Orcs are not monsters, they are orcs

I've noticed that almost everyone in every server and in every game always makes orcs evil monsters with no decency or morality that hunts the innocent and likes eating elves. I've gotten tired of the idiocy, and I wanted to ask for a system in which orcs can be interacted with rather than killed on the spot always.

First, half-orcs exist in this world as well as orc towns and cities, this server already shows orcs as civilized beings, and that they are even more sophisticated than those of other worlds (its in their description). It just seems 100% nonsensical and hypocritical to have orcs with their own government and language and trade system but the only thing your allowed to do with them is kill them.

Plus isn't is 100% idiotic for a character to learn the orcish langauge if your forbidden from using it because the entire game world is about killing orcs? I'm just alittle put off by this, and this has only become a problem for me very recently.

Simply put my wolfblood druid knows orc, and he is not an orc, but the current game options set makes everything all the more nonsensical. Also the hat of disguise is almost completely un-needed, all it does is cause an illusion, which any orc wizard, sorcerer, or shaman could identify it for what it is. As such that item is better suited for other purposes, such as espionage and such, for instance, Aenea has multiple nations, why not make the hat of disguise useful in that manner rather than the more current dee-duh-dee.

And I know this likely came out as insulting, and that both players and DMs will think "What the hell is he thinking? Orcs are suppose to be monsters you slaughter." But I just want alittle bit more logic in the game than what is currently going on. (I recently noticed Harcorth is disliked by priests of Aquar and Andra, yet he is a god that is aquatic and sons of Aquar, as well as a protector of natures aquatic inhabitants in water, and this similar to Andra... just... ludicris so far)

Well, that is all things I wanted everyone to take notice of. Orcs are people just like elves. They build houses, tools, mine, farm, and yes, both elves and orcs hunt and will occasionally make pointless wars, but then again, dwarves do the same too, right?

Wow. Excellent post.

I definitely see your point. I think I'll do something about this in the near future.

Thanks.

Orcs by Stan Nicholls.

I haven't read it yet, but it sounds interesting and perhaps reflects some of the views of the OP. Is anyone else familiar with this author's work?

Um orcs are chaotic evil, they enslave other races and kill anyone they meet.

You know, other than beating slaves, I bet Simon Legree was not a bad sort of fellow, probably a great guy to hang at the bar with....

Sorry, just having a little fun.

I dunno... being sentient and having a society to me does not equate to a need to ignore the cultural views and behaviors propagated by that society.

Orcs are aggressive and violent. They engage in slavery. They provoke wars simply for the thrills of battle, conquest, pillaging and rape as well. They believe non-orc sentients are their lessers.

They are evil and by nature and thier society reflects this. Half-Orcs are almost always the result of an orc forcing itself on the opposite sex of another race.

If your PC is evil, and doesn't have an aversion to the above items, then sure... by all means have non-violent interaction with orcs... but first you would have to somehow get them to believe you are not an enemy, will not attack them once thier guard is down, and are worth talking to.

If your PC is evil, anmd yet fails to accomplish any of those three objectives, guess what? The orcs will either try to subdue and enslave you, or just kill you and put your head on a spike.

I have recently read R.A. Salvatore's new book from the Transitions series: Volume 1: The Orc King.

His writing reflects the same general views as the OP, and tries to bridge a gap between the generally accepted "civilized" races and the Orcs. It wasn't a bad book.... but it definitely left the impression that the author was forcing the reader's beloved favorite characters to accept a new view of the world that left their past struggles and sacrifices against orcish enemies feeling hollow, empty, and meaningless.

In that respect, it cheapened the story of those characters, and for me, it also cheapened my investment in those characters.

If orcs are to be interacted with rather than fought, I think this should only be for very, very specific situations and require the PC doing so to be non-good, and have done something suitable to stop the orcs from attacking on sight. Characters of good alignment should not engage in non-violent discourse with Orcs unless they are unable to do anything else... and chances are the Orcs wouldnt want to talk anyhow...