Orichai

In their native tongue, they are the Orichai, and demand to be known as such. In the language of their relatives, the Kyne, they would be called the Orkh'mer, though none would dare address an Orich this way to his face. To compare an Orich to an Elf would be a grave insult, due to millennia of resentment and warring between the three (now four) species of Merethi. They have a long and bloody history, and have hard-won their place amongst the races in the world. As a result, they are arguably the most feared of all the inhabitants of Taurth, rivaled only by the awe-inspiring Arkhonan. Their legacy would suggest that every Orich is a brutal warrior, but surprisingly, this is not necessarily so. The Orichai have heralded a number of scholars, wise men/women, and diplomats. Their society is as misunderstood as it is complex. The Orichai are notorious for their history of interbreeding with other races by right of conquest and slavery, though this practice is long since extinct as the Orichai strive to restore harmony between themselves and the elemental forces. In doing so, their previous barbaric inclinations have begun to subside–– much to the skepticism of the rest of the known world, of course. The Orichai have indeed begun a long and grueling journey to once again achieve balance with the elements, and with Taurien. The first step in doing so has been the deposition of the war chiefs that once ruled the Orichai with an unfaltering martial law. As of now, each Orichai tribe is led by their eldest member, who, by default, is the tribe's shaman and seer. The shamans have been since guiding their kin down the path of wisdom and progress.

Physiology
Orichai posess a high amount of natural musclemass. The typical Orich male is built like an ox, and the females aren't too far behind in stature. As for skin tone, they are usually colored a grey-green shade of some variation. An interesting Orich trait would be that they share all the same natural hair colors with humans. Orichai have angular ears like their Mer cousins, though Orich ears are much shorter. Orichai will also have some kind of vestigal structure on their bottom jaw, whether in the form of elongated canines or full-blown tusks, possibly an evolutionary remnant from a less civil era.

Abilities and Notable Features
Due to their old practice of interbreeding, a number of great heroes throughout the ages have had an Orich ancestor at some point in their lineage. Most commonly, Orichai are masters of melee combat, due to their above-average size and strength. They are a terrifying sight on the battlefield to those who've never seen them before. The one great curse of the Orichai is their utter seperation from the potent energies that dwell within all other races. In other words, the Orichai canot use magic in any way. This hasn't been a significant stumbling block for them however, since their prowess in martial combat is more than adequate to survive. Until very recently, it appeared that this curse would never be lifted due to their nature. The shamans have shown them otherwise.