Race Worldbuilding: Orcs

Introduction

Orcs. Urks. Uruks. Greenskins. Whatever title you want to call them…they’re mean, they’re green, and they’re itchin’ for a fight! Whenever you think of the typical races that are introduced in a fantastical setting, there a couple standouts that usually come to mind. Bog-standard, boring Humans, typical gruff and mining Dwarves, disconnected and tree-dwelling Elves–they’re all well and good. But it’s hard to find many fantasy settings that don’t include some variation of the Orc (or at least, some of their cousins that are related to them like Goblins or Ogres). And it can be easy to see why they are such an iconic race, for in many ways, they contrast what Humans are supposed to represent. When humans build civilizations, Orcs seek to tear them down. When we seek peace, they urge for war. When we give mercy, they show none. And yet, in the same form of light, there are many ways that they reflect some of the strongest emotions that leave us to reflect on how far we will go to ensure that we do not lose sight of our own humanity…

So, let us draw swords, for the enemy lies just beyond the doorstep. Listen close…You hear that? Sounds like meat’s back on the menu, boys! Let’s take a look at some of the common traits that embody these savage creatures.

Key Characteristics in the Fantasy Genre

• Often they are depicted with having a distinct coloration on their skin, varying from greenish hues to heavy browns to even dark greys. They also often have tusks that appear as massive canines that protrude from their jaws (jutting out like horns would from a bull, except from their mouths). This is shockingly common, and I’ve never been able to figure out why this is such a common visual detail that’s shared across the genre.
• Often their warlike nature can lead to their individuals in society very rarely reaching an old age…mainly because they die before they can reach their elder years. It is possible that in many settings that Orcs ‘could’ live longer; their lifestyle, however, is shown to directly contrast their average lifespan very quickly.
• They love fighting. And fighting…and fighting some more. Did I mention they like a bit of fights? Orcs are an aggressive race that prey upon those that can’t defend themselves, raiding and pillaging the spoils of others for their own benefit. In a way, this also is a mirroring to their hatred for Dwarves in many settings…
• This animosity towards most races leaves very little room for diplomacy for other races that would even dare to try and reason with these brutes. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for Orcs to leave little room for reason amongst their own kind, and infighting can lead to chaos and uncertainty for a tribe.
• They have every reason to hate the ‘civilized’ races in fantasy, because they themselves aren’t civilized. They are typically represented in a primitive, nomadic society that embodies the value of “might makes right” and follow the spiritual teachings and blessings of shamanism.

Orc Shamans are often the spiritual prophets, guides, or even leaders to a tribe or clan of Orcs. Their fanaticism or supernatural blessings can lead to an unnatural fervor and ferocity that is unheard of. Found under DeviantArt by ChunLo

• Orcs in height can usually be about human-sized, though many variations have them hunched over compared to how tall they would be if they were standing up…someone would make some good money if they started a fantasy chiropractor!
• They favor weapons that can bite through even the strongest armor, and this leads to Orcs loving axes…which frankly, is a good historical precedent. In many ways, you could contrast Orcish societies to the Vikings of our own age, where as a historical weapon axes were a prime choice of cutting deep into even the strongest of armors. Not to say they don’t use other weaponry, but it’s hard for an Orc to say no to a good axe…and the bigger and heavier the blade, the better.
• Depending on the setting, Orcs can typically thrive in any terrain as long as there are resources to sustain themselves (regardless of who they might “belong” to). Even the harshest, barren wastelands can be hotspots for Orcs to hide away and multiply their numbers.
• Speaking of numbers, there’s usually a lot of them…like, a lot of them! The image of seeing a teeming horde of Orcs charging down the hillside is an evocative and terrifying image to picture, and an aptly fitting one for a race that needs the numbers to overwhelm any opposition that tries to stand in their way.

In this way, these are just a couple of examples giving you a good idea on what an Orc might be, even if you’ve never seen them in fantasy before. Now that we understand some of the main traits that define these creatures, we look on to their importance for what messages we can gain from their inclusion.

Themes

The strongest traits about Orcs are really the ones that you need to take a second look at in order to really get a full grasp on why these beings are so popular. And yet again, you can thank Granddaddy Tolkien for putting them at the forefront as a strong, rich, and motivated antagonist force against the Fellowship.

War. War never changes.

When we look at what the Orc offers us, at first they really seem like simple creatures. They live, they fight, they die. Kill one, three more join the fray. They are relentless, single-minded, savage, and brutal in their ‘tactics’. Kill you before you kill them. And if you do happen to kill them…then it’s only a matter of time before buddy #17 after them finishes the job.

