Orcs

Aspects

History

Ancient orcs were mostly known for their tribal warrior culture that valued aggression, strength, and endurance to be the highest symbols of a person's worth. However, their antagonistic culture also had a spiritual side, as they held a lexicon of shapes they called totems that they believed could invoke powers in a warrior, or ward against enemies. And while few still believe in magic, modern orcs still carve these totems out of tradition.

Since these ancient times, orcs believed nothing worth doing was ever free of risk. As a consequence, many of the firsts belong to orcs. They were the first to explore the entire coast of their home continent, the first to touch the bottom of the ocean floor, the first to glide through the air, the first to insist that a citizen should have the right to yell at their leader, and the first to build a rocket. We know an orc was the first to space because the Gnomes still have the recording of her bone-chilling battlecry to the stars before the air was torn from her lungs by the vacuum.

Orcs still offer that challenge, often as explorers, mercenaries, and tacticians. Their contentment with dark, filthy, and cramped environments meant that when it came time to explore the stars, their ships were faster, went further, and whatever they found, they tended to survive. Now, their claim to space is wide, and they have the firepower to make good on that claim.

Fashion

Orc fashion has changed drastically throughout their cultural history. The various tribes originally had unique fashions including bone bead necklaces, dreadlocks, large septum piercings, bamboo vests, and leather kilts. However, as cultural osmosis had its effect, orc fashion adapted to include other cultural styles. Orc hair grows long and thick, and is naturally dark in color, ranging from dark brown to glossy black until it greys in old age. Civilian hairstyles tend to take advantage of the length and include braids, dreads, buns, and even enormous blowouts. Orcs serving in military professions such as the Gor Adukk Ma, will prefer shorter styles including tight braids, cornrows, or patterned buzz cuts. Orc hair styles do not differ across genders. While orcs can rarely grow beards, older male orcs can often grow a mustache. Orc skin color ranges from a pale grey to a dark grey, and depending on this will often be decorated with tribal tattoos in dark or light patterns. Throughout an orc's life, these patterns are often expanded or embellished. Contemporary orc clothing tends to be practical and formal, normally a suit including slacks, buttoned shirts, jackets, and hat or cap. To show tribal solidarity, these outfits tend to be accessorized with necklaces, earrings, piercings, rings, or other such cultural implements. However, the most important article of orc fashion are totems, which are carved amulets that indicate achievements, failures, or aspirations. Totems may be worn however an orc chooses, however they are always worn visibly in formal company.

Names and Gender

Orcs are given a name at birth that is supposed to be unique. Before the Gor Adukk Ma published a name registry, children with identical names would have to wrestle each other to establish who had the right to the name. Presently, a tribe is only given a fine for using a duplicate, and forced to rename the child. An orc's last name indicates their tribal allegiance. An orc may announce a new tribal allegiance at any point during their life, and it does not have to be a tribe that exists or has any other members. They must be accepted by members of their new tribe, however. This leads to many situations where an orc may declare allegiance to a long-dead tribe, only to find others who beat them to it, and deny them entrance. If an orc is a citizen of the Gor Adukk Ma, they have a formal allegiance to their territory's Supa Tribe, but that does not influence their name. Examples include Kolgak m'Jegganok, Yaska m'Gognass, and Rokka m'Wolbom. Orcs are often considered to be perfectly egalitarian, as both male and female orcs are equally represented across all professions and societal roles. However, they do not recognize any gender beyond male or female, and intersex children are always surgically assigned at birth. While homosexuality is far from taboo, it is considered counterproductive, as one of an orc's primary tribal duties is to reproduce.

Totems

Totems serve both as traditional tokens to indicate achievements, failures, or aspirations, but also have superstitious value for orcs who believe that it may grant them supernatural power, luck, or punishment. An orc, upon a significant accomplishment or event in their life may choose to relate this to a close friend or comrade. If that friend agrees that it is significant, then the orc may choose to carve a totem for it. Whether the meaning of a worn totem is apparent or not, they make for excellent conversation pieces. Totems are simple shapes, easy enough to carve out of wood, plastic, or stone. While the meaning of a particular shape is mostly a personal choice, some shapes are universal. A few of these are listed below.

• Wolf Totem - For a warrior seeking comrades

• Heart Totem - For someone who has cheated death

• Arrow Totem - For someone who has constructed their own spacecraft

• Mouse Totem - For a warrior who has fled from battle

• Cracked Egg Totem - For someone seeking a breeding mate

• Deer Totem - For a refugee, escaped prisoner, or wanted criminal

• Cat Totem - For someone wishing to go unnoticed

• Animal Hide Totem - For someone wishing for good fortune

• Hornet Totem - For a warrior seeking revenge

Language

The Orcish language is the official language of the Gor Adukk Ma. While most members of the GAM are bi-lingual, with Exodian as their second language, Orcish is preferred due to its ability to communicate tactical information quickly, easily, and clearly. The efficiency of the language has lead to many words being borrowed in Exodian or Dwarven. Examples include spragdougek "The burst of focus brought about by a realization of danger", yukkaskalek "The suppression of greed when presented with a choice in firearms", or adukk "The feeling of competency and confidence when faced with hypothetical impending warfare". It is notable that poetry and music in Orcish is not popular even among native speakers, although an exception is the love poem Buppa Oug "You Punched Me in the Heart and Now I'm Dead".

Orcish Phrases

• Adukk - Feeling of competency and confidence when faced with hypothetical impending warfare

• Akket - Attention!

• Akketkom Ma- I am in command

• Buppa - Struck in a weakspot

• Creepotta - Sniper

• Douga - Take cover, or without cover, go prone

• Douga Jour - Fortify position

• Fresh ... Potta - Aim, fire weapon

• Gor - Sworn allegiance to an enormous army

• Goupa - Rendezvous

• Grank - Grenade

• Goupa shash - Landing zone

• Keddak - Personal nemesis or target for revenge. Also a traditional duel.

• Koppek - Copy/roger

• Kravekmok - Ambush

• Lakunashash - Spaceship

• Ma - Me, mine, I, I am

• Oug - Dead

• Oug Adukk - Alive and well

• Ouga frek - Almost dead

• Ouga nada - Lightly injured

• Ouga oug - Definitely dead

• Potta - Fire weapons

• Potta bahg - Covering fire

• Pottapotta - Fire weapons for maximum effect

• Rash Ga - Advance quickly

• Rash Kraven - Advance backwards (retreat)

• Rash Snee - Advance stealthily

• Supa - Big or important

• Tragg Uf - Our squad

Orc Music

Ancient orc music is rarely played except during specific cultural celebrations or by niche enthusiasts. It featured fast-paced percussion, with gradually increasing tempo, droning, chanting. More contemporary orc music features optimistic themes that mirror their shift toward global culture. This music takes greater advantage of nostalgic lyrics, brass, strings, and other big band elements. Below is both a mix of what you might hear in an early Gurg'm Noujesh scouting ship, as well as a modern Orc patrol ship when the officers have gone to sleep.