Orcs

• Track Blood Scent: An Orc can follow the scent of blood up to 1000 feet (305m) away at the base skill of 15% +5% per level of experience.
• Recognize Scent of Others: The Orc can recognize and follow a familiar scent up to 50 feet (15 m) away at the base skill: 10% +3% per level of experience; +13% to recognize and follow the scent of a mate or offspring. Roll once for every 100 feet (30.5m) when following a scent trail. A failed roll means the trail is lost.

1. Track Humanoids
2. Prowl (+20%)

Description:

Tall, wide and made of muscle, the Orcan race seems as if it were built for war and according to some legends, actually was. Bred from corrupted elves by some dark god that required a race of pure evil to worship him, they were supposedly crafted to be the bane of the good races everywhere. They resemble some sort of feral human but with much more bestial features, most prominently they have oversized, boar-like canines and sharp teeth and scar easily so much so that even the youngest warrior will already bear an intimidating array of scars. Orcish skin tone varies between a sallow red through various shades of grey to dark green, white and black. They have human-like eyes, with a reddish tint that sometimes makes them appear to glow when they reflect dim light sources in near darkness. This is actually part of their optical system, a pigment which gives them nightvision. Their facial features are vaguely pig-like; and their hair is wiry like a boar's bristles. On average, an Orc weighs around 210 pounds. They have well-developed canine teeth for eating meat and pointed ears that resemble those of a wolf. Male Orcs are about 6 to 7 feet tall. Females average 6 inches shorter than males. Orcs often seem much larger due to their intimidating muscles and prefer to wear colors that most humans think unpleasant: blood red, rust red, mustard yellow, yellow green, moss green, greenish purple, and blackish brown. Their armor is unattractive besides -- dirty and often a bit rusty. They speak Orcish and Goblin, with the leaders sometimes being versed in Common or Elven as well. Some Orcs have also have limited vocabulary in other dialects such as Drow , Ogre and Troll.

Combat: Orcs are constantly in battle. They use the following weapons.

sword and spear 10%
axe and spear 10%
axe and polearm 10%
axe and crossbow 10%
axe and bow 10%
sword and battleaxe 5%
spear 10%
axe 10%
polearm 20%

Polearms are typically either halberds, pikes, or glaives. Leaders typically possess two weapons. If a Sub-Chief is present, there is a 40% chance the Orcs will be fighting around a standard. Orcs typically wear studded leather armor and a shield and employ sniping and ambush tactics in the wild. They do not obey the "rules of war" unless such is in their best interests; for example, they will shoot at those who attempt to parlay with them under a white flag unless their War-Leader feels it is advantageous to hear what the enemy has to say. They abuse rules of engagement and chivalry to their best advantage. They have a historic enmity against elves and dwarves and many tribes will kill these demihumans on sight.

It is often believed that Orcs are so bloodthirsty and cruel that they are ineffective tacticians and that they would rather be vicious than victorious. Like most stereotypes, this is highly misleading; it is true for some Orc tribes but not for all. Many Orc tribes have waged wars for decades and have developed a frightening efficiency with battle tactics.

Habitat/Society:
Before the time of the High Orcs, the Orcish people didn't really have too strict a code of beliefs. They had spent so much time enslaved, that most had simply adopted the beliefs of their masters. After the High Orcs came along, a general philosophy was adopted by the Orcs. Some of the general attitudes had already been there, but it took the High Orcs to awaken these things.

Might makes right.
The weak exist only to serve the strong.
There is no good or evil; there is only the will of those strong enough to rule.
Orcs are among the noblest of races, such as the Elves and the great Titans.
No Orc shall bow his head before any other, save another Orc.
There is no honor in cowardice and weakness.
The will of all Orcs shall be the will of every Orc.
The leaders of the clans shall speak the word of the clans, and their word shall be law.
Peace and harmony are weakness; conquest is the only true existence.

For every thirty Orcs encountered, there will be a leader and three assistants. These Orcs will be the meanest and strongest in the group and 25% of the time be High Orcs. If 150 Orcs or more are encountered there will be the following additional figures with the band: a Sub-Chief and 3-18 guards, For every 100 Orcs encountered, there will be either a Shaman (maximum 5th level priest) or a Witch-doctor (maximum 4th-level mage).

If the Orcs are not in their lair, there is a 20% chance they will be escorting a train of 1-6 carts and 10-60 slave bearers bringing supplies, loot, or ransom and tribute to their chief or a stronger tribe. The total value of the goods carried by all of the carts will vary between 10 and 1,000 silver pieces, and each slave bearer will carry goods valued between 5 and 30 silver pieces. If the Orcs are escorting a treasure train, double the number of leaders and assistants and add 10 Orcs for each cart in the train; one Sub-Chief with 5-30 guards will always be in charge.

