Half-Orc

“This looked shorter from the ground,” Yazotha muttered to herself as she scaled the tree.
The choice she made today would speak volumes about her future. This was the next step on her path to adulthood, to becoming of use to the tribe. If only she could get up to the nest.
“You can’t train an eagle,” her half-brother’s voice echoed in her mind. “You’re too human.”
Yazotha shook her head. She may be only half orc but, as Elder Uuthorg always said, we have the gifts we are given. She grinned as the memory gave her an idea, and swung herself dextrously to a higher branch, catching it with her thighs and hauling herself up. That was something none of her full-blood brothers could do.

The nest was right in front of her now and, as she’d planned, the mother was nowhere to be seen. Good, the last thing she needed was a beak-tear across the cheek. As the eaglets caught her scent, they cheeped and squirmed over one another, like fluffy grey dustballs. All except one. It was a little smaller than the others and silent, its intelligent eye trained on her warily.
That one, Yazotha thought, reaching her hand towards it. Perhaps a little smaller than the others, but it will go far.

— Janet Forbes

Half-Orcs: An Overview

Half-orcs vary in identity and outlook, depending on where they grew up. With one foot in the Human world, and one in the Orcish nomadic culture, they may provide a common ground between their two ancestries, or be rejected by both. One thing is for sure - whether they like it or not, they always stand out from the crowd.

Physical description and combat

Standing between five and seven feet tall, with rugged features, prominent teeth, and towering builds, half-orcs command attention. Their hair and skin may be any human tone, but also shades of green. They tend to manifest the pointed ears of their orc parent. Some find their immense physical presence intimidating - and in battle, they can be truly terrifying - but it’s comforting when such an ally has one’s back.

Life span and outlook

A half-orc’s upbringing hugely affects their outlook on life. Orcs and half-orcs live a little less long than humans, but remain strong and capable into their later years. If they have grown up among Orcs, they value their place among their tribe. They often take honor - and everything else - seriously, and will react swiftly to insult. Those who grow up among humans tend to have more of a sense of humour, but may also be tinged with human ambition that drives them to change the world around them, instead of living in balance with it. If they grew up rejected by their home instead of embraced by it, they may struggle with anger and self-loathing.

Families and Societies

Orcs live in noble, nomadic tribes, and their vast ancestral knowledge allows them to make the most of life on the Steppes they roam. They are master-trainers of animals, especially horses and eagles, and the day a young orc catches the eaglet they will train to be their first companion is the day they set foot on the road to adulthood.

Half-orcs raised among orcish tribes usually have the same rights and experiences as other orcs, and while usually not as strong as their muscular, full-orc cousins, a half-orc may have advantages in other areas. Every Orcish tribe is different, but most accept whatever talents nature has given each member of their extended family, as long as they work to hone it for the good of the tribe. Half-orcs are not seen as disadvantaged, but they are recognised as different.

Among many human cultures, half-orcs are admired for their skills: after all, they have the strength and constitution of a natural born athlete or warrior, and can operate in near darkness. In some cultures, particularly more xenophobic or isolated ones, they may be feared or shunned.

Names

Half-Orcs usually bear names tied to the culture in which they were raised. Some may adopt human names to fit into human society, while others embrace their orcish heritage with names that speak of their honor.

Reasons to go Adventuring

Many half-orcs who grew up among humans feel the call of the wild Steppes, and curiosity about the Orcish tribes who roam them. Those who grew up in the nomadic tribes are curious to learn about human cities which never move, and only ever stay in one place. With their physical prowess, half-orcs make excellent adventurers, and are often hired to round out a party.