What if? Orcs that just keep growing.

[Aberzanzorax]

I read this line on one of my favorite websites (cracked.com)...

Crocodiles, like orcs and goldfish, don't ever stop growing; as long as they get a steady supply of food, they'll get bigger and bigger.

At: The 5 Creepiest Serial Killers (Who Were Animals) | Cracked.com
(Sorry, not an ad, just figured it'd be frustrating if people wanted the source).



But, without getting too distracted, what if orcs just didn't stop growing? What if ogres, and perhaps ettins/hill giants, were really just old, powerful, fearsome orcs?

Yea or nay?

Implications?

 

[Neubert]

Yay!
That would be a great way to keep orcs (a very classic monster) relevant throughout a longer campaign.
Perhaps they would be less numerous, but more dangerous.
This raises one question though.. Half-Orcs?

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

This raises one question though.. Half-Orcs?

Well, obviously half-orcs are the little halflings of Orcdom.

 

[Aeolius]

"An adult male sahuagin stands roughly 6 feet tall and weighs about 200 pounds. Male sahuagin grow continuously - though older sahuagin grow at a slower rate (see above). Growth slows to an infinitesimalrate once a sahuagin reaches age 600.... " - The Sea Devils

The shellycoats (aquatic non-amphibious greenhags) in my campaign follow a similar course of Deep-Sea Gigantism

 

[ThirdWizard]

This is how we handle kobolds. They usually don't live long enough to get very big, but when they do...

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Monsters that get bigger and bigger seem to me to be great for cultures that rely on strength and intimidation for prestige in their societies. It'd be perfect for orcs, I think. I've never done this with orcs, but I have with goblins, if only because there are so many goblinoids statted out.

They started as little norkers, then progress up the size scale, through goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears, to ogre- and hill giant-sized oglins and gorgs. By then they they usually keel over from old-age or acute adventureritis. In principle they might get bigger, but at some point gravity insists they stop.

I also like the idea that creatures like this might not ever die, but rather go dormant and become part of the terrain. They might be roused by their younger brethren, but doing so is risky. Shamans might know the ancient drumbeats and rituals that could awaken a nearby grand-daddy hill to fight in their wars; or a precocious youngling might be able to see into a slumbering elder one's dreams.

I could also see bog ones being intentionally murdered by their lessers, so the pieces can be grown/seeded/planted/pickled/regened/etc to created new ones. This might work nicely if, for example, the orcs matured into trolls, then giant trolls.

Lots of possibilities.

 

[Umbran]

Crocodiles, like orcs and goldfish, don't ever stop growing; as long as they get a steady supply of food, they'll get bigger and bigger.

Well, something that fits into the implications - for fish, it is that they grow so long as they have a steady supply of food, and sufficient space. The space issue is key for at least some species - keep them in a small tank, they stay small. Put them in a larger environment, and they'll grow.

Yea or nay?

Implications?

I think it can be made to work, and could be interesting, but there are some points...

For instance, in 3.x, your typical orc has an Intelligence of 8, and a Wisdom of 7. Ogres and Hill giants are Int 6 Wis 10. You'll want to think about how and why that's happening to your humanoids as they grow in size and age, and what that means for the species.

As I noted, for fish space matters. What matters for orcs? Just age? Population density? Types of food available?

Anyone read any Larry Niven? In his Known Space universe, humans are actually a variant of the Pak species. Young, breeding Pak are primitive. Once you get beyond breeding age, if you're exposed to a particular root, you become a Pak Protector. Protectors are genius level intelligence by our standards, physically more imposing than breeders, and highly devoted to the protection and success of their tribes.

 

[nedjer]

I've got to post the direct link for the 5 most insane improvised animal weapons - just about fell off the chair with the ferret.

 

[Pbartender]

The space issue is key for at least some species - keep them in a small tank, they stay small. Put them in a larger environment, and they'll grow.

This is largely a myth. Fish grow to the size they are supposed to be.

Given less food and less space, they grow less. But that's mainly due to the fact they are malnourished and living in a cramped, unhealthy environment.

But I know from personal experience that fish (not even goldfish) will not stay small just because they are in a small tank... If the tank is small, they grow until they're too big for the tank and then they die.

 

[Bleys Icefalcon]

Orcs'seses

Orcs just keep on keepin' on....

In Tolkien's world, Orcs were a corrupted, twisted and dark version of an elf. Almost everywhere else, they were and in many cases remain pig-like humanoids. It is an interesting concept, that if somehow and Orc were allowed to get old enough, he could get big enough to be coinfused with say an Ogre or even a particularly ugly Hill Giant. That would be intersting.

So much so, that something is happenning upon the face of Rawros, the massive Class-M found in the Crystal Sphere bearing the name Rawros Space (17 days in a straight run along the Swift Flow from Leviathan Hub) - Rawros is dominated by Efeline and Wemics - the Efeline are by far the most populous race, they are similar to 2nd Edition Rules "Cat People" - with several distinct sub-races: the Leonine, the Pantherine, the Tigryss, the Tabilous and the Swift. Wemics on Rawros actually have subraces mirroring the five Efeline peoples. There are humans upon Rawros, though the vast majority keep to the three Divine States, where they are ruled with strict religious doctrine in the names of Selune (the Forgotten Realms diety), Thriss the Night (a local, conservative catlord) and Yama the Deathlord (of Hindu origin). The Elves of Rawros are Wild Elves and naturally Psionic Wild Talents - they tend to stay far away from the politics of the Efeline Empire. Your typical squam infests the wilds; Orcs, Urik, Goblinoids of various flavours, Giantkin - most of the beasts and such found in the various beastiaries - but something happenned to the Blood of Hurag Tribe of Orcs, who's lived along the Mysthirant River for hundreds of years. They're becoming, smarter... faster... and my oh my... larger... much larger...