Orc lairs are underground 75% of the time, wilderness village 15% of the time or the Ruins of a castle/fortress 10%. Orc communities range from small forts with 100-400 Orcs to mining communities with 500-2,000 Orcs to huge cities (partially underground and partially above ground) with 2,000 to 20,000 Orcs. There will always be additional Orcs when the encounter is in a creature's lair: a chief and 5-30 bodyguards. If the lair is underground, there is a 50% chance that 2-5 ogres per 200 Orcs will be living with them. Most lairs above ground are rude villages of wooden huts protected by a ditch, log rampart and log palisade, or more advanced constructions built by other races. The village will have 1-4 watch towers and a single gate. There will be one ballista and one catapult for every 100 adult male Orc.

They are aggressive and believe other species are inferior to them and that bullying and slavery are part of the natural order. They will cooperate with other species but are not dependable: as slaves, they will rebel against all but the most powerful masters; as allies they are quick to take offense and break agreements. They believe that battle is the ideal challenge, but some leaders are pragmatic enough to recognize the value of peace, which they exact at a high price. If great patience and care are used, Orc tribes can be effective trading partners and military allies.

Orcs value territory above all else; battle experience, wealth, and number of offspring are other major sources of pride. They are patriarchal but consider women fit not only to bear children and nurse them, but to be fierce warriors in thier own right. In fact, females own mostly everything domestically and manage hearth and home while the Men hunt. Orcs have a reputation for cruelty that is deserved, but humans are just as capable of evil as Orcs.

Orcs worship many deities (some who have different names among different tribes); the chief deity is usually a giant, one-eyed Orc called Grummish. Orcish religion is extremely hateful toward other species and urges violence and warfare. Orc shamans have been noted for their ambition, and many tribes have suffered because of political infighting between warriors and priests.

Ecology:

Orog/Common/Green Orcs: Orcs are technically omnivorous but they prefer to eat meat above all else. When not at war, Orc males spend most of their time hunting for fresh meat, as they rarely have the patience to tend cattle instead. Most times, the rare herd overseen by an Orc is quickly decimated by raids even by the herders themselves, who find it hard to resist a quick snack with such easy prey nearby. Many do not bother to cook their kills until the meat is at least a couple of days old. They prefer the taste of fresh blood, the warmer the better. Female Orcs, who are rarely along on a hunt, seldom get to enjoy this treat. Orcs are not addicted to blood in the fashion of a vampire, but they do relish the flavour. They claim prey that has been frightened right before it was killed tastes the best, due to the fear flowing through its veins. Creatures actually frightened to death are the rarest and most prized kills. This is one reason Orcs like to cultivate the most frightening appearances they can. Most Orcs prefer to slake their thirst with the blood of a sentient creature if possible. These people, they say, feel the fear more poignantly, making their blood much more exquisite. In the heat of battle, it is normally impossible for an Orc to stop to sample a victim's blood but it does happen from time to time, especially if there is a cessation in the fighting. Apparently, the blood of those who fight against the Orcs does not taste nearly so wonderful. The flavour of courage runs foul to an Orc's palate. Orcs prefer to catch their prey on the run.

Mrog: The favourite drink of Orcs is mrog, a dark mead made from fermented honey and blood. This has a sweet, coppery tang to it that many ores compare favourably to the taste of fear in the lifeblood of their prey Most Orc armies carry several barrels of mrog with them, often making more along the way. The recipe is as simple as it is brutal, and fresh mrog can be ready to drink in as little as three days, although it is considered better if it is able to sit in its casks for at least a week. Mrog is often called by the kind of blood used to brew it. Elf-mrog or dwarf-mrog is normally considered to be the best that is commonly available. although dragon-mrog is reputedly the best. Of course, such a drink is rare enough that only a few Orcs have ever tasted it, so the others must take the word of such fortunate souls. In the larger Orc cities, some taverns actually blend various types of mrog together to produce unusual flavours. Still, most Orcs prefer their mrog straight up. The most famous brands have loyal followings, These include Dead Dwarf, Skullcracker, and Old Elfguts. Orcs are carnivores that prefer demihumans and humanoids but will eat game meats or livestock as well.

