Design Notes
Stats rolled this time were 16, 15, 11, 10, 16, and 9. This looks like a classic Dungeons and Dragons Fighter stat line, but instead we are going to use the optional rules from Gazetteer 10 – The Orcs of Thar to make a Humanoid character. The Orcs of Thar presents a fully formed culture of different humanoids as well as optional rules to play as humanoids in the company of other adventurers and an option where in a purely humanoid game, they revert to the Creature Catalog statistics.
As an Orc, Roark has his stat line adjusted with a Strength bonus and a Dexterity penalty. For his general skills, he picks up Endurance, Tracking, Firebuilding, Brawling, and Swimming. Brawling allows him to get into big and nasty brawls without killing people in the Inn by knocking them out which could also be used to great effect in a massive melee. These skills would seem to be the sort that an Orc in the service of Thar would have and provide great utility for the party.
His weapon specializations are the Two-Handed Bastard Sword, Spear, Battle Axe, and Barefist Striking. He has managed to advance both the Battle Axe and Two Handed Sword to Expert levels. Obviously, Khaa Roark does not do well with missile weapon attacks, but his breadth of melee weapons give him a lot of options tactically.
As far as languages, aside from his Tribal Orc tongue and Chaotic Alignment language, Common Tharian and Thyatian are pretty obvious choices,.
Optional D &D Rules Notes
Weapon Specialization Specifics
While it isn’t clear in the Gazetteer 10, since Roark is a fighting type and not a caster, I started him with the 4 Weapon Specialization choices just like a Fighter. The shorter lifespan of a humanoid compels me not to give them the Demihuman basic proficiency with all available weapons.
- Battle Axe – Skilled
The damage from the Battle Axe is now 1d8+2 and Roark has the ability to Delay opponents when struck with the Battle Axe, causing them to automatically lose initiative. Offensively, he gains a +2 to hit bonus against Missile wielders or monsters but only a +1 against hand held weapon using opponents. Additionally, he has a -2 AC bonus against the first two attacks made by Missile wielders or monsters each round
- Two Handed Bastard Sword – Skilled
The damage from the Bastard Sword used two-handed is now 1d8+3 and Roark can roll to deflect the first attack against him in a round. He has a +2 bonus to hit against hand held weapon wielding foes, but only a +1 when used against missile weapon wielding or monstrous opponents.
- Barefist Striking – Skilled
With the optional Striking rules, every character is presumed to have Basic level of Barefist Striking so additional levels can be bought based on training, like being a Thyatian Gladiator. Roark does 1d3 damage from his punching with a +2 bonus against hand held weapon using opponents but only a +1 against missile weapon or monstrous opponents. What’s more, he can stun or knockout his opponent with a successful strike. If his victim must then roll under their Constitution score on a d20 or be stunned. This means -4 penalties on savings throws, to armor class, being unable to concentrate to cast spells et cetera. Additionally, if not higher hit dice, he must make a saving throw versus death ray at (+4-STR Bonus of Attacker) or be knocked out for 1d20 – Constitution Score rounds. When you couple this with Roark’s brawling skill, he can clear a rowdy tavern pretty quickly.
Orc Specifics
- Roark’s Strength was increased by one and his Dexterity reduced by one as an ork.
- On the Optional Random Legacy Table, Roark has ended up with an Allergy to Elven Poetry. Yes, this is in the book. Go buy Gazetteer 10 if you don’t believe me.
- To determine effective Charisma of a humanoid for humans and Demihmans, take the humanoid Charisma and divide it by three. Then subtract that from 9. Roark has an effective “human” charisma of 6 versus his 9 for other humanoids.
Character Notes
Khaa Roark, Destructor of Orcus Rex, Son of Loark, was not always so well known. He was a simple private or Khaa conscripted into the armies of Thar himself. Orcus Rex was growing indeed, and had shown a decent if not exceptional potential as an Orc warrior for the tribe. Then things went sideways when adventurers … cursed ‘adventurers’ … from Darokin were guarding a caravan his tribe was sent to raid.
Strangely, Roark woke up after the fight to find himself caged rather than in the afterlife and being taken to Thyatis, the City not just the Empire. He found himself an attraction, and in time, a slave destined for the gladiatorial pits. He picked up enough of the language to begin to understand what was happening, and was trained to fight with his meaty hands as well as the weapons he brought.
He had settled in to resenting these humans and demihumans, to plot for his time to break free of his chains, when one of them surprised him. He found himself dragged out of the training cells and into the sun having been sold to a strange sea-faring man named Allyn and his magic-using associate, Hatim, who reminded Roark of the Ogres of Ogremoore. Torn between taking his chance to run and his chance to exact some form of revenge, Roark was stunned when he was told he could walk free. As he began to turn to leave, Allyn said that if he stayed, he’s be paid with new weapons, armor, and a share of treasure from exploits. Far from home, rather hungry, and good bit desirous of these new shiny weapons he’d grown accustomed to, Roark stuck around.
Roark has found an oddly humanoid like way that Allyn rushes into a fight with his companions and has earned some measure of trust. So much trust, Roark learned to swim just in case he has to ever pull his erstwhile Captain from the briny deep. While things were rough in the beginning with Balia, as she was a dwarf first and Karameikan second, there is a more than grudging respect between the two of them now. In fact, several towns and villages have banned the Callie’s Song because of the brawls Roark and Balia instigated when passing through. Khaa Roark enjoyed fighting the desert nomads and the excitement from the great war travelling with this crew. Who knows, perhaps Roark has a new clan, a new tribe out here. And, for a dwarf, Balia isn’t bad looking.
Callie’s Song Overview Here.
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