Orcs
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Lifespan: 75 years
Languages: Tanglish, Orcish
Overview
TBD — DM
Physical Description
Orcs are typically taller and more muscular than humans, with heights ranging from 6 to 7 feet. They possess green to gray skin tones, pronounced tusks protruding from their lower jaws, and pointed ears. Their eyes are often a striking shade of red or yellow, and their hair is usually dark, ranging from black to deep brown. Orcs have a robust physiology, granting them exceptional endurance and physical prowess.
Society and Customs
Orcs are not inherently evil in this setting. They are better described as fiercely independent, neutral, and with a cultural emphasis on strength and skill at arms. Orcish society values honor, martial prowess, personal freedom, and self-reliance above all else.
The Enchanter War and the Destruction of Athan'Khar
The orcish people suffered a catastrophic loss during the events surrounding the end of the Enchanter War. The orcish homeland of Athan'Khar was destroyed, and the orcs were devastated by what became known as the Enchanters' Bane—a terrible event that shattered their nation and scattered their people.
The Enchanters' Bane was a catastrophic magical event that marked the end of the Enchanter War. The exact nature of this disaster is still remembered with horror by those who survived it. The Bane resulted in the complete destruction of Athan'Khar, the ancestral homeland of the orcs. The devastation was so complete that the land itself was left magically unstable and haunted, becoming a place where the normal laws of magic no longer function properly. Countless orcish lives were lost in the cataclysm, and those who survived were left with nothing but the memory of their destroyed homeland.
The loss of Athan'Khar was not just the destruction of a homeland, but the near-extermination of orcish culture, history, and identity. Entire clans were wiped out, their histories and traditions lost forever. The orcish people's connection to their ancestral lands, their sacred sites, their cultural artifacts—everything that defined them as a people—was destroyed in a single, terrible moment. This event forced the surviving orcs to flee their ancestral lands and seek refuge elsewhere, carrying with them only fragments of their once-great culture.
The ruins of Athan'Khar remain to this day, a haunted and magically unstable wasteland that serves as a grim reminder of what was lost. The land is considered dangerous and cursed, with the magical instability making it perilous for any who venture there. For the orcs, Athan'Khar is both a place of mourning and a symbol of what they must never forget—the price of war and the fragility of even the strongest civilizations.
Current Distribution
After the destruction of Athan'Khar, the orcish people were scattered. Most orcs now live in Sifan, on Tsurikura island, at the hospitality of the Sifanese royal family. These orcs are fiercely loyal to their new nation, having been welcomed and given sanctuary when they had nowhere else to go. The relationship between the orcs of Tsurikura and the Sifanese royal family is one of deep mutual respect and loyalty—the orcs serve as protectors and warriors for Sifan, while the Sifanese provide them with a new home and the opportunity to rebuild their culture.
A few small clans retreated into the wilderness and mountains on the Tiraan continent, choosing isolation over integration. These wilderness clans maintain the old ways more closely, living in remote areas where they can preserve their traditional culture and independence. They are even more fiercely independent than their Sifanese counterparts, having chosen to remain apart from the civilizations that dominate the continent.
Relationship with the Tiraan Empire
The relationship between the orcish people and the Tiraan Empire remains complex and strained. The Empire played a role in the events that led to the Enchanters' Bane and the destruction of Athan'Khar, and while the Tiraan Empire would prefer to make amends for their role in this tragedy, the orcish people still consider themselves at war with the empire.
This ongoing state of war is more a cultural declaration than an active military conflict. The orcs' refusal to forgive or forget the Empire's role in the destruction of their homeland is a matter of honor and remembrance—a way of ensuring that the memory of Athan'Khar and the price of that war is never forgotten.
As a result of this strained relationship, orcs are rarely seen in Tiraas, the capital of the Tiraan Empire. Those who do venture into Imperial territory may suffer prejudice from the populace, who may view them with suspicion or hostility based on the historical conflict and the orcs' continued declaration of war. However, despite this social prejudice, there is no legal discrimination against orcs in the Empire. The Imperial government recognizes the tragedy of the Enchanters' Bane and maintains an official policy of non-discrimination, even as it attempts to reconcile with the orcish people.
This creates an unusual situation where orcs are legally protected but socially marginalized in Imperial territory—a reflection of the complex relationship between a government that wishes to make amends and a people who cannot forget the price that was paid.
Cultural Values
Orcish culture emphasizes: - Strength and Skill at Arms: Physical prowess and martial ability are highly valued, with orcs taking great pride in their combat skills - Fierce Independence: Orcs value personal freedom and self-reliance, resisting any attempts to control or dominate them - Honor and Loyalty: While fiercely independent, orcs are deeply loyal to those who earn their respect—be it clan, nation, or individual - Neutral Alignment: Orcs are not inherently good or evil, but rather judge situations based on honor, strength, and respect - Clan Structure: Orcish society is organized into clans, each with its own traditions, leadership, and values
Clan Life
Orcish clans are close-knit communities where every member contributes to the clan's survival and prosperity. Clan leadership is typically based on strength, honor, and the ability to protect and provide for the clan. Orcs value egalitarianism—both males and females participate equally in warfare, leadership, and daily life.
The orcs of Tsurikura have adapted their clan structure to work within Sifanese society, while maintaining their core values and traditions. The wilderness clans on the Tiraan continent maintain more traditional structures, often living in isolated mountain strongholds or deep forest settlements.
Population and Distribution
TBD — DM
Role in the World
TBD — DM
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Your Intelligence score decreases by 2.
Racial Traits
Darkvision
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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Adrenaline Rush
You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Whenever you use this trait, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
Powerful Build
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Relentless Endurance
When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Related: Races Index | Mechanics Index | Ability Scores