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Most images and artwork copyright 1999-2001 Claudio Pozas. Used with permission.
Humanity and the various related, or "Demihuman" races are not the only inhabitants of Aestas. Other lines once dominated the world, and some still dream of retaking it. These are detailed below.
The Orcish Lines
The first and most disturbing fact about the Orcish bloodline is that they are inter-fertile with humanity. This hints at some remote common ancestor, which both humans and Orcs find revolting. The Orcish bloodlines tend to be brutish, strong, and hardy. They generally dwell on the surface world, and are not harmed or hindered by sunlight, though they dislike bright light. Orcs and ogres both organize themselves into tribes, clans, and bands, but on occasion ape more permanent human organizations. Neither species is averse to working with humans if properly paid, and some individuals manage to interact with civilized races in meaningful ways on rare occasions. The Orcish lines are the most common monster race encountered in the Known World.
Orcs are roughly human sized. They have keen senses of smell, and some limited ability to see in low light. Their skin runs the gamut in colors from black to green, and their exact forms vary wildly. A low, sloping forehead, prominent jaws and teeth are common, and their noses are usually large and flat, like a gorilla's, with forward facing nostrils. Orcs can be distinguished from goblins by their eyes, which are shaped like a humans, and usually concealed beneath a large bony brow. Orcs tend to be ill-tempered and disorganized, but they are brave and won't shy from a standup fight. Individual Orcs may possess other traits as well, such as thick skin, claws, or limited resistance to magic. Orcs wear armor and use weapons mostly identical to human types (of cruder manufacture), though they usually favor swung weapons to take better advantage of strength.
Ogres are the larger cousins of Orcs. Everything said about Orcs is true for them as well, save for their size and strength. Ogres can be eight to ten feet tall, and at least twice as strong as a normal man. Ogres are even slower and stupider than Orcs, but they have an uncanny sense of smell, frightening resilience, and some resistance to magic. Even more so than Orcs, ogres are cannibalistic and will eat nearly anything they can catch. Ogres live in small groups of less than a dozen, led by the strongest and largest among them. They do not forge their own metal, preferring to either obtain metal weapons and armor from employment or theft, or they use what they pick up... tree trunks, rocks, and other very primitive weapons. Ogres almost never use missile weapons other than thrown ones.
Half-Orcs: A product of a union of a human and an Orc or Ogre (!), Half-Orcs are exactly as described in the basic rules. They are regarded with suspicion and fear due to their Orcish ancestry, but are rarely directly persecuted or banned from a region. Half-Ogres are much in demand in some places as slaves, gladiators, and shock troops due to their racially inate toughness, strength, and aggressiveness.
The Goblin Lines
Goblinoids can be distinguished from other types, regardless of their specific race, by a few distinct characteristics. All goblinoids have large eyes, slit vertically like a cat, and they have the ability to see in complete darkness, using heat. They also have large, pointed ears, and small claws. They also have numerous small, pointed teeth, unlike the prominent tusks of the orc lines. Where Orcs are strong and tough, goblinoids tend to be stealthy, speaking in hissing whispers even when not trying to remain quiet. Goblinoids almost never cooperate with humans or other sentient races, seeing them only as competitors or prey.
Goblins are the least imposing but most common of the goblinoids. Their coloration runs the full gamut from red to green to black, though all in a group will be about the same color. Goblins tend to be 3-4ft tall, lightly built, and dress in crude rags and improvised armor. They are stealthy and possessed of a certain malicious cunning, but are neither brave nor intelligent. They tend to live underground and survive by raiding settlements and stealing whatever isn't nailed down. In large numbers, they can be very dangerous. Though goblins are not actually harmed by sunlight, it causes them pain and so they will generally avoid it. Goblin weapons are very low quality; poorly cast iron, wood, and stone weapons are the usual fare, though successful individuals may have obtained better elsewhere. Goblins live in tribal bands of varying sizes, with a chief and shaman; their dwellings can be found by the foul stench left by the dirty creatures. They do not discriminate between the sexes, though the largest goblins are nearly always male.
Hobgoblins are clearly related to goblins, but they are very different in character. Hobgoblins are militaristic, brave, skilled in battle, and aggressive. Of all the "monster races", they present the gravest danger to humanity. Hobgoblins are organized in to tribes and chiefdoms, and occasionally gather into actual kingdoms. These groups are fierce rivals to one another, and it is only this lack of internal cohesion that prevents the hobgoblin race from being a larger threat. An average hobgoblin is a bit stronger than a human, though not quite as smart. Unlike Orcs, hobgoblins tend to be well equipped with their own weapons and armor, and have good battle discipline. They commonly use heavy armor and shields, preferring close combat to ranged weapons. Hobgoblins also integrate the use of magic more successfully than other goblinoids.
Bugbears are large, hairy brutes. They live in small groups, often with goblins or hobgoblins. Bugbears tend to live above ground, hunting and attacking small settlements. Despite their size and strength, they are extremely stealthy, and are infamous night-fighters. Unlike other goblinoids, bugbears are not averse to associating with other races, if the pay or motivation is right. Bugbears have longer arms and thicker body hair than most goblinoids, and are very strong. Bugbears on their own live in small bands of about a dozen adults, led by the strongest and smartest among them. The sexes are about equally sized, so their roles in the band are fairly equal. Bugbears are almost exclusively meat-eaters, finding the young of other intelligent species to be the finest of delicacies.
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