Orc NPC roleplay (Honorable Orcs, Warcraft III style) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Orc NPC roleplay (Honorable Orcs, Warcraft III style) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BarbeChenue
09-21-06, 12:23 AM I'm going to begin a campaign involving lots of orc action. I would like to know the best practical ways I could roleplay the orcs. You know very down to the earth tricks, which is what I need the most. Stuff like voice-acting, expressions, physical behavior, personalities, NPC roles, etc.

It's a game where orcs are the heroes, and where evil lies in the hands of humans, elves and dwarves.

Orcs are threatened by constant warfare against both known and unknown enemies. Apart from orcs, humans and dwarves inhabit the borders of this land. They have driven the orcs from all the other regions of the globe, but cannot pursue the greenskins through the dangerous outland beyond. From time to time, ambitious crusades of highly elite soldiers aided by devious arcanists invade the valleys, traveling across forbidding terrain with the clear goal in mind to exterminate all orcs to the last. Fortunately, none of these crusades have achieved their genocidal goal yet.

What do you suggest I could do to better portray my orcs?
Nived
09-21-06, 12:50 AM Always talk with your teeth clenched while RPing an orc. Even if you modulate the tone of your voice while running different NPCs this will give them a distinctive and immediately recognizable manner of speech.

Also think Klingons. They're orcs in space after all.
Straylight
09-21-06, 02:06 AM I think taking cues from Warcraft isn't a bad idea at all, actually. These are Orcs with a proud heritage and close family and tribal bonds. They are heavily concerned with martial and personal honor, but also with the spiritual, shamanistic ties between all things. To these Orcs, the air above them and the earth below them are as much living things as they are themselves.

Orcs carry themselves with dignity. They are a people that live in harmony with nature and all things in the world, and they are proud of their heritage and their beliefs.

Orcs are not arrogant. They have respect for the way of things and know that everything in nature -themselves included- has a place and a function and that balance must be maintained.

Orcs respect honor in strength. To defeat an opponent in battle is just, to humiliate him is to show utter disrespect. An Orc would sooner die than have his honor tarnished in such a manner, but an Orc also understands that a meaningless but honorable death is still meaningless.

To that end, here are some roleplaying tips I've used both to protray my Orc characters in WoW and Orcs of this type in other worlds (particularly Eberron):

-Orcs tend to speak slowly and use simple words. This is not for a lack of sophistication, but rather so that there is no mistake of an Orc's meaning or intent.

-Orc speech is laced with shamanistic metaphor. Every action an Orc takes is decisive and in harmony with nature, and this is reflected by his speech. An Orc may liken a chaotic battle to leaves caught in a hurricane, or tell a knight that forging metal into plate armor weakens it because the metal is no longer as nature intended it to be.

-Orcs swear no oaths. To a tribe, honor is paramount. Your tribe is your lifeblood, your armor, and your sword. Without your tribe, you are alone, and that is the worst fate an Orc can suffer. To bring dishonor to yourself is to weaken your tribe; to weaken your tribe is to weaken yourself. Orcs need swear no oaths because every member is good to his word. To do otherwise is to dishonor yourself and your tribe.

-An Orc is never alone. Orcs believe in the concept of "I" only as a part of a larger whole. An Orc always has a brother of the tribe to watch his back and two more to cover his flanks. Even when an Orc is alone, he has powerful allies in the spirits of nature around him.

There are more, but hopefully this is a good start.
BarbeChenue
09-21-06, 05:03 AM I'm wondering whether Orcs should be portrayed as meritocratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy)?
Fithero
09-21-06, 07:52 AM I'm wondering whether Orcs should be portrayed as meritocratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy)?

Oh totally!

But not just it areas of strength, i think people from all walks would (should) be considered fit to lead. Im not sure how you want to go about it, if the strongest person leads or if its the wisest?

Or perhaps they take a constantly changing stance on it, in times of battle, the strongest and most battle hardend orc takes control of the tribe, but in times of peace, the most wise or charismatic leads, thus playing on the orc's strengths.

Kinda allows the tribe to prosper in all times, instead of only times in which the leader is apt at leading in.

Hope this helps.

