Silver_Sky
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I don't have anything interesting to add but if your writing about orcs, your required by a nonexistent law to have a 'KUHH KILL ME' female knight in your story.
A smart orc is cool, the problem comes when people strip away their violent and aggressive nature. Like the golbin king from 'Goblin Slayer' is a great example of a smart monster that still keeps his monstrous nature.Smart orc could pretty cool as well I guess, I won't mind reading a story about an orc that's a tad unusual in its den which allows it to slowly overthrow the king and start conquering other races using its wisdom.
Meh. None of that even matters really. It's just appearance anyway. They want an orc looking dude? Fine I dont care. They can write orcs to be whatever the fuck they want. No skin off my nose. The story telling itself is what people stay forLetting a monkey type your story would be 'creative' as well. That doesn't make it good. Orcs are established fictional creatures with a distinctive set of features which most people associate with them. To give them completely different and contradictory features to what people recognize as orcs is just silly. The idea that x is like y so I'll make x like z in my story, is not anything new, its extremely simplistic subversion of expectations. That doesn't make it creative or interesting.
Yeah but thats the difference between that any any human who lives in similar tribalistic societies? Humans are smart. Violent. Agressive.A smart orc is cool, the problem comes when people strip away their violent and aggressive nature. Like the golbin king from 'Goblin Slayer' is a great example of a smart monster that still keeps his monstrous nature.
Absolutely agree with that. Usually a pretty funny (imo) tropeI don't have anything interesting to add but if your writing about orcs, your required by a nonexistent law to have a 'KUHH KILL ME' female knight in your story.
I agree the Orc-MC would have to retain his Orcish-nature. Which includes a fondness for fighting, destruction and reproduction.A smart orc is cool, the problem comes when people strip away their violent and aggressive nature. Like the golbin king from 'Goblin Slayer' is a great example of a smart monster that still keeps his monstrous nature.
That's kinda where I got stuck on this. So we've got an Orc and he will do regular Orc stuff, but you can only fit so many segments of "beat human/elf/etc. adventurer" "take control of new tribe/allies" and "raid village" before it gets dull. They're important segments that add to the story, but these should be a means rather than an end for the over-arching story? And while fights are interesting, can't really write a riveting story where its "5Ch fight, 1 aftermath, 1 prelude, 5ch fight -repeat".Meh. None of that even matters really. It's just appearance anyway. They want an orc looking dude? Fine I dont care. They can write orcs to be whatever the fuck they want. No skin off my nose. The story telling itself is what people stay for
Gimmicks will grab attention but the writing will keep it.
Its like a book cover.
With big mommy milkers, yea?I don't have anything interesting to add but if your writing about orcs, your required by a nonexistent law to have a 'KUHH KILL ME' female knight in your story.
Exactly. Shitngets boring after a while. Knkw what? You should base him off of Thor from marvel comics then. Why? Because he is brash. Loves to fight. Is kinda smart. But reckless. Yet he grows. Matures as his time as an Avenger. He learns that tactics are important too, that you cant beat every one with strength alone.Absolutely agree with that. Usually a pretty funny (imo) trope
I agree the Orc-MC would have to retain his Orcish-nature. Which includes a fondness for fighting, destruction and reproduction.
That's kinda where I got stuck on this. So we've got an Orc and he will do regular Orc stuff, but you can only fit so many segments of "beat human/elf/etc. adventurer" "take control of new tribe/allies" and "raid village" before it gets dull. They're important segments that add to the story, but these should be a means rather than an end for the over-arching story? And while fights are interesting, can't really write a riveting story where its "5Ch fight, 1 aftermath, 1 prelude, 5ch fight -repeat".
I kinda like that idea. Gathering a decent force with which he attacks, raids and is an all out annoyance until a punitive expedition (elite adventurers or an army) kills off most of his forces, forcing him to actually start thinking properly and build from the ground up again.Exactly. Shitngets boring after a while. Knkw what? You should base him off of Thor from marvel comics then. Why? Because he is brash. Loves to fight. Is kinda smart. But reckless. Yet he grows. Matures as his time as an Avenger. He learns that tactics are important too, that you cant beat every one with strength alone.
So I say yeah let him adventure. Let him experience all kinds of shit so he grows out of just being a savage warrior.
Exactly. And obviously he is gonna need some heirs to his growing force...so gotta get to some breeding huehuehue.I kinda like that idea. Gathering a decent force with which he attacks, raids and is an all out annoyance until a punitive expedition (elite adventurers or an army) kills off most of his forces, forcing him to actually start thinking properly and build from the ground up again.
Going from mostly-stereotype Orc warleader to an actual tribe&army-building Orc Chief. Which will also allow for him to do things other than fighting.
reasoning don't mean shit if the results are as clear as day.Letting a monkey type your story would be 'creative' as well. That doesn't make it good. Orcs are established fictional creatures with a distinctive set of features which most people associate with them. To give them completely different and contradictory features to what people recognize as orcs is just silly. The idea that x is like y so I'll make x like z in my story, is not anything new, its extremely simplistic subversion of expectations. That doesn't make it creative or interesting.
