ECOLOGY

Environment temperate hills and mountains
Organization gang (2-4), squad (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), band (30-300 plus 150% noncombatant plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 10 adults, 5 5th-level lieutenants, and 3 7th-level captains), or tribe (1d4 bands plus 1 10th-12th level chieftain)
Treasure standard

Fully a head taller than an ordinary orc these foul brutes have been known to make other orcs cringe in fear. Unlike normal orcs, black orcs move in daylight as well as they do the darkness of their subterranean lairs (they do not have the light sensitivity penalty that normal orcs have).

Black orcs were taken in early ages by Orcus the Demon Lord of Undead and bred with demonic blood in a matter that would accommodate his diabolical needs. Black orcs refer to their dark master as "Old Man Death". These orcs fairly worship death and display the death's head prominently upon their standards and devices. They are often found in the service of necromancers and move easily in mixed groups of zombies, skeletons, and even ghouls.

Larger and more intelligent than their lesser kin, black orcs look down on other orc races as inferior to themselves. When forced to cooperate with other orc tribes in large forces black orcs consistently plot to overthrow the other tribe's chieftain and take command. This treachery is likely the reason there are so few bands of the black orc nation known to exist, as the infighting tends to keep their numbers down.

Black orcs stand 7 feet tall and weigh 200 to 280 pounds. Females tend to be about the same height, but are a bit lighter. Both males and females have blue-black skin with red eyes and more pronounced tusks than their smaller cousins.