Page 88 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

priests might have to meditate for hours or days to get a
vision of its meaning. THE GA't& OF THE ONe Eve BRINGS MADNESS To MANv AN oRc..
Every group of ores has particular superstitions and -ELMINSTER ~
recognizes certain omens. These tenets vary from tribe
to tribe, and are often based in events that the tribe has
experienced. Here are a few examples:
COLORS OF CONQUEST
• If a dwarf or a human invokes its god upon dying, you
must carry the corpse's ears for three days to ward off Three colors have special meaning to all ores, and they
any retribution, and then bury or burn them. adorn their bodies, possessions, and lairs with pigments
• Three ravens is always a good sign. that produce those hues. Red ochre is used to represent
• It is good luck to spit where you are about to sleep. blood, grayish-white ash to represent death, and char-
• Gnome bones can ward off diseases if they are worn. coal to represent darkness.
• Don't stand inside a ring of stones, mushrooms, or any The unwritten laws that govern the status of individ-
other kind of circle. ual ores within a tribe are manifested to a degree in
how each ore uses these colors on itself and its personal
• Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To
items. For instance, the chief of one tribe might be the
ward it off, you must swallow a stone.
only one that has the right to stain its tusks with red
• A tribute of elf ears brings favor from Gruumsh.
• If you bury five stones at dawn before a long journey, ochre, while the warriors of another tribe rub streaks
you will always find your way back to the war hearth. of ash into their garments to signify their safe return
from a raid.
• Stomping your foot three times and uttering
"Gruumsh" wards off bad magic.
ROLEPLAYING AN 0RC
SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION Most ores have been indoctrinated into a life of destruc-
Ores have a written language adapted from that of the tion and slaughter. But unlike creatures who by their
dwarves, but they aren't a literate culture and rarely very nature are evil, such as gnolls, it's possible that an
keep records or write down their thoughts. When ores ore, if raised outside its culture, could develop a limited
need to communicate in writing, they use crude symbols capacity for empathy, love, and compassion.
to convey basic information, such as·"food stored here," No matter how domesticated an ore might seem,
.. danger close," or "go this way." A ore raiding party its blood lust flows just beneath the surface. With its
might leave such a sign in its wake, as an aid to other instinctive love of battle and its desire to prove its
warriors that travel through the same area later on. strength, an ore trying to live within the confines of civi-
Mountain guides, druids, and rangers might be famil- lization is faced with a difficult task.
iar with many of these symbols, enabling them to keep
their charges from inadvertently stumbling into a tribe's 0RC PERSONALITY TRAITS
territory.
d6 Personality Trait
1 I never relinquish my weapon.
0RCS AS UNDERLINGS
2 I welcome any chance to prove my battle skills.
With their culturally ingrained tendency to bow before SU· 3 I always appear like I am about to kill everyone
perior strength, ores can be subjugated by a powerful and
charismatic individual. Evil human spellcasters and rulers around me.
in particufar have a penchant for enslaving or deceiving 4 I love a good brawl.
ores into service. A leader backed by a great mllitary force 5 l drink the blood of monsters to consume their
could swoop down upon a tribe, kill its leaders, and cow power.
the rest of the ores tnto submission. 6 I chant orcish war dirges during combat.
A spellcaster typically takes a more devious approach,
using magic to conjure up false omens that strike fear into
the tribe and make it obedient. A wizard might manipulate 0RC IDEALS
a few of the ores that rank just below the war chief, using d6 Ideal
them as pawns to help overthrow the leader. The wizard
validates the change in command with signs supposedly Strength. Showing superior strength brings honor to
delivered by the gods {which are in truth nothing but a few Gruumsh. (Any)
well-cast illusions), and turns the tribe into a strike force 2 Prowess. Kilting all your enemies is the path to great-
eager to do the bidding of its new chief. ness. (Evil)
The survivors of a tribe scattered by defeat sometimes 3 Dominance. I wilt have achieved glory when all cower
fall back on their fighting skills to find employment, indi-
vidually or in small groups, with whoever is willtng to hire before my might. (Evil)
them. These mercenaries, while they might pride them- 4 Intimidation. I can get what I want from weaklings
selves on their seeming independence, nevertheless strive that fear me. {Evil)
to follow through on their end of a bargain, because being 5 Clory. The goals of the tribe don't concern me. Per-
paid by one's employer is better than being hunted down sonar glory is what I crave. (Chaotic)
for breaking a deal.
6 Savagery. I will not be controlled. (Chaotic)

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