Ogroids

Ogroid is a term used by Humans to group together beings such as Orcs, Goblins, and Ogres that even if being different species, having very different looks and quite different behaviors, are usually found together and in a mixed society. The term Ogroid was chosen due to a misconception by human scholars that Orcs and Goblins must descend from the larger Ogres. Greenskin is a pejorative used for their kind, though it is occasionally used by them for simplicity’s sake.

Orz’korun is what Orc and Ogrekind refer to themselves as a whole, roughly translating to “People of the Clans.” Goblins, despite having no relation to either race, adopted the name as well.

Orcs

Orcs look like slightly bulkier, more muscular humans with rougher features and skin ranging from dark green to almost human-like. Some might sport slightly larger teeth or even small tusks, a feature that humans use to identify them and call them "walking boars". The fact that some of them tend to talk in a rough tone of voice only adds to that. Orcs are however definitely not as stupid as other races might think, even if they tend to live in simple villages made with rough materials, their technical skills are severely lacking, and their ways simple and straightforward. Greenskins, and in particular Orcs, are rumored to be descendents of a group of humans that a long time ago committed horrible sins and was cursed by the gods to their lower status and grotesque look. In reality, the common ancestors of humans and orcs split into

different groups, one of these, living in particular isolation in mountains and frozen peaks, evolved with the millennia into something completely different and became the orcs that are known in the present.

Unlike humans, orcs are built for hardship, with bodies often slightly larger and bulkier than their human relatives, and often can thrive in conditions where humankind would find it harder to eke out an existence without the infrastructure of their society, as well as because any other better land was occupied by humans and their walled towns.

Their reproduction rates are twice as fast as humans (roughly four months), and they are capable of having new offspring within days of birthing the last. When mating with non-orcs, typically humans or elves, their half-blood spawn are born in five to six months and are infertile.

Orcs are however indeed genetically the closest to humans, and they sometimes, at least those that look more human-y, can find some level of tolerance living in the outskirts of some of the most rural human villages.

Goblins

Goblins look like a much smaller version of orcs, not particularly muscular either, but though they tend to be far more cowardly due to their fragile build, only regaining courage amongst crowds of their kin. They are pragmatic creatures who will align with anyone strong enough to protect them, even if that person isn’t particularly nice to them. This is why they oftentimes are seen in large numbers serving beneath ogre dominated clans. The origin of goblins is more uncertain, though due to their stature and features it is likely that they evolved from some species that at some point inhabited caves and the Underworld.

Goblins are also as often deemed to be smarter than other Ogroids, and are quick learners, the main drawbacks to them being their extremely short life-span, weaker build, and overactive survival instincts. They will flee any fight where they don't outnumber their opponent. Due to the way some of the larger Ogroids take advantage of them, or openly abuse them, in time, it has grown more and more common for Goblins to make tribes of their own, often in caves or in the very upper parts of the Underworld, hoping to be tolerated by the Ilthir there, sometimes in conflict with them, and in some cases also gathering these smaller and more 'manageable' Beastkin that would be able to live in the darkness.

Goblins possess a special kind of consciousness that is partly transmitted to their offspring via their bio-materials. Upon death, most of their memories and personality is transferred to their 'dormant' offspring, which goblins leave protected in sort of cocoons, and that 'hatches' only at the time of death of the goblin. The memories preserved being of course only the ones till that successful reproduction.

Goblins can produce these pods without the need to reproduce with anyone else, by parthenogenesis. The memories acquired after the last reproduction are rather foggy, especially the ones associated with the death itself, though they would keep most of what they learned previous to it. The reproduction of goblins is even faster, their 'clone' developing and being born in the matter of days.

Much like eggs, the pods a goblin produces need to be in a constant and controlled environment, leading to goblin's den being often deep in caves or other dank and dismal environments, the unchanging atmosphere ideal for their needs. The pods are also fiercely guarded as they are considered a feast for predators big and small, as the pod is unable to defend itself from the body within being feasted upon. To actually increase their numbers, goblins must need to reproduce with other of their kind.