Got Iron Teeth bookmarked as 'To Read Soon' so I should probably move it to 'Reading' to get some ideas. Multiple races/variants of Greenskin/Orc should definitely be a thing as it allows for a lot of non-fighting (?) interactions. And of course Gods, if implemented, need a lot of thought. I like my MC's with a decent advantage, but not straight-out OP. "There is always a bigger fish" also sounds like a good way to stagger events & developments, but not in an endlessly repeating cycle like CN-cultivations do it.The Iron Teeth: A Goblin's Tale is probably the only greenskin fic I've read, and it seems to fit with most of the recommendations here.
If you want to keep the boring mob orcs, while still having an interesting character, you can use Evolution or have multiple races(goblins, uruk, uruk-hai).
If you want a challenge, you can give adventurers and other enemies a system while denying it to your monster-orcs, making it an underdog story.
Reincarnation is kind of dull. It's mostly there to help the reader synchronize with the MC better or to 'give them grand ideas'. Both can be done in other ways, just like in the Iron Teeth.
Probably the most important thing is that you can't just drop in an orc with a quirk and think that'll get you reads. An interesting story will work out no matter what MC you have, but a boring story will drop interest even if you have a unique character interacting with it. You need to balance the MC's interests with the interests of the world at large if you want a story that isn't one-sided.
You also mentioned gods like they would automatically be enemies. That may be fine, but if you want gods, having an active and noticeable influence from orc gods may also be interesting. If your tribe's shaman regularly gives missions to the MC that help or hinder them, it could add a little more depth.
While it would be funny to have a fluffy-Orc, I'm personally no good with writing that. Grimdark is much more my style, as of right now.I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but here I go.~ It is out of the norm, but sometimes out of the norm is cool too!
How about the MC is a big cuddly fluff orc? He is an outcast from his village, since he isn't like the others who love arguing and fighting. He is also tiny compared to his brethren. This cuddly orc was minding his own business, trying to start up a flower shop until his father comes with the news that a war is coming to their land! With this, he must somehow find the way to survive the event while also keeping his caring heart intact! Or... maybe it shows him how the world is bleak and his sympathy isn't the way to protect his family... Or he goes off into a random rampage as normal orcs do!
Well I mean, by this logic, it's completely right to make orcs not just violent war-machines but give them a culture and things not related to war. After all, that's a well established trait of orcs in the fantasy genre. Just look at world of warcraft, or many of the D&D fan versions of orcs. If OP did that, they'd just be portraying traditional orcs.Letting a monkey type your story would be 'creative' as well. That doesn't make it good. Orcs are established fictional creatures with a distinctive set of features which most people associate with them. To give them completely different and contradictory features to what people recognize as orcs is just silly. The idea that x is like y so I'll make x like z in my story, is not anything new, its extremely simplistic subversion of expectations. That doesn't make it creative or interesting.
he he Grim and dark stories I love~Got Iron Teeth bookmarked as 'To Read Soon' so I should probably move it to 'Reading' to get some ideas. Multiple races/variants of Greenskin/Orc should definitely be a thing as it allows for a lot of non-fighting (?) interactions. And of course Gods, if implemented, need a lot of thought. I like my MC's with a decent advantage, but not straight-out OP. "There is always a bigger fish" also sounds like a good way to stagger events & developments, but not in an endlessly repeating cycle like CN-cultivations do it.
While it would be funny to have a fluffy-Orc, I'm personally no good with writing that. Grimdark is much more my style, as of right now.
Those are also easily the worst orcs in the fantasy genre. Way to prove my point.Well I mean, by this logic, it's completely right to make orcs not just violent war-machines but give them a culture and things not related to war. After all, that's a well established trait of orcs in the fantasy genre. Just look at world of warcraft, or many of the D&D fan versions of orcs. If OP did that, they'd just be portraying traditional orcs.
An idea that I find very interesting is to make a very curious orc but as silly as the others, one who wants to know how things work but to do so he needs someone to explain everything step by stepI've got a huge list of interesting characters/concepts waiting for me to have the time and write a story about them. Currently working on one, but can't resist adding more to the pile.
So now for the topic of this post: ORCS!
I want to prepare for a story with an Orc/Ork/Orruk/Uruk MC. But... what would make a story about him interesting? Obviously he fights a lot. He has a reason to form an army/WAAAGH to enact his vengeance. And of course, in line with generic fantasy & D&D tropes, he'll make his own troops/officers as as Orcs do best (capture people yadayada, Goblin Slayer).
But what other things can he do? Or would "revenge event -> training montage -> first troops -> first raid -> more troops -> Godly attention -> Crusade & counter attack -> victory, Greenskins rule supreme" be enough?
I'd like to hear your thoughts and any additional ideas you have are much appreciated. Thoughts on system/no system? Reincarnation or 'pure' Orc? Let me know!