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Back to the indexDuskwalker on Orcs
by Marneiros Duskwalker
PROLOGUE
I have killed a great many orcs in my life. This book is supposed to be a useful and comprehensive source of information for everyone eager for knowledge.
Although I do firmly believe there is, or at least can be, good and bad in all races, orcs are the foot soldiers of evil, the creatures that make up the hordes of darkness that threaten to overwhelm the good peoples and turn the entire land into a region of little else than slaughter and depravity.
Shallow as they are individually, ruts on most roads have more depth and complexity; orcs as a people are a bit more unusual than that. They have a society all of their own, that is often misunderstood or entirely ignored by the people who war against them. After all, when most heroes are fighting for their lives, they usually do not stop to have a conversation with their attackers, and orcs are not great conversationalists by any account.
The insight found in this book was collected from the hard-won knowledge of the people I have spoken to but also from already existing sources of information like other books. As I always like to say, "You have to know your foe!".
CHAPTER 1 - ORC PHYSIOLOGY AND SOME BASICS OF ORCISH SOCIETY
Tall, wide and made of muscles, orcs seem as if they were built for war. According to some legends, they actually were.
In any case, orcs stand from five to seven feet tall, although they often seem much shorter as they have a tendency to slouch or hunch over, especially when charging into battle.
Orc skin colour ranges from green to grey. Their hair is normally dark and coarse and can be anything from dark blond to jet-black.
The eyes of an orc can be any colour, from a pale blue to a pitch-black. They sometimes come in crimson, which most orcs take to be the sign of great strength. Many orc leaders have been blessed with such eyes.
All orcs can see well in the dark, as finely as any dwarf.
Orc males have hair over almost their whole bodies. Thies is thick, coarse and almost always brown or black. Many older orcs sport beards as well, but these do not come in as full as that of a dwarf or gnome.
Orcs ears are pointed ant their noses are usually flat and upturned, exposing their nostrils, which flare widely when the orc is angry. They also have sharp, pointed teeth set in a horrible underbite. Their lower jaw is thrust out harshly, exposing the long tusks that jut out past their lower lip, often far enough to nearly touch the orc's nose. This all makes orcs look as if they were humans crossed with wild boars.
The lives of most orcs are brutal and short, few can expect to live much longer than 40 years. Orcs breed like mad to make up for this, as many younger orcs never make through their childhood. Orc babies are born after only six months in the womb and they reach sexual maturity by the age of eight.
The sexual promiscuity that runs through orc culture leads to the birth of many children.
Female orcs usually are treated as not much more than cooks and mothers. But most of them accept that role without much complaining and are raising their children in the very cruel way that is the one of the orcs. Orcs do not marry and from and break relationships with each other as it suits them, which somewhat explains why female orcs do not have a very high standing in their society.
Orcs are not terribly smart, but you should still never underestimate them. If nothing else, there could be an exception to the rule in front of you!
Raw, brute strength is generally what is most important to them though. A kind of animal cunning can help them too, but most orcs do not have the patience to bother with anything so complex as a scheme. You could sum them up with three Fs: food, fighting and fornicating.
Orcs are unifomly bullies, which means in their hearts they are cowards. If you are fighting them, this can be an advantage. They do tend to underestimate a foe of superior strength, even more so when they are in a group. But once again do not get arrogant yourself, as especially their leaders usually tend to be the most cunning or brutal ones and can therefore be the whip that forces them into a greater menace. A menace which can wipe out the unprepared easily.
Although I may possibly write in greater depth on the many more things to be said about orcish society in a second volume, let me continue with the actual main chapter of this book. The chapter that should help you to be prepared and not let orcs be your downfall!
CHAPTER 2 - COMBAT TIME
As I have already told you, most orcs are cowards individually. Part of the reason why they usually prefer to form warbands or even greater groups. This does not mean, that even a single orc can be quite a threat, as orcs are still almost war machines. The following information is therefore a guideline for fighting not entire army of orcs, as at least a highly disciplined group of veterans if you want to succeed.
