So I like the look and feel of half-orcs as my PC's race, but there is something inherently off-putting in their conception... Is it just my warped mind, or does the existence of half-orcs imply a horrible sex crime has taken place? The lack of a half-orc culture/language, coupled with the fact that orc tribes are generally murderous raiders, implies something very ugly, at least to me.
That's actually the only reason I've never played a half-orc; I am just not writing that backstory. What are your thoughts on the subject? Am I being too dark? Do half-orcs make anyone else uncomfortable?
Depends on the campaign settings. Eberron, they're completely normal. Forgotten Realms, it is implied that there may have been a bit of [redacted] here and there until they became their own race.
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It can be based on anything, depending on your campaign. Depends on how monstrous you want your world to be.
In many worlds, it is heavily implied that unwanted advances led to half-orcs, at first. Keep in mind that orcs, goblins, etc. were considered monsters for a reason. Having said that, the same reason would likely apply to the first half-elves as well, considering how humans have acted historically in conflict.
There's no reason that has to be the case in your campaign. Most people I know gloss over their conception or just have a more palatable engagement. On top of that, once you have your first half-orcs, it's entirely possible that there's more willing couplings. Half-orcs are human looking enough that there would likely be more normal relationships.
I think all my players who have chosen a half-race has decided their parentage was consensual, although not always due to love. Political marriages or too many drinks...
Like I said earlier, once you have your first half-whatever, every child form that line after that will have some mix. That's how you get elfmarked in the Midgard setting.
While I agree with the replies here, I've often thought the same as OP. Given what orcs are in D&D, the PHB description of half-orcs seems, um, polite. Re half-elves, there is some precedence for loving and consensual elf-human relationships in Tolkien (It's where the dunedein come from), but it will be world specific, of course. Half-orcs are probably my favourite race.
I think it is up to you to decide that part of your backstory. And if you consider that maybe the mother of your PC was the orc in the relationship, you can borrow heavily from Disney's Pocahontas to get a romantic and consensual story.
A human soldier that fell in love with an orc woman he met in the woods... a story about that human learning the ways of the orcs and their reasons to raid human settlements... an ignorant military leader that wants to wipe out the entire orc tribe...
Even if you consider orcs to be "filthy savage heathens" in your setting you can have an awesome lovestory as the background of your Half-Orc. Maybe your PC even is a symbol of the peace that your parents brought between humans and orcs (in that small village far away from any civilization).
But you're right. The darker way of how Half-Orcs come into existence is probably the first thing that comes to mind. At least in the Forgotten Realms.
Orcs in your setting might also have been less monster-y. Kind of like hobgoblins. You can always change up things in whatever world you're playing in, even if you're in forgotten realms.
A lot of half races in D&D over the years have also been initially created by magic wielders (ie wizards and their ilk). While over time has lead them after that to breed naturally with each other and further propagate the species as a whole.
Half races I think are typically left ambiguous in that regard so it is up to individual/group tastes.
Human sexuality is complex enough that people have a hard enough time figuring out how to do it with each other half the time. Given that, I wouldn’t be surprised at the consensual coupling of a human and an Awakened Shrub. I would have absolutely no problem conceptualizing just about any circumstance of relations between a human and an orc, from consensual to no consensual, to even, erm, “contractual” with either parent being of either race.
In past editions it was heavily hinted at the existence of Half-orcs came by way of sexual assault. Later editions (5th especially) put that notion to rest. PC D&D.
A Half-orc character (like anything) is what ever the creator wants it to be. For me my Half-orc was a product of such an assault, but it's meant to make him seem like a sad and lost soul since he was never wanted or loved and his mother drowned him and threw him away.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
A bit late, but from my knowledge of orc "kultur" from Volos guide (which doesn't apply to all settings), the orc goddess of breeding wants strong children. So consensual methods are probably more likely. Anyone deemed strong enough to be worth breeding with, to orcs, is likely strong enough to resist advances. However, it can work both ways. I have encountered plenty of players who believe that is the only way and avoid half-orc characters as a result, but it doesn't need to be. Remember, while many settings depict them as monsters, Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, and such are people. There is plenty of folk around that might be into whatever they bring to the table. Maybe your half-orc character's non-orc parent is one such person...
In the very original source material, Lord of the Rings, they were purpose bred by Saruman...
He didn't create Orcs. He... I don't know exactly, forced their evolution? From Orcs to Uruk-hai, which are more cunning, more awareness, have greater endurance, and no longer sensitive to sunlight.
The creation of the Orcs in LotR predates the 3rd Age entirely, as far as I'm aware.
Andrew Seiple has written a series of books that includes a female Orc married to a ale Human with Half-orc children. Not sure if it was the Threadbare or Small Medium series.
Not that hard to understand why a female Orc might prefer someone a bit less 'orc-y', or why a human that does not fit in with civilized folk might enjoy a female orc.
Andrew Seiple has written a series of books that includes a female Orc married to a ale Human with Half-orc children. Not sure if it was the Threadbare or Small Medium series.
Not that hard to understand why a female Orc might prefer someone a bit less 'orc-y', or why a human that does not fit in with civilized folk might enjoy a female orc.
Or vice-versa. Human sexuality is a complex thing. I see no reasons why a human female and an Orcish male couldn’t also have consensual relashions.
