I mean, do they have a goal in life? Do they have dreams and wishes? A wife and a brood of darling little Orcs back at the homestead?

Come to think of it, have you ever checked out the Orcs you slaughter? It could be that that last wave was entirely composed of the same family. The atomic orc fighting unit, every one from little baby Grondoc to granpa Iron Tusk (and how'd he ever get to live long enough to become a grandpa? Sounds decidedly un-orcy).

I mean, sure you look at the tapestry of death that you heroes produce... great mosaics of orc corpses, all green and red and wet. You look at your mighty works and say to yourself "Damn, if a field of dismembered Orcs doesn't define me as a good guy, I don't know what does."

But did you ever picture it from the Orc's point of view? Why the hell they decided to jump you in the first place? Is it because they just don't know any better? No orc ever survives a raid on a pack of adventurers to warn future orc raids?

It's not like your average Orc is a real threat. They're no more menacing than angry bartender, or an irate shop clerk. Heck, you'll find meaner, tougher sorts hanging out in the back of a tavern than you would in the middle of a large orc warcamp.

Could it be that Orcs are an eternally sanguine race... believing that with each new generation of Orc, the very next one will be the one to take down the adventurers. And, hell, you know if those adventurers are out of the way, well, then great things will happen to the Orcs... great things... I wonder what those great things would be. Great Orcy things... probably something involving roast Halfling.

Or maybe the Orcs are far more contemplative than we give them credit for... Not burdened with high civilization or want of great material goods(1)... it could be that Orcs are always just a step away from realizing all life is an illusion. Then, gloriously, the day arrives when they realize the one-ness of the universe and the non-duality of their "self". And on that day they join up with other illuminated Orcs go attack some band of adventurers. Juggernaut cart, Paladin's sword, what's the difference? They die at one with the universe, escaping the cruel bonds of reincarnation.

Or possibly they're entirely selfless beings? Loving and agrarian, caring and benevolent... living a life of peace, that only changes when they spy some band of heroes - lost, alone, confused in their place in the world. To those heroes they give their greatest gift, the gift of their lives. Content with their place in the world, they die so that the heroes will know that same happiness and worth.

Orcs... wacky wacky Orcs...

i,jasona

1) you ever seen a rich Orc?