© Daniel S. Wall, November 11, 2026.

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“I have heard those who do not know of what they speak say of orcs that they are brutal savages; that they are sadistic and cruel beings with no compassion for others; that these terrible scum have no redeeming virtues of any kind.

“Well I myself have lived among the orcs for many years. I was taken a prisoner in war, and my life was spared. During my time living among the orcs, I have learned much of their culture, their customs, their ways of life. These things I have learned, and an I can tell you the common view of orcs is quite wrong. It is in fact much too generous. The flimsy stereotypes do not even begin to tell the story of the filthy, disgusting beasts. There is nothing you can say about these living abominations that comes even close to telling the full story. They are truly awful in every respect. Avoid them as best you can. Failing that, kill them on sight.”

– Camergrün D’naión, Scout for Hire.

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Enough has been written about orcs in a variety of places. Filthy, brutish, and violent, these creatures are widely regarded as vermin by the fairer creatures of all worlds in which they are found. If there is more to them, that will be learned only by those unfortunate enough to spend a long time in their presence. The likelihood that anyone with so disastrous a fate would live to tell of it is not high.