Races of Arthuria/Orcs

Orcs are one of the four major races of Arthuria and its neighboring lands. Their presence predates Arthuria, though their numbers have always been less plentiful than humans in recorded history.

Description
Orcs are humanoid in appearance, but tend to be taller and bulkier than humans and have inhuman features that have given them the (arguably offensive) nickname "beastmen." They have sharp teeth like a predator's, befitting their purely carnivorous diet.

Orcs have shorter lifespans than humans, overall aging more rapidly; most orcs are sexually mature by the age of fifteen, and it is virtually unheard of for an orc to live past sixty years of age.

Abilities and Weaknesses
Orcs are famous for their combat prowess, being not only brutishly strong, but naturally armored with their thick skin. In addition, they have an innate resistance to most forms of magic, making them formidable against magi as well as soldiers.

In spite and even because of their magical resistance, orcs struggle to use magic in any form.

Culture
The origins of orcs are unknown. Most Arthurians believe that orcs are former elves that were corrupted by the devils; however, there is no evidence to support this belief. Orcs themselves cannot agree on their own history; however, the vast majority will agree that their origins are irrelevant.

Unlike humans or elves, orcs do not have an established kingdom, instead banding together in clans throughout the land. Orcish cultures tend to revolve around combat. Arthurian orcs in particular train their young to fight from an early age. In fact, it is frowned upon if an orc can't fight, or at least keep up with their peers during sparring matches. Orcs tend to hunt rather than tend animals for food; in fact, animal husbandry is more often than not seen as laziness. Thanks to these violent tendencies, it is rare for an orc to live past the age of thirty; most die in combat or accidents beforehand. Some clans even have older orcs duel to the death in a ritual to insure they die fighting.

Most orcish clans have kratocratic leadership, with their leaders being such because they fought their way to the position. Consequently, the leadership of a clan changes regularly, sometimes on a daily basis, as any orc that defeats their clan's leader takes the position. The orcs of Arthuria and its neighboring lands, unsurprisingly, worship Dinastis and Asha'ac as their primary deities. However, due to His reputation, worshipping of the latter is kept secretive and often "snuck in" to the more accepted worshipping of Dinastis. Similar to elves, many orcs view the two deities as halves of a larger war deity, albeit not as universally as with elves.

Orcs have historically been treated poorly by other races in Arthuria and its neighboring lands, subject to slavery and genocide multiple times. Consequently, a majority of orcs have an understandably jaded view of non-orcs. While some are tolerant of other races and will even live among them, these orcs are few and far between.