The Horde is a collective term for the largely-humanoid monsters inhabiting the lands in and around the mountains of central Brighland: creatures to be fought or, more often, fled from. 

 Nietenfynds, also known as orcneas or orcs (some continentals refer to them as goblins) are by far the most common of Hordish beasts.  They are also the most social (if only in the sense of living in groups) There are three distinct breeds (detailed below). As a rule, they prefer to move in darkness, and so can be found in caves and deep woods, or at night in lands within striking distance of their lairs. Orcs are omnivorous, although meat is preferred when available. Cave mushrooms are a staple, and is one of the few crops cultivated by orcs.  Fresh human meat is a delicacy.  

Nietenfynds live in enclaves where society is usually based on a hierarchy of strength.  Weapons, armor and relevant metals are valued.  Gold, silver and gems are not valued in themselves, but rather as trophies of conquest; an orc king may heap silver and gold coins around his throne, but a traveling warband will leave a full purse in favor of meat, wine and weapons. Orc relish stealing and killing; tormenting prisoners before eating them is an enjoyable pastime.  As can be imagined, they are feared and hated by Men and Ælves alike. Orcs speak their own guttural tongue, but a few may learn Mannish languages as well.  Nietenfynds are somewhat clan-oriented, in that related Orcs are less likely to be attacked than strangers.  A powerful ruler may dampen territorial violence and bind the disparate tribes together – woe to their opponents!

 Lesser Orcs (aka Graeorcs) are the most common though they are rarely seen by adventurers. They are sort of a “worker caste” and while armed with short claws and strong teeth they are the least aggressive of the lot. Cunning miners, they are the chief builders, craftsmen, and gatherers of Orcish society.  Usually a settlement of lesser orcs will be controlled by a Common or Greater Orc.  They avoid sunlight, taking great pains to stay in the darkness until sundown.

 Habitat: caves, deep forests, dank places.

Height:  4-5 ft

Weight:  130 lb

Appearance: Graeorcs have gangly but strong limbs and walk with a slight hunch.  They have  dark gray skin, short clawlike nails, black or dark gray hair, and large eyes.

Diet:  Omnivorous

Lifespan:  40 years

Group:  1-10 (work group); 10-100 (settlement)  

SPECIAL:  

Common Orcs (aka deororcs) are misnamed since they are not the most common breed; however, they are the breed most humans meet.  Larger than Lesser Orcs, they are also more aggressive.  Common Orcs alternately bully and defend their weaker brethren in return for the spoils of their efforts, for Deororcs are lazy when not engaged in conflict.  They leave their burrows and caves only to raid and plunder.  Though they gather gold and such, Deororcs are content to let it set in piles; other valuables (such as fine wood or cloth items) are usually ignored or destroyed.  They steal food (such as livestock) but especially love to capture sentient beings for torture or slaves.  Deororcs often carry weapons and sometimes wear crude but effective armor.

 Habitat: Thick forests, cavern complexes.

Height:  4.5-5.5 ft

Weight:  160 lb

Appearance: Deororcs are more muscular than their lesser kin; they have black skin with dark gray patches (the young have more gray), and stringy black hair which is usually cut short or plastered with mud and blood to form a helm or crest across the back of the head.

Diet:  Omnivorous (meat preferred)

Lifespan:  40 years

Group:  10-100 in a typical warband; many more in an army.

 SPECIAL:  

 Great Orcs (aka Mickelorcs) are large, intelligent, very fierce fighters.  Frequently a Mickelorc will find a band of lesser Orcs and cow them into submission; thus many bands of Orcs are led by a Mickelorc. They can be as fractious as Common Orcs, but are cunning enough to put squabbles with their fellows aside in the face of a common enemy.  A powerful being (a dark wysard, perhaps) would find a trained Mickelorc a useful lieutenant.

 In battle they are usually well armed, preferring powerful crushing and hacking weapons suited to their great strength.  They also armor themselves fairly well, which, added to their tough skin, makes them fearsome opponents.

 Habitat:  Mountains, caverns

Height:  6 ft

Weight:  200 lb

Appearance: Very muscular bodies. Black or dark gray with a greenish tinge to their thick skin Dark oily hair grows from the back of their heads.  They walk fully upright.

Diet:  Omnivorous (meat much preferred)

Lifespan:  50 years

Group:  1-3 (in command of lesser breeds), 5-50 (in war band)

SPECIAL:    

Ettins are giant humanoids who haunt woodlands and moors.  They drift around until, finding an abundant food source (a village or game-filled forest), they build a crude shelter from rocks or trees.  

Ettins hunt at any time of day or night.  They don’t see so well in the dark as other Hordish creatures, but then they aren’t bothered by sunlight either.  Though slow-witted, an Ettin can be clever given enough time.  These giants can set simple traps like pits or deadfalls around their lairs, and are known for laying ambushes for unwary travelers. Some can fashion rope and make stone spears or axes.  The brilliant ones can even use fire to make torches or to smoke prey out of houses.  They are cruel in a dull sort of way, tiring of the victim’s struggles when hunger sets in. 

