Post by Zenopus on Oct 4, 2016 7:42:36 GMT -6
From a new blog post: zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2016/10/gygaxian-orc-tribes.html
Gary Gygax on the orc tribes of Castle Greyhawk, Enworld Q&A 2/2/04:
"The orcs in the dungeon were of two separate tribes, but I have forgotten the names I gave them. As near as I can recollect, one was the Grinning Skull and the other was the Bloody Axe. they were all cut down or made into vassals by Robilar and Terik, with a good deal of assistance from Tenser."
Notes:
Chainmail (2nd print, 1972): The names of five different tribes are given, all based on Tolkien (Orcs of the Red Eye, Orcs of Mordor, Orcs of the Mountains, Orcs of the White Hand and Isengarders). This was removed from later printings along with other Tolkien references. This clearly shows us that Gygax's idea of various Orc tribes with different names was influenced by Tolkien.
OD&D Vol 2 (1st print, 1974): "the number of different tribes of Orcs can be as varied as desired, basing the decision on Tolkien or random chance". No specific tribe names are given. The reference to "Tolkien or random chance" was deleted in later printings.
Holmes (July 1977): "There are many tribes or nations of orcs".
Monster Manual (Dec 1977): Here we get Gygaxian tribe names, including Vile Rune, Bloody Head (perhaps the actual name for Grinning Skull?), Death Moon, Broken Bone, Evil Eye, Leprous Hand, Rotting Eye, Dripping Blade (perhaps the actual name for Bloody Axe?).
B2 Keep on the Borderlands (1979): In the Caves of Chaos, there are two rival orc tribes, in Caves B & C. This is the only type of humanoid found in two different groups. The tribe in Cave B decorates its cave entrance with "cheerful greetings" - heads and skulls placed in niches in a wall - perhaps a reference to the Bloody Head/Grinning Skull/Bloody Skull.
Dragon #57 (Jan 1982, "Developments from Stonefist to South Province"): "Three major groups vie for control of the whole of the Bone March. The most powerful group, until the Battle of the Loftwood, was the humanoid group under the orcs of the Vile Rune. Now paramount are the orcs of the Death Moon tribe. Both groups have considerable numbers of various sorts of humanoids serving them. Both are also led by half-orcs and assisted by evil humans. The third power group is a force of ogres and gnolls based in the hills at the head of the Teesar Torrent" (pg 15).
WG4 Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (1982): "These are Orcs of the Rotting Eye tribe, belonging to the clan of the Jagged Knife. The standard is a huge, glaivelike knife blade with a serrated edge. This blade is colored a rust red and atopa long shaft, beneath it being the
circular targe depicting a rotting eye colored yellowgreen and red. This symbol is repeated on the shields of the soldiers, with the jagged-bladed knife seeming to grow out of the rotting eye device. Guards and ranking figures wear dull red clothing. The sub-chief, shaman, and chief also have cloaks of yellowish green, the chief‘s being striped with red, the shaman’s merely bordered with that color" (pg 8). This module is set in the Yatil Mountains in Greyhawk.
Castle Zagyg (2008): The first dungeon level ("Storerooms") has a Bloody Skull orc tribe. Bloody Skull may have been the actual name, or was used to replace Bloody Head as the name was already published in the Monster Manual.
(cross-posted to the Greyhawk Forums at K&KA, ODD74 & Dragonsfoot)
Gary Gygax on the orc tribes of Castle Greyhawk, Enworld Q&A 2/2/04:
"The orcs in the dungeon were of two separate tribes, but I have forgotten the names I gave them. As near as I can recollect, one was the Grinning Skull and the other was the Bloody Axe. they were all cut down or made into vassals by Robilar and Terik, with a good deal of assistance from Tenser."
Notes:
Chainmail (2nd print, 1972): The names of five different tribes are given, all based on Tolkien (Orcs of the Red Eye, Orcs of Mordor, Orcs of the Mountains, Orcs of the White Hand and Isengarders). This was removed from later printings along with other Tolkien references. This clearly shows us that Gygax's idea of various Orc tribes with different names was influenced by Tolkien.
OD&D Vol 2 (1st print, 1974): "the number of different tribes of Orcs can be as varied as desired, basing the decision on Tolkien or random chance". No specific tribe names are given. The reference to "Tolkien or random chance" was deleted in later printings.
Holmes (July 1977): "There are many tribes or nations of orcs".
Monster Manual (Dec 1977): Here we get Gygaxian tribe names, including Vile Rune, Bloody Head (perhaps the actual name for Grinning Skull?), Death Moon, Broken Bone, Evil Eye, Leprous Hand, Rotting Eye, Dripping Blade (perhaps the actual name for Bloody Axe?).
B2 Keep on the Borderlands (1979): In the Caves of Chaos, there are two rival orc tribes, in Caves B & C. This is the only type of humanoid found in two different groups. The tribe in Cave B decorates its cave entrance with "cheerful greetings" - heads and skulls placed in niches in a wall - perhaps a reference to the Bloody Head/Grinning Skull/Bloody Skull.
Dragon #57 (Jan 1982, "Developments from Stonefist to South Province"): "Three major groups vie for control of the whole of the Bone March. The most powerful group, until the Battle of the Loftwood, was the humanoid group under the orcs of the Vile Rune. Now paramount are the orcs of the Death Moon tribe. Both groups have considerable numbers of various sorts of humanoids serving them. Both are also led by half-orcs and assisted by evil humans. The third power group is a force of ogres and gnolls based in the hills at the head of the Teesar Torrent" (pg 15).
WG4 Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (1982): "These are Orcs of the Rotting Eye tribe, belonging to the clan of the Jagged Knife. The standard is a huge, glaivelike knife blade with a serrated edge. This blade is colored a rust red and atopa long shaft, beneath it being the
circular targe depicting a rotting eye colored yellowgreen and red. This symbol is repeated on the shields of the soldiers, with the jagged-bladed knife seeming to grow out of the rotting eye device. Guards and ranking figures wear dull red clothing. The sub-chief, shaman, and chief also have cloaks of yellowish green, the chief‘s being striped with red, the shaman’s merely bordered with that color" (pg 8). This module is set in the Yatil Mountains in Greyhawk.
Castle Zagyg (2008): The first dungeon level ("Storerooms") has a Bloody Skull orc tribe. Bloody Skull may have been the actual name, or was used to replace Bloody Head as the name was already published in the Monster Manual.
(cross-posted to the Greyhawk Forums at K&KA, ODD74 & Dragonsfoot)
