Once upon a time for a fantasy setting I pulled this (which outloud sounds the same but in writing worked) Orc (supernatural demon like beings), Ork (muscular mortal barbarian like fantasy race), Orck (pig like humanoids).
I want to add two additions for Orcs, because of Orcus for a time Orc was interchangeable with "demon" as anything from the underworld. To add we also have the Orkneyjar (who were so fierce in battle other nations claimed them to be giants), and then there are the finfolk of Orkney.
@Chris Sizemore
At the time of my original post the character limit kept me from going into page length detail breaking down each TES games interpretation of Orc's. So I tried to simplify that with out making 20 post.
@Samuel Measa The orcs in TES series were Elves that worshiped Trinimac. When Trinimac was transformed into Malacath his worshipers were also transformed into Orsimer and fled the Summerset Isles.
Some of Trinimac's followers could of been beastmen, but he was the most powerful elven deity.
to add: Kobolds: little people different clothes, then to the UK got tails like rats added, to America turned into humanoid canines by some game companies, reptilian humanoids by others, goes to Japan become puppy people. Fantasy and sometimes just general cultural drift will change things around.
I was pointing out this drift a few months back to some friends. Like how the Kobold originated as just another small human like figure in Germanic countries no different than brownies really and varied only in clothes based on what kind of place they lived in.
It's funny seeing people not know about how Kobolds used to be basically just dogs. And honestly, I like the recent orc dnd lore, where their evil god essentially is forcing their culture in the barbaric direction. Which is a good way to both have designated bad guys, without it being "evil race".
Orcs vary with each game.
There are five races in D&D. The greenskins in Warhammer that seem to be part plant. The cursed Orcs in LotR where once Elves but where altered by "The Dark Powers". The Orsimer in TES/ESO who started out as beast men and have a similar story to the LotR orcs.
@Mud Mud Everquest Kobolds are literally anthropomorphic dogs. Elves are also all over the place. "Recently" dwarves are getting strange. Not the men, but the women have gone from looking like the men to looking like children. There is no 'true' source material, so its just free re-interpretation.
Jane works best for this strip because of Morgan but ... can't help but think Alek would make a better orc. Maybe give Alek a horn or two and call her an Oni? Or just go with some wings and a princess dress and call her a fairy. Or maybe paint her red and a bronze bikini for a fire giant? Dragon?
@Mud Mud What mistranslation? If you look at first edition D&D monster manual the orcs have literal pig heads (and halberds). Also the 1st ed kobolds are a dog headed reptilian. That changed with lots of different writers and artists. The whole kobolds are dragons thing was introduced in 3rd edition
