In-Depth Information;

Appearance Large humanoids with thick features, large hands, and prominent, powerful jaws and fangs. They can be thickly muscular, or more wiry, depending on the individual and what tribe they belong to. Their skin is thick and tough, commonly displaying shades of brown, green, or grey, although other colors have been reported. Skin tone can be even, or mottled in appearance. Their ears are slightly pointed, and their hair naturally grows long, although many orcs will shave all or part of their hair and braid or fasten what's left. Some may seem deformed in their features, whether by birth defect or thick scarring from lives filled with violence.

Arkuun: Orcs of the Arkuun tribe, called 'beastmaster orcs' by outsiders, are large, well-built orckin with muscular bodies - but they are not as thickly built or heavy as their war cousins, nor as lithe as the Trenels and Eltkral. Males have large tusks that protrude from their faces, while females have sharp, but short, fangs. Their skin tones are often colors of browns and greens with grey undertones and darker, animal-like markings. Most Arkuun orcs will wear furs and leathers with little to no metal.

Eltkral: Orcs of the Eltkral tribe, called 'cryptic orcs' by outsiders, are small in stature and are very often deformed and lopsided due to either birth defects or the use of their magic itself. However, they are still strong and lithe, and many are much faster than the other variants. Their skin colors can be of any shade, with any markings, but their eyes are always bright and intense. Most Eltkral orcs enjoy wearing dyed feathers, carved bones, and teeth.

Rhonkirr: Orcs of the Rhonkirr tribe, commonly referred to as 'war orcs' by outsiders, are large and imposing, heavily muscular, and thickly built. This is the largest and the most well-known of orc tribes, and many tend to think of a Rhonkirr when picturing an orc's basic appearance. Both males and females have tusks, and males' tusks can both grow to be very great in size and be accompanied by jutting fangs that may result in the inability to close the mouth fully or speak clearly. Their skin colors are often darker in shade and mottled, and can commonly be found covered in battle scars. Rhonkirr orcs enjoy wearing the fruits of their pillaging - heavy armor, jewels, beautiful weapons, whatever they can glean off of the corpses of their enemies. The better quality the armor and weapons of a war orc, the higher rank that orc is likely to be.

Trenels: Orcs of the Trenels tribe, called 'hunter orcs' by outsiders, are smaller and lithely built. They are neither overbearingly muscular nor too thin; some may even be considered comely in appearance than the other orc races. Their skin tones range across the board, though dark and earthy tones with animalistic markings are most common. Most Trenels orcs wear furs and leathers that they craft themselves, along with bone, tooth, and claw adornments. Piercings are very common, as are tattoos.

Zilnaatu: Orcs of the Zilnaatu tribe, called 'raid orcs' by outsiders, may have every conceivable appearance; this includes but is not limited to: build, skin tone, eye color, markings, mutations, and more. This particular tribe is where hybrids, mutants, and exiles are found, and thus orcs from the Zilnaatu have a variety of heritages and can look like nearly anything. Most of their garb is either handmade, pillaged, or scavenged from the dead.

Culture Renowned as a savage, brutal race, orcs are prone to violence, and often raid other species when they aren't fighting amongst themselves. Their society is dedicated to martial prowess, and they will often spend their time honing their combat skills, with most opting to learn how to wield as many weapons as possible.

Although they are regarded as savages, they have developed a harsh but fair code of honor on which their society stands, and when they march to battle, they move in disciplined ranks. However, their society lacks a single leader, and their allegiances lie along tribal lines, dominated by powerful warlords, who in turn are aided by clan shamans. Each tribe has its own cultural views listed below.

Arkuun: Tribe of the beastlords. Arkuun orcs care very little for politics or family; their animals are every bit as important as any orcish individual, and warlords are often those who can tame and raise the biggest, most violent, and most vicious beasts they can find. The Arkuun are the only tribe where leadership is not decided by battle.

Eltkral: Tribe of the mystics. Instead of a single warlord, the Eltkral is led by three - and these three warlords are considered the most powerful magically in the entire orc race. These warlords are often ringed with shamans and seers, seeking to consult the bones or teeth for prophecy on any worthwhile occasion. Most infighting among this tribe is a result of the three warlords disagreeing, and duels to replace a warlord are filled with feats of the arcane. Otherwise, the Eltkral is a very ritualistic and mysterious tribe, one that the other tribes (and even its own members) often fail to understand.

Rhonkirr: Tribe of the warriors. Largest and most well-known of the orc tribes, violence reigns, wreathed in everything from politics to romance. The strongest orc always rules as warlord, and must fight off competitors often to hold to power. Rhonkirr orcs lean more towards patriarchy due to sheer physical strength, though female leaders are not completely unknown. Most disputes are handled with physical violence that can range anywhere from fist fights to murder, and there is no official justice system other than fear and beatings.

Trenels: Tribe of the hunters. Perhaps the easiest tribe to get along with as far as outside relations go, the Trenels orcs do not often go on raids or solve their problems with violence. Their warlord is always the eldest among them, and the most knowledgeable - and the trial by combat when he is to step down and allow a new orc to take his place is seen as a way to grant the elder an honorable death more than any sort of challenge. They pride themselves on agriculture, merchantry, and all forms of trade. Most Trenels orcs are not as prone to violence as their fellows, though brawls are a common way to settle disagreements without bloodshed.

Zilnaatu: Tribe of the outcasts. Most Zilnaatu groups are a mishmash of tribes, and their culture varies from clan to clan.

