Skinny Dark Orcs are magical power houses at the pinnacle of orc evolution. They are a secretive and mysterious race.

Skinnies have no body fat but have several layers of thick cords of muscle. Their arms and legs are more than twice as long as their torso and equal in length with each other. Their fingers and toes are long, thin, and spidery, wtih six joints each and jet black claws. Their heads resemble an orcs but with pointed batlike ears that lie flat against the skull, two tinyl nublike horns, and a long and narrow nose like a storybook witch. Skinnies average seven feet in height but are rarely seen standing straight, but one of three basic positons; hunched over with knees slightly bent, this is generaly as tall as most people see them; a stationary croutch with knees and elbows outward, this typicaly signals that another spell is being cast; and an odd four limbed crawl/run that has been described as very insectile.

Their skin is a dark grey but overlaid with a fine network of subdued scarlet viens. The viens cover their entire body and follow the contours of the skinnies already narrow features, distorting and exagerating it, giving them an "angry clown" effect. Actually their faces are very calm and unexpressive, giving no clue as to what thoughts or emotions lay behind it. They are liberally tatooed with arcane runes and sigils. Skinnies generaly wear loose fitting robes or cloaks stained black with filth and a light leathrr or chainmail armour underneath. Some of them also have a fondnes for flowing capes.

Combat
Despite their roles as spellcasters skinnies are actualy stronger and quicker than many common orcs. They can dangerous when cornered, whipping blades out of seemingly nowhere, but they view simple physical combat as distastefull and prefer to use their heightened intelligence, spells, and spell like abilities to outsmart and out maneouver their opponents. They enjoy using such tactics as traps, ambushes, false retreats, secret poisonings and other such trickery.

In a larger military conflict skinnies stay away from the front line to act as magical medics, backup, and artillary while staying as out of sight as possible. Multiple skinnies will work together to confuse enemies as to where the spells are coming from. Many times they like to find an unlikely hiding place, preferably elevated such as a church spire, tree, cliff face, or tower, and play magic sniper.

Spell Like Abilites: At Will-- Detect Magic, Detect Good/Law, Protection from Good/Law, Obscuring Mist, Spider Climb

Three Times Per Day-- Fog Cloud, Darkness, Jump

These abilities are the same as if cast by an eight level sorceror

Society
Skinnies are both above and removed from orcish society, thinking only of other skinnies as equals and viewing all others as potential pawns. Though they are feared and misunderstood by most orcs their knowledge and cunning are greatly respected and their orders are usually followed with out question.

Skinnies are a remarkably close knit group, viewing every other skinnie as a blood relation and brother in arms, and the whole race functions as a kind of secret society, subtley controlling the flow of orc culture and history. Despite their wanton and chaotic personalities skinnies are very loyal to the advancing the cause of their dark masters and state of the orcish races. Their whole lives are devoted to these crusades and their magicla workings and their only pleasure and diversion is the occasional indulgence in the races strong sadistic streak. They take a great pleasure in the pain of others, both physical and emotional, and will go out of their way to witness tragedy.

The Skinny Dark Orc's preferred classes are wizard, sorceror, druid, and cleric.