Ogres

In ages past, when orcs still held more power across the continent, a tribe gathered after a great war against a local human city, its name, together with any clear account of what happened is long lost to history. The legends around the events that occurred after that conflict however, are stories shared across the campfires of many ogre clans.

It is said the orcs held a great feast, one that has yet to be rivaled since. So great was their excess, so divine was their hedonistic fervor, did the orcs catch the eye of Festum and Boggereth. Utterly pleased were they, that they would both mingle amongst the tribe, concealed and wrapped in the guise orcs themselves. The two partied together, and as they did, so too did the fervor of the orcs increase. For seven days, orc and god danced, drank, and ate. And for each day that passed, they grew, in both gut and strength. And on the seventh day, as Festum and Boggereth slipped quietly into the night, they left in their wake a new race: the Ogres. And in their passage, they graced their kind with a gift. For as long as any partake in the pleasures of the world amongst ogrekind, so too will their depravity spread.

Ogres, sometimes also called by human commoners ‘half-giants’ or just ‘giants’, are, simply put, huge versions of their shorter kin. Swollen with muscle and fat, these juggernauts act as the overwhelming force behind any major Greenskin incursion. They rise far above the heads of their kind, wading into battle with utmost fury and joy. Like orcs, they prefer a simple existence, but unlike orcs, that existence necessitates some form of hedonism.

In the modern day, ogrekin has changed little, and has integrated fully amongst tribes of greenskins. They are brutes, by and large, who rely on their size and mass to impose themselves, especially in those tribes that value and rely on physical prowess. As such, they aren't the most agile bunch, though the women are generally of less-rounded frames. This is said to be because the

feminine half of ogrekind take after their goddess Festum, whereas males take more so after Boggereth.

Though exceptions always exist, there are no thin ogres, just different stages of being overweight. Unlike orckind, there is a certain pride in their frames, to the point where those self-proclaimed as ‘Great Shamans of Boggereth’ are so utterly fat that they barely capable of moving without the aid of a host of servants ballasting their disgusting frames upon large carts.

On the other hand, the 'Great Shamans of Festum' are often blessed with oddly mobile, "slimmer" frames despite the great amounts of food they consume.

So driven by the desire to fight, drink, eat, and seek pleasures of the flesh are the Ogres that their clans sometimes host blood and bog demons, some willingly, some less willingly, but in rare occasions even resulting in them obtaining some position of power.

The most savage of ogres will sometimes seek out Beastkin tribes to bully their way into, rarely having issues in doing so as they are more than capable by and large of proving their strength to such vile beings.

As for the natural byproduct of larger Greenskins mating with non-ogres, the result is often, in case the female is

the smaller one, her death, either during the mating or the impossible pregnancy. Only in case of large enough partners, a rare pregnancy is carried successfully.The resulting half-breeds are typically treated with more scrutiny among orc-kind, though among ogres they are often readily accepted. They appear compatible with both human and elvenkind, though the offspring would be infertile. When ogres and orcs interbreed, typically it’s a coin toss between the mother birthing an ogre or an orc.

Society

Organization

Greenskins often live in roughly built villages in the desert, mountains, or in proximity of caves and ruins, using them as natural shelters. Though at times, ogres will settle in and around marshlands. At the head of a village is usually an Orc or Ogre, whose title is usually something simple as chieftain or leader, whose authority comes from its physical prowess and martial skills more than from its cunning, diplomacy or ability to lead the tribe.

Their society is heavily hierarchical, but the hierarchy is rather simple: after the chief, religion and warfare are the most valuable occupations, with the result that Shamans and Warriors are the most prestigious positions, followed by anything that revolves around warfare. Cooks and brewers are also considered to be paramount in clans dominated by Ogres.

