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Orcs are one of the races of Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe. For general information on the origin of the word "Orc" and Orcs in other fantasy worlds, see: Orc.
Note: Much of this information has been split off into Ork (Warhammer 40,000), as there are significant differences between the two races.
Characteristics
Orcs aren't very smart, but can be cunning at times. They are extremely warlike and the whole society is geared towards constant warfare. Orcs live for battle and will fight with anything that gets in their way (and quite a lot that doesn't), even other Orcs. This constant need to fight is the expression of orc culture, a fact that keeps the orcs from forming anything but temporary alliances with each other. In combat they can transform even the most common object into a lethal killing instrument. Orcs are exaggerated, humorous parodies of the creatures from Norse myth. Some Games Workshop designers claim that orc culture and military tactics are loosely based on Scottish Highlanders.
The Race
The orc race is comprised of a number of distinct subspecies.
- At the top of the food chain are the orcs themselves. Orcs are large, stooped over creatures with long arms and short legs, like gorillas. Huge slabs of muscle move under tough green skin, and their jaws are lined with vicous fangs that jut out from their underbite. They have beady red eyes, and a generally foul demeanour, and are naturally bald. Normally six feet tall, they are up to seven feet tall when stretched out of their characteristic stoop. There are three main breeds: orcs, black orcs, and savage orcs.
- Goblins are much smaller and skinnier, with pointed noses. They are more common and smarter than orcs, and prefer stabbing their opponents in the back, shooting them from out of the enemy's reach, or just attacking in massive numbers. They are afraid of elves because they "smell funny." Goblins tend to be bossed around by orcs because of rule by strength, but they can outwit them when trading scavenged goods. There are many varieties; the best known are common goblins, night goblins, and forest goblins, but there are also kobolds (including the fire-breathing variety) and troglagobs (aquatic raiders).
- Snotlings are small and even weedier than goblins. They are even less intelligent than orcs, and can't do much except by imitating their larger cousins. They congregate on the edges of greenskin villages, hunting (and being hunted by) squigs. In battle, they usually gather in large swarms that are too stupid to know when they're beaten. Sometimes they manage to cobble together examples of the infamous snotling pump wagon. It's difficult to tell where a large snotling is different from a small goblin, but orcs don't care; they're all just weedy little "grotz" to be bossed around.
- Gnoblars were not well known to the Old World until expeditions from the Ogre Kingdoms became commonplace. They serve as pets who are used to scavenge battlefields and carry luggage.
Orc Biology
Physiologically Warhammer Orcs are taller and broader than humans, with short legs and long arms much like an ape. They have massive heads which come directly forward on their necks, giving them a stooping appearance. They have tough thick green skin which is highly resistant to pain. They can sustain the most horrific of injuries and stay in the fight. Both types of Orcs also speak with thick Cockney accents, modified slightly by their love of the caracter Z (Boyz, gunz , etc.)
Orc biology is directly engineered for war. Orc organs have multiple redundancies, and they heal quickly and readily accept transplants and bionics. Worse, as an orc fights and beats enemies, he will put on muscle mass and grow larger and more brutal. Orc veterans are known as "big'uns," and they are much stronger than ordinary orcs. As orcs grow older and beat more powerful foes, they can become "bosses," "big bosses," and eventually "warbosses." A warboss leading several tribes in a Waaagh! is known as a "warlord."
Psychology and Behaviour
Orcs seem to have a racially-linked mind, from which some Orcs can draw power from. In Warhammer Fantasy, this is used as magic by Orc and Goblin Shamans, and is known as the Great Green or Waaagh! (always spelt with 3 or more a's and at least one exclamation mark). The Orcs worship a pair of gods known as Gork and Mork. Gork (or Mork) is the god of brute strength and Mork (or Gork) is the god of low cunning.
Social System
Orc tribal leaders are known as warbosses, and are always the biggest, toughest, and strongest greenskins around (because if they're not, a bigger, tougher and stronger orc will take the position from them!). Notable warbosses include Gorbad Ironclaw, Grimgor Ironhide, Morglum Necksnapper, and many others.
Orcs tend to ally with goblins and snotlings, but their alliance is more of a matter of the orcs bullying their smaller Goblinoid cousins into being everything from servants, to human (goblin) shields, to an emergency food source. Their warbands also often include wyverns, giants, trolls, ogres and other monsters in the same vein.
Orc Culture
Orc "kultur" is dominated by the concept of strength. There is no law, and therefore no crime. If an orc feels wronged, he can challenge the source of his grievance to a pit fight. Once the fight is over, the matter is considered settled. This is especially true when on campaign, as the orcs will be too busy fighting the enemy than each other. Orcs have no pity for the weak, and will work captured human slaves equally hard, wether they are male, female, old or young. It has been stated that the reason they have no pity for weakness is because they have no concept of pity.
Language
Orcs communicate through their own language which has been described as a variety of gutteral sounds, but they are often shown as capable of speaking humans' languages, mostly Reikspiel (generally in a heavy Cockney accent). There is one tribe of savage orcs that is said to have a vocabulary consisting entirely of the word "Waaagh," with variants in volume, pitch, and accents making up for individual words. Their written language works in a similar way to Egyptian heiroglyphics.
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