Orcs mostly like to use the common weapons of brutes. May it be large greataxes, may it be warmaces. With regards to their armors they most often tend to stick with the most heavy they can get. Furthermore they like to wear them in rather shrill colors, most likely a poor but still sometimes successful attempt to distract their enemies.
Remember, there are exceptions to the rule. Be wary of everything that feels or looks out of the ordinary!
Although orcs mostly lack finesse, this does not make them easy foes of course. Nevertheless that opens up quite some opportunities to best them with the right tactics.
Depending on the weapons you use, try to use their strength and bruteness against them.
If you are an archer, you can use the power of bowpremacy to the fullest. Shoot them from afar, preferrably from a superior position. Quite often this will be some kind of high ground.
If your positioning is right, you should be able to best many orcs before they are able to reach you.
When you engage them in melee, try to parry their blows or evade them entirely, as the raw strength put behind them always comes with a lack of accuracy. This lack of accuracy will let them exposed to your counterstrike when they missed their blow. Try to strike them in their most vulnerable spots now open to you.
Be aware, that even orcs do have some spellcasters, often shamans of sorts. These ones you should try to kill first. A great many unwary adventurers have been slain just because they did not realize the big threat magic is in general or at least can be. Even an orcish warband realizes that and tries to protect their spellcasters accordingly.
CHAPTER 3 - PANTHEON OF THE ORCS
The gods orcs worship and pray to are of the violent and unpleasant kind. The pantheon consists of a total of six gods. In this chapter I try to give you some background information about them:
1. Gruumsh, who is the head of the orcish pantheon. With no surprise, a cruel god, one of conquest. He told his followers to do mainly the following: "Gather and breed, and your numbers will flourish", "Rise up in hordes and seize that what is rightfully yours" and "Raid. Kill. Conquer".
2. Luthic, who is the mate of Gruumsh and is known as the cave mother. She represents fertility, medicine, females and servitude. In the way orcs understand these aspects of course.
3. Baghtru, who is the god of pure physical strength. He is a loyal servant of Gruumsh and his followers are most often the strongest and cruelest ones amongst the orcs.
4. Ilneval, also known as the Lieutenant of Gruumsh. A god of war and considered the patron of some orc crossbreeds, such as orogs and tanarukks.
5. Shargaas, deity of darkness, night, stealth, thieves and undead.
6. Yurtrus, the god of death and disease. He is depicted as an orcs whose body was covered with sores, excepting his hands, which were with and unblemished.
Now that you know the orcish pantheon, dear reader, you certainly understand even more, why orcs tend to be the bloodthirsty and violent race they are. The socialization of their religious believes play a big part in it without question.
CHAPTER 4 - HOPE
Although the history between elves and orcs, actually between all races and the orcs, has always been a bloody one, you might ask, if there is hope for a better future? As much as I am very sceptical, I think there always is. Nothing has to stay like it is. Life is fluent. I do concur, that almost everything might indicate otherwise, but even I have met something like a good orc. Trying to get distance from the vile and evil orcish society is how it is, orcs in general being nothing more than evil raiders and murderers, is highly likely. But giving up hope, not believing in the possibility of change, is a too sinister thought. Everything and everybody can change, given enough time and effort!
EPILOGUE
Although this might not be the last volume of "Duskwalker on Orcs", I hope you already found the information in this book to be of use to you.
A special thanks you goes to old and longtime friends or even more of mine:
Sirion, whose council was and still is always appreciated and agreed to redact this book immediately. It would not be nearly as good without his help!
My former teacher Viridiana, who taught me to become an arcane archer. I would not be the man I am now without her. May her time in Silverymoon be a joyful and happy one!
Derik and Lannia, the rather unlikely couple. You two are just great, together and apart!
Alexandra, the Guide of Candlekeep. Would not have written this book without you.
Last but not least, Jane. May you be whatever you were ought to be! Opinions of others can be a difficult thing, but you should listen to the calling of your heart.
There is always room for hope and happiness, as unlikely as it sometimes appears to be!