When Goblins live together with other Greenskins, they usually occupy the bottom of the social ladder, sometimes treated little differently than slaves. There are some rare exceptions, as Goblins can sometimes make valuable ambushers and stalkers, but their general status in society is what makes them, between their Greenskin brethren, the most likely to try and venture away to find a better life, sometimes organizing clans and villages on their own, other times acting as agents for some other groups, such as the Ilthir, thanks to their natural darkvision, or groups of bandits living in the thick of the forests.

Ogroids are in any case a very martial-based society, although that does not necessarily mean all Greenskin tribes are aggressive and actively seek to start wars. The tribes that are aggressive though, are usually so to hunt for slaves from isolated livings, or to defend their territories from specific threats. Captives and slaves are a common sight in Greenskins and especially in Orc society. Treated as little more than cattle, they are put to work in harsh conditions, rarely used for anything else than that, and often ending up dying for the poor conditions they are left in, and the too harsh demands. Among ogrekind, they can expect to be dragged into any festival to Festum if they are pleasing enough.

Customs

Ogres, unlike Orcs or Goblins, are known for great feasts that are held once a month. These feasts are often belligerent affairs, but all who are friends of the clan are welcome: Greenskins are in fact not particularly racist, but hold personal relations and the value of the individual to higher importance. They will however not tolerate those that would take advantage of the hospitality of a tribe by trying to impose their “civilized ways” over them.
In these feasts, food, drink, and debauchery would be everywhere, and many end up drinking themselves to sleep. Shamans and followers of Festum would take the lead of the night, taking care that everyone would indulge before letting go of themselves into the celebration.

Many orc-lead tribes do greatly value honor and pride, tend to hold in great consideration the word given by others, and to appreciate the value of trust and of healthy, stable relationships with other tribes and even other races. They would usually prefer to face the enemy in open head to head battles that would represent a test of strength to see who has the right to rule, between them and their enemies. The same is less true about Goblins, whose stereotype wants them more sneaky, and therefore less trustworthy. However, they simply behave according to what nature gave them: lacking size to match other races into physical prowess, they rely on numbers and gimmicks instead, but are not particularly prone to treason, despite the rumors.

Ogre-lead tribes are similarly run, though often much of their free time is spent boisterously partying, setting up matches that are wagered on, and generally being a rowdy lot, unable to really focus and band together against common threats and enemies. Goblins, being so small, invariably end up at the bottom of the totem pole, and often act as little better than slaves to their massive-gutted masters. Especially amongst ogrekind, they exist to serve, with only Orcs being seen as equals. Greenskin women have the same rights and can occupy the same positions than their male counterparts, depending on their strength, martial skills and honorable behavior.

Relation with civilization

The tribes of orcs that lived at closer contact with their human cousins, have in the centuries observed their success, their technological advances, and the improvements in their society and living conditions with respect to their own. This has led several tribes to try and adopt something of the uses and customs of their human neighbors or rivals. From stabilizing into a sedentary lifestyle based on agriculture instead than on hunting and gathering, to building solid palisades around their settlements for protection, to the smelting of some ores, such as gold for jewels and bronze for weapons and armors, or to trade for finer articles of clothing and other goods that are difficult to obtain otherwise for their kin.

Notably, some of these more civilized tribes have even obtained some form of recognition by the first reigns of the Humans especially in the lands of Messalya, a tradition that has evolved with the coming of the Empire’s domain. The local authorities, always with the aid of a Fatebinder, would sometimes give these particularly cooperative tribes some form of jurisdiction over an area, usually of very little strategic relevance and scarcely inhabited in exchange for peace keeping and actions against other tribes and dangers. This form of cooperation happens rarely in a handful of uninhabited desertic regions, or more often at the border with the Wastelands, with the naming of a Fodan: a vassal tribal chief. This Fodan would still hold no authority over humans, even against brigands, which would still need to be reported to the Human Authorities.

Worthy of mention are also a handful of tribes of goblins that emigrated deeper into the Underdark, some of which similarly, entertained some form of cooperation and trade with the Ilthir.