The lives of most Orcs are brutal and short. Althought an Orc can theoretically have a lifespan of up to 90 or so years they rarely reach old age. Usually, those that manage it have a natural tendency toward treachery that has allowed them to outlast all those who might have wished to take from them what is theirs, including their own lives. Others die either in war or at the hands of their own kind in one sort of squabble or another. Orcs breed like mad to make up for this, as many young Orcs never make it through their childhood. Once born, an Orc child is the property of its mother. Fathers have little or no say or even concern about their children. Orcs do not marry, forming and breaking relationships with each other as suits them. Male Orcs often return to the same female again and again, but they may find they are sharing her with several others in the tribe. Jealousy among Orcs is common, despite the open nature of the relationships, and this is the cause of most fights that happen within a tribe.

Orc mothers raise their children cruelly, often seeing them as little burdens the gods have placed upon them. They do love them in their own way, but all Orc mothers know baby Orcs eventually grow up and have little use for their mothers. Orcs have no incest taboos, so it is not unusual for Orcs of the same family to breed with each other. This is particularly true in smaller tribes, especially those decimated by war. Orc babies are born after only six months in the womb and they reach sexual maturity by the age of eight and so, considered to be an adult. An Orc does not reach full maturity until about age 12 or so, but at eight the Orc is old enough to hunt, fight, breed, or start raising childrem Female Orcs each usually have a hut or tents they assemble themselves, sometimes with the help of male Orcs who wish to bed them. The males tend to lay down wherever they like when they wish to sleep. They carry what few belongings they have with them and share the bed of any female who will have them. When alone, they often simply sleep on the open ground.

Of course, in the larger Orc settlements or cities, the most powerful males have their own places too. The chieftain of a tribe often establishes his own home and beckons females into it, but this is a rare honour reserved for him. The sexual promiscuity that runs through Orc culture leads to the birth of many children. It is not uncommon for an Orc female to give birth to 30 children before hitting menopause somewhere around the age of 40, assuming she lives that long. Infant mortality is extremly high (35% survive birth).

Orcs are skilled miners who can spot new and unusual constructions 35% of the time and sloping passages 25% of the time. They are also excellent weaponsmiths.

High/Uruk Hai Orcs:

The High Orcs are truly a legendary race. The fact that they have been almost completely wiped from the history books is a tragedy to both the Orcs of today as well as the many other races of Palladium, for their history holds wisdom for all. They were the ultimate race of noble warriors, and perhaps their only fate could have been thier extinction. For if they had lived, then they would have surely reshaped the face of the world through their conquests. There was a time when the earth shook, and the heavens echoed with the thunderous battle cry of the High Orc and though they number but few, and considered all but extinct, their influence over other Orcs still inspires fear.

High Orcs range between 6 and 7 feet tall. They are highly disciplined warriors and have their own standards and banners which they display prominently -- it is usually easy to tell when High Orcs are present among common Orcs. High Orcs can be found at the vanguard of large Orc armies, but rarely on patrol. There is a 10% chance that an Orc tribe will be lead by High Orcs, whose number equals 10% of the male population. (Thus a community of 3,000 male Orcs has a 10% chance of having 300 additional High Orcs.) Small bands of elites (20-80 High Orcs) will hire themselves out as mercenaries. High Orcs will usually have plate mail. For every 20 High Orcs, there will also be one leader. There is but one High Orc chief. High Orcs use weaponry common to Orcs but of much higher quality, but will typically possess two weapons apiece.

They are a noble race, despite their hunger for conquest. Their features are fair and proud, and their grace in battle is rivaled by few. Among the monstrous races, songs of praise and valor are sung about them. Among the higher races, only ignorant stories and myths are known, and if not for the twisted hand of fate, this may have been their undoing. For an enemy who is aware of the power of the High Orcs stands a small chance against them. An enemy unprepared is an enemy defeated. The High Orcs first appeared during the latter years of the Elf-Orc War created by Elven High Mages of Lorien. They were created as a means to both Understand the Orc mindset and to use to supplant the Orcan leadership. The experiment both worked better than expected and failed beyond belief. At first all was as planned, and it was on the battlefield that their presence came to be felt. They were natural leaders and superb fighters. The lesser races flocked to them and followed them unquestionably, their Orcish brethren in particular. This suited the Elves and their allies well, and the High Orcs were deployed as elite warriors. However things rapidly fell apart and the transformed Elves became so Orc-like they joined in the war against their once Elven Brethren and nearly turned the tide of the war, so much so, that little record was left of their presence in any of the battles at all.

