DM Advice: Orc Occupied City

[Dramar777]

Long time Lurker, first time poster...

I've been running a 4e game for the last 3 months and have the characters up to 5th level. They are an all divine group (paladin, invoker, cleric, and avenger). They are preparing to go to a city that has been occupied by orcs. The city of 7,000 was taken by an orc tribe of around 800 and they found out about it through refugees in the city they are currently in. One of the players (cleric) is a half orc who used to live in this city. He's going to have a run in with his uncle, who will explain why the orcs have invaded the city. In order for the group to come into the city, I was thinking of a skill challenge. To meet the orc king, i was going to have the cleric fight an eye of gruumsh. Regardless of the outcome, the king will see his bravery and grant him an audience. My question is...what other kinds of things can I do? I want to make it memorable, but not overly violent. These orcs have killed a few of the town guards, but have let innocents go out of the city.

P.S. sorry if this is posted in the wrong section. Thanks for any help

 

[Hussar]

Really, anything you do should explore "orcishness". You want to hammer the fact that this is an occupation by a race that isn't very nice.

I'm assuming, for the moment, that the party will enter the city disguised as mercenaries or something of that nature. A group of orcs could try intimidating them into paying a "toll" or some other sort of extortion. But, thinking about that, this will likely end in a fight.

You could have orcish games being played in the street that the party could participate in in order to gain access to information or allies. Clubbing contests, drinking contests, that sort of thing. If they succeed, they move up the chain of command, getting closer and closer to being able to talk to the orc leader.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Quartz]

You might look up the old Dungeon adventure, Vesicant, which features a humanoid-controlled city.

BTW 800 orcs controlling 7000 hostiles? No way. Presumably the orcs killed most of the humans and invited their allied tribes in.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

BTW 800 orcs controlling 7000 hostiles? No way. Presumably the orcs killed most of the humans and invited their allied tribes in.

Or if not allied tribes what about allied races. Have them allow Goblins, Gnolls, Giants, Trolls, etc. into the city. While the Orcs themselves are not openly harsh or violent they do not control the actions of those they let in, thus fear and violence from the other races keeping the Humans down.

If the Half-Orc population is large in the city have them be caught between the two sides. Considered the enemy by Humans and traitors by the Orcs.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Orc culture should be defined on what makes a orc "good" in the eyes of other orcs. Mostly this is going to be "might makes right", the only time an orc is wrong is when something bigger and badder tells him so. Many time this is in non-lethal combat but not always.

Then you have wealth to an orc; slaves, followers, best armor and weapons, the best territory and even who they work for. This means the the best places in the city will have 1) more slaves, 2) more mixed races, 3) tougher orcs. The worst places will be war zones as orcs fight for a higher place in the chain of command.

So, if a group enters the city they have to prove they are tougher than some and attach themselves to a group. Which could get them into a street war.

Now, why would orcs invade? Simple; something bigger and badder forced them from their lands. What can be the next part of the story.

 

[Thanael]

The 3e book Skraag: City of Orcs might be worth a look if you can get it cheap.(which shoudl be easy enough, i see several for around $ 5 incl postage on ebay, half.com and amazon marketplace)

Here are some reviews:
OgreCave.com - Reviews - Skraag: City of Orcs
Skraag - City of Orcs - RPG Reviews - GameWyrd

 

[EP]

I have exactly something like that for an adventure I'm working on and I trashed that city like nothing else. Now it's more of a village than a city (couple hundred people), but there are tents scattered across the main courtyard around the temple, which has been burned to the ground. The barn has been turned into a pub, rotted bodies lie everywhere, and the orcs use some of the burned out huts for bathrooms. They use everything up until there's nothing left and move on to another area.

Orcs don't have their own towns or cities, so I'd say play up the abuse of power when they finally have a chance. Take a nomadic tribe and give them a place to stay for months on end - they won't know how to take care of things because they're used to use and toss. Violence is used to solve problems and they don't plan on staying. Unless your orcs have taken over the town in an attempt to be taken seriously as a political/military power, I'd say trash the town.

 

[kitsune9]

Long time Lurker, first time poster...

I've been running a 4e game for the last 3 months and have the characters up to 5th level. They are an all divine group (paladin, invoker, cleric, and avenger). They are preparing to go to a city that has been occupied by orcs. The city of 7,000 was taken by an orc tribe of around 800 and they found out about it through refugees in the city they are currently in. One of the players (cleric) is a half orc who used to live in this city. He's going to have a run in with his uncle, who will explain why the orcs have invaded the city. In order for the group to come into the city, I was thinking of a skill challenge. To meet the orc king, i was going to have the cleric fight an eye of gruumsh. Regardless of the outcome, the king will see his bravery and grant him an audience. My question is...what other kinds of things can I do? I want to make it memorable, but not overly violent. These orcs have killed a few of the town guards, but have let innocents go out of the city.

P.S. sorry if this is posted in the wrong section. Thanks for any help

Orcs need commerce just like any other civilized area or eventually the city will fall into total ruin and no longer be sustainable. The PC's can come in as merchants to cater to the orcs selling weapons, poisons, whatever. Or they can be additional hired muscle like mercs. Or they can be part of the entertainment such as posing as gladiators.