An orc ready for battle
Orcs are one of the several races of Durn.
Description[]
Orcs are a race of strong fighters who live in Mount Heldeofol. Their skin is green, leading them to sometimes be referred to as "greenskins" by other races.
It is well-known that orcs eat humans. They are a violent race without qualms about doing things other races find abhorrent.
History[]
Despite the violence of their warrior-culture, the orcs have a rich oral history, handed down by the alpha-males of each tribe. All the orcs live in caves within Mount Heldeofol, but they venture out to hunt and trade.
They never stop mining with their mountain, and their tunnels go on for hundreds of miles underneath the mountain. Orcs breed drask, which are a magical cross between a dragon and a Jotunn Lizard. Their drask are highly-prized.
The orcs have been involved in several wars with the other races of Durn over the years. The elves are their sworn enemies; it is an ancient animosity that dates back several thousand years.
Biology and Culture[]
Orcs are a mortal race. They can live longer than humans, with their maximum life expectancy at about 150-160 years. However, the males rarely live that long, because they engage in constant battle and warfare. The females do tend to live long lives, and have huge broods of children, which is part of the reason why orcs engage in almost constant warfare. Orcs are polygamous, and it is normal for one powerful male to have several dozen females in his harem. However, the alpha males will regularly fight over females, and if one male defeats another, the females from the loser's harem typically will leave and go with the winner. This type of loss is a public disgrace, and great shame is attached to the loser, especially if he survives. It is common for the defeated male to be slaughtered after a battle.
Orcs, particularly males, are very strong and muscular. They're taller than most humans. Their skin is green and they have long, large yellowed teeth. Male orcs produce an oily secretion from their axillary glands. The secretion has mildly toxic and hallucinogenic properties. It's also notoriously foul-smelling.
Orcs have a robust history and oral tradition. They do not have a written language. It is rumored that they have an oracle, similar to the dwarf's Kynn Oracle, but any additional information beyond that is unknown.
Orcs do not use healers, considering it a weakness. If an orc falls in battle, he is carried off the battlefield and left to either fend for himself or die. Female orcs do not fight. All males are expected to train and fight as warriors.
The orcs burn their dead (discussed in Book 5).