In fact, the High Orcs are all but completely ignored in most historical records. The only one remaining is a slight, but obscure reference made in the History of Strange Races by the estranged and exiled scholar, Xklyssen. It reads: ...And as the dusk of the war approached, when the sky was ablaze with fire and the rivers had been run red, a new warrior strode forth onto the battlefield. They bore the features of the rugged Orcs, yet they weren't touched by Orcish hideousness. but instead the grace of the Elves. When the trumpets sounded. these warriors flew into battle with rage and skill to match the gods. But their page in the book of history would soon be crumpled, as fate had allotted that their time would be short... "

All High Orcs follow a strange sort of honor, whereby strength and all things Orcish were respected above all else. They are divided into clans, but their society is truly a communal one. Clan membership is based upon an individual's strengths and aptitudes, and membership is fluid, so one could switch clans if necessary. This divides everyone up properly and puts them to use to the best of their abilities, making the Orcish nation powerful and dynamic as a whole. Women serve as virtual equals to the men in clan status. Though they seldom served in leadership positions, they can do just about anything else. They can become soldiers, even knights, and are at the front lines charging alongside the men in most battles. Despite their racial pride, the High Orcs hold a certain degree of tolerance for other strong races (such as Trolls and Giants), and it was this that ultimately undid them. If the High Orcs had been a more stubborn and less tolerant people, then their fate may have been much different.

Orcish life is harsh, but the High Orcs manage well. They led their brethren bravely, and after a few centuries, had established a small kingdom that was flourishing rapidly. Yet, the High Orcs did not want to sit peacefully minding their crops. They wanted conquest. The Elven nation had used them, and soon they and everyone else would regret that they'd ever heard the word "Orc" before in their lives. When the High Orcs broke away from their former rulers, the Elves, there were thirteen leaders among them. Each of these leaders founded and became leader of a respective clan. It was into these clans that the Orcish nation was divided. This structure created a powerful and dynamic force, whereby each clan interacted the others almost flawlessly. Each clan had its primary function, and each performed it well.

The lesser Orcs played their part well, too. It can't be stressed enough what excellent leaders the High Orcs were. They had an innate ability to coordinate and lead warriors more expertly than some of the greatest generals that the Elves had ever known. The lesser Orcs were natural followers, and the combination of the two was indomitable.

As said before, the High Orcs were a proud people, and they were unified in their vision of global conquest. They sought to establish the "Chumras Orka" ancient Orcish for The Orcish Empire. After building up their resources, the Orcs set to conquering Lorien and then the world.

The Battle of Cear`Forgaen

In short, the Orcish conquest went very smoothly. The strength of the lesser Orcs combined with the prowess of the Orcish Knights and the skill of their leaders led to many swift and bloody victories. In a short time, a very large portion of the Kingdom fell under the Orcish flag. At first the Elves could do nothing but flee before the Orcs, too stunned to even consider trying to fight this massive force. No serious resistance was met until the Orcs had decimated several elven strongholds. The War escalated, and thousands were lost on both sides. The Elves held a large and formidable force, yet, despite the smaller numbers and size of the Orcs, they were able to keep the war at a stalemate. In fact, the Orcs had even taken a slight edge. Eventually, the battle boiled down to one key siege against the Elven fortress of Cear`Forgaen. The fight was very evenly matched, but one thing was quite clear: With the combined effort of the thirteen clans, the Orcs would most likely win. Divided, however, they would surely fall.

Xersus and the Raging Bear Clan

One of the cardinal rules of Orcish life under the High Orcs was that no Orc would ever bow down to one of another race. The Orcs were meant to rule the world and bow to no one. Yet, somehow, things went horribly wrong for the Raging Bear Clan. The thirteenth clan fell under the leadership of a non-Orc, a Troll named Xersus. How this happened is rather complicated and sketchy. One of the factors was an open movement policy among clans (meaning that one could switch clans) and an open-door policy about letting other respectful (albeit slightly inferior) races gain clan member status. What ultimately may have cinched it was the Orcish reverence for physical strength, of which Xersus had plenty. The leader of the Raging Bears died, and Xersus somehow managed to take his place. The war was in such full heat that no one even had time to raise any questions about it until it was far too late (it happened literally days before the final battle, and it's speculated that the heads of the other clans might not have even known). Unfortunately for Xersus, the one thing he truly lacked was courage. When it came time to storm Cear`Forgaen, the thirteenth clan fled under the direction of Xersus. Though the remaining twelve clans fought bravely, the battle was ultimately lost. Most of the lessor Orcs were killed in the fray, and many of the High Orc were slaughtered. The elves were taking no chances, and any High Orc captured was killed with impunity. The members of the Raging Bear Clan, including Xersus, were hunted down and most were executed afterwards with the few survivors fleeing to the Northern Ice Cap (see Ice born). Shortly after this decisive battle Lorien became lost to the Mists.

