Sgarbini:

[[File:Halforc.png|thumb|Depiction of a female half-orc. <nowiki>https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Half-orc#Description</nowiki>. ]]
'''Half-orcs''' are medium sized humanoids that are descended from [[Orc|orcs]] and [[Human|humans]]. They are typically half human and are a little stronger and taller than their human parent but their appearances can vary wildly. In Quelmar, they are considered New World Crossbreeds, since they were not recognized before 0 BR. They often find themselves as heavy lifters, soldiers, or fighters in general due to their innate strength. Having the combined physical power of their orcish ancestors with the agility of their human ones, half-orcs were formidable individuals. Though they were often shunned in both human and orcish society for different reasons, half-orcs have proven themselves from time to time as worthy heroes and dangerous villains. Their existence implied an interesting back story that most would not like to dwell on.

=== Appearance ===
Half-orcs can look more like their human parent or more like their orc parent. Orcish genetics can vary as they are passed down. Typically, half-orcs have slightly small tusks on their bottom teeth, green or gray-tinted skin, and dark hair. A half-orc individual can take after either or both of their parents, so no half-orc looks the same, even if they're full siblings. Scars are considered very normal amongst orcs and thus half-orcs often wear scars with pride.

Half-orcs were, on average, somewhere from 5 feet and 9 inches to 6 feet and 4 inches (1.8 to 1.9 meters) in height and usually weighed around 155 to 225 pounds (70.3 to 102 kilograms). making them a little taller and stronger than humans on average. Most half-orcs had grayish skin, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, a sloping forehead, and coarse body hair, which caused them to stand out from their human brethren, though their canines were noticeably smaller than a full-blooded orc’s tusks. Half-orcs as such appeared bestial to humans, though amongst orcs they were considered human-like physically. Half-orc hair was most often black, though it grayed very quickly with age. In general, half-orcs did not live as long as humans, maturing by their sixteenth year and often dying before their sixtieth.

Half-orcs that have lived amongst orcs have often picked up the common orcish tradition of ritual scarring. Half-orcs with such a background did not look upon scars as marks of shame or as unattractive blemishes, but rather as marks of pride that demonstrate their skill and bravery in battle. On occasion, however, scars were used for a darker purpose, with orcs marking half-orc slaves with scars in the same manner a rancher might brand cattle.

Half-orcs had shorter lifespans than humans, reaching maturity slightly earlier and rarely living longer than seventy-five years.

=== Personality ===
The personality of a half-orc would depend on how they were raised and who they were raised by. Their unique existence is a personality trait most times by itself. Half-orcs do typically mix the tenacity and adaptability from their human side with impatience and free-spiritedness from their orcish side. Like humans, half-orcs were quick to action, tenacious and bold, and possessed an adaptability that was unusual among most races. This was useful to the race given that they were considered outsiders just about everywhere; they had the ability to thrive in unwelcome or unusual locations, which was a necessity for a half-orc’s welfare.

From their orcish blood, half-orcs typically took less desirable qualities, which added to the discomfort others often felt around them. Few half-orcs had the patience for the etiquette or protocol that civilization has often imposed and were far from quiet about their opinions on the subject. As a result, half-orcs were often perceived as uncouth savages, a reputation accentuated by the orcish love of physical pleasures such as eating, drinking, or dancing. Impatient and ill-tempered were stereotypes that are not too far off the mark for most half-orcs, but these qualities have not been necessarily negative. Sometimes, a brash and straight-to-business attitude has been precisely what is required.

The half-orc personality tended to be short-tempered and sullen, though half-orc mental capabilities have often been underestimated and they were significantly more cunning than full-blooded orcs. More often than not, half-orcs preferred simple pleasures such as feasting, singing, wrestling, or wild dancing to refined pursuits such as poetry or philosophy. Most half-orcs were free-spirited like their orcish brethren, though they had fewer of the evil tendencies that blemished the reputation of orcs and were as likely good as they were evil, at least when raised among humans. Half-orcs were also reputed to be unintelligent and, though this was not true for the entire race, it was a definite trend in some populations.

=== Abilities ===
Half-orcs had a strength uncommon to most humans, though comparable with orcs. They were less durable than their full-blooded kin, but they were typically more dexterous, and indeed more so than most other humanoids. Half-orcs also had a resilience unique to them and when gravely injured, simply seem all the more determined to win, as though the blows had, in fact, empowered them. Similarly, all half-orcs were capable of channeling their feral fury into a powerful attack. These qualities were only temporary, however, and like any other mortal, half-orcs would eventually tire as a battle wore on and could be broken physically.

Half-orcs were also agile, charging swiftly when their rage was aroused. For some half-orcs the conflict of their two heritages developed into something more, becoming the very essence of their being. Other half-orcs gained a thirst for battle that enabled them to weather through battle longer than most found themselves capable of, making them both more resilient and more deadly.
''Relentless Endurance.'' When a PC is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, they can drop to 1 hit point instead. They can’t use this feature again until they finish a long rest.

=== Society ===
In most culture, half-orcs suffered prejudice. Within the lands of their human ancestors, half-orcs were commonly seen as savage thugs and looked down upon. As a result, most half-orcs in human society were forced into menial labor or violence for a career. Some chose to take on the life of an adventurer, perhaps merely as another acceptable means to wealth and power or sometimes as a way to throw off the shackles of other people's perceptions.

Within orc society, half-orcs were often looked down upon as weaker and inferior creatures, but overall they tended to fare better. Most orcs grudgingly acknowledged the superiority of the half-orc's intellect as well as their comparable strength. As a result, it was not entirely unusual for a half-orc raised amongst orcs to rise to a position of power within his or her tribe.

