Building the Horde: The Clans of Orctober
Every October, LEGO builders around the world turn their attention to the brutal and boisterous denizens of fantasy lore: the orcs. For Orctober, I wanted to explore what makes these creatures tick: not just their monstrous brawn, but the different archetypes that define their place in the horde. We have a lot of noble heroes in LEGO, but now it’s the villains’ time to shine!
My goal was to create four distinct characters: each representing one of the RPG classics: Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, and Guile – showcasing the diversity and ferocity that defines the Greenskin horde.
I wanted to make each of da Orks distinct with each of the LEGO system colours: Sand Green, Olive Green, Dark Tan, and Bright Green, and still using roughly the same scale and style.
Gorgash, the hulking warboss, is all brute force, heavy armour, layered plates, and a giant hammer to match his ego. Zul’gar, the shaman, leaned the other way: gangly limbs, bright tones, and a battlestaff decked with charms, feathers, and a Then came Kreeg, the lithe hunter of the Barracuda Clan, designed around balance and motion – his spear and shield combination showing off clean lines and a hunter instinct. Finally, Leafrend, a little forest gremlin, is diminutive chaos packed into a bright green body.
I used ball joints to give the Orcs some posture, layered wedge plates for musculature, and a mix of chains, foliage, and frankly wack elements (like minifigure arms and animal parts) to add texture. Turns out you can pull apart a Crocodile (18904c02pb01) and there are some interesting parts in there!
I love it when a model looks like it’s seconds away from moving (or, in my case, collapsing).
I also made a base template that attempts to unify all the models. Within the foundations, the landscape, I tried to think about the way a base can tell its own story. It’s something I’ve always admired in Anthony Winson’s work (@thesecretwalrus) work: every model feels grounded in a world, and exploring the base is just as fun as the build itself. I used a frame of panels, and within that, I created a few horizontal sections that are friction-held.
Considering each character’s environment: jungle, coast, steppe, forest, helped inform many of the choices I made in each of the models.
More than anything, Orctober was a study in how design can tell a story. Four orcs, four clans, four archetypes: all sharing DNA, yet each a world apart in temperament and terrain. And maybe that’s the real fun of building monsters: they might look ugly up close, but they remind us that creativity thrives best when you let a little chaos in.
The Clans of Orctober
Zul’gar, Foremost Stormcaller of the Sawtooth Clan (Sand Green)
Deadly masters of Wild Majik, Orcish Shamans can shape reality itself to empower allies and strike down foes. Perfect for channeling the power of the inscrutable Orc Godz, Zul’gar wields a large battle staff complete with arcane trinkets (some of which might even work).
Gorgash Bonegrinder, Warboss of the Crocodile Clan (Olive Green)
Unlike their jungle-dwelling brethren, the tundra’s sparse terrain and abundant food allow Orks of the Crocodile Clan to grow to prodigious sizes, with the harsh conditions only multiplying their ferocity. Towering over the puny humans of the Lion Knights, Gorgash is equipped with a siege hammer and armour that reflects his size and strength.
Kreeg Wavecutter, Water Warrior of the Barracuda Clan (Dark Tan)
Kreeg features sleek, aquatic-inspired armour that represents his connection to the waterways. His shield and hunting spears are finely honed for surprise attacks. Perfectly adapted to their aquatic habitats among the waterways and rivers, the Barracuda Clan proves formidable as both staunch allies and deadly enemies.
Leafrend, Forest Dweller of the Tadpole Clan (Bright Green)
Forest Dwellers are diminutive creatures with pea-sized brains that infest Orc encampments, scavenging, stealing, and generally getting in the way. In battle, the Tadpole Clan swarms in vast numbers, fearlessly charging towards the enemy, armed with tiny knives, spears, and clubs (which would be adorable if they weren’t clobbering you with them).
Nick Lever (@clicklever) builds from Sydney, Australia, where he balances storytelling, structure, and the occasional orc.
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