Thus, the Orcs lost their only bid for world domination, and their noble brethren race mostly thought obliterated. All that remained were the lesser Orcs, destined to become the work and fighting forces of other monster races, for without their natural-born leaders, they became little more than pawns for others. The true shame is that the Orcs have retained almost nothing of this legend. There are only a few rare scholars in the world who know anything of it. The only thing that the Orcs retained was a fierce superstition regarding the number thirteen. They fear it intensely and will have nothing to do with it. One thing that should be noted is that the High Orcs were around for quite a bit of time. The story of their downfall seems short and moves quickly, but in truth, they had been around for a couple of centuries before their passing. About half of this time was spent serving the Elves and the other half on their own. Thus, the High Orcs did develop a bit of history and tradition among their people before they passed. However, there are a few little things that were passed down from the High Orcs themselves. These include some of the basic tenets of Orcish philosophy (such as "might is right"), as well as some of their physical attributes (apparently the Orcs were not quite as strong or as fierce before the High Orcs made their appearance).A few other notes on the High Orc:

1. They are steadfast and will not serve or be enslaved by any other race or people.
2. They are obsessed with conquering the world and establishing the Chumras Orka.
3. They tend to worship evil and selfish gods, though they don't truly have a concept of good or evil. They see only strong and weak, and good gods are most often seen as weak because of their temperance.
4. They will use any type of armor and equipment, but prefer that which is geared towards heavy warfare. They prefer equipment that is well made, and love magical items.
5. They are actually quite skilled craftsmen, capable of constructing all manner of items. from sturdy homes to superb weaponry.
6. They are just as cruel and menacing as normal Orcs when dealing with weaker races. They tend to show strong races opposed to their cause the honor of a quick death. They have a rough sense of honor when dealing among each other, which revolves around strength and courage.

Urkhu/Black/Mountain Orcs:

"Down from the top caves and the slopes of scree they come. Down to the valleys and our flat lands to bring us death. They look down upon us before they descend and then they look down upon is when they are but an arms length from our rusted swords. They are the largest of the Goblinoid races and make terrifying foes indeed. Last season we hired Mercenaries and their handlers to keep the Orcs away with the threat of their steel but not this year. Not now the snows are gone, for the mercs left not just with our coin but with our grain and our lifestock stuck in their belts. I fear we will all die and worse. When the Orcs of the mountains discover we are not only defenceless but hungry ourselves they will likely feast upon our flesh and suck the marrow of our bones."
Hethrax Muir, Mayor of Gettle in a letter to his son

A Mountian Orc is quite obviously a monstrous creature to most of the civilized folk of Otara. Mountian Orcs look vaguely like primitive humans but are a fair bit taller standing 7-9 feet tall and weigh from 350 to well over 500 pounds, with males being on the larger side and females considerably smaller. Males usually have beards or some kind of facial hair. The coloration of their skin ranges from dark grey to black. They have short tusks on their mouths and are usually very muscular and tower over most other races. They have stocky, powerful necks, and their bestial heads seem to sit directly on their massive shoulders. Their eyes are always a deep shade of red, and their faces are dominated by porcine snouts and large tusks. Mountian Orcs often weave braids and tiny bones into their thick matted hair, which is usually black. Their clothing is crude and primitive, often composed of unpleasant colors like blood red, mustard yellow, yellow-green, and deep purple. They are far from the cleanest race on Otara and delight in decorating their black skinned bodies with scars and warpaint. The Mountian Orcs gather in immense tribes, the chief is decided by a duel. The challenger and the current chief fight to the death to decide. Mountian Orcs are raiders and plunder other villages for slaves, food and money. They are constantly fighting amongst themselves sometimes killing up to ten of thier own tribe every day.

Mountian Orcs are a fanatically religious race whose society revolves around the zealous worship of their God. The Orc obsession with gladiatorial combat is an attempt to appease and feed their deity, who they believe gives them the strength to fuel their ferocity. The Mountian Orcs are led by five High Clerics who are all arena warriors that, it is believed, were selected by thier god by divine provenance to fight their way to the pinnacle of Mountian Orcs society until they are challenged and defeated themselves.

