4-0
THE WARCHIEF MHURREN ROUSED HIMSELF FROM HIS
sleeping-furs and his women and pulled a short hauberk
of heauy steelringsouer his thick. well-muscled torso. He
usual{y rose before most of his warriors.sincehe had a
strong streak of human bloodinhim. and hefound the
daylight less bothersome than most of his tribedid.Among
the Bloody Skulls. a warrior was judged by his strength. his
jlerceness. and his wits. Human ancestry was no blemish
againstawarrior-prauided he was euery bitasstrang.
enduring. and bloodthirstyashisfull-blooded kin. Half-
orcs who were weaker than their orc comrades didn't last
long among the Bloody SkullsOI'any other orc tribefor
that matter. Rutitwas often true that a bit of human blood
gaveawarrior just the right mix of cunning. ambition, and
self-disciplinetogofar indeed.asMhurren had. He was
master ofatribe that could muster two thousand spears.
and the strangest chiefin TlJar.
-Richard Baker.SwordmagePART IIRACESWhether united under the leadership of a mighty
warloekOI'having fought to a standstill after years
of eonfliet, ore and human tribes sometimes form
allianees, joining forces into a larger horde lo lhe terror
of eivilized lands nearby. When lhese allianees are
sealed by marriages, half-ores are bom. Some half-ores
rise lo beeome proud ehiefs of ore lribes, lheir human
blood giving them an edge over lheir full-blooded ore
rivaIs. Some venture inlo lhe world lo prove lheir worlh
among humans and other more civilized raees. Many of
lhese beeome advenlurers, aehieving grealness for lheir
mighly deeds and nOloriely for their barbarie eustoms
and savage fury.SCARRED AND STRONG
Half-ores' grayish pigmenlation, sloping foreheads,
juttingjaws, prominenl leelh, and lowering builds make
their orcish herilage plain for ali lo see. Half-ores sland
belween 6 and 7 feel lall and usually weigh belween
180 and 250 pounds.
Ores regard battle sears as lokens of pride and
ornamenlal sears as lhings of beauly. OlheI' sears,
though, mark an ore01'half-ore as a formeI' slave01'
a disgraeed exile. Any half-ore who has lived among
01'near ores has sears, whelher lhey are marks of
humilialion 01'of pride, reeounling their pasl exploils
and injuries. Sueh ahalf-ore living among humans might
display lhese sears proudly01'hide them in shame.THE MARK OF GRUUMSH
The one-eyed god Gruumsh erealed lhe ores, and even
those ores who turn away from his worship ean'l fully
escape his influenee. The same is lrue of haIf-ores.
lhough lheir human blood moderales lhe impaet of lheir
orcish heritage. Some half-ores hear the whispers of
Gruumsh in lheir dreams, ealling lhem lo unleash lhe
rage tha! simmers wilhin lhem. Others feel Gruumsh's