Gray orc

Gray orcs were more civilized orcs than others who lived in the Moonsea and Hordelands.

Description
Gray orcs had an appearance similar to their northern cousins, with facial features less bestial and porcine, although gray orcs had tusks. They had wolf-like ears and their hair tended to be black or grey in color, and usually had eyes of orange, red or yellow. They were known to wear more sophisticated clothing than their northern counterparts, preferring clothing of dark shades.

Combat
Gray orcs preferred to wear light armor in combat, as it allows them to fight relatively unencumbered and to use their speed in battle.

Gray orcs were skilled with the longbow and greataxe, training with these weapons since they were children. Gray orcs considered their axe as a holy weapon, and spent considerable time maintaining them. Their axes were often garishly adorned with tokens of beads, feathers, gems and even the body parts of their enemy. Most gray orcs kept a tally of enemies killed with their axe, either by making a notch in the handle or inscribing their target's name on the axe head.

Abilities
Gray orcs were strong and fast. Due to their long strides they were capable of rapidly covering significant distances on foot.

Magic
Most spellcasters among gray orcs were divine spellcasters. Arcane spellcasters were much rarer, gray orc druids even rarer. During the Orcgate Wars, gray orc clerics had access to many powerful and unique spells; the most potent of magics being their ability to directly call down avatars of their deities. Knowledge of this magic was lost with their defeat, as a result gray orc clerics used more common clerical spells.

Gray orc spellcasters crafted potions and scrolls for themselves or for the benefit of their tribe. Most magical items found in the possession of gray orcs were most likely stolen or looted.

Society
As nomads, gray orcs traveled migratory routes they have established that took them across the remote and desolate parts of northeast Faerûn, traveling between their favorite campsites and caves. Their nomadic travels were seasonal.

Gray orcs lived in small tribes of up to fifty individuals, led by a single individual, the chieftain, whose main duty was determining when the tribe attacked a target. The position of chieftain was, in reality, a temporary title, as chieftains were often killed before long.

The clerics of a gray orc tribe were the true source of power. The high priest, often a female, was the true leader of the tribe and often retains this title for many years. Gray orcs were zealous and the words of the clerics were tribal law.

Language
Gray orcs spoke a more intricate and verbally complex variant of Orcish. It was similar enough to Orcish that anyone who spoke it would be able to communicate with a gray orc, however there was some difficulty due to the varying degree of inflections, pronunciations and even words. Most gray orcs did not speak another language, but the clerics spoke Common, primarily to interrogate prisoners. They also spoke Giant and Goblin, which was used to communicate with potential allies to the tribe.

Religion
Gray orcs acknowledge Gruumsh as the most powerful. Unlike other orcs, gray orcs don't feel the need to focus their worship solely on Gruumsh, instead worshiping all the Orc deities equally. They often worship whichever deity suits their interests and personality, although most gray orcs of a tribe worship the same deity.