ORCS: THE GREEN BARONS

Playing an Orc:

Orcs are defined by their raw ambition. They are skilled in warfare and battle, but do not treasure it; they treasure conquering and mastery. The age of Steam and Powder has helped the short-lived Orcs adapt, using both their own magic and stolen and repurposed human technology for profit, power, or both. This ambition does not make Orcs cruel by default, though many certainly are. They are strongly devoted to their culture, communities, and, in particular, their families, and put these things above all else. Every human wants a home, every Elf wants control, but every Orc wants a legacy.

Orcs use Alchemy, the magic of twisting dark forces of chaos and change. This often takes the form of unpredictable potions, tonics, elixirs…and grenades.

Everything an Orc does can be viewed through a simple lens: What would you do if you died tomorrow? What if everyone you love died tomorrow, too? Orcs in Omesa, barring alchemical enhancement, live to an average age of forty-five, with fifty being ancient. They have no time for idleness, no sympathy for emotional journeys of discovery. It’s not to say that Orcs don’t FEEL these things, they do, some say they feel them more passionately than others. But they don’t dwell on their feelings or “process” them in a way. They’re not cruel or stupid; they simply don’t have time. When an Orc yells “I’ll get my revenge, if it’s the last thing I do”, that’s not hyperbole.,

This also leads to Orcs having larger families than the other cultures in Omesa. It’s accepted, you will see your parents die before you have accomplished all you will achieve. This is why legacy becomes important… if Orcs are to survive, each new generation must take up the torch the previous ones have left behind, and keep their memory fresh in their hearts because it is likely that it will be their OWN children who accomplish the dream in hand, not themselves. So it’s common practice to have a bunch of children to increase the odds.