New Player Character Race: Ortho Orcs Part 2.0

Motmur (Ortho Orcs)

The Motmur were, long ago, very much like other Orcs of other lands. They worshiped Gods of Chaos, tortured, and slaughtered in the name of their Creators with very little civilization to call their own. That was when the Baatezu came and forced the orcs into 'slavery' that resulted in their transformation from brutish cannibals into a vast and powerful civilization that dominated much of Ortho.

The Motmur Orcs' brutal Lawful and Organized ways were anathema to the Knights of Harmony's idealism but the massive warrior tribes were not disposed to waging war with them. The Motmur had no love for the Chaos worshipers that were the Harmonium's enemies and offered the hand of frienship to the fledging organization. In a rare show of pragmatism for a paladin, Prince Romhel decided to accept their aid.

Personality: The Motmur are an incredibly proud people that tend to conduct themselves with an intense swagger when dealing with smaller beings. The Motmur are, justifiably, proud of their incredible racial accomplishments and are annoyed at any race that cannot cite their lineage or what heroes that they are related to.

Motmur tend to place a great deal of value on family, masculinity, and physical prowess. Their culture is rigidly organized with a tendency towards patriarchy rather than military organization. Motmur obey their King, their Tribal Chiefs, Their Fathers, and their Elder Male Relatives in that order. This has resulted in a great deal of difficulty with integrated military units and obeying non-orc overlords but few will gainsay the power of the Orc.

Motmur are, by and large, a violent people that tend to view other races with a great deal of stereotyping and various forms of derision. They place a good deal of importance on personal "honor" though that boils down to keeping one's word and protecting one's war companions.

Physical Description: Motmur are physically imposing as most Orcs but tend to be much better armed and much better equipment. The Motmur have access to the same technology as the rest of Ortho and do not disdain it. However, their clothes are of a distinctly more grandiose and bombastic attitude than most Ortho flare. Motmur have a preference for capes, grand colors, and other trappings of royalty when not in armor. Black and Red are especially common for their bloody connotations.

While it is incomprehensible to most non-Motmur, Orcs have a rigidly defined station that their clothing helps identify. Anything from gold enameling one of their tusks to the number of earrings on a snout has important meaning that must be backed up. An Orc that acts outside his station is often severely punished. Body art is especially common amongst Orcs with many choosing to paint elaborate murals of their deeds if they are especially accomplished.

Alignment: Motmur are Lawful Evil for the vast majority of their race. Their culture swiftly trains them that one's loyalty is to one's race, one's kingdom, one's family, and the OCA in that order. They tend to view the suffering of other races with distinct callousness and view non-warriors as good only to be servants. Few individuals that are Lawful Good can stomach the causal brutality that is a daily part of Motmur growing up.

Those who are not lawful tend to find themselves swiftly branded as 'Afrial' which means both 'honorless' and 'dung.' Countless Orcs have been conscripted to work houses by their own people for seemingly minor transgressions against their family's honor. Lawful Neutral individuals are not uncommon but tend to be sent away to work with the Harmonium for their comparatively balanced world views (that Motmur culture views as weakness).

Only in Xaric does a Neutral or Chaotic Orc have a chance of a peaceful existence.

Motmur Lands: The Province of Motmurk is dominated by the Orcs and one that they have shaped as their own homeland. Any non-Orc that comes into that domain is taking his safety in his own hands. They are a powerful presence in many other lands as the Orcs of Motmurk have founded many communities in other Provinces to expand the reach of their race's dominance. By and large, they are viewed as troublemakers.

Orcs are especially plentiful in Xaric but tend to have a most Un-Orcish relationship with Dwarves due to the ancient enmities that characterize Motmurk's relationship with Orcs being absent from them. The two races are able to live in relative peace. Strangely, the Orcs of Xaric tend to far less lawful than their Motmurk cousins and even tolerate the chaotically inclined. This has lead to a strange conflict between the 'Pure' orcs of Motmur and their 'honor-less' cousins that have 'forgotten their pride.' The Xaric hold nothing but loathing for their Motmurk cousins and fights are quite frequent when they meet.

The only province that Orcs are almost absent from is Northern Thaera. The Hobgoblins' former service to Alzrius has not been forgotten by the Orcs despite six hundred years. Worse, the Hobgoblins total submission to the state and totalitarian tendancies contrasts sharply with the Orcish love for family and personal glory. The fact that both compete to produce the greatest warriors of the Harmonium has made the two races almost impossible to work alongside. The Orcs are much more influential than the Hobgoblins but are deeply vexed at how powerful they've become. Orcs who settle in North Thaera have a tendency to meet unfortunate 'accidents.'

Religion: The Orcs tend to worship Didairdin almost exclusively amongst the Lords of Order. The God of Guardianship and Children is still the God of War amongst the Motmur and they see very little need for any of the other deities. The exception is Tyerusus whom is paid homage by Orcs that have reason to fear death or disease. Most female orcs tend to revere Ina instead of Didairdin.

A substantial number of Orcs maintain superstitous reverence for their former Baatezu masters. The Lords of the Nine Asmodeus, Bel, Baalzebul, Belial, and Mephistopheles are all revered by substantial numbers of cults or in secret prayers. This religion is not tolerated by the OCA or Harmonium with Sin-Hunters frequently dispatched to commit large scale burnings against them (usually these are Orcs out of respect but not always).

The Orcs have a superstitious dread of the Lords of Chaos and Alzrius. They tend to react to such things with genocidal fury.

Languages: Orcs tend to speak their own language almost exclusively in Motmur. A number of Orcs have learned Ortho Common despite the fact the language is rarely used inside the homeland. Learning other languages is largely viewed as an indulgence.

Names: Orcish names tend to be more primitive sounding than most Harmonium ones. They tend to come in three parts with one's given name, One's Greatest Accomplishment, and One's Clan. Thus it might be Gotar Dragon-Killer Iron Tusk. Women have much more simple names with their given name and clan.

Adventurers: Almost all Orcs are Fighters on Ortho. Most Orcs are rigidly lawful and have moved beyond their Barbarian past with such types being viewed with disgust for their base natures. Orcs tend to make poor Rangers and Paladins with both professions requiring an introspective nature that they lack.

Likewise, there are few Sorcerers and Wizards amongst the Orcs.

Orcish Rogues are the next most common type of Orcish adventurer. The profession of Thief is viewed with scorn and derision but many Orcs find that it is easier to gain through cunning than through force. Orcs from Xaric have no social stigma against rogues and accept them as equals alongside fighters.

Despite their relative lack of skill compared to humans, Orcs tend to revere the clerics that live amongst them. They wield a disproportionate amount of influence and power that is the only source outside of proper clan lineage.

Rohm Traits

* Medium: As Medium creatures, Orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Orcs base land speed is 30 feet.
* Ortho Orcs receive +4 to Strength.
* Ortho Orcs receive a -2 to Intelligence.
* Ortho Orcs receive a -2 to Wisdom.
* Ortho Orcs receive a -2 to Charisma.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Light Sensitivity: Orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
* Automatic Languages: Common, Orc. Bonus Languages: Beholder, Dwarven, Hobgoblin, Infernal
* Favored Class: Fighter