Orcish kin
Note: All orcish kin talents are based on being Wounded. See Wounded for details on Wounds.
Earthblooded
Earthblooded orcs are green-skinned. They feel most calm when underground and prefer to dwell in caves instead of building traditional turf-roofed houses.
The underfolk encounter earthbloods most frequently. Whereas the other kins usually sail south to human lands, earthblooded orcs have found great success in tunneling down into the veins of underfolk habitation. They prefer tomb robbing (fewer pesky dwarves actively biting at you with axes), but are happy to relieve a halfling of his gold if the chance presents itself.
Earthblooded orc talent: Quicksilver Blood
Your blood has the appearance and consistency of quicksilver, and is incredibly caustic to metal. When this talent is Wounded by a metal weapon, the weapon is Destroyed.
Seablooded
Black-skinned like the ocean's depths or a rain-laden cloud, seablooded orcs keenly feel the push and pull of the tides in their heart. Seablooded orcs are most calm when dwelling near shores or on the open water.
Though all orcs raid human lands during the spring and summer months, this kin is especially feared on the oceans. They are famous pirates, rarely actually coming to shore for raids or skirmishes. It’s said that more than a few merfolk have taken seablooded spouses.
Seablooded orc talent: Poison Blood
Your black blood is a deadly poison. When this talent is Wounded by a bite, the attacker suffers Critical damage (Piercing and Critical damage).
Stormblooded
White-skinned like a cloudy sky, these orcs are tumultuously passionate. When great storms blow up off of the ocean, they can hear their own hearts singing to them. They’re most calm when the winds and rains howl.
This kin’s ancestral homeland is the most northerly of all orcish territories. The stormbloods endure the most brutal winters and severe blizzards. They claim these hardships have made them the toughest of the orc broods. Indeed, the stormbloods are nothing if not long-suffering, resourceful, and enduring.
Stormblooded orc talent: Blur
Your blood smokes like a thick mist. When this talent is Wounded, you become Shrouded. This lasts long enough for you to perform a single action or indefinitely if you stay still and take no actions.
Fireblooded
Fireblooded orcs bear dark red and black skin that’s warm to the touch. They are never calm.
Firebloods are famously effective as shock troopers. Orc clans of other kins will sometimes bring a contingent of firebloods to be used in this way. For this reason, you might find fireblooded mercenaries attached to orcs of all stripes. When the firebloods go berserk, they can punch a hole into the shield-wall of even well-trained and veteran soldiers.
Fireblooded orc talent: Berserkergang
Your blood is boiling hot. When this talent is Wounded, you may choose to enter a berserker rage. While berserk during a Challenge, you cannot Avoid, Dodge, Speak Incantations, Banter, or Aid Another; however, all of your Attacks are made with favor.
Your rage ends when you defeat every enemy on the field. If an ally has attacked or hurt you during this Challenge, they count as an enemy. You must spend a Resolve to end your rage prematurely.
Arête
Orcs gain arête by performing the following deeds:
Hoarding a skull from a class of monster your guild has never killed before
Hoarding a treasure of great worth
Slaying a monster at least twice your size
When an orc accomplishes all three arête triggers, they gain the following talent (regardless of kin):
Orc arête talent: Jarl
You may hatch or gather a horde of goblins to your cause. Goblins are pretty independent little creatures. They see you as “da boss” and take commands from you, but follow those commands in their own, strange, simple little ways.
Assembling a goblin horde is a City Action. Spend any amount of XP to attract 2 + X goblins, where X equals the amount of XP you spent on this action. You may only ever have up to 8 goblins in your horde.
A goblin horde counts as an animal companion. No matter how many goblins are in the horde, they always count as “one creature” and move around together. Goblins understand whatever language you speak, but can only follow one-word commands during Challenges (given using the Command action). They have tiny minds.
Every time a goblin horde takes a Wound, one of its members is killed.
A goblin horde carries or hunts for their own food and supplies their own gear. Their gear is crap; they do not have any items or tools that you can use. They can act as porters: For each goblin in the horde, they can carry one slot worth of items.
Orcish role-playing concepts
Orcs are basically metalheads. If it looks like it’s part of the metal subculture, orcs would be into it. Guttural screams, mosh pits, big spikey bracelets, long hair headbanging—orcs have it all.
Orcs are brutal pillagers and savage pirates, merciless in battle.
Orcs are also family-oriented, honor-driven, poetic, loyal, and generally well-educated.
Orcs think a lot about fate. Orcs think that you make your own luck by doing either good or evil actions. Once you've made your choice, nothing can stop destiny from catching up with you.
Orcs propitiate Rng, god of chaos, in order to avoid their unlucky aid. They perform a dozen or more minor taboos or rituals throughout the day to try and avoid their wrath, such as throwing beads in moving water, making a sign to avert his gaze when they voice a desire, and ceremonially offering them a portion of their meal.
Orcs think that raiding is good, but stealing is bad. Sneaking into somebody's house and taking their gold is cowardly. Kicking in their front door, putting them to the sword, taking the gold, and setting the house on fire is good.
Orcs maintain long oral histories. They respect poets and bards as keepers of laws and traditions. These people are unlucky to kill.
Orcs think that magic is a woman's purview. Witchwomen are unlucky to kill. It is unlucky for a man to do magic.