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

GMMichael

Guide of Modos

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?
 

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You probably want to put that NSFW warning before the clip. ;)

I think the existence of orcs probably drives an arms race with everyone else: "We gotta be ready to defend ourselves from these guys!"

(Incidentally, orcs as a created weapon is the basis for the Ennie-award winning Dawn of the Orcs game, which can serve as a prequel to other fantasy campaign settings.)
 


If you look at my most recent book from a couple months ago, you could say I agree with you ;)

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My favorite take on orcs is still Orkworld by John Wick. It began when he was still at AEG and was going to play in the company D&D game and wanted to be an ork bard. He was told 'You can't. Orcs are evil and are just speedbumps on the way to the bad guy'. He said, if I can write you something to convince you, will you let me play one?

One four-thousand word essay on ork culture, society, diet, etc later, he had the basis for a new world.

In this world, orks are migratory, following the paths of animals like caribou. When they come of age, the warriors essentially get bound to a female ork who becomes their leader/tribal mother, and form their own tribe. The game is about survival amongst other things.

For an idea of the rest of the world: dwarves seek perfection, including perfection in the art of warfare; you have the human empire which is very Roman; and the elves, horrifically perfect killing machines from space who eat magic and its radiation - the only thing said to be able to kill an elf is another elf, and they are utterly treacherous and traitorous. Halfings/hobbits were once known, but once the humans discovered their homeland, the human Emperor declared a bounty on them of 2gp per head, and soon they were believed to be exterminated.

One reason the other races fear orks is that orks eat of their fallen and foes. They'e discovered a way to take that person's traits, essentially, by eating of the flesh. Eating cowards, however, is believed to make you 'yellow' or sickly.
 

Orc sizes (and many more of their traits) vary substantially between settings. The actor playing Gregor Clegane here is actually in the upper half of D&D's height range for orcs (6-7 feet, as of the 2024 SRD), and the book character (described as closer to 8 feet than 7) is even larger. Tolkien's orcs are themselves variable but may average a bit smaller than humans.

This fight, of course, ends with Oberyn dead, but it also ends with Gregor nearly incapacitated (not to mention lethally poisoned). If Oberyn hadn't been focused on forcing a confession, he might have won outright. Size is generally an advantage in combat, but not necessarily a bigger one than differences in training or equipment. Differences in population size and military organization could be even more important. Even if one assumes conflict between humans and orcs, it's easy to imagine settings and scenarios where either side could be advantaged in any of these realms. The orcs who ambush Isildur, for instance, are described as enduring massive casualties to drag down well trained and physically imposing Numenorian warriors, whereas the Uruk-Hai who assault Helm's Deep are well equipped and physically strong but lack cohesion or an effective plan.
 


My favorite take on orcs is still Orkworld by John Wick. It began when he was still at AEG and was going to play in the company D&D game and wanted to be an ork bard. He was told 'You can't. Orcs are evil and are just speedbumps on the way to the bad guy'. He said, if I can write you something to convince you, will you let me play one?

One four-thousand word essay on ork culture, society, diet, etc later, he had the basis for a new world.

In this world, orks are migratory, following the paths of animals like caribou. When they come of age, the warriors essentially get bound to a female ork who becomes their leader/tribal mother, and form their own tribe. The game is about survival amongst other things.

For an idea of the rest of the world: dwarves seek perfection, including perfection in the art of warfare; you have the human empire which is very Roman; and the elves, horrifically perfect killing machines from space who eat magic and its radiation - the only thing said to be able to kill an elf is another elf, and they are utterly treacherous and traitorous. Halfings/hobbits were once known, but once the humans discovered their homeland, the human Emperor declared a bounty on them of 2gp per head, and soon they were believed to be exterminated.

One reason the other races fear orks is that orks eat of their fallen and foes. They'e discovered a way to take that person's traits, essentially, by eating of the flesh. Eating cowards, however, is believed to make you 'yellow' or sickly.
I always thought that was a neat world.
 


You probably want to put that NSFW warning before the clip. ;)

I think the existence of orcs probably drives an arms race with everyone else: "We gotta be ready to defend ourselves from these guys!"

(Incidentally, orcs as a created weapon is the basis for the Ennie-award winning Dawn of the Orcs game, which can serve as a prequel to other fantasy campaign settings.)
It's also Tolkien's mode of the origin of Orcs. Corrupted from Elves.
But Tolkein's Orcs and Goblins are the same thing... well, regional variation.
 

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