Half-orcs are a diverse race of humanoids, having either one orc parent, or two half-orc parents.
Varieties and appearance[]
Half-orcs are most commonly born of human and orc heritage, or from two half-orcs of such ancestry. Half-orcs typically have protruding tusks and well developed muscles, though often not to the extent of full-blooded orcs. They tend to be taller than humans, being up to 6 ½ feet tall, and weighing between 180 and 250 pounds. A half-orc's skin tone can match either that of their parents, or can even be a two-toned mix between the two.
Besides humans, half-orcs can have other non-orcish parents. The children of elves and orcs are called uniya in Jrusar,[3] and people with both drow and orcish heritage are not uncommon in the Kryn Dynasty.[4] On occasion, an orc will crossbreed with an ogre; one such half-ogre was encountered as part of a mostly orcish raiding party in the Vesper Timberland.[5]
Society[]
History[]
According to legend believed in the Post-Divergence era, orcs were created during a battle of the Calamity where Corellon pierced the eye of Gruumsh and his blood seared elves in the field, who became orcs.[4] Others contend that Gruumsh created the orcs himself.[6] However, both of these legends are untrue, as orcs and half-orcs existed during the Age of Arcanum prior to the Calamity.[7][8] The legends are spread by Gruumsh and his followers because he wishes to take credit for their creation.[9]
Because of their orcish heritage, it has been long thought that half-orcs have inherited a curse of ruin, the alleged but non-existent curse from Gruumsh that drives orcs to commit acts of cruelty and violence. Only in recent years has this prejudice begun to wane.
Issylra[]
The half-orc fighter Kern trains and competes in the Braving Grounds District of Vasselheim, and an ogrillon was in the party of orcs that ambushed several members of Vox Machina in the Vesper Timberland.[10]
Tal'Dorei[]
Fan art of Garthok, a member of the Clasp, by Joma Cueto.[art 2]
Half-orcs face a great deal of prejudice in Tal'Dorei, often being thought of as ugly brutes by humans, and weak runts by orcs.[11] Some half-orcs reject human society, having seen its ugly side, preferring to live among the barbarian clans of the Dividing Plains, such as the Rivermaw Tribe. Others live among the tribes of their orcish parents, such as the brutal Ravagers.
Wildemount[]
Half-orcs in the Dwendalian Empire are renowned for being mighty soldiers, thanks to the Odakar orc clan being incorporated into the Empire, forming the city of Bladegarden.[12]
Within the Kryn Dynasty, many half-orcs have drow heritage. In the nomadic bands of Xhorhas, it is strictly taboo for orcs to interbreed with goblinoids, because goblinoids do tend to inherit the Curse of Strife and those of orcish blood are falsely believed to inherit a similar "curse of ruin", and the elders fear the madness that would befall an individual with both curses.[13]
Fan art of Fjord with Star Razor, by Stephanie Brown.[art 3]
While half-orcs are uncommon in the Menagerie Coast, they are most often found within Othe, having come to seek peace through the spiritualism present in the city.[14]
Marquet[]
Multiple half-orc people live in Jrusar. Those who also have elven ancestry are known as "uniya".[3]
Powers and abilities[]
Half-orcs are most often known for their might. They have been known to be capable of coming back from the brink of death, their orcish blood allowing them to survive what would otherwise be fatal blows.
Notable half-orcs[]
Exandria Unlimited: Calamity[]
NPCs[]
- Orwyn: A member of the Eyes of Avalir.
Campaign One: Vox Machina[]
PCs[]
- Garthok: A member of the Clasp, and one-time ally of Vox Machina.
NPCs[]
- Kern: A renowned pit fighter of The Crucible in Vasselheim.
- Dr. Dranzel: Leader of Dr. Dranzel's Spectacular Traveling Troupe and spy for the Golden Grin.
Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting[]
Lorkathar, a Fire Ashari firetamer, in the Flamereach Grove outside Emon, by Bryan Syme.[art 4]
- Warren: The Clasp's assassin master, the Spireling of Blades, located in Emon.[15]
- Lorkathar: Fire Ashari firetamer leading the Flamereach Outpost, which watches over the Scar of the Cinder King on the outskirts of Emon.[16]
- Jorlund Vohr: Professor of archaeology and spirit-speaker who led the only expedition to ever return from the Ruins of Vos’sykriss (Visa Isle), only to have his notes and stone tablets (along with his apartment) immediately destroyed by Umbrasyl in the attack on Emon.[17] Nine years earlier, he discovered a cache of Ioun Stones in the Frostweald (related to the Cavern of Axiom), but his research and findings were stolen a week after he brought them to the Alabaster Lyceum.[18]
Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein[]
PCs[]
- Fjord: A warlock, formerly of Uk'otoa, and now paladin of the Wildmother, member of the Mighty Nein.
NPCs[]
- Tuss Waccoh: Eccentric professor at the Marble Tomes Conservatory in Rosohna.
- Dwelma: Druid woman and member of the Iron Shepherds.
Campaign Three: Bells Hells[]
NPCs[]
- Gus: Detective of the Green Seekers in the Oderan Wilds.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7
Half-Orc on D&D Beyond
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 238.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) at 54:21.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp. 177–178.
- ↑ See "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 1:38:55. See also 1:42:28; the typical name for such creatures in the Monster Manual, 5th Edition is half-ogre, and a crossbreed of an ogre and orc specifically is called an ogrillon.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 112.
- ↑ See "Excelsior" (E3x01) from 1:32:50 through Orwyn is a half-orc..
- ↑
Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "A good eye! “It is said” that was the point of their creation, largely by those without interest in historical interest (the unreliable narrator of history). While that particular event created a number of “vengeful, orc-like beings under the Ruiner”, they indeed predated it." (2022-05-27) — in reply to @DamontEvermore: "So does that mean that isn't true? Or was that an older battle between Grummsh and Corellon that saw the Orcs emerge onto Exandria and I have things twisted up."
- ↑ Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "The Ruiner wishes to take credit for them, and pushed that narrative through his followers. Revisionist history." (2022-05-27).
- ↑ See "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 1:38:55.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 27-28.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 81.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 178.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 177-178.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 34.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 95. See also p. 127.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 97.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 75.
Art:
- ↑ Official art of an Exandrian half-orc, by Nikki Dawes (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Garthok, a member of the Clasp, by Joma Cueto (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Fjord with Star Razor, by Stephanie Brown (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Lorkathar, a Fire Ashari firetamer, in the Flamereach Grove outside Emon, by Bryan Syme (source). Used with permission.
External links[]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||