Orc (Warhammer)

Orcs are one of the races of Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe. For general information on the origin of the word "Orc" and Orcs in other fantasy worlds, see: Orc.

Characteristics

Orcs are not very smart, but can be cunning at times. They are extremely warlike and the whole society is geared towards constant warfare. Orcs live for battle and will fight with anything that gets in their way (and quite a lot that doesn't), even other Orcs. This constant need to fight is the expression of Orcish culture, a fact that keeps the orcs from forming anything but temporary alliances with one other. In combat they can transform even the most common object into a lethal killing instrument. Orcs are exaggerated, humorous parodies of the creatures from Norse myth. Some Games Workshop designers claim that orc culture and military tactics are loosely based on Scottish Highlanders.

The race

The orc race is comprised of a number of distinct subspecies.

At the top of the food chain are the orcs themselves. Orcs are large, stooped creatures with long arms and short legs, like gorillas. Huge slabs of muscle move under tough green skin, and their jaws are lined with vicious fangs that jut out from their underbite. They have beady red eyes, and a generally foul demeanour, and are naturally bald. Normally six feet tall, they are up to seven feet tall when stretched out of their characteristic stoop. There are three main breeds: Orcs, Black Orcs greenskins on the top rung, stomping down and Savage Orcs are mad as hatters.
Goblins are much smaller and skinnier, with pointed noses. They are more common and smarter than orcs, and prefer stabbing their opponents in the back, shooting them from out of the enemy's reach, or just attacking in massive numbers. They are afraid of elves because they "stink funny." Goblins tend to be bossed around by orcs because of rule by strength, but they can outwit them when trading scavenged goods. There are many varieties; the best known are common goblins, night goblins, and forest goblins, but there are also kobolds (including the fire-breathing variety) and troglagobs (aquatic raiders). In the first edition there were also Red Goblins, famous for riding giant wolves.
Snotlings are small and even weedier than goblins. They are even less intelligent than orcs, and can't do much except by imitating their larger cousins. They congregate on the edges of greenskin villages, hunting (and being hunted by) squigs. In battle, they usually gather in large swarms that are too stupid to know when they're beaten. Sometimes they manage to cobble together examples of the infamous snotling pump wagon. It's difficult to tell where a large snotling is different from a small goblin, but orcs don't care; they're all just weedy little "grotz" to be bossed around.
Gnoblars were not well known to the Old World until expeditions from the Ogre Kingdoms became commonplace. They serve as pets who are used to scavenge battlefields and carry luggage. Gnoblars are between normal goblins and snotlings in hierarchy.
Hobgoblins are a Greenskin race living out on the Eastern Steppes. They are so underhanded that normal Greenskins refuse to have dealings with them. They are used as slave drivers by the Chaos Dwarfs. They are ruled by Khans and fight in huge wolf-mounted hordes.

Orc biology

Physiologically Warhammer Orcs are taller and broader than humans, with short legs and long arms much like an ape. They have massive heads which come directly forward on their necks, giving them a stooping appearance. They have tough thick green skin which is highly resistant to pain. They can sustain the most horrific of injuries and stay in the fight. Both types of Orcs also speak with thick Cockney accents, modified slightly by their love of the character 'z' (Boyz, gunz, etc.)

Do not confuse Orcs with Warhammer 40K's Orks. Greenskins (Orcs and Goblins) in Warhammer Fantasy may not reproduce like their Warhammer 40K counterparts, given the scientific knowledge of their human contemporaries, the exact mechanism of their reproductive system is unknown. Differences in tolerance to heat suggests they are different organisms, whilst the apparent lack of obvious reproductive organs on autopsy specimens is evidence for a similar method to orks. Amongst the Warhammer community, this is a very controversal issue.

A trait that Orcs definitely share with Orks is that they do not grow like humans or other creatures but, instead, have a sort of "adrenaline-fuelled metabolism", which means that as an orc fights -and defeats- opponents, the orc gains in size and physical strength and endurance. This also comes into play in Orc society. Orc veterans are known as "big'uns," and they are much stronger than ordinary orcs. As orcs grow older and beat more powerful foes, they can become "bosses," "big bosses," and eventually "warbosses." A warboss leading several tribes in a Waaagh! (a greenskin military campaign) is known as a "warlord."

An Orc progresses through the social ranks by fighting and defeating a pre-existing member of that rank. Because of their bizarre physiology, orcs preparing to challenge a superior experience a steady supply of adrenaline, which means that they begin to physically increase in height and muscle-mass. An alert orc will spot this occurring and will promptly beat the challenger down before he can become a threat. If the challengee fails to notice this development then a battle is the inevitable result. Once such a leadership battle is won, the winning orc undergoes an extreme boost in power, gaining up to a dozen pounds of muscle in the wake of the fight.

Psychology and behaviour

Orcs seem to have a racially-linked mind, from which some Orcs can draw power from. In Warhammer Fantasy, this is used as magic by Orc and Goblin Shamans, and is known as the Great Green or WAAAGH! (always spelt with 3 or more a's and at least one exclamation mark). The Orcs worship a pair of gods known as Gork and Mork. One is the god of cunning brutality, and the other is the god of brutal cunning. Orcs can never quite agree which god is which, and many battles have been fought as a result.

Social system

Orc tribal leaders are known as warbosses, and are always the biggest, toughest, and strongest greenskins around (because if they're not, a bigger, tougher and stronger orc will take the position from them!). Notable warbosses include Gorbad Ironclaw, Grimgor Ironhide, Morglum Necksnapper, and many others.

Orcs tend to ally with goblins and snotlings, but their alliance is more of a matter of the orcs bullying their smaller Goblinoid cousins into being everything from servants, to human (goblin) shields, to an emergency food source. Their warbands also often include wyverns, giants, trolls, ogres and other monsters in the same vein.

Orc culture

Orc "kultur" is dominated by the concept of strength. There is no law, and therefore no crime. If an orc feels wronged, he can challenge the source of his grievance to a pit fight. Once the fight is over, the matter is considered settled. This is especially true when on campaign, as the orcs will be too busy fighting the enemy than each other. Orcs have no pity for the weak, and will work captured human slaves equally hard, whether they are male, female, old or young. It has been stated that the reason they have no pity for weakness is because they have no concept of pity and lack the ability to discern between the subtleties of human age and gender.

Language

Orcs communicate through their own language which has been described as a variety of guttural sounds, but they are often shown as capable of speaking humans' languages, mostly Reikspiel (generally in a heavy Cockney accent). There is one tribe of savage orcs that is said to have a vocabulary consisting entirely of the word "Waaagh!," with variants in volume, pitch, and accents making up for individual words. Their written language works in a similar way to Egyptian hieroglyphics, only louder.