City orc is a term used to describe those orcs that have abandoned orcish society and left their strongholds. Any orc that does not live in an orcish stronghold is considered a city orc, even if they do not necessarily live in cities.
Culture[]
City orcs are greatly shunned in orcish society, as they have stepped away from their culture, their clan, and their history. Becoming a city orc, or being one through birth, means permanent exile from the orc's original stronghold, or that of their parents. Such an exile also takes on a religious form, as those who leave their strongholds have, in the eyes of their clan, abandoned the teachings of Malacath.
Not all orcs who leave their strongholds also leave their clan, and are thus considered city orcs. Some leave for hunts, others to trade goods in nearby settlements, and others leave to seek an honourable death, all of which are considered legitimate reasons to leave the stronghold.
History[]
Twice in history has the orcish city of Orsinium been founded as a home for all orcish peoples, and both times great controversy was raised among orcish society over those who chose to leave for the city. Some claimed that those who left were abandoning their strongholds, and were thus city orcs and worthy of exile, while others claimed that orcs leaving for an orcish city was not the same as leaving for one of Men, and were thus not city orcs.
In both cases of Orsinium's founding the traditionalist approach held dominance, and many orcs were labelled as city orcs and permanently exiled from their strongholds.