Hello! I am looking for the insight of experienced gamemasters concerning plot hooks for orks. This will be a new campaign and all I have thus far is New Acolytes+Ordo Xenos Inquisitor+Orks=?. I did try and do a search and didn't come up with much. I'm also aware of the obvious "Grots in the Air Ducts" or "When Squigs Attack" or the more radical "Dealing with the Blood Axes."

But how does an experienced GM make a good campaign around Orks that doesn't completely center around combat?

Let me know!

You could have the logicians trying to combine ork and human DNA to create more resilient troops.

a)Innocents going missing or turning up again with weird DNA abnormalites that look related to orks. Go investigate.

b)An ork is killed by the local arbites after killing a shed load of innocent people. Examining the body reveals weird surgical changes. Go investigate.

Or:

They are trying to use the ork spores and modify them to make a food stuff. Suffice to say it works but turns people into thinking like Orks. So investigate why people in a certain area are getting much bigger and more aggressive and have a tendency to shout WAAGHHH!

or:

A conspiracy where one faction is bribing orks with vehicles and weapons to attack another factions holdings.

or:

The orks have suddenly started causing trouble on a world this is because the Eldar know a hivefleet is headed that way in the distant future and one of their craftworlds will be right in its path if they dont slow it down. So they are trying to turn this place into the next armageddon. You could place clues all around that a hive fleet is coming i.e. genestealers/lictors mixed in with the orks. then something tying the eldar in i.e. prophecies/divinations about a craftworld etc and the odd sighting if one side looks like its getting an advantage to ensure both sides put more troops planet side. eg. some surgical strikes on key installations made to look like orks did it but way to efficient for orks to the trained eye.

Unfortunately the orks don't offer as much as some of the othe races in terms of sneaky beaky investigation. You just have to be creative.

I strongly suggest you read this first: http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ork_Physiology

Now, an idea for a longer campaign tied to the Orkoid physiology and reproduction:

Small pockets of feral orkoids have started to emerge on an Imperial world where, according to Ordo Xenos files, no orks should have visited before. The Imperial Navy has not seen any signs of ork ships or strange space hulks that might be the source of the infestation. So where did the spores birthing those feral orks come from?

There is a lot of investigation potential as acolytes hunt for feral orks and try to find some clues from where they came from and every now and then you can send them to investigate other happenings on the same world, just in case they would be tied to the orks (which they may be... or maybe not). How the ork spores ended up in the world then? Well, here you can introduce everything from a small non-feral ork strike force which has infiltrated the world and is preparing the place for Waagh! to secret conspiracy of tekheretics doing something man-was-not-meant-to-do with ork genes... or maybe a madboy accidentally opened a warphole and teleported part of Waagh! from other side of the universe here... or perhaps some decdent collector is buying capture ork artefacts which carry spores... or any combination of these.

What I am trying to say is that Ork campaign can be very investigative if you wish to.

robertsjf said:

As an ol' Ork tabletop player, let me just say that a campaign about orks that isn't about combat isn't a campaign about orks. Orks are all about combat. That said, I can see ideas for campaigns that involve orks without being only about combat. A couple of ideas off the top of my head...

1. A group of rebels/cultists/recidivists are employing ork mercenaries as muscle of their rebellion/ritual/criminal enterprise. Of course, the cunning ork mercenary kaptain has his own plans.
2. A cult of xeno-heretics has decided that orks are the perfect society and are mimicking ork kulture, perhaps with some ork advisors.
3. An ork invasion serves as a backdrop for the acolytes actual mission... investigating a heretical cult operating within an IG regiment is much more interesting while that regiment is deployed on the front lines of an ork waagh.
4. A radical tech-priest is trying to duplicate ork technology with the help of an equally renegade ork mekboy. The Cult Mechanicus, the Ordo Xenos and the Ork warboss all want the collaboration stopped.
5. A rogue human psyker has learned how to tap into the psychic field generated by an ork waagh with potentially apocolyptic results.

Stage One: Strange Creatures from DownUnder (Combat/Action / Tunnel Crawling)
The acolythes are sent to investigate rumours of strength mutant creatures from the underhive. While they investigate (accompanied by squad of Kill Team Troopers), they come about tunnels covered in fungus and strange aggressive creatures. As ordered, they turn in specimen for vivisection.

Stage Two: Orcs? On our HIVEWORLD? Here in the middle of the Sector?! (Investigation/Social Interaction)
48 hours later, they are called in again by their liason with the =I=. The creatures turned out to be a Xenos type affiliated with... Orcs! This is simpyl not right, since the world is lightyears away from the next know orc threat. The are given locations of underhive "settlements" which are (more or less) close to the infected area to look around. Undercover,since Imperial authority is something an underhive will not cooperate with easly. So, the pc use cover as some "Operatives" from uphive. They will encounter all kind of illegal activity but have to stay down not to tipp off the real threat...

