Orcs

The orcs of Eldareth belong to several distinct cultures, each shaped by its own history, homeland, and traditions.

Some traditions trace their earliest ancestors to Yssarel, the Wildmother. Others place greater importance on clan history and the experiences of their own people than on any shared divine origin.

The Vashkari are found mainly in Avermont, where their ancestors established new settlements after escaping enslavement. The Zhanyin are closely tied to the monastic traditions of Shen-Su. In Nurathar, the Mok'tan maintain strong relationships with local spirits, while the Varokh live among the northern mountains of Ethelra.

These cultures share distant ancestry, but generations of separation have produced very different customs and institutions.

Identity and Culture

Orc appearance varies by region and family.

Vashkari commonly have slate-grey skin. Scarification is part of several clan traditions, and some have curved horns that may be decorated to record rank, service, or personal history.

Zhanyin often have green, grey, or stone-toned skin. Jade ornaments are common, while some mark their tusks with symbols connected to family or monastery.

Mok'tan commonly have bronze or green skin. Natural markings sometimes appear within particular families, and animal imagery is often used in clothing and ritual decoration.

Varokh tend to be broad and heavily built, with grey or green skin and prominent tusks. Clan markings are commonly worn during gatherings and important rites.

Their communities are organized in different ways. Vashkari traditions place considerable importance on service and authority earned through responsibility. Zhanyin customs are shaped by monastic teaching and disciplined practice. Mok'tan clans build many of their traditions around the land and the spirits connected to it, while Varokh society is closely tied to clan relationships and the demands of life in the northern mountains.

All four cultures place importance on remembering the past, though they preserve it differently. Vashkari ceremonies often return to the history of liberation, Zhanyin monasteries maintain teachings and records, Mok'tan traditions preserve history through stories and ritual, and Varokh communities connect memory to clan gatherings and the landscape around them.

Orcs Across Eldareth

In Avermont, Vashkari history remains closely tied to the escape from slavery and the settlements founded afterward. Broken chains and similar symbols still appear in ceremonies connected to freedom, service, and the early history of their communities.

The Zhanyin of Shen-Su preserve much of their culture through monasteries. Oaths, disciplined training, and the passing down of established teachings are important parts of monastic life, especially for those who spend much of their youth within an order.

The Mok'tan live throughout the wilder regions of Nurathar. Their customs often vary from one area to another because many are tied to the spirits, animals, waterways, and other features of the land surrounding each community.

The Varokh inhabit the colder mountain regions of Ethelra. Their traditions developed around difficult travel, long winters, and isolated settlements, with clan gatherings and seasonal rites shaped by the conditions of the northern highlands.

Orcs also move between these regions or grow up outside the culture associated with their ancestry. A Vashkari family living in another country may preserve some older customs while adopting local ones, while an orc raised entirely outside the four traditions may have little connection to any of them.

History and Tradition

There is no single historical tradition shared by all orcs in Eldareth. Each culture preserves the events and teachings that matter most to its own communities.

Vashkari ceremonies keep the memory of enslavement and liberation visible across generations. Zhanyin monasteries preserve teachings, records, and accounts connected to their orders and communities.

Mok'tan history is carried through stories and ritual, often in connection with local spirits and places. Varokh communities preserve their own clan histories through gatherings, memorial practices, and traditions tied to the mountains they inhabit.

These histories occasionally overlap through migration, trade, marriage, or conflict, but they are not treated as parts of a single unified orc culture. An orc's traditions are usually shaped by the family, clan, monastery, settlement, or region that raised them.

Orc Traits

Ability Score Increase. When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Adrenaline Rush. You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you use this trait, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Powerful Build. You count as one Size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. You also have Advantage on any Saving Throw you make to end the Grappled condition on yourself.

Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you deal one additional damage die. You can do this only once per turn.

Languages. Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player’s Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free to modify that list for a campaign.