Overview:
A large war band of orcs currently occupies the furthest western reaches of Ehriidore in two of the continents most corrupted coastal nations known as "Yrim'Chalin" and "Orak'Xalm". Here is where they amass their armies and prepare for yet another opportunity to assault their neighboring kingdoms.
The orcish tribes start in this campaign world somewhat low in number compared to that of other well known races, however this can and will quickly change thanks to their reproduction rates (see chart below). Orcs breed much the same as other mortals in the realm, however they almost always give birth to much larger sets of offspring (called litters). A mature female will usually produce 6-8 orcs a year, with a gestation period of around 6 months.
| Orc Reproduction Stats/Facts |
DM Notes For Arkuth |
| 1 out of every 3 offspring are female |
If required, up to 50% could be female (but not usually) |
| Females usually produce 6-8 offspring per litter / year |
I use the minimum (6) |
| Orc gestation period equals 6 months (conception to birth) |
Usually females only give birth once a year, but technically could have 2 litters |
| Orcs mature at 6 years of age and can begin reproduction at this time |
Approximately 10% of the males will not live to see this age however |
| 1000 orcs in a band, will become 6,400 orcs within 7 years (see below) |
Remember this is minimum! |
Orc tribes usually consist of 30-80 orcs, with one-third of them being females at various stage of development. The young age rapidly and can feed themselves within 6 months, having a full set of teeth and the ability to move around upright free from help. After 6 years male orcs are fully grown and are given battle names and are excepted into the tribe as a warrior. Females also fully mature at this time and can begin to produce their own litters.
A basic example of Orc reproduction is presented here; 1000 Orcs in a War band would equal 333 females, of which 200 can produce a minimum of 1200 offspring a year (400 female and 800 males). Population is now 2,200. Within 6 years all 400 of these new female can reproduce, plus the original 333. For the sake of argument, we'll say 700 of these females are still alive. They can now produce another 4,200 offspring within the next year (1400 more females). Population will grow exponentially at this point having 6,400 orcs within a 7 year period.
General
Traits, Life Expectancy:
One of the most feared and menacing races of the realm. Orcs are unforgiving, cruel and savagely feral in attitude and behavior. All Orcs are carnivorous, preferring meat over any other source of sustenance. If fresh meat cannot easily be found, they will simply attack and kill each other off for food.
In Arkuth, most Orcs stand anywhere from 4'5 to 5'5 in height and weight anywhere from 125
to 205 lbs depending on their lineage. Occasionally a much larger Orc will come to exist, these individuals typically become orcish leaders. All Orcs have light greenish-gray to dark green or burnt colored skin, however their
actual hide is somewhat tough and well adapted to their ancestral wilder land
climates.
Orcs can live up to ages not exceeding 80, but generally don't live
much longer then 20 years of age.
Social
Structure, Government, Laws, Religion:
Well
this can be summed up in very few words. Orcs follow whatever laws or guidelines
the find the most expedient during the present time in question. The strong
rule over the weak and those left behind are stomped into the dirt. Chaos
and treachery are the standard in life and rules are only set for the
most gullible to follow.
Religion amongst orcish societies is almost non-existent, however many of them make sacrifices to various deities, the most notable
being "Gruumsh". Monthly sacrifices are made to Gruumsh within local gorges, ravines or volcano's. They typically sacrifice whatever captured humanoids they have on hand, to whatever foul
beasts rest in the depths below.
If no victims can be found to sacrifice at months end, they improvise and
cast the old, weak or crippled into these pits of damnation "Just keep Gruumsh
happy".
Armor,
Weapons and Advancements:
The
armor which orcs choose to use in battle ranges from leather, to chain,
to plate mail and every combination in between. Generally strapping a few
plate chunks to a leather shell suits their needs just fine. Only the best warriors
receive sets of actual plate armor. However they are made in the crudest of fashion, loose
fitting and have awkward buckles and straps.
The orcish
war arsenal consists of a massive barrage of shrade swords, spiked
maces, double bladed axes and a host of other savage weaponry. They have
perhaps designed some of the most brutal, blood thirsty weapons in all Arkuth
and proudly display them no matter where they raid.
