A study of the Orc

These are excerpts from the books, correspondence, and notebooks of the elven scholar and sociologist Thylaea Spiritsong who is the foremost expert on the lives and culture of the Orcs.

The preface of her magnum opus "A study of the Orc" gives the background needed to dive into the vast collection of written records Thylaea has produced over the years.

A study of the Orc - Preface

Published in the year 162 of the 4th age.

Even though the orcs have lived on the plains outside our forest for much longer than man we know little of their society, customs, and language. To many the word "Orc" conjures up nothing but an image of a greenish brute charging into battle with a guttural roar and driven to mindless . I have studied and lived close to the Orcish tribes of the savage steppes for close to a decade and with this book I aim to bring light to the fascinating society of the orcs.

The stereotype of the orc as a fierce warrior no doubt has it's roots in the reverence and admiration within orc society for martial prowess and bodily strength. This admirable raw power is however more often than not reserved for the hard work of keeping life of the tribes going in the rough environment of the steppes.

There is a abundance in this society, this I admit, but it is anything but mindless. For the orcs there is much honour in battle. Who and why you fight is given considerable thought. For instance a chief would never instigate a fight with lower standing grunt, and a raid is never called on a neighbour that is presently unable to defend themselves.

Orc society is a deeply hierarchical one, both between tribes and down to each individual of the tribe. The orcs themselves seem to be able to intuit these structures but it has proven near impossible for an outsider to keep track of. On a daily basis the positions of the hierarchy shift and change based on the outcome of duels, brawls, and sometimes non-violent competitions.

Notably there is no family relations observed by the orcs. Every child is a child of the tribe and every woman of age takes part in feeding the young from her bosom.

Similarly no strict partner relations exists and instead the societal hierarchy is observed when it comes to sexual acts. It is even frequently reinforced by sexual domination. This domination is perhaps more so than prowess what is keeping the hierarchy and the chief on top.

Each of these aspects of orc society will be explored further in the following chapters and should, I hope, make for some truly enlightening reading.