Half-orcs who lived among humans were frequently drawn to adventure simply because few opportunities were present to them for less-violent occupations. Pressured into martial lifestyles and rejected by polite society, half-orcs often only found acceptance among other races by proving their worth as adventurers. Likewise, the only friends a half-orc was likely to make were other adventurers, often being an outcast of sorts.

They often live in cities like [[Galik]]. They are not automatically directly related to orc tribes like the Red Blade Orcs.

=== The Mark of Gruumsh ===
The one-eyed god Gruumsh created the orcs, and even those orcs who turn away from his worship can’t fully escape his influence. The same is true of half-orcs, though their human blood moderates the impact of their orcish heritage. Some half-orcs⁠ hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat—and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. Half-orcs⁠ are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embrace it or rebel against it.

Beyond the rage of Gruumsh, half-orcs feel emotion powerfully. Rage doesn’t just quicken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. An insult stings like acid, and sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures—feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing—fill their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to action than contemplation and to fighting than arguing. The most accomplished half-orcs⁠ are those with enough self-control to get by in a civilized land.

We’re going to look at writing personal plot for a race that’s been around a long time but often fails to get a lot of the love other races deserve. Today, we’re talking about the half-orc. I personally love half-orcs, and one of my favorite PCs I’ve ever played was Rukh Redmane, half-orc paladin, a character who warred between the two sides of his blood. I think they have a lot of role-playing potential, but they often seem to be overlooked.

Half-orcs arguably have their origin back in ''The Lord of the Rings'', where we find a few different examples of people who seem to have mixed human and orcish blood, including the mighty Uruk-Hai. They showed up in 1st edition D&D as a playable race, but they all but vanished from 2nd edition. TSR was trying to clean up D&D’s image, and as a race with potentially problematic origins, they pushed the half-orc to the back of the group. They came back in 3rd edition, however, and they’ve been a mainstay ever since.

One reason half-orcs have been so problematic is that early D&D felt they could only result from violence and rape. More recent editions have handled them differently, including Eberron, which features orcs as being a bit more civilized and suggests that, like half-elves, half-orcs are now essentially a race that breeds true and are their own people. 5th edition also touched on this, suggesting that they could be from the unions of fierce northern barbarians joined n alliance with orcish tribes. In my Shattered Pact campaign, half-orcs are more properly known as Urku. They are actually their own race, having originated from good orcs who followed a good orcish god and who were uplifted by that god to a different state of being. However you want to include half-orcs in your game, make sure that your half-orc players are comfortable with it. This is something good to discuss if someone expresses a desire to play a half-orc during a Session Zero game.

Part of what might generate plot in your campaign might be how the rest of the world views half-orcs. Are they reviled? Feared? Or are they accepted as any other race? Rukh lived in a world where half-orcs were uncommon and despised, and he had a lot of work to do in finding acceptance. Quests to prove oneself and one’s good intentions could be a big part of what constitutes personal plot for a half-orc player character.

The attempt to embrace both sides of one’s nature, as well as the idea of rejecting one side, could be excellent story potential as well. Maybe a half-orc revels in the strength of their orcish nature and wants to cleanse the “weak” human side. Or maybe they are trying to subsume the orcish blood, not letting its rage overcome them. I had actually considered multi-classing into barbarian to represent Rukh’s more untamed side taking over at times. I never did, but it might have made for an interesting plot hook, as he likely would’ve despised the power of his rage. Maybe ultimately, accepting both sides would’ve been the way he could have found peace. Alas that the campaign ended before we got that far.

If half-orcs are truly a mix of orcish and human blood in your campaign, a potential story could be the character dealing with the side of their heritage that they weren’t raised in. Amongst humans, a half-orc is likely larger and stronger, leading them to either be a bully or a protector. What happens when their orcish parent’s tribe starts raiding the village? Will they help fight them off? Betray the place where they grew up (and which perhaps rejected them)? Will they use their blood to enter into diplomacy? Challenge the chief for the right to lead the tribe?

If they grew up among orcs, then they would be smaller and weaker, likely bullied. Did this make them feel inadequate, or did they work twice as hard to be as powerful as the others around them? Maybe they are favored in their tribe for their wits and are chosen to take on an important quest for the good of the tribe, or to be their representative in a quest with others (the other PCs). Their difference could be why they’re capable of getting along with the others.

This makes me think of a campaign in which the PCs are representatives of different peoples going on a quest to save the world, a la Lord of the Rings. Imagine the surprise when the local orcs put up their own representative – the half-orc. “You have my sword.” “And my bow!” “And I will tear the damned throat out of anyone who messes with us!”

I hope this has gotten you thinking about half-orcs and how to support someone who wants to play one in your campaign. I know that Caduceus Clay from Critical Role helped up the popularity of firbolgs as a PC race. I hope that Fjord has done the same for half-orcs. I hope to see more of them down the road.

Dickweedus

2023-04-17T22:12:39Z

Sgarbini:

2023-04-02T23:47:11Z

Sgarbini:

Dickweedus

2023-04-02T22:52:48Z

Sgarbini:

Dickweedus

2023-04-02T22:25:15Z

Sgarbini:

Dickweedus

2023-04-02T22:23:09Z

Sgarbini:

Dickweedus

2023-04-02T22:13:33Z

Sgarbini: Created page with "The first thing to tell you is my character is a Barbarian, not a Ranger. I decided to try something different after filling out the character form sheet thingie. I couldn't..."