So I like the look and feel of half-orcs as my PC's race, but there is something inherently off-putting in their conception... Is it just my warped mind, or does the existence of half-orcs imply a horrible sex crime has taken place? The lack of a half-orc culture/language, coupled with the fact that orc tribes are generally murderous raiders, implies something very ugly, at least to me.
That's actually the only reason I've never played a half-orc; I am just not writing that backstory. What are your thoughts on the subject? Am I being too dark? Do half-orcs make anyone else uncomfortable?
There's no reason that has to be the backstory. The official race description focuses on orc and human alliances, including marriages.
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Depends on the campaign settings. Eberron, they're completely normal. Forgotten Realms, it is implied that there may have been a bit of [redacted] here and there until they became their own race.
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It can be based on anything, depending on your campaign. Depends on how monstrous you want your world to be.
In many worlds, it is heavily implied that unwanted advances led to half-orcs, at first. Keep in mind that orcs, goblins, etc. were considered monsters for a reason. Having said that, the same reason would likely apply to the first half-elves as well, considering how humans have acted historically in conflict.
There's no reason that has to be the case in your campaign. Most people I know gloss over their conception or just have a more palatable engagement. On top of that, once you have your first half-orcs, it's entirely possible that there's more willing couplings. Half-orcs are human looking enough that there would likely be more normal relationships.
After all, we have furries...
I think all my players who have chosen a half-race has decided their parentage was consensual, although not always due to love. Political marriages or too many drinks...
Like I said earlier, once you have your first half-whatever, every child form that line after that will have some mix. That's how you get elfmarked in the Midgard setting.
While I agree with the replies here, I've often thought the same as OP. Given what orcs are in D&D, the PHB description of half-orcs seems, um, polite. Re half-elves, there is some precedence for loving and consensual elf-human relationships in Tolkien (It's where the dunedein come from), but it will be world specific, of course. Half-orcs are probably my favourite race.
Whan i created my Halforc, his parents were both halforcs. But he never met his grandparents and his parents never spoke about them.
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]At the very least, the 5e half-orcs are implied to be consensually conceived.
I think it is up to you to decide that part of your backstory. And if you consider that maybe the mother of your PC was the orc in the relationship, you can borrow heavily from Disney's Pocahontas to get a romantic and consensual story.
A human soldier that fell in love with an orc woman he met in the woods... a story about that human learning the ways of the orcs and their reasons to raid human settlements... an ignorant military leader that wants to wipe out the entire orc tribe...
Even if you consider orcs to be "filthy savage heathens" in your setting you can have an awesome lovestory as the background of your Half-Orc. Maybe your PC even is a symbol of the peace that your parents brought between humans and orcs (in that small village far away from any civilization).
But you're right. The darker way of how Half-Orcs come into existence is probably the first thing that comes to mind. At least in the Forgotten Realms.
Orcs in your setting might also have been less monster-y. Kind of like hobgoblins. You can always change up things in whatever world you're playing in, even if you're in forgotten realms.
A lot of half races in D&D over the years have also been initially created by magic wielders (ie wizards and their ilk). While over time has lead them after that to breed naturally with each other and further propagate the species as a whole.
Half races I think are typically left ambiguous in that regard so it is up to individual/group tastes.
- Loswaith
Human sexuality is complex enough that people have a hard enough time figuring out how to do it with each other half the time. Given that, I wouldn’t be surprised at the consensual coupling of a human and an Awakened Shrub. I would have absolutely no problem conceptualizing just about any circumstance of relations between a human and an orc, from consensual to no consensual, to even, erm, “contractual” with either parent being of either race.
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In past editions it was heavily hinted at the existence of Half-orcs came by way of sexual assault. Later editions (5th especially) put that notion to rest. PC D&D.
A Half-orc character (like anything) is what ever the creator wants it to be. For me my Half-orc was a product of such an assault, but it's meant to make him seem like a sad and lost soul since he was never wanted or loved and his mother drowned him and threw him away.
5e leaves that open with more emphasis on nurturing than ostracizing.
As with such a topic, be sensitive to others before going with sexual brutality just to try to make your character more "interesting".
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
A bit late, but from my knowledge of orc "kultur" from Volos guide (which doesn't apply to all settings), the orc goddess of breeding wants strong children. So consensual methods are probably more likely. Anyone deemed strong enough to be worth breeding with, to orcs, is likely strong enough to resist advances. However, it can work both ways. I have encountered plenty of players who believe that is the only way and avoid half-orc characters as a result, but it doesn't need to be. Remember, while many settings depict them as monsters, Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, and such are people. There is plenty of folk around that might be into whatever they bring to the table. Maybe your half-orc character's non-orc parent is one such person...
Depend, some are, some are not.
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He didn't create Orcs. He... I don't know exactly, forced their evolution? From Orcs to Uruk-hai, which are more cunning, more awareness, have greater endurance, and no longer sensitive to sunlight.
The creation of the Orcs in LotR predates the 3rd Age entirely, as far as I'm aware.
Andrew Seiple has written a series of books that includes a female Orc married to a ale Human with Half-orc children. Not sure if it was the Threadbare or Small Medium series.
Not that hard to understand why a female Orc might prefer someone a bit less 'orc-y', or why a human that does not fit in with civilized folk might enjoy a female orc.
Or vice-versa. Human sexuality is a complex thing. I see no reasons why a human female and an Orcish male couldn’t also have consensual relashions.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Orc females? Yes please, reminds me of a Jadzia Dax and Worf situation just reversed. Strong women are attractive!