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Johnathan_Vagabond 09-30-07, 12:59 AM

I know every DM changes up the racial make up somewhat for their games, if not statistically then socially in some aspect. But I felt in the mood for some really radical changes. I'm redoing all the stats, all the flavor, and everything in between. I've only really done the half-orc flavor as of yet, but I wanted to put it up for suggestions so that I could get the stats good yet balanced. Orcish anatomy varies widely from human's. Orcs have four lungs and four hearts, each dependent on a lung. These hearts pump blood to the cells in the left and right shoulder/arm, pelvis/legs, and head. All four lungs are situated behind an exceptionally thick ribcage, though the hearts are in the left & right torso, pelvis, and skull (respectively). All hearts feed the main torso and digestive system. This phenomena indeed means that orcs often appear with withered arms or legs, and leads to strange magical experiments with their removed heads. These main hearts are assisted by dozens of thumb size "pseudo-hearts". They act as pump stations for the blood. Each lung feeds off a different throat tube (proper term? windpipe?) which gives rise to the orcs' strange multiple voice or multi harmonic voice. Only orcs can speak true orcish because of this (which is usually a series of tonal grunts) although a trade version of the language for mono-throats is known by border orcs. Often an orc is born with an overzealous heart, to the detriment of the other three. These orcs sport exceptional features, giving a new meaning the to term "right handed". Orcs with powerful pelvic hearts are swift and can carry great loads. Those with an exceptional skull heart are the thinkers and generally leaders of the orcish clans. Any decent orcish craftmanship is the result of a "head-orc". Half-orcs are the resultant race from magical experimentation. A race independent, a human and orc cannot bread into a half-orc. However, half-orcs often sport holdovers from their old race. They sometimes have an extra heart leading to a more powerful arm or legs. Sometimes they are born with an extra windpipe, producing a multi-harmonic voice. The greatest gift half-orcs received from their human donors was an increased intelligence. While normal orcs are certainly not evoluntionarily impaired, they tend to survive based on physical instincts, and have no great inventions to their name. Orcs also heal relatively quickly, sporting a fast heal 2. In a weak version of regeneration, severed limbs can be reattached within 2 hours by keeping the limb in contact with the stump for an hour, after which they both seal up. While half-orcs receive no fast healing, they do heal normally at 3 times the regular rate (3xLevel/day of rest) and recover from bleeding more often. (Bleeding rule, all slashing and piercing damage done worth 10% remaining hp causes external bleeding for 1hp/round. Bludgeoning for 30% remaining hp can cause internal bleeding. Heal or Fort check stops bleeding) Half-orcs dress according to necessity, as their hardened skin is less likely to notice the difference between silk and hide. Half-orcs within human communities accept the heavy lifting jobs, and guard duty, which they are especially skilled at. Half-orc communities are common near old mage ruins, and result in adequate shacks for cover. Because half-orc stomachs are not as delicate as the other demi-human races, they rarely concern themselves with chef work. A burned slab of meat is as good as a mostly rare one. The small tusks most half-orcs sprout from their lower jaw are stronger than their normal teeth, and are used for tearing food. Many competitions revolve around the tusks, and their ability to constantly regrow lost teeth means half-orcs will sometimes go for a month without tusks due to these games. Such games including tusk-pulls, tusk-lifts, log biting, and the toss. Some games can be quite brutal and substitute livestock for wood. Half-orcs are the ultimate squatters, and can be found in any major city. They compose the majority of what is called "the shambles" or "the shades" or "shanty-towns". Most half-orcs dream of getting rich, leaving these conditions and becoming a respected member of the military or guard. Skull hearted half-orcs often become quite capable philosophers and mages. Like humans with stronger arms. Half-orcs are deeply superstitious, by rarely religious. Some worship mages, or the gods of magic, because of their origins. Others fall in with orc gods, though they rarely believe in them as fervently as an orc would (many orc gods are full of contradictions with a half-orc would notice). Perceived half-orc religion is generally a combination of community superstitions and game rituals. Half-orcs are often seen "praying for strength", as they will mimic a powerful tusk toss with overzealous emphasis at every point. Rough lives for half-orcs split them into two styles of family unit, the orc style and the human style. Humanistic half-orcs create small families with direct relatives only. Orcish half-orcs raise their children in a communal environment, although generally with less watching over the children. Orcish half-orcs generally refer to different generations with a single name (Oxs or Mountains. The most recent generation are called Roads as it has featured and unusual number of strong pelvis-hearts). Humanistic half-orcs refer to children by specific names, and rarely apply a generational title.