In Mountian Orc society, gladiatorial combat and religion is essentially the same thing. Thier god demands the sacrifice of the weak to bolster the strong, for only the fiercest of his devotees will be capable of defending their rocky lands from being razed by the enemies from below. Thier God is a Primal that takes the form of a mountain, which the Orcs worship and build their dwellings around. An enormous face is built into the face of the mountain, with the mouth serving as a deep cave that serves as one of the holiest sites in the Orc realm. The fighting floor of the gladiatorial arena is covered in small holes, and the Orcs believe the blood of those that are vanquished in gladiatorial combat drip down into the holes to feed their mountain god. Thier cities are built at the base of the mountain.

The Orcs five High Clerics serve as the prophets of their god, and are generally regarded as the wisest and most respected members of Orc culture. Any Orc, male or female, can become a High Cleric, though the process is incredibly arduous. Once an Orc gladiator wins 100 arena battles in row (an astoundingly difficult feat that can only be remotely accomplished by the most ferocious and intelligent combatants), the Orc must enter the Cave of Subjugation, an utterly lightness and tiny cavern deep within the mountain. The gladiator must meditate in darkness, alone, for 100 days. When the Orc emerges from the cave, he or she must then challenge one of the current High Clerics in single combat to the death. If the challenger wins, he or she becomes the High Cleric in place of the one they defeated. Orcs are not the only creatures who battle in their arena. War parties are often sent out to capture other creatures to fight. Orcs prefer to challenge themselves against creatures with a modicum of self-awareness, such as ogres, cyclops, and trolls. A captured slave is thrown into the arena time and again until he or she dies. If the slave performed well they are consumed as feast in honour of the god, if not they are left to rot on the arean grounds.

Uruk-Haiwe/Islidruk/White/Ice-Born Orcs: Those who brave the Northern waters are well aware of its icy winds, sudden storms, unpredictable currents and unexplained phenomena. Yet of all the strange sights on the sea there is one threat that every fisherman, sailor, and ships captain fears the most; the Islidruk (Iceborn). Striking down from the Great Ice Shelf and the iceberg-filled seas that surround it, the Islidruk are an ancient people, decendents of the High Orc Raging Bear Clan. They are known only in legend and rumor to most scholars and people outside the Northern Waters but to the whalers and sailors, however, the Islidruk are very real, inhuman butchers who strike in the dead of night, climbing aboard ships and slaughtering entire crews. When a ghost ship is found floating down from northern waters, stripped of everything of value, blood splashed across the decks, not a living soul aboard, it is said to have fallen prey to the Islidruk. Seasoned captains and battlehardened Marines offer up quiet prayers to the gods whenever such a gruesome discovery is made. Such ghost ships are said to be cursed, and even the most eager salvager and pirate will burn the hulk rather than try to recover it. Even more terrifying than a night raid is the sight of a Necroilus, the hideous ships and floating villages of the death-worshiping Islidruk. Made from the corpses of sea serpents, each Necroilus has been hollowed out, preserved with magic, and adorned with bones and serpent skins to turn it into a warship and floating habitation. The head and body of the dead sea serpent is used like a massive puppet, swimming with their tails and fins and lunging out to attack the ships of men. The serpent body and various corpses used to make the ship are controlled by dark magic spells and devoid of any will of their own, monstrous creations of Necromancy and sheer butchery. The Islidruk live at sea onboard their cadaverous sea serpent ships and come to shore only to raid, rob, and slaughter coastal communities. They are seldom interested in buying or selling slaves, trade or plunder, or in any form of negotiation. The Islidruk are guided solely by their impulse to capture, consume, and reuse the uneaten parts of any living thing they meet. Necromancy is at the heart of their society, and is their source of magic and spiritual beliefs. All things are reused, nothing goes to waste. Death is merely a source of food, raw materials and replacement parts. Islidruk aboard their Necroilus prowl the northernmost waters around the Great Ice Shelf, but sometimes venture down to strike at the ships and the coastal towns.