Orcs are brutal, that is not to be questioned. But is this in their nature, or is there a hidden, underlying motivation that they must fight out of necessity for survival? If they don’t fight back, what fate will become of them? They have everything to lose if they don’t secure their place in the world…more to think on as literature has us dive deeper behind the morality of other races in fantasy. Found under DeviantArt, inspired by the Black Orc of the Warhammer fantasy setting, by neisbeis

However, why must Orcs fight? This is often explained very little, but when we stop and think, why must there be this urge for them to seek to conquer others, to kill for the sake of killing at times? Reflect now on what I hinted at in the introduction: What does this mean for us as humans? All throughout our history we have had warfare and bloodshed define our cultures and our humanity. Empires rise and fall, religions merge or fade, money comes and goes, but in the end it is all a tragic loss and, frankly, a waste of life. How far must we go before we really ask ourselves why we fight? These are the kinds of questions we need to ask ourselves, as often in warfare it’s deemed appropriate–and even necessary–to dehumanize the enemy so that you can have no hesitation when orders need to be carried out. Sure, Orcs are themselves so monstrous in their nature…that’s often how fantasy rewrites reality, by exacerbating the qualities that reflect certain aspects of humanity. When we start to desensitize ourselves to distinguishing ourselves from “the enemy”, by “othering” them and demeaning them for simply being different, we start to lose what makes the beauty of being human: Our identity. Our diversity. Our unity.

The Cycle of Nature and its Destruction

A common fate that befalls those under the assault of an Orcish raid is the pillaging and sacking of their settlements and the destruction of the land surrounding. This is to be expected, the victor in warfare is well within their right to see fit how their newly acquired belongings are used. However, a more subtle note to look upon is the impact that their presence has in nature. Warfare requires many kinds of resources: manpower (the people to do the swinging and shooting), necessities (basic amenities for living which include food, water, shelter, etc.), tools (the weapons, armor, mounts, and other necessities that are needed to wage war effectively), and materials (the stuff required to make many of the things above possible, like wood, ores, coin, etc.). This in turn creates a struggle for the environment you live in to be able to accommodate for the many necessities that are needed in a struggle for dominance.

Everything that is done to the environment has a lingering aftereffect that will last for centuries at a time, and this in turn will force many difficult decisions for those that are required to live off the environment (as many Orcs are given their nomadic lifestyle). Have they hunted every bit of food that they could to sustain themselves? This will throw any biome they inhabit into a spiral of death as food chains will fall into turmoil. All of the trees get cut down to make housing? The woods that once housed many vital plants and animals will gradually recede. All of the water get drained for irrigation, plumbing, and excess dumping of waste? Soon enough, any clean water will dry up. All of your men get killed during a catastrophic mission that you conducted? Now many of your untrained militia and villagers have to be conscripted to simply have bodies on the field to defend your lands…all of these aspects and others are simply reflections on what can happen when any war is taken to its extreme and has its effects bleed to everywhere it affects. More things are affected than just the men and women that are killed.

Traits and Culture in My Setting

I took a bit more time to expand on the themes above because I value these themes more than most might recognize at first glance. That’s because these are the focus behind how they are integrated in my setting.

Orcs were among the first races to have been introduced into Eriath, alongside some of their strongest allies being the Trolls of the west. It is said through legend that the first boar to have spilt its blood spawned the first Orc, a beast of pure tenacity and fury, but tempered and territorial with its measure of reason and pride. This is how many believe that their origin began, though their true origin remains shrouded through mystery…as they have no direct deity that they adhere to, unlike many of the civilized races of Eriath.

Beneath that savagery, often there’s an aspect of untapped pride, resentment, regret, and honor that many Orcs show as their own form of moral code. It’s just a matter of whether they let that show in the face of their enemy. Often thinking it as a sign of weakness, many Orcs simply hide these values from others that aren’t their own kin. These are the traits that I find missing or sometimes untapped in many iterations of the Orc, and I seek to change that. Found under DeviantArt by TamplierPainter

Their culture founded many powerful settlements, being among the first of the races to truly craft great cultures while staying true to their roots that their origin beast taught them: To live off the land, to thrive off those that would give their sustenance to you, and to punish those that would transgress against you. This led to their people being warry towards strangers from other cultures, especially the Humans and Dwarves who encroached closer and closer toward their borders. It wasn’t long before war would befall the Orcish people.

They were forced out of their original homes and cities, as the Humans continually harvested the very resources that the Orcs relied upon to survive. They were pushed further and further east past the Sendai, into what is now known as Drût, or what would become the inevitable wasteland of the Orcs. With the desolate territory here, no resources, very little life that could sustain itself without succumbing or relocating, the Orcs grew desperate. It wasn’t long before they knew what they needed to do. To take back what was their own ancestral homeground! How dare the others intrude on their sacred footing? They hallowed the very air itself around these cities, and were it not for the foundations they laid, these cities would not exist!

War. War was the only answer. War was the only way to repay this toll that was beset on them. And it’s time that the enemy has paid its share…

Conclusion

If there’s one takeaway from this lengthy post, just remember this: Evil is only a point of view. What Humans and Dwarves would see as a barbaric race that killed their kind for the sport and pleasure of it, the Orcs are simply taking back what was once rightfully theirs…but if they can’t have it, then no one will. So is their way, so it is that it will be very unlikely the Legion and the Empire will ever truly see eye-to-eye for quite some time. Both have their faults, both have their merits, but all are guilty one way or another.

Passing it over to you all, how do you feel about a more humanizing approach to Orcs? Does it give a new perspective for them, or is it too off-putting for your taste? What other implementations of Orcs do you like/dislike and why? Let me know what you think. Thanks for sticking through with this to the end. Until next time, cheers!

-J.K. Denny

_{Featured image found under DeviantArt by JeremyChong}