Orcs

Author: Darklady2831

In the far northern taiga of Al-Jura roam dozens of tribes of muscular grey-skinned men with slight porcine features. These tribes, who collective refer to themselves as Orcs, are said to be the descendants of humans who were enslaved by the Elves who ruled Al-Jura over five hundred years ago. Magically altered and bred for manual labour, those slaves eventually rebelled and fled into the northern grasslands and forests of Al-Jura, organizing into tribes and clans. Orcs stand between six and seven feet tall, with greenish-grey to grey skin and yellow or red eyes. Their faces vaguely resemble those of humans, with flatter and broader noses, enlarged canine teeth, and bold brow ridges. Their hair is generally dark and coarse, almost like the fur of a wild boar. Male orcs have short porcine tusks jutting from their lower mouth. Orcs typically have more muscle mass than humans or elves, though that is not to say that all orcs are stronger than all humans. Orcs typically have worse higher reasoning skills than elves, but they usually make up for it with an almost bestial cunning.

The Orcs are split into two broad cultural groups, urban and rural. The majority of Orcs cling to their tribal ways, living as their ancestors have since their liberation from the elves centuries ago. In the past dozen or so decades, however, some Orcs have begun to migrate south, forsaking their tribal ways to take up modern tools and professions. These 'civilized' orcs take up the difficult jobs that humans or elves don't want, from smithies, to plowing fields, to mining or forestry. In recent years, Orcs have proven to be well-adapted to tasks requiring strength of arm and clarity of eye. Many soldiers swear by the Orcish blades or armour they bear. Even if their crafts are not as beautiful as those of Elves, or as numerous as those of men, Orcish goods are dependable beyond those made by any other race.