According to legends, they are unafraid of any mortal enemy, and enjoy battles with demons and monsters more challenging opponents than mere mortals. The world of the Islidruk is a militaristic, hierarchical culture. Though their existence may seem chaotic to an outsider, there is structure and order, a chain of command that is difficult to recognize through their acts of barbarism. They are savage, brutal and primal, but have their own bizarre forms of social behavior and cooperation. A tribe is organized enough to act purposefully, and these monstrous pirate-nomads have become master sailors on some of the world's most dangerous oceans. The Islidruk show absolute loyalty toward each other, or at least to members of their own crew. The supreme leader of each tribe is the ship's captain. His words are never doubted, never questioned, nor defied. Failure to obey results in death. The Iceborn respect power and ferocity, even more so than other Orc types, but they refuse to follow anyone other than one of their own, with the exception of dark gods and possibly Greater Demons and in fact are as likely to attack slay and eat other Orcs as readily as they would a human or elf. Female Iceborn have a smaller, slighter build with a surprisingly feminine face, but have the same pointed ears, pale, icy blue eyes (seemingly empty from a distance), sharp, pointed teeth, physical size and lust for brutality and savagery. Unlike the males who shave their heads of all or most of their hair, most females grow their wiry hair into a long, scraggly mane, and have long, claw-like fingernails. Almost all females exclusively devote themselves to witchcraft, making them just as abhorrent as the male warriors who swarm aboard merchant ships and carry off their crews. Perhaps even more so, for female Islidruk have no qualms about selling their souls or their firstborn in exchange for magic powers, so instinctive is the pact process and allegiance to dark supernatural forces. Another reason for the living to shun them. Islidruk spend their entire lives at sea and trekking across ice floes; their feet barely know the feel of dry land or grass. The only reason Islidruk come ashore is to sack coastal villages and settlements, to capture humanoids, livestock or monsters for slaves or food. Once all humanoids and domestic animals are carried off to be imprisoned for slavery, to be eaten at a later time, or murdered and consumed on the spot, the Islidruk often leave the vessel or village intact as it was eerily devoid of the living but otherwise mostly untouched. This is somewhat of a trademark of the Islidruk; to leave a vessel or ghost ship or ghost town empty, with no clue of what may have happened to the occupants.

This is often a calculated strategy to create an atmosphere of terror and mystery, especially when they first begin a series of raids in a particular region. Other times they display their ire and savagery by ransacking and looting the place, and take every living soul with them or slaughter every last man, woman and child and sometimes burn the settlement to the ground and move on. Wholesale slaughter or razing a village is either done to make a statement or inflicted upon those the Islidruk hate most. Back in their shipboard quarters, deep within the bodies of Necroilus serpent ships, skeletal remains are turned into tools and weapons, skins (including those of people) sewn into clothes, and organs preserved for later use. They have no need for ports or dry-docks. Whatever repairs become necessary are made by the warriors and Skinbinder witches using bones as nails and skins and preserved flesh as building materials. Other portions are created via the dark magic of Necromancy. The lucky captives are locked away in food pens, killed and eaten within a matter of weeks. The less fortunate are used as slaves and forced to work like mules until they drop from exhaustion or frequent torture. When they can no longer serve their wicked masters properly, they are slain, butchered and eaten. Others are repeatedly raped before being turned into slaves or a meal. Few humanoid captives, be they human, Elf, Orc or Wolfen, survive longer than a few (1D6) months. Many take their own lives and those of their loved ones, rather than endure such brutality. Everything required by Islidruk society is onboard their ships and what they do not possess they take by force. Land dwellers, undersea races, monsters and sea life are nothing but resources to be pillaged and exploited. The Islidruk are not interested in widening their scope of knowledge, nor the acquisition of wealth or power. They are scavenging predators who live off other people, instinctive fighters and seafarers who know what they need to survive and ensure the perpetuation of the tribe.

Despite their lack of education, they are masters of the open seas, equal to the experienced Dhelcristian sailors and bred to fight and survive under the harshest conditions. Islidruk technology consists of the non-consumable parts from those they hunt, slay, cannibalize, or find floating dead in the water. They rely almost exclusively on the bones, teeth, blood, guts, sinew and hides of humanoids, sea serpents, monsters, sharks, whales, seals and other animals, although some tools are made out of worked stone. Their clothing and footwear are made from animal and humanoid skins, sewn together using bone needles and threads made from viscera. In battle, the Islidruk seem to favor close combat, although they are fully capable of using projectile weapons and magic. Typically, they fight as a single unit, hardly ever engaging opponents one-on-one. The entire group will rush forward in an attempt to overwhelm their enemies in a deadly charge with bone blades and melee weapons. If no weapons are available, they will claw and bite their foes with bare hands and teeth. Utterly fearless, the Islidruk fight to the death and until they are wiped out. Death is not to be feared, but embraced; in the end, victory is always attained through sacrifice and loss. With Necromancy so prevalent in their society, giving ones bones, flesh, or corpse to the tribe is viewed as a final contribution to the tribe/crew. As pirates, Iceborn do prize the possessions of others, and covet that which does not come from the dead, especially metal weapons, gold and jewels. A metal weapon or object is a status symbol, marking an individual's position within the tribe/crew. Magic weapons are even more valued. The male Captains/chiefs and female Sea Witches generally have the best metal and magic weapons or items. Islidruk have no way of recognizing a weapon's quality other than to strike an opponent; weapons that kill with a single blow are regarded as more valuable.

