Early Access
Born into squalor and fear, the orc species is composed of miserable, misbegotten humanoids that seem destined to serve as fodder for more powerful evil overlords. When left to their own devices, these loathsome creatures turn on each other, the strongest oppressing the next weakest (and so on down the line) with cruel barbs, gruesome jokes, and physical beatings. When these creatures have no masters to hate, they hate themselves.
No two orcs look exactly alike, but all have a mean, ugly, and shambolic facade. Never clean and often spattered with the remains of recent meals, orcs have a mouthful of sharp, broken teeth that can develop into true fangs. Adults range in height from no larger than a human child to $massive specimens$ larger than a strapping man. Whether big or small, nearly all orcs have stooped backs and crooked legs. The hue of their skin is hard to ascertain, because they are covered by the sediment of years, not to mention the iron armor every orc constantly wears from the moment they’re able to lift a weapon.
Powerful orc leader: level 5; health 25; Armor 3; heavy sword deals a major wound
Motive: Make others more miserable than themself
Environment: Anywhere near, on, or under mountains, usually in groups of four to six, or in tribes dozens to hundreds strong
Health: 7
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound
Armor: 2
Movement: Short
Modifications: Dodge as level 3 (if wearing a shield); positive social interactions as level 1
Combat: Most orcs have bows able to target foes within long range. Some carry a shield and wield a medium axe, sword, or mace that inflicts a moderate wound. Other orcs (usually those that are larger than their fellows) dispense with shields and wield a heavy two-handed maul or hammer.
Orcs live short, brutish lives. The few that survive for years do so because of some special advantage; they’re meaner, sneakier, stronger, or tougher than average. These veterans have one or more of the following modifications:
Interaction: An orc would stab their own mother if they thought doing so would give them another hour of life in a desperate situation. That said, most orcs have been conditioned, through beatings and torture, to fear the evil master they serve (if any). Characters attempting to negotiate with an orc through intimidation find that short-term success is followed by medium-term betrayal.
Use: A band of orcs fires on the PCs from the edge of the forest. However, these orcs are crafty, and characters who rush directly into combat might fall victim to a hidden pit trap or other prepared ambush.
Loot: Orcs carry a lot of useless equipment and tools. Amid this dross, a band of orcs might have currency equivalent to a moderately priced item among them.
GM Intrusion: The orc’s weapon gets stuck in the character. The orc either leaves it to hang there (inflicting a minor wound each round and hindering the character until it is removed) or pulls it free (inflicting a moderate wound).