I am planning to write a medieval fantasy book,
and i need some tips on how to not fuck it up and
are tolkien-inspired orcs overused?
I like the idea of a destructive horde in wich no two
creatures look the same
Why even use orcs at all?
>>46174560
They would not be directly orcs, more like an alliance
of evil creatures, exiled men and wild tribes,
but they would act like a band of orcs
>>46174598
No, they would act like a marauder horde. There is nothing new about orc society beyond that.
>>46174521
yes they are overused.
Perhaps use something like Beastmen from TSR's Mystara or Bakemono from Japanese mythology. they are savage tribes and all look slightly different from each other
>>46174521>>46174598
Technically speaking, that's exactly what was Tolkien's inspiration for Orcs, initially.
He took the word "Orc" from the demoncreature "Orcneas" from the Beowulf-poem where they accompanied evil giants and "heldeofol" (Hellish devils). Those "Orcneas" however never were further explained, so they technically fall under a catch-all term for nasties.
There's also many of Tolkien's old notes that contradict eachother about their origin, ranging from corrupted elves, to corrupted men, to breeding men, elves and wild beasts into a fighting force. If we consider all of those to be true, then that means there's an extreme variety of orcs, so no two are alike.
So you're on a good road there, buddy.
If you got the time, i'd advise looking into the Pictish alliance and how they fought rome or the time the Franks and Alamans crossed the Rhine and invaded rome. Both are tribal coalitions that pretty much show the same behaviour as your aim of orcs.
Are gnolls a trademark of D&D? Use gnolls. They're much more interesting. A matriarchal race that dwells in shallow tunnels below sand, is very vocal, and robs graves and is necrophagous.
>>46181186
Mayhaps it shares an etymological root with the isles of Orkney, off Scotland.
The Orkney clan are also one of King Arthur's greatest foes, although those tales are Brythonic, and Beowulf is a Saxon yarn, it seems there may have been a common thread.
>>46184201
The gaelic name of Orkney is close to the old latin name, which was probably derived from the name of the local pictish tribe.
FWIW the local clan confederation had basically the same name as the local pictish petty kingdom and claimed brythonic rather than gaelic roots, something that was normally more common in the southwest of Scotland.
The most likely etymology is "isle of pigs"
Please good sir, stop perpetuating the popular stereotype that Orcs are simply uneducated, unsophisticated, barbaric rapists, I find it quite offensive, honestly.
We Orcs are a proud and noble people, and lovers of civlization and knowledge, as well as grand and enriching pursuits, such as learning of ancient cultures, or of foreign knowledges.
>>46181302
Gnolls come from a story about a burglar by Lord Dunsany, "How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art Upon the Gnoles".
So, no, they are not a D&D trademark.
>>46184820
But, then again, their design as hyena people definitely is.
OP here, thanks for all the advice, im sorry i was away for most of the day
another issue would be the implementation of less-natural creatures with the history and beilief of the people, i think i would figure it out evenutally, but any tip helps
