The Orcs of the Dense Jungles - Race Artwork Overview (Patreon)

Race Profile – Orcs

Some old tales say that the Orc people once had a great city that stood where Verdant now towers. But it matters very little. Muscular and agile, the orcs have found solace in their green surroundings for more generations than they can remember. However, they have not forgotten what was stolen from them. They have little trust for humans, and will not permit them to go beyond their border marks. Anyone foolish enough to trespass won't make it past the tree line without hearing the sharp whistle of an arrow. And orcs do not miss. However, some small dispensations have been made. In recent decades, Verdant has begun to permit small groups of orcs to come into the cities and trade their wares. 

Rulers & Government

Beyond the Greenback Mountains, surrounded by the thick flora of the Dense Jungles, the Orcs live outside of Verdant's structure. They have no Queen, nor King, nor lords that command them. Spread out across the landscape are independent villages comprised of six to ten Orc families who have banded together. There is a massive city near the bay along the Southwest edge, and there lives the Grand Elder of their people. The Grand Elder can call upon the tribes to pledge fealty to them, as well as demand tribute each year for their continued leadership. The Grand Elder can call the tribes to band together for war or protection, as well as command one tribe to lend aid to another for sake of food, progeny or defense.    
  
When the Grand Elder passes, each of the tribes may select a representative from their own to go to the Canopy City and participate in a series of tasks to prove themselves as a worthy successor. These tasks involve what the Orcs consider leadership skills; Restraint, Wit and Endurance. For Restraint, a large and flighty bird is released in an enclosure. The contenders must scramble to catch it without injuring the bird. Points are deducted if it looses feathers, and if the bird if maimed or killed they loose. For Wit, the orcs will be given a series of disputes between people or tribes which they must resolve to the general satisfaction of all parties involved. For Endurance, they must climb to the top of a cliff which hangs over a deep underground cave. They must dive from the cliff and swim down to the bottom, collecting one of the glittering rocks there as proof.  Finally, if more than one Orc emerges victorious, a trial by combat will be enforced, in which they fight till first blood.    
  
However, for the most part, the Orc people act independently of one another, and to a large degree respect the territory of their fellows. At the head of each tribe are a Circle of respected and distinguished members. They make decisions regarding the governance or their families and ensuring that everyone is kept well fed and generally sated. They learned a long time ago that the only way for one to survive is if all survive. Because of this and various other developed traditions, the Orcs are by and large peaceful with one another, though the same can not always be said of outsiders.

Allies & Enemies

There is a long-standing pattern of distrust between Orcs and Humans, and for good reason. While humans are not welcome in the Dense Jungles beyond the border markers, there is a tentative alliance being sought. Orcs are being encouraged to “deter” humans at the border as opposed to shooting them outright. As far as the Minotaur's are concerned, the Orcs see no real harm in them, nor do they want to actively upset them. It is unusual for an Orc to meet with anyone bigger than they are. So there is a healthy respect. Many will tell you that the Gabelins and Orcs share a common ancestry. Both races will vehemently deny this, as they are not very friendly with one another. Orcs see the Gabelins as shifty and untrustworthy, while the Gabelins view orcs as brutish and dull-witted. Vadels, like most outsiders, are unwelcome beyond the borders. Not because there is any bad blood, but as outsiders and foreign persons, they don't know them and aren't given to trusting them. However, when it comes to the Yenya, there is outright hostile behavior. Many say the two peoples will fight one another on sight with little to no provocation. It is said the two races were once close allies, but a betrayal caused them to split. Whatever the reason, it has not been forgiven. 

Religion & Belief

It should come as some surprise that the Orc does not seem to have gods. They had them at one point, but any orc will tell you that gods who do nothing when their people suffer are not gods worth having. There is some degree of misunderstanding about this, as they do worship and have places which are considered sacred. However, they will insist that this has nothing to do with divine beings. Rather, they believe that there are beings which make their home in the surrounding jungles. Not gods, but tutelary spirits that range from aggressive to benign and must be given their due if one wishes to pass unharmed. Every tribe seems to have different names for them, but as a whole, they refer to them as the Geni'. For instance, if an Orc found a tree full of ripe, succulent fruit and wishes to pick some, they would first offer something to any Geni that might consider this tree to be on their property. Often times, if a sacred place is identified, the tribe as a whole will go and make offerings on a yearly basis to ensure that they can pass through or respectfully collect resources without being seen as trespassing. 