 They don’t usually get along, so a cluster of Ettins is most likely a family group.  They communicate in their own tongue, but it is just conceivable that an Ettin could be taught a more civilized speech.

 Habitat:  Woodlands and hills

Height:  10 feet

Weight:  1100 lbs.

Appearance: Muscular limbs, slightly stooping walk, and hirsute bodies characterize Ettins.  Their skin is ruddy with brown hair and eyes.  They typically wear skins (cured or not); in battle, veteran Ettins tie together hauberks and other armors from previous victims to protect themselves. Clubs and stones are the favored weapons, but spears are also favored.

Diet: Omnivorous (prefer horse and human flesh)

Lifespan:  150 years

Group:  1-6

Meredeors inhabit boggy swamps and reedy places.  They sleep in underwater chambers littered with bones and artifacts of past meals; in the evening they return to the surface to lie in wait for a victim to pass by.  The last thing many unfortunates see is the dim glow of two large eyes just beneath the pond surface, followed by an explosion of water as the monster lunges. If pickings are slim, a Meredeor may prowl the countryside for prey.  While Mannish flesh is preferred, anything warmblooded and bigger than a goat is fair game; Nietenfynds avoid bogs inhabited by these water trolls. By and large, these water trolls live solitary lives, avoiding each other except to mate.

Habitat:  Swamps, ponds, reedy rivers.

Height: 6 feet

Weight: 190

 Appearance: Greenish-gray skin with stringy hair of the same color.  Large, slightly luminous eyes, very wide mouth filled with sharp teeth.  Long, ropy-muscled arms with sharp nails on the ends of webbed fingers.  Can stand upright, but prefers to moved hunched, almost on all fours.

Diet: Carnivorous

Lifespan:  150

Group:  1-2

SPECIAL:  

Breath Holding: Ordinarily, a person can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to their Endurance.  A Meredeor can go without air for a number of minutes equal to its Endurance.

 Nightsenses: Meredeors see well in all but pitch darkness, but are at ½ ML for all rolls requiring vision in full sunlight.  They get their full Awareness in pitch darkness.

Thyrseas are probably the most feared of the Hordish fynds; even hearth warriors pale a little at the mention of this beast.  Blades often break upon its skin, its claws suck the heat from the body; but equally terrifying is its howl which unmans all but the bravest warriors.  They are strong, agile, and skilled climbers and trackers. There are only two good things which can be said about the thyrse: they are among the rarest of fynds, and they cannot abide the light of day.  They never use weapons or wear clothing or armor.

Habitat: Lonely moors, dark forests

Height:  5.5 feet

Weight:  160

Appearance: A Thyrse may top 5 ½ feet when erect, but typically it slouches and runs on all fours. Its grotesquely long arms end in black talons, and a mane of black hairs along the spine.  Its lower face juts out into a short muzzle. Most are solid black (including eyes), showing white only when they bare their teeth.

Diet:  Carnivorous

Lifespan:  100 years

Group: 1, occasionally 2

SPECIAL

Terror: The Thyrse breathes fear.  Its very presence freezes the heart.  Its howl is very call of doom, and no man can shrug off such a fell cry.  Being in the beast’s presence (within approximately 50 yards) requires a Will 5 roll.  Hearing the creature howl at a distance (up to half a mile) requires a Will 4 roll; a howl at close range needs a Will 3! A kind GM will allow the player to add Initiative improvements (the result of combat experience) to the Willpower roll (after multiplying, of course).  Duration is (30-Will) rounds after the fiend withdraws (or falls silent).

CS: The subject has shaken off the worst of the fear, and may continue normal actions.  Additional Will checks will be at +2 level (e.g.a distant howl needs a check of Will 7)

MS: The subject is shaken (-10 ML to combat skills for the duration).

MF: The subject panics or freezes. Roll percentile as per an Initiative CF on Combat 18 to determine effects.

CF: The subject is overwhelmed and out of control.  After making a Shock Roll to avoid fainting, he will try to escape the dread presence by any means, including climbing over companions.

Cold Touch: The claws of the Thyrse seem to pull the heat from the body.  A successful strike causes and additional Fatigue Level due to sudden cold.  The wounds are treated as per Minor Frostbite (see Physician 3)

Loathe the Sun: Thyrseas are weakened by full daylight; Their Cold and Terror abilities fail utterly, and Skills are at half.  Thyrseas are not affected in heavy overcast or fog, or underground.

Nightsenses: Thyrseas see well in all but pitch darkness, but are at ½ ML for all rolls requiring vision in full sunlight.  They get their full Awareness in pitch darkness.