Homebrew Alaashi Orc Species Details

From the noble, but endangered Paleskin, to the brutish and numerous Grayskin, the Orcs are a force to be reckoned with. They contain the intelligence and wisdom of the mortal races they share a moon with, as well as the primal strength, intuition, and instincts of the animals they live amongst. 

The Noble and the Corrupted

Paleskins and Grayskins hold an innate hatred of each other as deep as their history together. The Paleskins were the first orcs to exist on Alaash. The creators of the benevolent empire of Vahldu Qratos that lasted millennia before its collapse, responsible for the creation of many technological, social, judicial, and mathematical concepts still in use on Alaash today. They were the ones who discovered metallurgy, geometry, geography, and were the first to record history. However, when the Daylkyr brought with them their Wars of Dominion, a small group of their kind turned to the dark powers of the Daylkyr known as Urrlashk. Those that survived the violent process of Urrlashk's corruption became the first of the Grayskin breed. It was these Grayskins, as well as the combined forces of other Corruptions like the Elves and Deep Dwarves, that brough about the collapse of the great empire of the Paleskins.

The Paleskins would try time and time again to rise from their ashes, to reforge a new nation for themselves and recover what they lost, and each time the Grayskins would find them and destroy all them and all their work. The Grayskins spent the next 7,000 years hunting down the Paleskins, fighting war after war with their kin, and while the losses would mostly equal out, the Grayskins would never just attack those they met on the field of battle, sending warbands with the sole purpose of destroying villages. While a majority of Paleskins refused to engage in the same tactics, it didn't stop them from using the discoveries of their once great empire to inflict massive casualties among their enemies - chemical agents being favored above all. After many millennia of warfare and of atrocities committed against the other, the two breeds have built an immense, innate hatred of the other. Now in the collapse of civilization, the Paleskins dance on the line of extinction and the Grayskins must decide which side they stand on after millennia of freedom from Urrlashk.

The Beast Within

All orcs, both Pale and Gray, share one thing in common. They are equal parts mortal as they are animal. And while, for the Grayskins, this is more apparent, it is equally true for the Paleskins. The Paleskins, as well as those few Grayskins who reject their heritage, exist in a tenuous balance between their higher thought and their animalistic instincts. Orcs feel emotion very deeply, desire things strongly, and have powerful instincts. When they are young, all orcs act borderline feral as they try to reel in their inner beast with their powerful wills and minds. However, despite gaining mastery at about the age of 16, when orcs are considered to be adults, they still have to struggle to keep their instincts and emotions under control. It could be powerful desires and emotions, such as rage or during heat season, or it could be simple things as hunger or slight annoyance, all of these demand extreme reactions to the orcs. However, it is not all bad. They also feel things like happiness, pleasure, mirth, and familial bonds just as strongly as they do their rage and aggression. This can lead them to be fiercely defensive of those they love and view as family, and they are the most eager of all races to display such love and affection.

Half-Orc Names

Half-orcs usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. A half-orc who wants to fit in among humans might trade an orc name for a human name. Some half-orcs with human names decide to adopt a guttural orc name because they think it makes them more intimidating.

Male Orc Names:  Aivan, Ayr'Kyum, Alekzei, Bur'k, Dankyl, Dumidrul, Dunis, Elgk, Gend'di, Kiruk, Konza'tiin, Maks'm, M'Khail, Nekulai, Nykta, Szeirga, Ylya, Ulksadru, Undrei, Untuli

Female Orc Names: Adul, Alshudruh, Anost'ji, Derya, Eik'triu, Enjul, Erika, Gul'Iyna, Iruno, Kzenu, L'yobv, Ludmya, Mrenah, Mura, Nezh'da, Pulyeh, Unna

Alaashi Orc Traits

Your orc character has traits befitting their history

Aggressive

As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Primal Intuition

You have proficiency in two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20.

Size

Half-orcs are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc. Orc is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants. It has no script of its own but is written in the Dwarvish script.