ARENA BRED HALF-ORC
Arena bred half-orcs are the offspring of an orc and a human that has been trained to fight in a gladiatorial theater. They have been bred for the express purpose of physical contests and gladiatorial fighting, so they tend to be on the aggressive side, with limited scholarly learning and very little problem solving skills beyond hitting things to make them do what they want.
STATISTICS
AGE
Arena bred half-orcs reach maturity at 20, middle age by 35, and are venerable age by 60. Half-orcs can live to be 80 years old.
APPEARANCE
There is more variation among arena bred half-orcs than others of their kind. Universally, they are all the tallest, strongest of half-orcs but often vary in hue and other minor ways. The Bloodtusk bloodline half-orcs are red-skinned with mighty tusks and often sport minor, bony protrusions from the joints and forehead as well as wicked claws. Those of the Ironhide bloodline have skin of yellow, tan, brown, or black, with particularly thick, rugged and craggy exteriors. Longbone half-orcs are dark green and are not usually as bulky as other half-orcs, even tending to average smaller heights. No matter what bloodline a half-orc comes from, they all stand between 213 to 261 cm tall, placing them well above most other subspecies of half-orc.
DEMEANOR
Your average arena bred half-orc is perhaps the most prone to violence among an already violence-prone race. They are aggressive and honest with incredibly high opinions of themselves, each feeling like they are the pinnacle of what it means to be a half-orc. This is especially true for those of one of the Argossean bloodlines. Arena bred orcs are extremely competitive and quick to turn even an imagined slight into a violent challenge. Despite all of this, they also tend to be the most goal-oriented of half-orcs, being more capable of following through on plans and working together with those they feel are worthy.
ALIGNMENT
Based on the upbringing, but usually chaotic neutral.
SOCIETY
In some ways, arena bred half-orcs are strange compared to their kin. They have some semblance of a true society but theirs is intrinsically tied to that of humanity. Many arena bred half-orcs find themselves perfectly content with lives as bodyguards and gladiators. Their innate sense of superiority makes them more likely than most other orcs and half-orcs to birth and raise offspring to adulthood, but only those who they deem strong. It is an unwritten cultural law that every arena bred half-orc be exposed to the elements the night they are born. Those who survive are usually allowed to live long enough for their next of many physical trails until adulthood. In Argos, it is considered a great honor to be chosen to procreate and contribute to the next generation of arena bred half-orcs, especially for those who belong to one of the renowned schools and bloodlines. It is mandatory for any would-be sires to undergo forced abstinence for several weeks prior to the scheduled mating. For Argossean half-orcs, even those who are not part of the great gladiatorial machine, life in human culture is often somewhat easier and accepting of them. Despite all of this, arena bred half-orcs find education to be not only unsavory but a sign of weakness.
Breeds include:
Bloodtusk: Red, big tusks, often minor spines, weapons that do bleed
Ironhide: Thickest, thick, leather hide, bumpy, with earthy tones including brown, black, and yellow
Longbone: The most limber, dark green skin , weapons that have long reach
FAVORED PROFESSION:
Unsurprisingly, warrior is by far the most common profession among arena bred half-orcs. In fact, it’s almost impossible to find individuals who have taken up any other profession. Arena bred half-orcs with no ties to traditional Argossean norms rarely become artisans.
ENEMIES:
Elves and dwarves are natural enemies to arena bred half-orcs, and this animosity tends to hold over to the offspring as well, although it tends to be one-sided on the part of the dwarves and elves.