D&D General "Red Orc" American Indians and "Yellow Orc" Mongolians in D&D

[HectorsNemesis]

Hi, in this thread I will document the racially and culturally problematic facets of the D&D book GAZ10: The Orcs of Thar (1988).

Will you cover the white orcs (Scandinavian) and the copper orcs (Roman)?

 

[Justice and Rule]

Edit: Nevermind, I clearly remember a different thread.

 

[Cadence]

Will you cover the white orcs (Scandinavian) and the copper orcs (Roman)?

The thing about punching up vs. punching down already happened upthread.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I gotta admit, with all the talk about this product...which I had never heard of, let alone read or purchased...I'm starting to get curious enough to actually read it. $9.99 on dmsguild...

 

[Willie the Duck]

I gotta admit, with all the talk about this product...which I had never heard of, let alone read or purchased...I'm starting to get curious enough to actually read it. $9.99 on dmsguild...

Okay, if nothing else, we should stop anyone from making that mistake. Look, regardless of where you stand on any controversial aspect related to this book, it isn't actually very good. It isn't good as a taken-straight gaming product, and it isn't really a good parody either (nor is it 'so bad it's good' in a way that cheesy movies can be). It tries to be serious and goofy at the same time and thus fails at both.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Okay, if nothing else, we should stop anyone from making that mistake. Look, regardless of where you stand on any controversial aspect related to this book, it isn't actually very good. It isn't good as a taken-straight gaming product, and it isn't really a good parody either (nor is it 'so bad it's good' in a way that cheesy movies can be). It tries to be serious and goofy at the same time and thus fails at both.

Too late. I really wanted to read what all the fuss was about.

It's terrible content. I can't believe anybody bought this crap back then. But I guess that's how I remember gaming from that era: tons and tons and tons of poorly written world-building.

 

[Voadam]

Will you cover the white orcs (Scandinavian) and the copper orcs (Roman)?

There is fairly little description on such types in the product compared to the deeper caricatures of the red and yellow orcs.

Orcus Hyborianus: Northern reaches' breed with sickly white or light grey skin. Wear various furs. Can be found in some glaciers in high mountains.
Orcus Imperator Rex: Porcine features less obvious allowing them to pass for really ugly humans. Prefer black or dark grey hooded cloaks. Copper skin, smaller snout. Psychotics and megalomaniacs believing other orcs to be inferiors. Some found in Orcus Rex territory (Broken Lands).

In the humanoid name lists the Northern Reaches ones are straight Scandinavian type names and not stupid caricatures like the Red Orc ones. Compare Hrolf, Kalf, and Kari to Little-Big-Snout, Muck-Bag, and Nose-Pick.

The Hyborian orcs are outside of Thar so it can be expected to have less detail on them, but the Rex orcs are the top tier tribe in Thar and there is little cultural description or parody of them the way there is with the yellow and red orcs (no Rex orc equivalent of Chief Little Drool, etc.) The Rex ones are just the most human and least bestial and conquered everyone else with their legions.