Religion

Orcs often worship Khonvoum, god of physical prowess and hunting, though in some cases, worshippers of other deities such as Dominium may be found. Among ogres, however, near universal worship of the “Rowdy Three” is their mainstay religion. Those gods being Festum, Boggereth, and Khonvoum. Though rarely, a twisted form of Lilith can also be worshiped in some ogre clans.

Relations with other races

The Orz’korun can, opposite to their stereotype pictured by Humans, entertain other kinds of relationships than war and aggression. It would be quite common for them to trade slaves with their neighbors (for instance the Ilthir, or human outlaws), or discuss hunting grounds with Beastkin. It wouldn’t be particularly uncommon for them to temporarily align with these groups, or even some desperate human factions, if such should benefit them.

Orcs in particular have been often hired by Empire recruiters as Foederati of the Imperial Army, to perform some 'dirty work', especially if it would be inconvenient for it to be performed by humans (even mercenaries), or to raid and pillage specific targets instead of others, instilling a sense of fear in a calculated manner to specific groups and areas.

Ogres, similarly, can be found seeking out mercenary work from those willing to pay their large asking price and being courageous enough to approach them (as well as cover their food and drink demands). However, unlike orcs who present themselves well, ogres are banned from any Imperial settlement and often actively hunted, due to the (often justified) belief that they are more dangerous and aggressive.

Goblins, instead, due to their dark vision, but especially due to their desire of breaking their subservience to their tribe, often end up in the Underworld, either establishing smaller tribes, or aligning themselves to serve under the Ilthir, a faith that for some of the small creatures still offers more opportunities than the certain condition they’d face in their tribe of origin.

Most tribes do perform slaving raids and raids for resources, which makes Greenskins quite hated and feared by most other races. Occasionally, loner Greenskins have been rumored to be living in a Beastkin tribe, but even the opposite is not so

uncommon. Large mixed tribes however have never been reported, perhaps the different groups sticking mainly to each other and naturally ending up splitting into different tribes as their numbers as well as the tensions grow.

Ogroids rarely live among humans, with the exclusion of the rare cases described above: Goblins and Ogres especially, or Orcs that look particularly ugly, or simply 'different' than humans are easily seen as something too alien to be allowed to stay in the xenophobic human society, and often seen as repulsive creatures, often part of the popular culture (and sometimes rightfully so), as those that kidnap children that would not close their doors at night.

How to play

Military strength or usefulness and fighting skills are the metric a Greenskin would use to weigh people and other races, otherwise their diplomacy is largely based on the personal preference of the chief of the tribe.
Slavery is normal and acceptable for a Greenskin. Slaves are mistreated and often beaten, and sometimes not only by their owners but by the entire tribe, depending on the purpose and status of the slave in question.
Ogroids will raid other races for slaves and their higher quality goods, though mainly smaller settlements or isolated dwellings of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Faefolk: their raids mostly calculated, avoiding targets that they deem too well defended.
Orcs do like to prove themselves, but will also tend to let their enemies live to fight another day… if they are not in need of slaves.
Orcs care about pride and honor, while Goblins, being not used to having pride and honor, usually care more about carrying on with their short lives. Ogres care most about when they can next fill their belly.
Orcs and goblins are not particularly religious, but they might have shamans that are usually seen as a useful addition to the tribe's strength. Ogres, on the other hand, are more keen to appease their gods, and as such honor every feast to Festum and Boggereth, and every battle to Khonvoum.

Characteristics

(see Table of racial characteristics)
Orc

Languages: Common, Ogroid
Height limits 171 to 198 cm

Goblin

Darkvision
Languages: Common, Ogroid
Height limits 108 to 135 cm

Ogre

Languages: Common, Ogroid
Height limits 207 to 243 cm

Authors: Rashan, Honkerton

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Lands of Tyranny

Day 1 of The Philosopher, Year 414