Stage Three: Enter the Arena (S tealth)
The pc found out that somewhere here is an area that is secured by some "power group" for undisclosed reason. The group seems to have money and influence at hand, employing people not from the hive but far away. All in all, they either use bribes our forces to keep everyone else away from "their" area. The pc have to get in in order to find out. What they will find is a bloodpit suited for small crowds only. The area does also include holding pens and cells...and they will find Orcs there hold captive as gladiators. The question is: who delivered these?

Stage Four : Bust! (Investigation and combatl)
After investigating the arena, they might only have a few days (or hours!) to follow the trail to the "owner" of the installation. While they be able to follow the clues in a haste and crush down on the merchant/recidivist running this "enterprise".

Stage Five: Void Chasing (Small Episode)
After following the clues, starting a violent bust and getting the target alive, interrogation gives away that the recidivist was only a lower part of the chain. The orcs where smuggled in by some void vessel by the name of "Restless Leviathan". Astropathic messages has been send to this ship after the bust and are sent still (by diverse commercia houses using the ship as freighter for their wares). The pc have to take a faster ship to the next "stop" and get on board for further investigation. But at the port , people have an eye on people asking for the "Leviathan"... strange people with even stranger things at their disposal.

Stage Six: On board
The pc start investigating to find out which cargo holds might include living xeno beast... since they do not know if the captain is involved, they cannot inform him. So, they are working against ship security...and a cadre of assasines having an eye for everyone to interested in the "goods". Stupid thing if some orks get loose...

Stage One: Strange Creatures from DownUnder (Combat/Action / Tunnel Crawling)
The acolythes are sent to investigate rumours of strength mutant creatures from the underhive. While they investigate (accompanied by squad of Kill Team Troopers), they come about tunnels covered in fungus and strange aggressive creatures. As ordered, they turn in specimen for vivisection.

Stage Two: Orcs? On our HIVEWORLD? Here in the middle of the Sector?! (Investigation/Social Interaction)
48 hours later, they are called in again by their liason with the =I=. The creatures turned out to be a Xenos type affiliated with... Orcs! This is simpyl not right, since the world is lightyears away from the next know orc threat. The are given locations of underhive "settlements" which are (more or less) close to the infected area to look around. Undercover,since Imperial authority is something an underhive will not cooperate with easly. So, the pc use cover as some "Operatives" from uphive. They will encounter all kind of illegal activity but have to stay down not to tipp off the real threat...

Stage Three: Enter the Arena (S tealth)
The pc found out that somewhere here is an area that is secured by some "power group" for undisclosed reason. The group seems to have money and influence at hand, employing people not from the hive but far away. All in all, they either use bribes our forces to keep everyone else away from "their" area. The pc have to get in in order to find out. What they will find is a bloodpit suited for small crowds only. The area does also include holding pens and cells...and they will find Orcs there hold captive as gladiators. The question is: who delivered these?

Stage Four : Bust! (Investigation and combatl)
After investigating the arena, they might only have a few days (or hours!) to follow the trail to the "owner" of the installation. While they be able to follow the clues in a haste and crush down on the merchant/recidivist running this "enterprise".

Stage Five: Void Chasing (Small Episode)
After following the clues, starting a violent bust and getting the target alive, interrogation gives away that the recidivist was only a lower part of the chain. The orcs where smuggled in by some void vessel by the name of "Restless Leviathan". Astropathic messages has been send to this ship after the bust and are sent still (by diverse commercia houses using the ship as freighter for their wares). The pc have to take a faster ship to the next "stop" and get on board for further investigation. But at the port , people have an eye on people asking for the "Leviathan"... strange people with even stranger things at their disposal.

Stage Six: On board
The pc start investigating to find out which cargo holds might include living xeno beast... since they do not know if the captain is involved, they cannot inform him. So, they are working against ship security...and a cadre of assasines having an eye for everyone to interested in the "goods". Stupid thing if some orks get loose...

I know orcs are in the game's future for the one Zilla and I are in because one of the characters is from Ganf Magna, and Zilla has plotty goodness for him.

LuciusT said:

This is where I'm coming from. I play orks in 40k, epic, bfg, fantasy, love gorkamorka. I've compiled all of the plot hooks which all of you have suggested, thanks for that!

