By Steven Creech, Exec. Chairman, d20 Magazine Rack
*Note: This is an older review being reprinted here for inclusion into the EN World archives.
This review is for
Skraag: City of Orcs by Wil Upchurch. Even though Wil’s name is typically associated with Fantasy Flight Games, he wrote this book for Mongoose Publishing.
Skraag: City of Orcs kicks off Mongoose’s new Cities of Fantasy series with a huge bang.
The book starts out by telling the story of how this former dwarven stronghold was overrun by orcs in an amazingly quick but fierce series of battles. It also speaks of how the orcs then claimed it as their own, naming it Skraag. Skraag is run by a cunning and sly orc named Cylus Groon who is content to acquire gold and power through elimination of potential rivals rather than battle and conquest. A brief synopsis of how the government (One wonders whether government and orcs constitute an oxymoron.) functions is followed by short chapters on the ecology, daily life, and commerce in Skraag.
The section devoted to religion in Skraag does a good job emphasizing how it permeates everything the orcs do. The Nine-Fingered (or Maimed Lord), who is also known as Alodai, is the primary deity of worship here. (Orc fans take heed, it isn’t necessary to have every orc in existence worship Gruumsh.) Alodai is a demanding god. Those who follow him are expected to undergo a daily (usually self-administered) flogging. This flogging typically never goes beyond a few bruises and some pain.
The Cult of Kharkus follows a demon lord who is the sworn enemy of Alodai (Kharkus was the reason why Alodai has nine fingers). A prestige class, Disciple of Kharkus, is available for DM’s who want to add an NPC to the ever-growing numbers of Kharkus followers. The class is balanced and perfect for vexing party members. There is also a necromantic cult in Skraag that gives DM’s the option of using the Disciple of Asphibyiex. (Who would have ever thought that orcs would worship undead?)
No book on orcs would be complete with a chapter on defensives and tactics. The horde that overran the dwarven hall has grown to 7000 berserk orc warriors. Warlords command and control the horde while the shamans advise and acquire power of their own. Like an army of this scale, several factions exist within it. The seven most powerful leaders of those factions round out the chapter complete with suggestions for plots and intrigues.
The author fleshes out Skraag very well in a section that essentially tours the town. Among those areas that are of major interest are: the government house (home to Cylus Groon), the temple of Alodai, the market cave, The Choked Pit tavern (my personal favorite – every town should have a tavern like this), the field (where orcs hone their combat skills, engage in pit fighting and trade on the black market), artists’ caves (yes, there is such a thing as a civilized or refined orc), cliffside forts, and the horde encampment.
The final few pages are filled with NPCs who are serious “movers and shakers” and with suggestions on how to incorporate Skraag into your campaign. The scenario examples provide some great adventure hooks for your players.
Overall,
Skraag: City of Orcs is a very good sourcebook. There are some good prestige classes, excellent NPCs, and even a few new spells. What really stands out is the level of detail given to orcish society. It adds an element of realism and makes you understand just how formidable orcs truly are. This 64-page softcover sourcebook is a good buy at $14.95 for anyone who likes to have orcs in their world.
To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