As such, magic weapons with special properties are likely never to be discovered, unless their magic property is obvious (such as a flaming sword), or demonstrated and taught specifically to the Islidruk. Though outsiders as nearby as the Kingdom of Harak believe the Islidruk to be the stuff of myth and legend, the Kingdom of Dhelcrist is well aware of the existence of the Islidruk. The King may pretend otherwise, especially to visiting outsiders, but everyone knows a blood-splattered ghost ship is the result of an Islidruk raid. (Such ghost ships are left behind because the Islidruk have little use for flimsy ships and boats made of wood, and rarely take nor even burn them, preferring to leave them adrift to sow terror and mystery amongst their civilized neighbors.) Dhelcristian soldiers, sailors, scholars, and holy men, as well as other traditional North Folk, know the stories, and know the monsters are real. Unofficially, Dhelcrist has been at war with the Islidruk race for at least the last 500 years. Many of the sagas of old tell of an army of "man-beasts" called the Horde. The Horde always comes by sea to conquer and slaughter the people of the North. While the name Islidruk is never directly used, the descriptions do seem to fit. In one saga, a dark mage named Zelru Aooz unites the Horde under his sole authority in a bid to conquer the Northern Island Kingdom of Easquilyae. Thousands of warriors both Human and Elven fought them on the shores Easquilyae, and though the Horde was ultimately defeated, the city of Edderfell was sacked and brought to ruin. Another saga proclaims the Horde drove the North Folk from the island and forced them to seek asylum on the shores of Vron. Dhelcristian scholars debate the authenticity of many of these stories, passed on by oral tradition, due to the lack of archeological evidence of an Islidruk occupation on any of the Northern isles. However, while few Dhelcristians speak of them, most everyone believes the Islidruk are real, exist to this day, and could attack at any time. The Dhelcristian Navy is ordered to seek and destroy Islidruk and their Necroilus vessels on sight. Some commanders are especially vigilant after receiving a reported sighting of the sea serpent ships, but others dismiss the rumors until they are unfortunate enough to have an encounter of their own. Countless times, Dhelcristian sailors and Marines have come to the aid of human settlements and merchant ships after the Islidruk have been spotted in the general vicinity. Sadly, they often show up too late, finding only ghost ships or smoldering ruins and trails of blood leading down to the water's edge. When a vessel in northern waters vanishes, especially on a calm sea, it is usually assumed the Islidruk are responsible.

Orgrillon/Half-Orcs:
Orcs can and usually will crossbreed with virtually every humanoid and demihuman species except elves. The mongrel offspring of Orcs and these other species are known as half-Orcs. Orc-Goblins, Orc-Hobgoblins, and Orc-Humans are the most common. Half-Orcs tend to favor the Orcish strain heavily, and as such are basically Orcs, although 10% of these offspring can pass as ugly Humans. Half-Orcs advance in Orc culture by flaunting their superior ability and in Human culture by associating with people who don't care about appearance. Most tend toward neutrality with slight lawful and evil tendencies, but good half-Orcs are not unknown. Some half-Orcs have split from both cultures to form their own societies in remote areas. These half-Orcs worship their own gods and (like most hermits) are extremely suspicious of strangers

Orc Clans:

1. High Fist Clan
2. Dkou`rine Rider Clan
3. Blazing Hammer Clan
4. Dark Circle Clan
5. Red Blade Clan
6. Dripping Fang Clan
7. Jagged Crown Clan
8. Blue Hair Clan
9. Tunnel Crawlers Clan
10. High Step Clan
11. Flaming Skull Clan
12. Golden Sky Clan
13. Blackrock Clan
14. Stormreaver Clan
15. Twilight's Hammer Clan
16. Black Tooth Grin Clan
17. Bleeding Hollow Clan
18. Dragonmaw Clan
19. Burning Blade Clan
20. Vile Rune Clan
21. Bloody Head Clan
22. Broken Bone Clan
23. Evil Eye Clan
24. Dripping Blade Clan
25. Death Claw Clan

High Orcish Words:
Here are a few High Orcish words that may be heard frequently:

Orka: Orc
Chuma Tuncha: Might is Right
Ras: War
Ex: Slaughter
Punras: Fealty
Junganea: To victory
Jun: Victory
Grog: Beer or ale
Gihael: Glory
Chumras Orka: Orcish Empire