Half-orcs

[Possibly Ten]

Half-orcs

Half-orcs are fairly common throughout Faerûn. They have no true homeland to call their own and as a result most spend their lives wandering the world in search of a purpose. Half-orcs are invariably the product of a human and an orc, but stories are told of half-orcs carrying the blood of dwarves, goblins, hobgoblins, and even halflings, gnomes, and elves. Orcs are a fecund race, and such stories likely have some genesis in truth.

A half-orc is usually about as tall as a human and a little heavier. Their skin tends to be gray with green or even purple undertones, and their faces feature sloping brows, jutting jaws with prominent teeth, and flat, squashed noses. This and their coarse body hair make their lineage plain for all to see.

[Teneas]

History

Half-orcs have been a part of Faerûn for a very long time, but nonetheless they have never organized into a true civilization of their own. Unique half-orcs often gain great power in their chosen field and become well known in history texts, but their exploits are always in the name of another people, or (more often) isolated incidents not tied to any particular civilization.

Outlook


Most half-orcs are surly individuals who endured horrible childhoods.
They are too coarse and savage to fit in well with humans, and too fragile and thoughtful to fit in with orcs. As a result, the majority of half-orcs grow up alone and without any influence from orc or human society. Thus, half-orcs speak their mind and act upon their feelings without any fear of repercussions. They are nomads, loners, and hermits at best, and murderers and savages at worst.

Without a place to call a home, and often without a family or close friends to count on for companionship, half-orcs learn from an early age to look out for themselves. This is often interpreted as greed or selfishness by other races, but too many halforcs have learned the hard way that they are not welcome in any land, and must provide for themselves.

Half-Orc Society

Although the half-orcs of Faerûn have no true nation to call their own, there are some small regions in the world that are ruled by their kind. Strangely, it seems that when half-orcs gather in large groups like this, they tend to be much more civilized than their feral orc kin. The city of Palischuk in Vaasa, for example, is a ruined city rebuilt by a large tribe of nearly ten thousand half-orcs who now trade peacefully with their neighbors.

Another example is Phsant in Thesk, a city with a strong gray orc presence and a growing half-orc community.

Language and Literacy


All half-orcs speak both Common and Orc. They are accepted on the fringes of both orc and human societies, and being able to communicate clearly with both dramatically increases a halforc’s
chance to find allies. Although they don’t particularly make gifted linguists, half-orcs learn a number of other languages simply as a result of their nomadic, wandering lifestyles. Other languages commonly learned by half-orcs include Damaran, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, Illuskan, and Undercommon. All half-orcs are literate except for barbarians, adepts, commoners, and warriors.

Races of Faerun pages 67-68

[Teneas]

Relations with Other Races

Half-orcs have uphill battles to fight when interacting with most other races, since many are quick to assume that their orcish blood carries with it an inherent savagery and cruelty. Most half-orcs return this suspicion and trepidation when interacting with others. They make friends only with difficulty. Once trust is established, it is often a fleeting thing that can be fractured with one misinterpreted comment. Often, a half-orc joins an adventuring company and never feels fully at ease with her traveling companions no matter how many times they have proven their loyalty.

Half-Orc Equipment

Half-orcs, as a race, have not developed any unique types of exotic weapons, although many individuals favor orc weapons such as the double axe. Most of them are reticent about owning more equipment and gear than they can easily carry, both because of their nomadic spirits and because they must always be ready to tear up their roots and move on if their neighbors suddenly decide to turn on them.


Races of Faerun source page 68

[hyurg]

Living In The Now

Half-orcs have the shortest life span of any of the common races. Even if they survive their various adventures, few half-orcs live past the age of 70 or 75, and 60 is considered an advanced age.
As a consequence of this situation, half-orcs take their lives either very seriously or not seriously at all. Some individuals cherish every moment, seeking to wring as much satisfactionas they can out of life before it ends. Others feel that, since their lives are so brutish and short, nothing truly matters, and they do whatever comes to mind with no thought for the consequences.
For example, few half-orcs save money; they prefer to spend whatever they have right away, while they can. At the same time, half-orcs rarely bother with luxury items. They may indulge in good food, good drink, and good weapons and armor, but fine furniture, rich clothing, and luxurious homes seem foolish purchases to someone who may not live long enough to fully enjoy them.

The Stupid Stereotype

Everyone assumes that half-orcs are strong but stupid, and so they are taught as children to rely on their physical prowess rather than their intellect. Many half-orcs believe that strength is their only asset, so they fall into the role of "big and stupid" because they resign themselves to it and society expects it.
Half-orcs can be quick and stealthy, but most blunder about instead because they do not consider themselves agile or quiet and so have never honed certain skills. Half-orc rogues are rare but surprisingly effective, in part because no one expects a half-orc to be able to hide and sneak successfully.

Leisure

Half-orcs enjoy the simple pleasures of life. They like drinking, eating, carousing, singing boisterous songs, and getting into an occassional scrap that allows them to test their mettle.
Loud music, dangerous brawls, and copious quantities of alcohol have the same effect on a half-orc: They enable him to momentarily lose himself in sensation and forget the pain and cruelty of his existence. When a half-orc is beating a drum with all his might or smashing a skeleton to bits, he isn't thinking about his heritage or his place in society. He is entirely caught up in the moment and oblivious to everything else because it's irrelevant.
Because physical acts provide such visceral sensations, half-orcs find great joy in running, wrestling, and test of strength, especially when competing against others. Even half-orcs who have controlled their violent behavior still show signs of aggression and are at least moderately competitive.
When they get caught up in the moment during some form of intense physical activity, many half-orcs lack the common sense to know when enough is enough. They either push themselves to such and extent that they get sick or injured, or they injure someone else.