Peace
PiedmonSama
09-21-06, 05:34 PM That is a real method of government some tribal societies employ. (In particular, IIRC, the Sioux nation of Indian tribes used this system.) There would be a "Peace Cheif," who ran the tribe for the large part, and a "War Chief," who led the tribe during conflicts.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BarbeChenue 09-21-06, 12:23 AM	I'm going to begin a campaign involving lots of orc action. I would like to know the best practical ways I could roleplay the orcs. You know very down to the earth tricks, which is what I need the most. Stuff like voice-acting, expressions, physical behavior, personalities, NPC roles, etc. It's a game where orcs are the heroes, and where evil lies in the hands of humans, elves and dwarves. Orcs are threatened by constant warfare against both known and unknown enemies. Apart from orcs, humans and dwarves inhabit the borders of this land. They have driven the orcs from all the other regions of the globe, but cannot pursue the greenskins through the dangerous outland beyond. From time to time, ambitious crusades of highly elite soldiers aided by devious arcanists invade the valleys, traveling across forbidding terrain with the clear goal in mind to exterminate all orcs to the last. Fortunately, none of these crusades have achieved their genocidal goal yet. What do you suggest I could do to better portray my orcs?
Nived 09-21-06, 12:50 AM	Always talk with your teeth clenched while RPing an orc. Even if you modulate the tone of your voice while running different NPCs this will give them a distinctive and immediately recognizable manner of speech. Also think Klingons. They're orcs in space after all.
Straylight 09-21-06, 02:06 AM	I think taking cues from Warcraft isn't a bad idea at all, actually. These are Orcs with a proud heritage and close family and tribal bonds. They are heavily concerned with martial and personal honor, but also with the spiritual, shamanistic ties between all things. To these Orcs, the air above them and the earth below them are as much living things as they are themselves. Orcs carry themselves with dignity. They are a people that live in harmony with nature and all things in the world, and they are proud of their heritage and their beliefs. Orcs are not arrogant. They have respect for the way of things and know that everything in nature -themselves included- has a place and a function and that balance must be maintained. Orcs respect honor in strength. To defeat an opponent in battle is just, to humiliate him is to show utter disrespect. An Orc would sooner die than have his honor tarnished in such a manner, but an Orc also understands that a meaningless but honorable death is still meaningless. To that end, here are some roleplaying tips I've used both to protray my Orc characters in WoW and Orcs of this type in other worlds (particularly Eberron): -Orcs tend to speak slowly and use simple words. This is not for a lack of sophistication, but rather so that there is no mistake of an Orc's meaning or intent. -Orc speech is laced with shamanistic metaphor. Every action an Orc takes is decisive and in harmony with nature, and this is reflected by his speech. An Orc may liken a chaotic battle to leaves caught in a hurricane, or tell a knight that forging metal into plate armor weakens it because the metal is no longer as nature intended it to be. -Orcs swear no oaths. To a tribe, honor is paramount. Your tribe is your lifeblood, your armor, and your sword. Without your tribe, you are alone, and that is the worst fate an Orc can suffer. To bring dishonor to yourself is to weaken your tribe; to weaken your tribe is to weaken yourself. Orcs need swear no oaths because every member is good to his word. To do otherwise is to dishonor yourself and your tribe. -An Orc is never alone. Orcs believe in the concept of "I" only as a part of a larger whole. An Orc always has a brother of the tribe to watch his back and two more to cover his flanks. Even when an Orc is alone, he has powerful allies in the spirits of nature around him. There are more, but hopefully this is a good start.
BarbeChenue 09-21-06, 05:03 AM	I'm wondering whether Orcs should be portrayed as meritocratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy)?
Fithero 09-21-06, 07:52 AM	I'm wondering whether Orcs should be portrayed as meritocratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy)? Oh totally! But not just it areas of strength, i think people from all walks would (should) be considered fit to lead. Im not sure how you want to go about it, if the strongest person leads or if its the wisest? Or perhaps they take a constantly changing stance on it, in times of battle, the strongest and most battle hardend orc takes control of the tribe, but in times of peace, the most wise or charismatic leads, thus playing on the orc's strengths. Kinda allows the tribe to prosper in all times, instead of only times in which the leader is apt at leading in. Hope this helps. Peace
PiedmonSama 09-21-06, 05:34 PM	That is a real method of government some tribal societies employ. (In particular, IIRC, the Sioux nation of Indian tribes used this system.) There would be a "Peace Cheif," who ran the tribe for the large part, and a "War Chief," who led the tribe during conflicts.