Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Orc (半兽人) |
| Species/Race | Orc |
| Affiliation | Forces associated with Gundabad, Dol Guldur, Mordor, and Isengard 54 188 197 241 |
| Occupation/Role | Scouts, Warg riders, soldiers, and commanders 16 32 137 |
| First Appearance | Mentioned in the history of the Dwarves 6; first encountered in combat at the Company's camp 16 |
Background / History
Orcs occupied Moria after Durin's Folk abandoned it. Their later conflict with the Dwarves culminated in the Battle of Azanulbizar, where the Orc chieftain Azog killed Thorin Oakenshield's grandfather Thror. The battle deepened the enmity between Durin's Folk and the Orcs of the Misty Mountains 6 67.
Azog's forces subsequently hunted Thorin's Company. Other Orc forces served in the wars that followed: Bolg led troops from Gundabad, Orcs from Dol Guldur attacked Mirkwood, and Mordor's Orcs fought against the allied armies 114 137 241 243.
Appearance
Orcs are repeatedly described as ugly and fierce-looking, though their size and equipment vary between forces 16 197.
- Blood: Black or blackish-red 99 149.
- Armor: Ranges from the equipment of scouts to the heavy armor worn by troops attacking Lonely Mountain and Dale 16 137 140.
- Notable variation: Azog is unusually large and pale-skinned compared with other Orcs 54 66.
Abilities & Combat
Scouting and Warg Riding
- Orc scouts ride Gundabad Wargs, whose speed helps them pursue enemies through mountain forests 16 66.
- They use Wargs to track scent; Azog's riders followed the Company soon after its escape from the Goblin Kingdom 66.
Warfare
- Orc forces use coordinated charges, commanders' orders, armor, axes, spears, bows, and war beasts 32 68 99 137.
- Their morale can fail after heavy losses or the defeat of a leader. Some riders continued fighting despite fear when reinforcements and orders pressed them onward 32 150 243.
Uruk-hai
Saruman breeds the Uruk-hai as a distinct, stronger kind of Orc. They are larger than the Mordor Orcs around them, can move in sunlight, and obey Saruman rather than Sauron 197. Their armor bears Isengard's White Hand 205.
Story Role
- Pursuit of Thorin's Company: Orc scouts attack the Company's camp; Azog's Warg riders later trap it at a cliff 16 66.
- Battle of the Five Armies: Orc armies attack the forces around Lonely Mountain and enter Dale. Great Eagles help break their assault, and the allied forces win 137 138 150 153.
- War against Rohan: Orcs and Uruk-hai capture Merry and Pippin, attack Rohan's refugees, and fight at Helm's Deep. Ents later destroy Isengard's underground works 211 217 228 230.
- War in Mirkwood and Mordor: Dol Guldur's Orcs invade northern Mirkwood but later withdraw. Mordor's Orc army collapses after Sauron's defeat 241 243 245.