Abilities Orcs are an immensely varied, but primarily physical, race in what they may do and what skills they have. Most are very physically strong, and their skill at arms can match that of even the greatest warriors among other races. All orcs have a natural resistance to disease and toxins. To add to that, their sheer ferocity in battle allows them to continue fighting evenly if grievously wounded, although they may still die from their wounds afterward. Magic is uncommon, but can be found in any tribe; details follow.

Arkuun: While they are adept at wrestling, an assortment of weaponry, and all types of physical altercations, Arkuun orcs have the unique ability to bond with the animals they raise - and though these bonds rarely amount to that between, for example, dragon and rider, some are known to be able to see through the eyes of their beasts and feel their pain. Many are wildwhisperers, able to communicate with animals directly, and their skill with raising fauna of all types is unmatched.

Eltkral: The most powerful magically, often the only tribe that very frequently has mages and other various magic users in their ranks. All Eltkral orcs have some amount of magical ability, from meager elements to great reiatsu control and more. This tribe also renders the most Seers of any other, as well as clerics to various (and usually dark) gods. However, they are also the physically weakest of the tribes.

Rhonkirr: The strongest orcs with the greatest level of endurance; a Rhonkirr orc's strength and ferocity simply add to their effectiveness in battle. Strong and hardy, they can quickly cover ground over long distances on foot, and their tough skin is not easily injured. Rhonkirr orcs do not, however, commonly have great magic - and to be found with such may get them exiled to the Zilnaatu.

Trenels: Gifted with great speed and the ability to both see in the dark and sense the presence of nearby animals (and other living things), the Trenels orcs are superior hunters. Many also hold earth and nature magic, and all are raised with the knowledge of not only hunting for game but also growing their own food and other facets of agriculture. While they are physically strong, they are not so much as the Rhonkirr and Arkuun, yet not as physically weak as the Eltkral.

Zilnaatu: Zilnaatu have an assortment of abilities, both magical and physical, due to their often mixed heritage or status as exiles, mutants, or those otherwise not with the other tribes. Thus, generalities cannot be made for what they are able to do.

Subspecies;

Forest Yeti
Classification: forest-bound, apelike orc. Location: deep forests.

Close cousins of the yeti, they share many similarities to their icebound brethren. Like them they are large, bulky and covered in dense fur while any exposed skin resembles thick hide. Their fur is nowhere near as long as the yeti and naturally shaggy in appearance, tending to come in earthier shades with any number of greys, browns, reds, tans, creams, greens, or combination of these colors possible. It is prone to forming camouflage-like patterns to help them blend into the thick forests they call home. Faces are heavily ape-like in appearance with pronounced canine teeth, sometimes extruding, (especially in males), and fingers and feet are fleshier with higher dexterity. They share the great strength of yetis and are similar to them in size, coming out at just slightly shorter on average. Their diets are more omnivorous than orc and yeti as they’re gatherers, taking what is readily available without much effort. As a result they are masters of the forest and there are few who can surpass their natural knowledge.

Known for a solitary, nomadic, and elusive nature, a lot of their social lives and habits are unknown. Most live alone or in small family groups consisting of two or three individuals; large gatherings have yet to be reported. Sightings of them are rare as they almost never leave their forests and those that do are usually being forced out by fire, famine, or other influence. For reasons not fully understood they are notoriously difficult to track, even by magical means, and seem to evade traps expertly. Few but the most skilled trackers stand a chance at finding them, less so if they don’t want to be found. This only adds to their legend as secretive ghosts of the forest.

Forest yeti, as a species, have difficulties learning language due to their enlarged canines and faces and so their communication is a series of grunts, screams, and growls. They’re the most peaceful of all orcs, keeping to themselves unless bothered and are a curious race. Yeti and orcs view their cousins unfavorably, considering them simple and unintelligent, and hybrids between them are almost unheard of. When enraged they have a blood-curling war cry, usually used as a warning first, and will relentlessly hunt down any threat, making them a formidable foe.

Yeti
Classification: ice-bound orc. Location: arctic regions, tundra, and higher elevations.

Perhaps as a natural defense against the cold climates this subspecies of orc resides in, yeti hair grows thicker than average, and skin that is not covered in fur or hair is often thick hide. Fur body coverage differs between individuals, ranging from simple head-hair to complete full-body fur. Those with less hair on the body typically have much longer hair that is braided together as a wrap for warmth. This hair, or fur, may be of any shade, though white is most common. They are also quite large, gaining height and weight over their kin to increase their ability to survive the cold climates.

Because of the remoteness of their villages, the war-like traits of associated with their cousins have been curbed somewhat, resulting in fewer but more violent raids. Due to their small number, infighting creates too much of a possibility that hunters will be too weak to bring in meat; as such, they are generally more aggressive both in conversation and in combat, roaring as loudly at the table as on the battlefield. Most serious fights are dissuaded by such vocal contests, and shows of strength and intimidation rule much of yeti life. Only the blizzards that frequent their mountain area can drown out a victory feast after a good raid. Their imposing size has lead to them making use of much larger weapons, wielding in one hand what even other orcs might consider a two-handed weapon.

While they are secretive about their marriage practices among their own kind, yeti have been known to mate with their orc kin and, rarely, other species entirely. However, due to their size, any female smaller than an average orc often loses her life during pregnancy, and both she and the child are lost. This is said to be because the yeti child is so fierce, even unborn, that the mother's body cannot contain such a beast and dies in the attempt.

Because tribes only goes on a raid at most once a month, most of the food they consume is meat harvested from the various animals they hunt, and rarely the woolyhorn they often compete against as a show of strength. This is only for special occasions, though, given the risk; many a yeti has fallen to woolyhorn fangs and claws.