Half-Orcs

Half-Orcs are the result of Orcish raids on human settlements. Though seemingly more compatible than half-elf pairings, half-orcs still have a low rate of survival when it comes to birth, with a large number of them being stillborn. If they survive, they grow to adulthood in only ten years, and their typical life expectancy is around 40. Most don't make it due to intense racism, as orcs are the most feared of the Others. Though they are hated by almost everyone, their ferocity and strength cannot be ignored. As such, they were used as shock troops by both sides in the Civil War. No half-orcs have ever lived with orcs, as they would be killed immediately. This unnatural pairing also results in them being sterile. Half-orc slaves are also still legal in all of the United States, as there are few who would consider them on the same level as even the lowliest of humans. As such, some unscrupulous plantation owners have taken to capturing Orcish studs to keep a steady stream of slaves to work the fields. Many bloody slave rebellions led by half-orcs have rocked Southern lands, so many methods such as withholding education, castration, and hobbling have been applied to half-orcs to keep them more servile. This has led to, unsurprisingly, a large number of half-orcs making up the mining camps of boom towns throughout the frontier.