Rocca

Rocca, Shade's 'orcs', are bipedal humanoids and one of Shade's five major races.

They are taller than faleighs, at a species average of around 7 feet(ish), making them the largest race by some margin.

Vocabulary note: correctly, the word 'rocca' refers to both singular and plural, but the singular is sometimes abbreviated to 'roc'. We've used correct language in this article. The word 'roccoa' refers to something 'rocca-ish'.

Languages: Northern and Plains Roccoa, related but distinct dialects.

Appearance

Rocca (of both sexes) are strongly built (in proportion to their height), and have fine hair similar to faleighs'. There is not more than a foot or so height variation specieswide among adults. Noses tend to be relatively flat. Their ears are rounded and may or may not have lobes.

Their skin has a blueish-greenish-grey tint (which does not vary much with area of origin, unlike most of the other races). Hair ranges from light browns to dark. Eyes are anything from orange to brown, hazel or blue or grey.

Rocca, along with srolli, have their organs reversed by comparison to the other three sape races ([situs inversus totalis] in effect; rarely someone is born with 'reversed' organs, heart on the left).

Typical character

If we're around Twine Wars time, rocca are the stupidest of the races - it's partly to do with a lack of understanding between species, but rocca think slowly and don't tend to remember details well.

Personalitywise, the stereotypical rocca is quiet and, despite being slow, given to moments of introspective thoughtfulness. They are not more aggressive or given to 'berserker'dom than other races, although physically very capable indeed with training. They can be quite soulful and a little vulnerable - or, then again, may be rebelliously thick-skinned, idealistic, ambitious and wilful. (Females tend to the former and males the latter, but it's very often the other way around, too.)

In artificial settings such as mixed-species armies, rocca are often quiet, even insecure, except when drunk. Which is often. Somewhat surprisingly, even when drunk, they're less likely to be foul-mouthed than anyone except perhaps srolli. There are exceptions.

Aptitudes (Future/post Worlds War only)

Academically, rocca tend to be all-rounders. Some have a talent for mechanics or physics. Many never specialise. (The academic system provides equally well for specialists and generalists.) The old stereotype is that they are loyal and somewhat unquestioning followers: not terribly accurate. Rocca have made great leaders, with a tendency to be what, for lack of a better term, has been described as noble.

Species and cultural idiosyncrasies

Rocca have a naturally high alcohol tolerance (in marked contrast to voks!), and tend to be heavy drinkers. A roccoa drunk will usually follow the rule of "the quieter they are, the louder they brawl"; a minority just get very sleepy and tractable.

All rocca get seasick. Some can overcome this with practice, though many prefer not to. They don't get scurvy.

Owing to a unique feature of their hearing, they love bass frequencies.

Rocca have very sensitive noses relative to others when it comes to 'organic' smells: people, food or plant matter. (Their sense of smell as applied to chemicals and metals is only average.)

It's very hard to break a rocca's bones, but serious fractures can be very nasty and take a long time to heal. Rocca aren't prone to lung infections, brewmasters being a special exception.

Rocca are unlikely to have magical ability: in the interracial statistics, they beat only srolli. This isn't to say that a roccoa magician is particularly rare or noteworthy. Telepathy is not common, with the incidence only a little higher than in ferais.

Roccoa characters

• Laffent Ferrl