Orcs are based on Boar warriors from the island of Orkney north of england

[Linkedblade]

I have to disagree. Trolls seem to fit the african tribal culture

The Zandalari seem to have a more African seeming accent and their architecture is mesoamerican, but the darkspear are more like carribean Islanders in accent and their structures Polynesian.

[Maljinwo]

Very much a mix of both. Their aesthetic are mesoamerican, but are racially coded African/Caribbean Isles. Kinda like how NEs are a mesh of multiple east asian cultures.

I might be kind of ignorant on the topic of African tribes.
Do they also practice Voodoo and have Bokor?

[Dellis0991]

Very much a mix of both. Their aesthetic are mesoamerican, but are racially coded African/Caribbean Isles. Kinda like how NEs are a mesh of multiple east asian cultures.

hmm,I thought it was celtic druidism but then again you right because they architecture is mostly asian inspired.

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When you think of it orcs kinda got everything it, burning blade clan got a asian style with blademasters like Samuro, shattered hand is like roman gladiators,bleeding hollow and laughing skull are like mix of some kind of african and pacific style tribalism, bonechewer are just some kind cannibals. Frostwolves feel like native american mixed with viking like stuff....I don't know its hard to pin it all down to one thing.

[TigTone]

I think WoW Orcs are more based on African tribal culture specially with the pre cata structure.

They seem more of a mix of mongal /Viking

[Techno-Druid]

I think WoW Orcs are more based on African tribal culture specially with the pre cata structure.

Orcs were originally based on Central Asian raiding cultures like the Huns and Mongols, with a little bit of Norse influence. WoD really emphasized the cultural differences of the orcish clans though.

[Rozz]

I might be kind of ignorant on the topic of African tribes.
Do they also practice Voodoo and have Bokor?

I don't know specifically which African tribes practice, since from the best of my knowledge Voodoo and Bokor is a belief system that is a blend of faiths between what Africans brought with them and what they were introduced to.

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hmm,I thought it was celtic druidism but then again you right because they architecture is mostly asian inspired.

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When you think of it orcs kinda got everything it, burning blade clan got a asian style with blademasters like Samuro, shattered hand is like roman gladiators,bleeding hollow and laughing skull are like mix of some kind of african and pacific style tribalism, bonechewer are just some kind cannibals. Frostwolves feel like native american mixed with viking like stuff....I don't know its hard to pin it all down to one thing.

Yup, tbh some asian culture is sprinkled a bit everywhere. For the NEs they have kimchi, lunar festival, etc. I would guess they aren't as racially coded as trolls or tauren, but certainly are in their customs/food.

[BlackBoss]

Just jumped in to say trolls are a mostly west African with a mix of Mesoamerican and Icelandic (troll descriptions and parts of the lore) culture.

[PelinalWhitestrake]

Warcraft Orcs = Originally based on Warhammer fantasy Orcs, changed later to Tribal origins With Mongolian shenanigans mixed with Japanese Bushido.
Warhammer Fantasy orcs: Tolkienish and early D&Dish origins, mixed with the Football Hooligan culture and Cockney English.

[huth]

I always felt Warcraft orcs are what you get when you throw Hun/Khazar/Tartar, West African, and Eastern ideals of honor into a blender.

Blend until colour is uniform, form into balls. Then simmer for 10 minutes.

Either way, that may be true for Tolkien's orcs. We're not dealing with Tolkien's orcs in WarCraft, though.

[LuminaL]

Their architecture and culture, probably. The inspiration for them on the other hand is probably as OP said

They seem more of a mix of mongal /Viking

I think the way they were portrayed at wc3 they were more close to African tribal and Mongolian but in WoD and mostly frostwolf clan, yes they feel more alike to Vikings.

I have to disagree. Trolls seem to fit the african tribal culture

trolls are strongly based on Aztec culture with their buildings ( ZA and ZG ) and their sacrificial culture the way Incas used them. they even have a El dorado!

[Mythic Merry]

Orcs are originally Mongolians. And Horde was based on Golden Horde which was the Mongolian Empire.

btw Warcraft Orcs are the best Orcs, much better than mindless Tolkien Orcs and warhammer ones.

