half-Orcs believe that the most skilled person should generally be in charge, regardless of their ancestry. Most Half-Orcs honor their own version of the Inland Gods. The festivals and rites they hold to honor them differ significantly from those of Humans and Halflings.

History

Today, it is only in the cold reaches of Erek and The Western Outlands where Orcish culture predominates, though this was not always the case. Myths from various cultures imply that Orcish culture predates that of other humanoids, including Elves, Dwarves, and Humans. Orcish mythology also claims that all these lineages can trace their ancestry back to Orcs, though Humans say the same about themselves. What is clear is that Orcs once ruled nearly all of Vrashyn, but their influence slowly declined over the millenia.

Livelihood

Due to their exclusion from many settled societies, most Half-Orcs make their living on the move. They are renowned for their abilities as hunters, sailors, and herders. In the wake of The Cataclysm when magic on Vrashyn was weaker, the earliest histories record that many Half-Orcs were made slaves and worked on building projects. Though magic has made slave labor quite rare on Vrashyn, Half-Orcs are still associated with heavy construction to this day.

Upbringing

Some subraces of Half-Orc have specific origins on Vrashyn. Half-Satyrs come exclusively from the island of Zentho, where an Orc and Satyr cult worships dark forest spirits. For reasons that are unclear, Orcs and Satyrs from the rest of Vrashyn are not compatible parents. Half-Goliaths and Half-Humans are frequently born in the nearby land of Erek, where their villages and bands often intermix. Half-Orcs of all types tend to live by the coast, preferring travel to family life. Many Half-Orc children are raised by a single parent as a result.

Relations with Others

Half-Orcs fit in best among their Orcish kin, though they can be found across Vrashyn and are known to be particularly skilled sailors. Due to their unusual appearance and exaggerated reputation for senseless violence, Half-Orcs are shunned by many on Vrashyn. In Erek, Half-Orcs are treated with equal respect by the local Humans and Goliaths. In many other places, a Half-Orc has to prove themselves before being trusted by those of other lineages.

Half-Orc Paladin by Flyboy Elm

Racial Features

Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 2.
Age Half-orcs mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.
Alignment Half-orcs inherit a tendency toward chaos from their orc parents and are not strongly inclined toward good. Half-orcs raised among orcs and willing to live out their lives among them are usually evil.
Size Half-orcs are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, usually over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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.
Languages 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.

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