Orcs

Overview

Orcs are nomadic, tribal hunter-gatherers, and a proud warrior race where honor, strength and physical prowess matter most. Their bodies are decorated with one's achievements, marked in the way of body tatoos, piercings and trophies. They primarily exist in hostile environments where food is scarce, as a result the life of an Orc is one of continuous strife. Not just against nature, but also other tribes and the civil cultures who they have to contend with. When food become scarce it is not uncommon for orc tribes to resort to raiding "civil lands" for additional supplies if bartering is impossible. As Orc life is lived from day to day and based solely on survival, few if any read or write, most of their culture is passed on via oral traditions, song and dance. When two tribes meet it is either for trade or as a means for one tribe to absorb the other. Cannibalism is a natural way of Orc life, supplying the tribe with fresh meats. Upon killing strong enemies Orcs often consume the heart of their opponent in order to both honor them and gain the strength and conviction of those they slew.  

Age old enemies

Orcs have been the age old enemies of the civil races, notably the Orcs and Elves ever since they first appeared upon the continent of Valdova. Dwarves history even claims they fought against Orcs long before they left the Bowels of the Earth. Orcs make their homes at the corners of the wilderness, as hardcore survivals thriving amidst desolation and danger. When a large population boom happens, migration soon follows and with it death and ruin often follow for the civil folk.  

Kraal

The most savage amidst the Orcs are those that dwell within the frigid wastes in the north of Valdova. Their skin tones range from light greys to dark greens and they tend to be the tallest among their kin. Kraal are found throughout the land, yet more commonly found in the Northern reaches of which they take their namesake. Violent and tribal, they raid the southern lands in the summer for slaves, goods and supplies so that they may sustain themselves during the winter. Kraal-Orc sightings near borderland communities always result in violence as they seek to repel the "Orc Farmers" that come to harvest slaves and steal produce from the homes of the people. They all resort to cannibalism of their own kind, hence why they raid borderlands as a means of preventing them from eating eachother. . They ally themselves with other tribal races like goblins, savage humans and sometimes find themselves dominated by the few Giants or Dragons that live within the northern mountains. They primarily venerate Krava, Goddess of Wrath , Iovka, Goddess of the Wilds and Zargov, God of Death.    

Magtok

The Magtok are the desert dwelling Orcs, they are the most spiritual and wise amidst the Orc clans. They reside further southward and as such their skin hues range from medium grey to dark red and brown hues. They resided within remote regions of the world and have kept these areas safe from outsider influences with their magical prowess.Their lands are more hospitable than the Kraal's, and as such they seldomly assault other regions, taking a more pacifist approach to politics. On occasions they create half-Orcs as a means of creating peace between their kin and their neighbors. However those that make the mistake of thinking them weak, soon learn that they hold great strength and primal savagery, reserved only for those that deserve it. They primarily venerate Iovka, Goddess of the Wilds , Kovan, God of Glory and Morska, Goddess of Transitions .  

Castes

Warriors make up the highest caste in Orc society, with chieftains forming the apex within a tribe. Following that are those that speak to the ancestors and primal spirits, the shamans who are in turn followed by the beastmasters responsible for taming dangerous entities for the tribes to use. Everyone else follows last. Those in the higher castes gain the first pickings off loot, plunder and food, breeding extreme competition within tribes itself. A chieftain can only remain a chieftain by continuously proving that they are better than the rest and defeating would-be Chieftains that challenge them to Honor Combat. Most chieftains have multiple partners and children with most of them to ensure a strong legacy. Within families there are no limits to the amount of sexual partners a male or female Orc may have and relationships are generally flighty.  

Half-Orcs

When Orc tribes conquer or join hands with human tribes Half-Orcs form the basis of this unison, birthed from a suitably strong and worthy male or female human partner. The main tribe however sees them more often as second class, or as privileged and spoiled if they are the child of a Chieftain. As such Half-Orcs have to pull their weight, prove their worth or are quickly shunned for their birth.