Orcs

Orcs first came from Gargaros, a land of ire and ash and broken stone, born from the blood of the Great Hydra, spilled in its mighty battle with Hyperion. Possessed by madness and destruction, they are the ancestral enemy of Arkadia. Many times their hordes attacked her land, only to break upon the shields of Erebos, Hyperium, and Kryta.

There are many tribes of orcs scattered throughout Gargaros. The Cerberans train cerberus worgs to hunt and kill; the Cyclopax fight alongside cyclopean giants; and the Hydrak, the largest and most hated - even by their own kind - who worship the bound titan, seeking to free it through fire and blood. Despite such ancient animosity, some tribes of orcs have come to find a place in Arkadia, especially among the Krytans who value strength and physical prowess above all else. These orcs were first taken as slaves during one of the many wars with Gargaros. Thrown into the fighting pits and gladiatorial arenas they displayed such power and ferocity that the king, impressed, granted them freedom and a place in his army. Many orcs have since taken to the worship of Krytos with abandon, finding in the mighty god a surrogate father who shares their savagery and love of combat.

Often called giants due to their impressive size, orcs typically stand 6 to 7 feet tall, though the orcs of Gargaros can grow even larger. Their skin is the color of ochre clay; orange, reddish brown, or ashen grey, often varying from tribe to tribe. Many orcs wear black warpaint in stark bands and square keyed patterns.

Valuing strength and dominance above all else, orcs, as a Hyperian general once put it, make excellent warriors and terrible soldiers. Their physical prowess and violent nature make them most at home in Kryta, whose army cares more for the might of individuals than the discipline of lines. Their fearlessness and unbridled aggression on the field make them an unstoppable force, ideal as linebreakers, often turning the tide of battle almost single-handed. Some, lacking even the control for this, become mercenaries. Others take to the fighting pits or, with some luck, the grand coliseums of Illyria, untouched by Gargaran raids, where their prodigious size and strength are coveted for their exotic nature.

Ability Score Increase. Your strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Orcs mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.

Alignment. Orcs are chaotic by nature.

Size. Orcs are far larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 6 to well over 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Since your ancestors were accustomed to the perpetual ash-choked twilight of Gargaros, you have superior vision in dark and idm conditions. 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 can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Colossal Build. Your carrying capacity and the amount of weight you can push, drag, or lift is doubled as if you were one size category larger. 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. You can also speak Orcish, though it has no written form. Orcish is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants.