Morrowind:Orc

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Illustration of a typical Orc male.

Orcs, also called Orsimer or "Pariah Folk" in ancient times, are sophisticated barbarian beast peoples of the Wrothgarian Mountains, Dragontail Mountains, and Orsinium, also known as the "City of the Pariah." They are noted for their unshakable courage in war and their unflinching endurance of hardships. In the past, Orcs have been widely feared and hated by the other nations and races of Tamriel, but they have slowly won acceptance in the Empire, in particular for their distinguished service in the Emperor's Legions. Orc armorers are prized for their craftsmanship, and Orc warriors in heavy armor are among the finest front-line troops in the Empire, and are fearsome when using their berserker rage. Most Imperial citizens regard the Orc society as rough and cruel, but there is much to admire in their fierce tribal loyalties and generous equality of rank and respect among the sexes.

The Hero of Daggerfall reported Gortwog gro-Nagorm united his people by establishing an autonomous enclave, and forced the Emperor Uriel Septim VII to recognize Orsinium as an equal of the other lesser kingdoms (such as Daggerfall or Sentinel).

Their religion centers around the worship of the Daedric Prince who governs outcasts, Malacath. The Orcs were supposedly created when the Daedric Prince Boethiah assumed the form of Aldmer God Trinimac, transforming him into Malacath and the Orsimer into Orcs. Some stories even say Boethiah ate Trinimac.

[edit] Base Attributes

Attribute	M	F
Strength	45	45
Intelligence	30	40
Willpower	50	45
Agility	35	35
Speed	30	30
Endurance	50	50
Personality	30	25
Luck	40	40

[edit] Skill Bonuses

Skill	Bonus
Armorer	+10
Block	+10
Heavy Armor	+10
Medium Armor	+10
Axe	+5

[edit] In-Game Description

These sophisticated barbarian beast peoples of the Wrothgarian and Dragontail Mountains are noted for their unshakeable courage in war and their unflinching endurance of hardships. Orc warriors in heavy armor are among the finest front-line troops in the Empire. Most Imperial citizens regard Orc society as rough and cruel, but there is much to admire in their fierce tribal loyalties and generous equality of rank and respect among the sexes.

[edit] Specials

Ability: Resist Magicka 25%
Power: Berserk -
Fortify Health 20pts for 60sec on Self
Fortify Fatigue 200pts for 60sec on Self
Fortify Attack 100pts for 60sec on Self
Drain Agility 100pts for 60sec on Self

[edit] Ideal Character

Like the Nords, Orcs are defensive combat characters, although they focus more on physical defense than magic. 50 endurance + a good Block bonus means you may actually go out looking for scars. You're not totally helpless against magic, with about 50 willpower to start and 25% magicka resistance, but chances are you won't be devoting much of your time to increasing your willpower throughout the game. Pairing this high resistance they have as well as the natural Armorer bonus means you probably won't worry too much about long hikes, but you will need to improve your strength to compensate for the weight of your hammers. Berserk will turn you into a titan in case you find you started to feel immortal and got yourself in deep trouble. Your personality means you probably won't be well-liked, so look forward to lots of straight-up hits from the Fighters Guild and Imperial Legion. It will be difficult to get along with anyone without plenty of training.
Orcs are the only race that give a bonus to Armorer and Block, so you can count on those being favorite skills for you. With axes being the only favored weapon skill, that's naturally a good place to start, but +5 isn't much of an incentive if you prefer another one-handed weapon style. The choice between Heavy and Medium Armor is even more equal, so go with whatever suits you more. Acrobatics will help you develop your strength, but it's up to you how much further you wish to develop your character. Armorer, Block, Axe, Heavy/Medium Armor, and perhaps Acrobatics are all that the Orcs really ask for, so you still have half your skills to assign as you would like to play.