An orc (sometimes spelt ork; / ɔːrk / [1][2]), [3] in J. R. R. Tolkien 's Middle-earth fantasy fiction, is a race of humanoid monsters, which he also calls "goblin". In Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, orcs appear as a brutish, aggressive, ugly, and malevolent race of monsters, contrasting with the benevolent Elves.

Orcs were the primary soldiers of both Dark Lords ' armies, and their most common servants. Invented by Morgoth during the Years of the Trees of the First Age, they served him and later his successor, Sauron, in their aims to dominate Middle-earth.

For millennia, orc hordes menaced the elven, human, and dwarven realms of Faerûn, toppling Ammarindar, Phalorm, Delzoun, Eaerlann, and Illefarn and at times devastating the Sword Coast down to Calimshan, as well as Chessenta and the Vast.

Feb 4, 2025 · Orcs (or Orcses [6] ) were a race of humanoid creatures best known for their service as footsoldiers and slaves to the Dark Lords of Middle-earth. Even when not in thralldom to an evil master, Orcs rarely if ever had non-violent interactions with Elves, Men, or Dwarves. They were known by many names by the various peoples of Middle-earth.

Jun 28, 2015 · The modern use of the English term orc to denote a race of evil, humanoid creatures has its inception with J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien's earliest Elvish dictionaries include the entry Ork (orq-) 'monster', 'ogre', 'demon', together with orqindi 'ogresse'.

Aug 8, 2024 · Different types of Orcs, like those of Misty Mountain, Isengard, Mordor, and East, had unique origins, loyalties, and characteristics. Half-Orcs, bred from evil Men and Orcs, played a significant role in battles alongside Uruk-hai and other subtypes like Snaga.

Orc (Cyrillic: орк, romanised: ork), plural orcs (Russian and Ukrainian: орки), is a pejorative commonly used in Ukraine [1] to refer to a Russian soldier [2][3] participating in the Russian-Ukrainian War and Russian citizens who support the aggression of Russia against Ukraine.

Orc is a proper name for one of the characters in the complex mythology of William Blake. A fallen figure, Orc is the embodiment of rebellion, and stands opposed to Urizen, the embodiment of tradition.

Jun 9, 2024 · The easiest answer is that an Orc is a twisted and perverted race bred from Elves who are captured early in Middle-earth history. This is the legendary explanation provided in "The Silmarillion,"...

Jan 8, 2025 · As Tolkien died without deciding on a final explanation, the canonicity of the origin of Orcs is a popular debate in the fandom. Listed here are the different origins of the Orcs given in Tolkien's texts, ordered chronologically.