There's a lot to be said for why Orks are so popular with players. They're powerful, scary, and animalistic in most settings. The trouble is that translating that to a world where players are on both sides often leaves a lot of room for conflict to go too far. When a race doesn't have a purpose they default to their standard type of play.. which for the Orks is raiding. That isn't a problem, but we feel like it's a missed opportunity.
In our recent round table (which you can view here: http://uomyth.forumotion.com/t3-round-table-summary-1-dark-races ) many players gave their input on what they wanted from races and the throughline with all of it was that they wanted more depth to what makes even the harshest races tick. We can agree there. There's something about the noble savage raider that alone never drew me. So we decided to add something that we see in the real world.
Continuing on our series of lore taken from the religion forward the orks in our setting are similarly tribal and xenophobic. They have a strong sense that they should be perfecting themselves above all. This becomes the reason why they fight.. not simply to harass others, but to test themselves against the mettle of the other races. This is a powerful feeling that many people can relate to. They want to know their own limits, and with a race like the Orks, there are few real limitations.
In a table top setting, playing with high or low intelligence and wisdom can really determine a lot of role play. We want that to be an option here, but we also want to play a bit with the level of technology and culture that our orks have. So here's the main conflict: Older orks, those who remember the times of war and true battle hardened heroes hold strong to the traditions that have kept their people going for centuries. But the world is changing, and cities like the Blacksands Market are if not welcoming, at least tolerant of their people. Younger Orks see this as a way to test themselves in a new kind of arena.. one of social combat. Can they integrate? Can they use and enjoy the work of the other races without first stripping it from them?
It's a generational conflict on the internal side of the race. One that has several real world examples, and many at the round table felt could be great for storytelling. It, along with a few other changes, give our orks a flair that isn't entirely Middle-Earth or standard fantasy.. while still giving them that ability if they want.
You may wonder about the spelling. It, along with the physical description of our orks, is supposed to hammer home that these are a distinct race. Within that race we will also have tribal options for players to choose and the option to band together to form their own tribe. Will we see more city-slick Orks trying to find a way to best merchants and soldiers at their own game? Or will the time of Ork raiders begin anew, and scourge Terra hard enough that they have to be dealt with force? We want the players to have the ability to make that choice.
Our orks personify chaos. They are a powerful, emotional race with the potential for great destruction. But ally yourself with the right Ork and you will find a powerful guardian that little in the world can stand against. In the end, the whole point of rewriting the races is to give a broader area for players to play in. And hopefully you agree, like our round table, that this puts us on the right track to that.
Please keep an eye on the forums and join our Discord channel for more information on future meetings where your opinion can be heard. We are trying to make a place for everyone, and it's my hope that together we can do that. As always if you have questions of comments please contact us directly and come be part of the project!
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