The orcs greatest advancement
within the realm involves the use of their own mass numbers. There battle strategies often look disorganized, but in fact their swarming tactics allow them to quickly wipe out enemies
and utterly destroy all who stand in their way. Orcs have developed some of the greatest
tactical war strategies used throughout history and quickly learn from any
prior mistakes. Swarm-like assaults are perhaps an orcish war band's most devastating attack form and thus these vile beings should be respected as one of Arkuth's
most efficient war machines.
Hunting
Strategies, Tactics, Local Game:
Strategies
include snares, pitfalls, swinging logs and mass ambush. Orcs usually hunt
in troops of 10, tracking down large game and bringing them down at all
costs. They tend to lose 2-3 members each time a hunting party heads out
and will almost always destroy half the meat trying to slow their prey.
Local game consists of tigers, giant ape, rhino, braxat, sasquatch, owlbear,
giant kind (of all types), bear, giant elk and many other wilderness creatures.
Trading
Habits, Routes:
Orcs simply do not have any trade routes or trade agreements within any local regions. The take
what they want and want what they take!
Slaughtering innocent caravans,
high jacking nomads and raiding villages are all but a few of the ways Orcs
benefit from non-trade agreements.
Use
of Animals/Mounts:
Mule,
yak, goats, elephants, sheep and worgs are all part of the orcish lifestyle. All of these
beasts are used in daily situations including use as; plow animals, breeding
stock and food preparation.
Mounts include dire wolves, dire boar, mammoth elephants, war horses, cave or grizzly bear and rhino. Rhino are the preferred
mounts to use during battle in Ehriidore as they are easily found and are one of the most trainable creatures the orcs can control and equip with armor.
Goals,
Passions, Perseverance:
Orcs
seem to exist only to terrorize all other living beings / creatures. They have
a strong passion for destroying all Dwarf kind, yet have an equal amount
of hatred towards Humans, Elves and Halflings. Orcs stop at
nothing to rid of all other humanoid races with the exception of Ogres, goblins and
a handful of other evil aligned beings.
Orcs believe that Humans and Elves are the cause
of their undesirable location within Arkuth and take every opportunity
to advance their colonies back into the central most regions of the realm, focusing mainly on the eventual destruction of "LevynFrae" and it's surrounding Human kingdoms.
Misery
and bitter rage keep the Orcs motivated and the sheer displeasure towards mortals
in general sets them apart from any other race.
Education,
Alphabet, Languages:
Education is for the weak! Youth learn from their mistakes or perhaps from their peers.
In any given situation Orcs have very rudimentary minds and/or natural wit
and pure luck allows them to learn life's necessary teachings. Orcs of Arkuth
speak "orcish" and any others dialects they pick up before wiping out the societies the march on.
Magical
Expectancy, Usage:
Magic is viewed with awe and is excepted in Orc society as long as it brings additional power to the group.
Magic
is used mainly for fortification purposes and can sometimes be used by
orcish armorist's or weaponsmith's in the manufacturing of higher quality weapons. Magic
is also used to subdue mounts and creatures of massive girth and size.
Racial
Customs, Burial Ceremonies, Celebrated Holidays:
Once
again, Orc customs are what you make them. If you see it fit to slay an innocent
human weekly, then so be it, perhaps others will join in on your lunacy.
Orcs
cremate there dead, usually high atop of pile of burning brush or logs. If no wood
can be spared, they will simply bury the deceased under a pile of rocks or within a mound of dirt. Gravestones are not necessary, but can be found at the head of particularly great
leaders.
Housing
Materials, Architecture, Skills:
Orcs
use logs and large boulders as their main staples of construction. Moss, mud and wood
shavings are used to fill the cracks, thus slowing wind and rain from penetrating
the inner rooms.
Sometimes orcish housing can be found within the ground
itself, but these structures generally have some kind of pitched wooden roof
covered in a thick layer of dirt. Other Orcs simply dig into the earth and build large underground homes which often appear as mounds.
It's not common, but a rare Orc within a colony has the ability to lead or direct construction. These Orcs are typically the slave drivers of the war band and they maintain a constant flow of labor. Things usually get done fast and when they don't, there is Gruumsh to pay!
