Pale Orcs
"Those aren't hyenas cackling in the distance, they're pale orcs" - Atticus Conway, veteraned bounty hunter
The Ostracized and Clanless
The exact origins of pale orcs is uncertain, long before recorded history their clan was wiped out and slaughtered by the ancient Kil'dari, damning their people to cruel servitude to them for generations. It is unclear if pale orcs were always "pale" or if years of forced subterranean dwelling turned them into the monstrous creatures they are today. Regardless of the cause, the outcome is the same. Many pale orcs still serve that fate of damnation under the oppressive heel of the Kil'dari, but many more skulk in hidden shadows and murky caves, enacting their revenge on their taskmasters and any living being foolish or unlucky enough to cross them. What is even more alarming is the fact that pale orcs are the only orcs that can be found living underneath every continent. Every veteran cave explorer knows to bring weapons when exploring the especially deep and dark cracks of the world - smart explorers know to avoid them entirely. Pale orc culture is violent and bloody; they have a complicated belief system of many dark and heinous deities who have a voracious appetite for living sacrifices - which their supplicants feverishly supply them, awaiting petty rewards of dark power in return.
Maniacal and Insane
Years of enslavement, mistreatment and subterranean isolation have driven pale orcs utterly mad. Many have only known a life of torturous agony. Pain is now an embodiment of their very way of living and socializing. Inflicting or receiving pain is involved in all aspects of pale orc emotion now: to show praise to one another, pale orcs will claw or hit their brethren, to show a mighty accomplishment they will give themselves a scar - the larger the accomplishment, the larger and uglier the scar. All pale orcs subject themselves to a coming of age rite known as the "Rite of Zeresh-Morbak" or "Rite of Laughing-Death". To become accepted into their society, adolescent pale orcs will mutilate themselves by removing their upper and lower lips entirely. They claim that this way they always appear "laughing", even in the face of death. To pale orcs, laughing is a constant and maniacal behavior they often do when they attack or kill, or as they are being killed. Many pale orc warriors will remove an arm to replace it with a cruel wicked blade, as an oath to dedicate themselves to the slaughter of others and to kill mercilessly, these warriors are known as "Fiendhands".
Physical Traits
- Age - Pale orcs mature around the age of 14 and can live to be around 65 years or so, but so few ever make it that far.
- Speed - Orc base walking speed is 30 feet.
- Size - Pale orcs males on average stand around 6 feet tall, with females only a couple inches shorter. Their built rather thin by orc standards, often looking lanky and malnourished, yet they are deceptively strong and agile. Their size is medium.
- Complexion - Pale orcs have ghastly white skin with gaunt features and emaciated faces. They do not have tusks, but instead have large upper and lower canines, giving them a beastial grin. Almost all pale orcs practice a horrific culture of self-mutilation and often will remove their lips entirely, so that their teeth are always showing. They often will slash their own bodies or each others to cover themselves completely in scars, some even go so far as to remove one of their hands to attach a crude blade permanently instead. Some common hair colors include blond, white, gray, black or pale blue.
- Eye Colors - Strangely, pale orcs are the only orcs to have glowing eyes. Their eyes glow an icy blue with white pupils.
D&D Race Stats - Pale Orc
- +2 Strength, +1 Dexterity
- Superior Darkvision - Accustomed to life underground, pale orcs have glowing and reflective eyes which see incredibly well in the dark cavernous homes they are familiar with. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
- Sunlight Sensitivity - You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
- Nightstalker - Gain proficiency in the Stealth skill.
- Marauder's Training - Gain proficiency in handaxes, warpicks, shortswords, spears and nets.
- Undying Rage - When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can enrage yourself and drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
- Vicious Attacks - You strike hard and savagely, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
- Languages - Orcs can speak, read and write in Common and orcish (pale orc dialect and accent)