Orcs
"To hear the thunder of orcish war drums and the howl of their war cries is the fear of every civilised place" - Unknown
Common Features
All orcs of Amora share certain physical and philosophical characteristics that common amongst them, no matter their clan, which are...
- Made For War - Orcs are naturally tough and grow up fast to be strong and fierce. Orcs have great endurance and stamina to help them wage war more often and march for much longer than most other armies could, making them naturals at war.
- Superstitious - Orcs' fanaticism for violence sometimes stems from their complex religious beliefs. Many orcs worship animal avatars as their deities, the chief among them being the great wolf avatar named Lupos, Avatar of the Hunt. Orcs believe that the avatar they choose to embody dictates their life and decisions - every bad omen must be bested with offerings of blood and death, and every good omen is met with tributes, usually in the form of food, weapons, or gold.
- Short But Violent Lives - Every orc must contribute to their clan, without everyone pulling their weight, a clan would grow weak and be slaughtered by another stronger clan. Everyone in an orc clan not only has a civil function like herding cattle, building, or maintenance, but each and every able-bodied member also fights and kills for the sake of the clan. Many orcs prefer a life of raiding instead of farming or ranching, so many clans get their supplies through vicious raids on anyone they think they can attack. A life of violence though, usually leaves orcs dying young in battle. Orcs mature around the age of 14 and can live to be around 60 years old, but many die sooner than that. According to orcish customs, to die young on the battlefield is a good and honorable death. To live to be old and gray is seen as taboo among many orc clans.
The Orcish Clans
The biggest and most feared clan of orcs, clan Kil'dari strikes fear into the hearts of their foes and leave little room for weakness within their horde. They claim rule over the orcish city of Nazra, a once great fortress-city built within a dried basin. The city is now a skeletal ruin of itself, with many orcs living inside and around the great bastion. Kil'dari orcs value strength over everything and punish weakness wherever it may be found.
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In the southern wetlands of Naz'gora lies the home of Ma'gara orc clans. Lead by wise elder shamans and druids these green-skinned orcs isolate themselves from their slightly more viscous brown-skinned brethren and are known for their kinship with the local dire wolves of Naz'gora. Ma'gara orcs value honor and strong spirits the most, as well as traditions in ancestral worship.
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Hated by all other orcs, pale orcs are considered the lowest tier in orcish society. Seen as the ostracized and deprived they are treated with little respect and are often forced to become slave labor for Kil'dari orcs. While many live out harsh lives as slaves, their numbers are far bigger than most orcs dare to admit. Many pale orcs escape their enslavement during raids and flee into the wastes. Feral and maniacal, many pale orcs turn to deprived rituals and blood magic to further their plots of revenge against not just their taskmasters, but any living being. Pale orcs love to kill, and do so in the most brutal of fashion. Many pale orcs become warlocks or assassins.
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