Orcs

Orcs are a strong and spiritual people, shaped by tradition and hardened by necessity. They are resilient and direct, placing high value on clarity and strength, and orcs everywhere are known for meeting the world head-on. To be orcish is not just to endure, but to carry a burden with discipline, and to protect what matters.

They are a spiritual people. To them strength is not mere brute force but the will to act when action is needed, to stay grounded when others waver, and to carry forward wisdom even as one suffers. Whether honoring the dead or interpreting omens in the shape of clouds or the fall of ash, there are as many ways to walk the orcish path as there are clans, but nearly all walk it with intent.

Orc societies value integrity over appearance, respect over politeness, and contribution over status. Leadership is earned, and even the fiercest warrior is expected to listen to their elders and defend their kin. Might is prized, but must be paired with discipline. Their traditions reflect generations of hard lessons—lessons in when to speak, when to fight, and when to simply watch and endure.

Orcs are seldom concerned with how they're perceived. They live by their values, not others’ expectations. Most orcs are cautious around strangers but fiercely loyal to allies once trust is earned. Their communities tend to be close-knit and slow to forget. Orcs believe that strength has a purpose, that purpose has a cost, and they stand ready to pay it.

Orcs were once a widespread race on Khorvaire, millennia ago, and substantial populations remain in different nations: the Shadow Marshes, Droaam, the Eldeen Reaches, and the Ironroot Mountains. (See 'Orc nationalities', below.)

Description

Physique. Orcs stand between 6½ and 7½ feet tall, and weigh on average 225 lb. Their skin ranges between gray, green, and gray-green to olive, depending on heritage and region, and often bears natural mottling or calluses from exposure to the elements. Orcish faces are marked by strong jaws, pronounced brows, and small tusks. Their eyes can be brown, hazel, or amber. Hair ranges from black to slate gray or dark brown and is usually worn in tight braids, shaved patterns, or topknots. They may cultivate ritual tattoos or scarring to mark coming-of-age rites, victories, or ancestral honor. Orcish clothing tends toward function over form, often reinforced with leather or bone, though orcs from more urban or integrated regions may wear modern clothing and gear.

Age. Orcs reach adulthood at age 12. They hit middle age around 40 and are considered old past age 60.

Size. An orc's size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier:

Size modifier = 2d8
Height = 6 feet 4 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight = 160 pounds + (2d8 x your size modifier in pounds)

Suggested Names. Aashta Anguish, Arrna, Baggi, Baruk, Bludak, Dench, Dreggis, Drovomar, Engong, Gahdtru, Gailan, Guhrta, Jhourka, Kaddik, Kalaash, Karkute, Khundar, Khundran, Klintros, Korrin, Koruun, Krusk, Lharc, Lithra, Maagrim, Maalo, Menko, Naakah, Neega, Orrash, Ownka, Ramaal, Rraac, Ruusk, Saala, Sahai, Shahar, Shautha, Shump, Silvik, Suusha, Svash, Thokk, Torgaan, Torrn, Urlev, Uthran, Volen, Yevgen, Zarket.

Racial Traits

Creature Type. Your creature type is Humanoid.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Iron Will. When you fail a Wisdom saving throw, you can use your reaction to roll a d4 and add it to the save, potentially turning the failure into a success. You can’t use this reaction if you’re unconscious.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Primal Intuition. You have proficiency in two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Survival.

Speak with Small Beasts. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small ar smaller beasts.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Orcish.

Orc Nationalities

These are the principle ethnicities of the orcs of Khorvaire. You do not need to pick one of these. If you want your orc to be from somewhere else where orcs live some other kind of a way, that's fine. That said if you prefer to pick from predefined choices here are four.

Droaamish Orcs

These orcs are a vital force in Droaam’s political and cultural fabric—respected for their consistency, compassion, and communal strength. They are builders, planners, and protectors, known for their steadiness in crisis and their clarity in conversation. Most live in tight-knit clan compounds— some rural, some on the edges of cities like Khostrak or Vralkek— where life revolves around shared responsibility, open deliberation, and mutual aid. Leadership in these settlements is earned through service. They're practical and welcoming, often featuring central hearths, communal training yards, and shared workspaces that double as defense outposts when needed. Orc adventurers from Droaam often leave home to fulfill duties, assess threats, secure alliances, or represent their people abroad—and whatever their reason, they carry with them a culture rooted in resilience, reciprocity, and the quiet power of keeping your word.

Eldeen Reaches Orcs

The orcs of the Eldeen Reaches are a deeply rooted and resilient people who live in close communion with the Towering Wood. Their culture is shaped by cycles of nature and traditions of stewardship, and the Gatekeeper tradition that is passed down from the elder generation to the younger in many tribes. Eldeen orcs coexist peacefully with shifters, humans, and others in the Reaches, offering guidance and protection. Outsiders often mistake Eldeen orcs for grim or aloof, but to those who earn their trust with humility and respect, they are generous, steadfast allies. These orcs are a people of vigilance— guardians of ancient seals, keepers of old stories, and quiet protectors of a land too often taken for granted. Whether walking among their trees or venturing beyond them, they carry with them a profound sense of duty: to preserve, to endure, and to act when the balance is threatened.

Ironroot Mountains Orcs

These orcs are a hardy and resilient people shaped by a harsh climate, rugged terrain, and long centuries of conflict with the Mror Holds. They live in fortified mountain strongholds surrounded by defensible villages. Their culture emphasizes self-sufficiency, adaptability, and enduring strength. Survival in their unforgiving homeland depends heavily on unity, vigilance, and the ability to defend against constant threats of both the dangers of the peaks and cave systems where they make their homes, and the dwarven expeditionary forces who hunt them still. Many Ironroot orcs who venture beyond their mountainous homes do so to test their strength, seek honor in battle, or earn respect and resources for their clans.

Shadow Marshes Orcs

These orcs are bound together by clan, tradition, and memory, They navigate their marshland home in extended families and river-linked communities that function for both spiritual bonds and mutual survival. Their way of life blends druidic rites and practical hardiness, valuing sacred observance alongside blunt pragmatism. While they have long upheld ancient roles as Gatekeepers and guardians against extraplanar threats, many have also adapted to modern life and culture of the eastern nations. Though often misread by outsiders as secretive or backward, Marshes orcs are cautious by necessity, and their trust—once earned—is unshakable. Adventuring orcs from the Marshes carry the weight of their swampbound heritage with them, whether setting out to cleanse a corrupted grove, uncover lost lore, or escape an unwanted destiny, and never forget the land that shaped them.

License

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