Hunters, Gatherers & Healers

Within Orc social groups, duty and responsibility are the primary factors in any decision. At the head of the tribe sits the Circle, which is comprised of their respected hunters, healers, family heads and accomplished persons. While they do not make 'laws', the Circle is expected to hold cultural traditions and ensure that everyone within the tribe does what they are supposed to be doing. While their order has a certain rigidity to it, there is a flow to the way they live, and after having lost what was once theirs so long ago, they want to ensure they keep what they can.

Hunters and gatherers are among the most valuable members of their society. Skilled and effective hunters venture out in the jungle to provide not just their own family, but their people with enough meat to sustain themselves. They are adept at tracking local herds, but it goes far beyond this. They are effectively game wardens of their territory, ensuring that the local species are not over hunted, nor poached by other tribes without seeking permission. They also guard the borders if their territory is close enough, providing an effective deterrent to anyone seeking a way in. This is generally considered to be a duty of male Orcs, but female hunters are not unknown.

Gatherers, likewise, play a vital role in their people's survival. Not only is it their goal to bring back enough produce to supplement a well-rounded diet, but many of their most learned members are effectively reproducing them closer to their villages. Large scale farming is not possible within the Dense Jungles. Not only is the terrain full of thick foliage and cliff sides, but it would require upsetting the territories of the Geni, which is sure to cause no end of trouble. Instead, they use the cliffs to their advantage, carving out niches and stuffing them with rich soil and compost in order to grow hanging plants. If one goes to an orc village, they are likely to see an entire cliff full of fat vines hanging with fruit, herbs, and vegetables. This is generally considered to be a duty of female orcs, but male gatherers are not unknown.

Healers are invaluable in any society. With the plethora of ingredients available to them, Healers take advantage, working to ensure that the dangers of living in this lush environment are surmountable. It is often thought that they possess some kind of sacred knowledge, and most Healers will not discourage this as it surrounds them with a kind of awe. While many Healers are simply those who paid attention and experimented until they got results, it is not uncommon for some to have an awareness of enginama and be capable of soothing them when they are upset. The duty of a Healer is seen to belong to no gender, and in fact, those who have no gender seem to be drawn to it. 

Family & Marriage

Orcs embrace polygamy as a natural state of things, one household teeming with husbands, wives, and children. While prominent marriages are usually arranged, love matches are not discouraged provided the families are amiable. A new, or first-time marriage is often accompanied by the tribe building them a new home, allowing the couple some privacy and time together. Marriages often happen just before the rainy season, allowing them weeks with which to enjoy one another. One can tell the rains are over when half the orc women have swollen bellies and sore ankles. 

Male or female carries little meaning to the tribes. Those who identify as a male have structured duties and are expected to provide for their families, take up arms in case of defense, and generally prove themselves as protectors. Those who identify as female is in the business of keeping the household and village in order, wrangling unruly Orc children, and ensuring the home is ready for their mates to return. However, variations are accepted. More than one male mate is seen as a positive, as it means there is one more to help provide. Another female is seen as one more set of hands to keep things in order. As such, orcs do not discriminate when it comes to ones preferred gender, provided that they accept the duties that come along with it. 

Relationships within the marriage are accepted, provided that one doesn't forget their duty to their primary spouse. That is their duty to the first Orc they were married to. Because of this, any children born within an orc household are expected to be treated as if they were the children of the entire family. There is not generally much preference given to 'first-borns' unless the first marriage was one of love and not an arrangement. Children are barely set down until they reach a year old, and are adored little things. They are loud, rambunctious, and prone to trouble-making, meaning that their parents must have a great deal of patience to deal with a hoard of them at a time. A group of orc children is fittingly referred to as a trample.