Blame Atom Kid who gave me the Orctober bug. I then found Chris Shipton's Orctober Calendar 2010 and that was it. Three more orc variants to prevent outbreaks of YADO (yet another damn orc) syndrome since there's been some problems with certain monsters becoming trite - how unexpected!
Headless
These orcs are unusually tall (7') but lack a head, instead their face is in their belly. Their increased body mass makes them stronger than normal orcs. Headless favour bladed weapons or spears and skillfully use shields. They wear hide breastplates with boar-like belly visors protecting their faces (treat as great helms). Inveterate cannibals, they take heads for trophies. Brains are considered a delicacy. Elven heads are highly sought after. They are fiercely hierarchical and headless tribes will serve tyrants as soldiers.
(AC 5/3 on stomach, Strength 16 (+1 damage))
Kijitu
These mis-shapen orcs stand 5' tall due to deformities. Hunched backs and bulging heads hide a vicious yet cunning intellect. Their twisted frames are surprisingly agile and athletic, which compensates for ill-fitting armour. Normal orcs are hated with a passion, kijitu gain a +1 to hit and damage against them. Extremely sensitive to light, kijutu are -2 to hit and they must save vs. Poison or take 1d2 point subdual damage each turn they spend in sunlight, suffering lesions and lupus-like symptoms.
(AC:7, Int: 10 - 12, sunlight sensitivity, AL: Neutral Evil)
Tattooed Skullfaces
These psychotic orcs venerate demon lords like Juiblex and Orcus, removing their faces with fire, knives and worse until bare bone is revealed. The rest of their bodies are pierced, scarred and tattooed with lurid greens, ochres, yellows, brown and black designs. They starve themselves to appear gaunt and skeletal. In battle, a tattooed skullface's psychosis manifests in ferocious skill at arms. Evil beings find their wickedness admirable if they are only trusted with murder, mayhem and torture.
(1d6 hit points, +2 to hit with weapons, +4 to reaction rolls with evil-aligned; AL: Chaotic Evil)
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Cool. I particularly like the headless variety. Shades of John Mandeville's travels.
ReplyDeleteThe blemmyes (sp) is one of the oddest legends I've ever come across. A harsh description of an actual Nubian tribe that Diocletian paid tribute to. Bears out your post about folklore in a fantastic world...
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