Races of Destiny page 44 and 45

[hyurg]

Arts And Crafts

Half-orcs have little understanding of creative endeavors and cannot comprehend what others see in paintings, sculptures, and certain forms of music. Still, half-orcs do revel in the beat of primitive music and the display of crude imagery - the savageness of such "art forms" appeals to their orc blood.
When half-orcs enjoy art, it's almost always as a recipient and not as a creator. In their formative years, half-orcs are more often handed swords instead of paint brushes and shields instead of wood carving tools. Nevertheless, some half-orcs do pick up a brush or a trowel or a chisel and teach themselves to create works of beauty. Most members of the race are content to admire such works, and occasionally to buy them with the money they earn from selling their fighting talents. Half-orcs are particularly fond of art that illustrates idyllic landscapes, because these works provide a window into a world they could never enter otherwise.

Technology And Magic

Half-orcs are rarely taught to read and write, and even fewer learn advanced subjects. As a result, many technical trades are beyond them, and few would believe that a half-orc could be an inventor or an engineer. Half-orcs are relatively cunning, however, and can often see the practical elements in a new device - or the flaws that only someone closely connected to the real world would notice.
Half-orcs have no problems using devices, and most are willing to try new types of equipment. Their own lives have shown them that appearance is not always a key indicator of quality, and they keep an open mind about new ideas and new tools. But they are users, not creators, of these ideas and tools.
This "user, not creator" tendency extends to magic as well. Few half-orcs study magic, in part because most spellcasters and many churches refuse to consider them for admission as students. Nevertheless, half-orcs have no innate objection to magic; most are willing to work with spellcasters, fight for them, and use the magic items they create. Half-orc spellcasters are few and far between, but those few are highly respected, for they bring a determination and a resilience to the use of magic that few others can match. Other wizards automatically take a half-orc spellcaster seriously - if she's capable enough to overcome the inherent disadvantages of her race, she's capable enough to worry about.
Strangers often assume that the relative stupidity of half-orcs causes them to reject technology and magic. This assumption is unfair and untrue. Half-orcs are not bright compared to their human kin, but they can think circles around their orc relatives. A few rare half-orcs prove to be quite intelligent and even studious, if given a chance to show what they can do.

Races of Destiny pages 45 and 46

[hyurg]

Half-Orcs At War

Half-orcs are expected to excel at combat, and many do. Their size and strength give them an inherent advantage over a large number of foes, and many learn to channel their childhood rage into a battlefield frenzy, becoming deadly opponents. Of course no one expects them to care about strategy, and as a result most half-orcs serve merely as foot soldiers and shock troops, to be sent here and there across the battlefield as the situation warrants.
Half-orcs are more cunning than many people realize, and their experience with pain and hardship provides them with insight into the ways of armies and soldiers. Half-orcs make excellent scouts, because they can cover distances with good speed and can dispatch any enemy soldiers they encounter along the way. Because half-orcs have darkvision, they are particularly good at nighttime scouting and reconnoitering.

Races of Destiny page 46

[ranger]

Half-orcs are humanoids born of both human and orc ancestry by a multitude of means. Combining the physical power of their orcish ancestors with the agility of their humans ones, half-orcs can be formidable individuals. Though often shunned in both human and orcish society, though for different reasons, half-orcs have proven themselves from time to time as worthy heroes and dangerous villains. Their existence implies an interesting backstory that most would not like to dwell on.Like other half-breeds, half-orcs combine the natures of both their lineages into a unique whole, a trait which extends into their mentality as well as their physical qualities. Like humans, half-orcs are quick to action, tenacious, and bold, with an adaptability that is unusual amongst most races. This is useful to the race, given that they are considered outsiders just about everywhere and so the ability to thrive in unwelcome or unusual locations is a necessity for a half-orc’s welfare.
From their orcish blood, half-orcs take less desirable qualities typically, which adds to the discomfort others often feel around them. Few half-orcs have the patience for the etiquette or protocol that civilization often imposes and are far from quiet about their opinions on the subject. As a result, half-orcs are often perceived as uncouth savages, a reputation perhaps accentuated by the half-orcish love of physical pleasures such as eating, drinking, or dancing. Impatient and ill-tempered are stereotypes that are not too far off the mark for most half-orcs, but these qualities are not necessarily negative. Sometimes, a brash and straight to business attitude is precisely what is required.
The half-orc personality tends to be short tempered and sullen, though half-orc mental capabilities are often underestimated and members of the race are often significantly more cunning than full-blooded orcs. More often than not, half-orcs prefer simple pleasures such as feasting, singing, wrestling, or wild dancing to refined pursuits such as poetry or philosophy. Most half-orcs are free-spirited like their orcish brethren, though they have fewer of the evil tendencies that blemish the reputation of orcs and are as likely good as they are evil, at least when raised amongst humans.