Orcs believe that in order to survive they must expand their territory, and so they are constantly involved in wars against many enemies: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and mostly Goblins.  The main reason why they are not more trouble to the neighboring races is that they are more often fighting amongst themselves.

    Orcs Prefer to live in wild areas.  They mostly like hills and mountainous regions that are secluded and easily defended.  Though they will live in forests they prefer the feeling of the earth and stone around them.  The clans use geographic rather than political borders to define their land.  Because of this many of the areas considered to be part of the other realms are claimed by certain Orc clans.  The clan sees no reason why they should abide by other's laws when it would take land from them.  This causes the borders of Ruch to be rather nebulous and border

    Orcs are aggressive. They have a reputation for cruelty that is deserved, but humans or goblins are just as capable of evil as orcs.  Orcs believe other species are inferior to them and that bullying and slavery is part of the natural order.  They will cooperate with other species but are not dependable.  As slaves, they will rebel against all but the most powerful masters; as allies they are quick to take offense and break agreements.

    The Orc live in tightly structured clans.  Most clans have ritual fighting and challenge traditions to become chieftain.  This chieftain will marry and father as many children as they can.  There is a bond between father and son that is stronger than anything else in most Orc clans. The more sons to fight for you the stronger and more powerful you are as a chieftain.  After the father/son bond, loyalty usually falls to self, family, clan, and then Ruch. Orcs have marriage customs, but orc males are not noted for their faithfulness.

   Orcs value territory above all else, followed closely by battle experience, wealth, and number of offspring. Orcs society in general is patriarchal; women are fit only to bear children, nurse them and care for the needs of the males of the clan. The females of most clans stay in the most protected part of their territory, raising children and being protected by the males.  They are known for weaving fine cloth from the hair and fleece of the sheep and mountain goats they herd.  Also, the orc females make complexly woven rugs of many colors and patterns that are finer than any found in the Six Realms.  A light form of rope is also made that is just as strong but one quarter the weight of normal rope.  The females of the clan will normally never travel or become soldiers but they will fight alongside the men of the clan if the village is attacked.  Only those females found to be barren ever become adventurers or are trained in anything other than village tasks and a life of childbearing.  There are legends of the warrior female that are told in some clans.  These are sometimes born to great chieftains that seem unable to have male offspring.  Though they can never become a chieftain of the clan they are highly prized as fighter companions because the female is more caring for their partner than most men would be and so are trusted.

    Orcs make great soldiers since they never question orders and usually can find nothing wrong with them, but few make great leaders. The loyalty to clan makes the Orc soldier even more fierce when fighting for his own territory.  Orcs believe that battle is the ideal challenge, but some leaders are pragmatic enough to recognize the value of peace, which they exact at a high price.  If great patience and care are used, Orc clans can be effective trading partners and military allies.  Each clan decides who is and isn't their allies.

    The strongest warriors have a special ax known as a grunt ax made for them. It takes an above average strength warrior to wield this weapon, and then both hands are required to get full  effect. The weapon is made from a metal coated, fire-hardened shaft and a double bladed head.  The head is made from volcanic glass found only in certain areas of Ruch. It is almost as hard as steel but is painstakingly chipped and carved to a razor's edge.  The ax is very heavy, and deadly in the hands of a trained Orc warrior.  It is unheard of for an Orc weapon maker to fashion one of these axes for any but an Orc he respects.

    Orcs find it difficult to work with metals and so only a rare few are ever able to forge armor to fit the Orc body type.  Most Orcan armor is made of natural substances like hides and scales or bone.  Though they only work with these materials they are able to make some fine and superior versions of leather and scale armor.  An especially complex and hardened hide and scale armor is sometimes made for greatly respected and powerful chieftains.  this armor is called Bahn Moun, meaning chiefs mantle.  It is usually only worn by those who have defeated its previous wearer in fair combat.  The wearer of such an armor is always considered to be a great warrior but will be challenged to test them or only for the privilege of having done combat with such a warrior and live.  Most challenges are not to the death but in the height of battle death does occur.  An Orc does not like to admit defeat and must usually be forced through unconsciousness.  Most of the challenges are done without weapons or armor with only tooth and claw available to cause killing wounds.

    Most Orc villagers are farmers, but they are poor ones.   Most only herd sheep, pigs and goats.  They can easily manage skills such as carpentry, hunting, fishing and other that are
needed to keep their village functional, but many clans would have to become nomadic to provide the food they would need for their growing populace.  Orcs are very good masons and have excellent talents when working with stone.  The Orc are very prolific, having offspring faster and more often that any other race other than the Goblins.  The answer to the food problem was found when many Orc clans made agreements with the Halflings of Ruch.  The Halflings farm and provide food and crafts in trade for protection and other heavy tasks.  This relationship has caused the Halfling to be the most favored of races with most Orcs.

    The Orcs, though having problems with the Confederation and it's restrictive laws, as they see it, get along with humans quite well.  Most Orcs will find nothing wrong with a human as an individual and find the women attractive.  It is only when they form nations that the humans seem to become bothersome to the Orc way of life. They see this as a rival clan that may someday try to move in on their territory.

    Gnomes are tolerated by the Orcs and are thought of as funny little people with no real great reason for being.  Though the Gnomes are part of the greater Thardferr and fill a niche that only they can fill, the Orcs tend to ignore them.  Luckily this suits the Gnome fine since they tend to be suspicious and cautious of the Orc. The clannish and warlike lifestyle of the Orc conflicts almost completely with the Gnomish way of thinking.

    Elves are considered tentative allies with most Orc clans, though those that live on the southern borders of Ruch are constantly fighting the Elves to maintain their claims to the northern shore of Blood Lake.  Orcs for the most part see Elves as ugly and a bit frightening.  Because of the way the Elves use magic and live so long many Orcs think them some creature to be suspicious of and avoided.  Despite this, during all of the Mage Wars the orcs allied with the Elves against the greater threat of the Sythian mages.  This gave the Orcs many stories of Elven friendship and trustworthiness as an ally and keeps the Orc suspicion from making them truly dislike the Elves.  Also the Orcs share an enemy with the Elves in the denizens of the Horde Lands to both of their eastern border. Regardless of this seeming tolerance, Orc mothers still tell their young of Elves stealing children in the night should they wander too far from home.

    The Orcs have had a long standing antipathy for the Dwarves and Goblins.  Traced back beyond any written record these races have been at odds with each other.  Though it is not known what the ancient reasons for this may be, it has caused tension between the three races for as long as Orc, Dwarf and goblin can recall.  A generation does not go by in which the enmity between these three races is not somehow caused to be remembered and open conflict if not warfare breaks out between them.  the feelings seem to be mutual and shared with all three races independently.

    Orcs are social mimics, borrowing laws and traditions from all around them.  After a family has grown to a clan and determined their laws over time to be good they become tradition and carry from generation to generation.  This ability allows the Orc to settle in other lands and respect their laws and traditions.  Many Orcs will work in the cities of Humans and Goblins, or as caravan guards and mercenaries. The loyalty they had for the clan being transferred to that of their employer, but only after their loyalty to father, family, clan and Ruch.  The Orc is nearly immune to most disease and so they are employed to clean and maintain the sewers of the great  cities of the Human and Goblin.