PSA: Don't Let Orcs Loose in Your Fantasy Human World

[GMMichael]

Apparently they keep getting bigger since Tolkien.

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Yikes. It seems that Krorks were a celestial-war combatant/faction, so I wouldn't be too worried about them. Mythology being what it is. But the orcs of Warhammer fantasy are:

" . . . huge slabs of muscle moving underneath tough green skin, and their jaws are lined with vicious fangs that jut out from their underbite. They have beady red eyes, a generally foul demeanour, and are naturally bald. Normally six feet tall, they can be up to seven feet tall . . ."

So, not Mountain height, but they weigh as much or more than the Mountain judging by these burly dudes:

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammerfb/images/a/ab/Warhammer_Greenskins_Art.png/revision/latest?cb=20240902223042

Speaking of 6 to 7 feet, it seems that's what 6e, PC orcs measure, and their Relentless Endurance ability would let them crush some skulls just like the Mountain did.

I have ogres in my campaigns, but they're mutants, so they exist but don't occur with enough frequency to ruin civilization. Orcs, however, seem to reproduce just fine, so I won't be introducing them into my campaigns. Unless I give out an overpowered magic item accidentally.

 

[DragonLancer]

For a very long time, I was always of the view point that orcs were a monster race. You couldn't play one because the moment any civilized person saw you approaching their town or village, you'd be the enemy. That changed coming back to D&D with the new edition. I allow half elves under the elf species, and it seemed weird that orc was only half orc. So with my homebrew world orcs became a playable species and I made it so that you might consider them like raiding northmen. Yes, there are some less civilized or live a life of banditry/predation, but there are many more who can trade, hire themselves out for work or soldiery...etc. Goblins the same. If other species, like drow, can find a way to work within civilized society why can't orcs and goblins?

 

[Desdichado]

Given that the stereotypical orc is bigger, meaner, and greener than the Mountain in this clip (NSFW), the world of humans wouldn't last too long in open war with them.

Probably best if the humans kill the orcs with disease well before either culture develops steel.

Or do your humans and orcs have a more cordial relationship?

Steel is the great equalizer. Orcs are like Neanderthals in being bigger, meaner (but admittedly probably not greener) than people, and yet, there are no Neanderthals today. Humans can last just fine against orcs, just like Romans lasted just fine against Gauls, while admitting that individual Gaulish warriors were bigger, meaner and significantly more scary than an individual Roman legionnaire.

 

[Desdichado]

It's also Tolkien's mode of the origin of Orcs. Corrupted from Elves.

That's extremely debatable.