Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kinak" data-source="post: 6335495" data-attributes="member: 6694112">I think portraying orcs as full-on barbarians is totally reasonable. They're not really known for their craftsmanship.TrophiesIf I were going to spin orcs this way, I'd have them focus on trophies rather than usable items. So their weapons are bone because they killed the thing the bone came from. Their armor is hide because they killed the animal, skinned it, and wear around its pelt.So, they'd really like fighting humanoid opponents. They kill a knight, get a sword and a steel "pelt"... and probably make some stuff out of the bones too.Of course, killing another orc to get all their trophies is totally legitimate. Even without killing, challenges in feats of strength or prowess might result in the exchange of trophies.TradeTo them, the value of a gold piece isn't its metal content or worth as defined by its minters, but decided by who they defeated to get it. A gold piece found in an abandoned village might very easily be worth nothing, but a copper piece pried out of a dragon's hide would be worth a lot and probably be worn by its owner.Trading with these orcs might look more like betting. You put down some food or weapons, they put down an equal value of trophies, and whoever wins in a challenge of strength gets the lot.Very few traders would want to deal with that, so most orc goods are taken in raids or pulled from the bodies of fallen enemies.CraftersIn practice, that doesn't leave much room for crafters in their economy. Each orc is largely on his or her own as far as making trophies into usable items.Even if you took a lump of iron ore as a trophy, it seems weird to melt it down and make it into a sword. Better to keep it in shape and attach it to a handle (preferably also a trophy).So there's probably little call for smiths or smelters in orc society. Some more "progressive" tribes might see the output of slaves as part of the slaves, a trophy for whoever took them. I'd imagine more traditional orcs like killing those orcs and taking their sweet weapons.Cheers!Kinak</blockquote>

Verification