Orog [Birthright]

Orogs are taller than humans but stand on short, sturdy legs beneath a deep barrel chest and long, heavy arms. The face is somewhat apelike, with a short blunt muzzle and flat nostrils, and the hairless hide is leathery and gray to black. Skilled metalsmiths, they usually wear heavy banded mail and display tribal colors on cloaks, surcoats and standards. They are far smarter than they look and sound tacticians.

Great strength gives orogs +2 damage with any handheld or thrown weapon. Favorite arms are axes, heavy long swords, maces and polearms, plus crossbows. Bright sunlight sickens and blinds them, imposing -2 to attacks and saving throws, and even overcast days cost them -1. To avoid the daylight, they dig tunnel networks around their holdings.

A band follows a 6 HD chieftain (THAC0 15, +4 damage) whose counselor is a 5 HD battle priest casting as a 5th-level cleric. Two to twelve guards protect the chieftain, each with at least 16 hp, plate mail (AC 2) and +3 damage. Every 20 orogs add a subleader equal to a guard plus a 3 HD priest casting as a 3rd-level cleric. Orogs tame a fierce breed of giant lizard, identical to subterranean lizards, and mount fast raiding parties and the leaders of big war bands on them.

Genocidal wars with dwarves long ago drove the orogs from the surface into the mountains of the continent. Their fortresses and holds hide in remote gorges and vast caverns, each home to 4d6x10 orogs who live on cave fungi, livestock, hunting and surface raids. They treat every other race as an enemy and live in constant war, and lately they have carved out several strong footholds above ground.

Every orog is considered a warrior, and the culture prizes martial virtue and raw strength. Priests of their nameless patron power wield enormous influence, and whole tribes march at the word of the high battle priests.