Orcs

Roaming the western plains in nomadic clans, the orcs of Amentir are a fierce and brutal people with a love of combat. Exceptionally hardy and resilient, orcs are capable of great feats of exertion. They have a remarkable resistance to pain, heal with uncanny speed and will shrug off wounds that would fell the more fragile races.

Orcs are a highly passionate people, quick to laughter, but also quick to anger, with disputes amongst them often turning violent. However they are also quick to forgive and forget. Arguments are usually soon resolved, and once settled orcs rarely hold a grudge. Though to an outsider the squabbles and fights among orcs may make them seem unpredictable or even savage, orcs view these altercations as simply a normal way of life.

Orcs tend to favour a direct approach, whether in combat or simply in daily life. They are a straight forward people with little time for the subtleties and intricacies that mark the social interactions of other folk. To others, not used to their ways this sometimes makes them appear dull witted, even blunt and rude. Though orcs are certainly capable of adapting their ways to socialise with other races, for many it is a struggle to keep their violent passions in check.

Physical Description
Powerfully built, orcs typically stand a clear head taller than most humans and have much greater muscle mass. They are broad shouldered, with overlong arms and a hunched posture. Their leathery skin ranges from a mossy green to a dark grey, with coarse dark hair, beady eyes ranging from a deep red to yellow, long, pointed ears and lantern jaws filled with protruding, tusk-like teeth. Traditionally, orcs dress in hides and leathers along with other fabrics for which they trade with other races. Many orc tribes have traditions of scarification and tattooing, with various scars and designs marking significant points in an orc’s life.

Society
Traditional orc society is tribal in nature with the people of each tribe recognising no authority beyond their own chief and spiritual leaders. The largely scattered and nomadic clans roam the grasslands of Western Amentir, herding great horned beasts known as Krulloc. Moving from place to place in search of new grazing lands for their herds.

The only known permanent orc settlements are holy places where the orcs inter the bones of their dead in underground cave systems. These ‘spirit caves’ are tended and watched over by orc priests and others who feel the calling to revere the dead.

Outside of their tribes, orcs can be found spread throughout Amentir. Though sometimes ill disciplined, they are highly sort after as warriors, guards and physical labourers and orcs that choose to live among other races can often be found in these positions. A highly superstitious people, orcs living amongst other races tend to maintain their own gods and traditions as well as incorporating new ideas into their beliefs.

With little in the way of material good to trade, many orc tribes practice a tradition known as ‘kraal-osh’ whereby merchants or traders can buy the service of young orcs for a set period of time, in return for gold, weapons or other trade goods for the tribe. Amongst some tribes the kraal-osh is an initiation test, with orcs not seen as being fully adult until they have completed their service to the tribe. While in service to another, the young orcs are expected to represent the tribe, to be fearless in battle and to obey their masters. When the term of service is over, the young orcs are welcomed back into the tribe in a ceremony of celebration.

Relations
Orcs are often considered somewhat crude and less civilised by the other peoples of Amentir. Indeed many humans see them as a generally trustworthy, but slightly unpredictable tool, best used and directed by sharper minds.

Though no longer at war, orcs have a history of conflict and bloodshed with the dwarven kingdoms and relationships between the two peoples are often strained, sometimes to the point of violence.