[PelinalWhitestrake]

Orcs are originally Mongolians. And Horde was based on Golden Horde which was the Mongolian Empire.

btw Warcraft Orcs are the best Orcs, much better than mindless Tolkien Orcs and warhammer ones.

Best Orcs are da BEST ORKS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg9eR66uLOg

or the best orcs lead by the best Honor god, though he claims that people takes the history from his origins too literally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dGNMxybVuI

[Leodok]

I have to disagree. Trolls seem to fit the african tribal culture

Both trolls and orcs have a lot of different inspirations, including african cultures, but also mesoamerican and polynesian (for trolls), mongol and even a little bit of celtic and japanese ones (for orcs). I think neither race has any african culture as its "main source."

[iamthedevil]

Source/Citation or didn't happen.

Google brought up this post lol.

Also this: http://www.sallyemerson.com/travel/2...-another-world

[Skytotem]

Google brought up this post lol.

Also this: http://www.sallyemerson.com/travel/2...-another-world

That Tolkien based the shire on a village in the area? Nothing there talks about berserkers or anything.

[Derpules]

Thank you for your wikipedia info. If you find anything else interesting maybe write it in a blog somewhere.

Rude. lol!

[FelPlague]

Orcs were invented by Tolkien and he based them off the boar type of berserker warrior from the island of Orkney
this is why orcs have tusks like boars

The humanoid, non-maritime race of orcs that exists in Middle-earth is the invention of J. R. R. Tolkien, albeit one which he stated in a letter was influenced by George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin. The word is usually capitalised in Tolkien's writing, but not necessarily in other works.

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Rude. lol!

i mean it literally is just a copy/paste exerpt from wikipedia... ok?

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I think WoW Orcs are more based on African tribal culture specially with the pre cata structure.

they are based off the warhammer orcs.

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Here I thought they were created by the poor copyright laws that didn't allow Games Workshop to sue Blizzard for publishing a Warhammer licensed game that failed to get the license.

orcs in wow were, you are 100% right.
but yeah the original orc was not invented by blizz, not even close.

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Who writes more, Tolkien describing a structure or R.R. Martin describing a feast?

or JK rowling describing the details of her charecters we do not need to know...

[Tantypops]

I always felt like orcs had characteristics from Turkish history. For Tolkien, Osgiliath = Constantinople (captured/destroyed), Minas Tirith = Vienna (resisted), you could also say that the good guys working together reflects Europe in those ages. Similarly for Warcraft, Stormwind sacked under strong leadership and Lordaeron resisted because of conflicts within the Horde. In both cases the invaders are visually distinct, barbaric in culture, considered evil... and coming from *surprise* the east. Both cases have ties with wolves, which is still an icon in modern Turkey.

[Verdugo]

I might be kind of ignorant on the topic of African tribes.
Do they also practice Voodoo and have Bokor?

African influence manifests in BfA Zandalari because Blizzard wanted to ripoff Black Panther for progressive points.

[George Lucas]

I always felt like orcs had characteristics from Turkish history. For Tolkien, Osgiliath = Constantinople (captured/destroyed), Minas Tirith = Vienna (resisted), you could also say that the good guys working together reflects Europe in those ages. Similarly for Warcraft, Stormwind sacked under strong leadership and Lordaeron resisted because of conflicts within the Horde. In both cases the invaders are visually distinct, barbaric in culture, considered evil... and coming from *surprise* the east. Both cases have ties with wolves, which is still an icon in modern Turkey.

What turkish characteristics would that be? The analogy with Osgiliath and Minas Tirith makes no sense at all.

Tolkien's Orcs are not based on any specific culture, they are mythological creatures that represent (like the Elves they come from, who resemble humanity at it's best) aspects of human society. Orcs are Humans at it lowest, without culture or any sense of community, driven not even by animalistic instincts, but hatred for themselves and even more hatred for everything that is harmonic and beautiful, since they are not able to create or enjoy anything nice themselves. They are miserable and because of that they want everything else to suffer as well. Anything that doesn't bring them satisfaction, they want to destroy and so they destroy everything.