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| A veteran orc approaches its prey. |
Though they have been killing people for the last millennia, orcs remain a mystery to nearly all. The peoples of Sarba have learned how to exterminate them and how to stop their infestations, they’ve also learned where the orcs come from and the details of how they reproduce. But they still fail to understand the origin of this destructive species, or how they manage to keep such seemingly infinite numbers - forming invading, migratory hordes year after year after year.
“... how do orcoids maintain their population? The migrations appear to be surplus herds, but no expedition ever found evidence of the agriculture or animal herds necessary for the Orc Belt to sustain such numbers. And even through volcanic soil usually is quite fertile, no orcoid has ever been observed planting or even gathering vegetables. This, plus the fact that they metabolize iron into outgrowths of cold iron, makes me think that they are somehow linked to the fairies, and that the otherworldly river between the Belt and Numéria was created to prevent the beasts from invading the fey realms. They could even be the reason for which the fairies contracted their lands until the present territory north of our principalities.”—Excerpt from A Plague of Bone and Iron, a Kosinbian compilation of orcish studies.
Although none in Sarba are ignorant of orcs, the Kosinbians possess the most information, stories and beliefs about these monsters, which is fitting for a culture which, according to some estimates, faces half of the orcoid hordes leaving the Orc Belt. The Sacrificial Bastions, a line of walls and fortresses extending for 2,700 kilometers and the continent's largest fortification, exists because of this.
The Kosinbian beliefs related to orcoids can be sorted into three themes:
The orcs attack us simply because we're in the way of their escape from the Belt, where Kahonua punishes them with earthquakes, volcanoes, and lightning. This doesn't match the pyromantic lore I have access to, but it is a fact that an electric storm in the horizon, north of the Sacrificial Bastions, usually announces orcs, for their ferrous bones attract the lightning;
Another is that they spawn directly from the magma to test our faith, as if they were Kahonua's devils. This theory also has no factual basis, but it would explain why we don't understand from where or how they appear;
However, the belief which motivated the rebellion of the Nuiba tribe, bloody as it was, started with the idea that orcoids are simply the revenge of the Dead Gods; worms which fed on the divine corpses. And, just as caterpillars which absorb poison from the leaves they eat, orcs leeched power, hate, and resentment until they became a plague upon those that trust the fire goddess. We all grew up hearing the stories of how the Dead Gods were incinerated in the southern seas, but it remains an intriguing and terrible possibility.
—Excerpt from A Plague of Bone and Iron, a Kosinbian compilation of orcish studies.
That said, let us review the known facts:
Orc physiology is unique among animals and monsters. Their basic appearance is of a big humanoid with a curved posture, their bodies covered with long, flaxen hair. They possess large, red eyes, and their teeth are made more of iron than bone. This last feature makes them capable of chewing iron, although good quality steel weapons demand hours of "rumination". Their digestive system slowly metabolizes these fragments and it accumulates as bony tissue, most frequently in rapidly healing areas. Unfortunately, this means that any wounds taken, from a light cut to a broken rib from fighting or even self-inflicted, will be reinforced by an armored crust. Fists become like gauntlets or even clubs; fingers develop claws capable of climbing walls or gutting victims. Teeth grow as large as tusks; the chest may be protected by a grid of protruding ribs, their heads protected by natural helmets, and protective spikes may erupt from all over the body. Over time, an orc may have most of its body covered by a bony carapace colored in bone white, metallic grey and rust red.
Their methods of reproducing are also strange, for orcs are both asexual and necrogenic: spawning new litters from any corpse that remains intact enough to allow their production. That's why it is recommended to dismember or burn orc corpses, as their dead bodies become wombs that nourish “larval” orcs, which burst out of the reinforced corpses as if they were a humanoid egg. Orcs can walk as soon as they emerge, immediately seeking food and iron sources to spur their growth.
Orcoid behavior follows instinct without any trace of culture or civilization: they don't use tools or fire, and are interested only in feeding. A defeated village will be stripped of all animals, food, and people. Objects of iron and steel such as shovels, swords, and horseshoes are devoured, but silver and other metals remain untouched (although they may be looted by opportunists following the orcs). Hungry orcs can eat wood and even their own feces to survive, though they get little nutritional value from these. Determining exactly what was consumed when following the orcs' trail may give clues about the size and health of the herd. When they recover an abundance of iron to consume, they fight over it, which speeds the development of the metal-enhanced, bony tissue. In the end, they establish a hierarchy based on how much a specimen is covered by these bony scars. The alpha orc may be entirely covered in ferrous bone. Larger than standard orcoids and being slow with stiff movements, commoners may mistake them for golems. The Sacrificial Bastions' defenders tell stories of orcs that purposely injure themselves in ways to create such scars as spikes on the soles of their feet or thumbs shaped like hooks. Many fortified communities in northern Khejal use just weapons and tools made of bronze, hoping to hide from migratory herds, and some local tribes consider the forging of iron to be an unforgivable taboo.
No one forgets the first time they encounter an orc horde. Announcing their approach are the sounds of bone scraping against bone, and the screams of pain and terror from the slow who are trampled and cannibalized. Before they come into view, one catches their strong stench, strong even for seasoned soldiers like me who grew up with shit behind the barn and public latrines in dark alleys. Then they finally step into view, you see the red rust and blood stains on their long, filthy hair, which is already matted with dirt and sweat. They don't how when to stop. And as amazing as it may sound, this works in their favor. People sane and dedicated to living are intimidated and run away. Those that do not are butchered... No matter how many medals, honors, and titles the empire may give, a veteran only recognizes one: the tuft of orc's hair that every seasoned soldier carries. Every time I need to hate something, I hold mine and the task becomes clear: kill or die.
-Makhila Segovax, hobgoblin hunter renowned in the empire and among goblinoid tribes. Veteran of fifty three orcoid purges.
Stats
Adult Orc
Medium monstrosity (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 10 (1d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 2(-4) 12 (+1) 6(-2)
Skills Intimidation +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
- Iron Hunger. The orc has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smelling iron or steel objects. This includes the weapons and armour used by the adventurers.
ACTIONS
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage and if the target is wielding an iron weapon or using metallic armor, it takes a -1 non-cumulative penalty to damage rolls or -1 penalty to its AC respectively, chosen by the orc.
Veteran Orc
Medium monstrosity (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (0) 16 (+3) 2(-4) 14 (+2) 6(-2)
Skills Intimidation +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Challenge 2
- Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
- Iron Hunger. The orc has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smelling iron or steel objects. This includes the weapons and armour used by the adventurers.
ACTIONS
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage and if the target is wielding an iron weapon or using metallic armor, it takes a -1 non-cumulative penalty to damage rolls or -1 penalty to its AC respectively, chosen by the orc.
- Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape dc 14). Until this grapple ends the target is also restrained and the orc cannot make claws attacks against other targets.
Alpha Orc
Large monstrosity (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 46 (8d10 + 6)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 8 (-1) 19 (+4) 4(-3) 15 (+2) 4(-3)
Skills Intimidation +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Challenge 4
- Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
- Iron Hunger. The orc has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smelling iron or steel objects. This includes the weapons and armour used by the adventurers.
ACTIONS
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage and if the target is wielding an iron weapon or using metallic armor, it takes a -1 non-cumulative penalty to damage rolls or -1 penalty to its AC respectively, chosen by the orc.
- Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape dc 14). Until this grapple ends the target is also restrained and the orc cannot make claws attacks against other targets.
- Weapon Eater. The orc makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, it swallows a weapon previously affected by the Bite action. It is digested in a week. If the orc dies, one can retrieve the item.
- Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
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