1) Grots in the Airducts
2) When Squigs Attack
3) Dealing with Bloodaxes
4) Orks of the White Tower- ork-human hybrids
5) These Shrooms Taste Funny- feeding humans ork fungus
6) Dawn of War II
7) There’s a Fungus Among Us- fungal infection
8) “Orks are the Pinnacle of Culture…”- xenos loving scum
9) Kill the Heretics! What are all of the Orks Doing Here?- ork invasion, heretical IG elements
10) You’ve got the Brains, I’ve got the Brains…- Mekboy and Tech-priest
11) Operating on a New Wavelength- human psyker, waaaagh energy

Ideas:

-Rebel Grots and the Radical Ordo Xenos Inquisitors who love them.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Rebel_Grots

-Former Ork slaves (humans) from an Ork factory continuing to produce Orky tek.

Putting it together.

-The PCs sent to investigate the source of cheap, high heretical, and poor quality weapons.

-Their search leads them to a remote marginally habitable world.

-Their transport ship drops them off, and schudules a return in a few months

-Their shuttle is detected and shot down by Ork fighter-bombers that come out of no where.

-They crash land thousands of miles from the space port with no hope of pick up.

-They must make their way over land to the human space port.

-Alien beasts

-Feral Orks, and Ork Cult of Speed road warriors (enemies and dangerous allies)

-Other Xenos

-Once they arrive near the space port they discover that the human on the planet are former slaves who allied themselves with a the local grots/gretkin to over throw their Ork masters after most of the Orks left on a Waggghhhh.

-The humans live on, and in a massive plateau which is under siege constantly.

-They are allied with the Rebel Grot who live on a large island off the coast.

-There is also a MekBoss who resides in a mountain stronghold. This Mekboy has an unfortunate weakness in that he is the Ork equivalent of a blank. Which means that he can't be an effective Ork leader.

-The MekBoss rules through fear, killer cans, and successive head transplants of his immediate suborndinates. Any time one acts up he activates the explosive collar, and replaces the head with a more tractable young ork. Of course in time that Ork acts up and .....

-The 3 factions need each other. The MekBoss, and Grots needs the humans to distract the feral Ork clans. The MekBoss needs the Grots to provide a source of labor and troops he can trust. The Grots need the human, and MekBoss to provide equipment to further their revolt.

-To make matters worse a radical Inquisitor has taken interest in this world. The MekBoss is willing to trade advanced Ork Tek like force fields and telporters. Which the Inquisitor is passing on to his heritek allies to attempt to reverse engineer. Also he is exporting Rebel Grot to various Ork worlds in hopes of causing a sector wide Grot rebellion. As well as exporting weapons and equipment to rebels humans on decadent human worlds to shake things up.

I think the best way to do an ork campaign would be to set it in a system that is locked in a long term struggle against a nearby ork cluster of worlds. Millions are sent into the grind of battle on both sides without one emerging victorious. The rogue elements that will make the difference are the Ordo Xenos and the new, unusually sly Warboss who has united the clans whose schemes they must foil. Blood axes would play both sides against the other, and early missions might be dealing w/ human heretics who trade/use orc forces or tech. The real foe would be Warlord "name here" who seems more aware of the Imperium and its weaknesses then a normal ork. He'll tamper w/ supply lines, send in ork kill teams to wreck hive machinery, etc. Eventually, they would confront him, but the true investigative angle would be finding out who is manipulating him or supplying him w/ tech/info. Eldar? Enemies of the inquisition? Rogue elements in the IQ itself? I think this is the best idea for long term adventures, as opposed to a standard 'Orks are invading the planet out of nowwhere... defend and fight!" plot.

Just some ideas. I like the thought of acolytes infiltrating an ork planet, though doing it would be difficult to say the least.

Like LuciusT I am an Ork tabletop player, and I agree with the premise that it is difficult to role-play Orks without some form of conflict. That said, it does not necessarily have to be the Inquisition and Orks in actual conflict, as some of the ideas above exhibit. I think it would make an excellent and memorable plotline to force an uncomfortable (and temporary) alliance on the PCs that they will remember for some time - the only thing better would be to RP Orks directly!

One thing have always liked is the Ork propensity for killy machine making. I liked the idea above of a heretic Magos working with a rogue Ork Big Mek, possibly on some terrifying mega weapon. Something akin to a 'Planet Killa Kannon' or more powerful 'Kommit Belcha' device in high orbit in a nearby asteroid field. The Magos may be planning revenge on a rival, or another wing of the Imperium, in pursuit of some Dark Age Tech or may even be harnessing that tech instead. The Big Mek may be planning his own Waargh! based on the acquisition of latent new teknology. In any case, something will tip off the =]I[= about an orbiting tech facility that has ceased communications or a similar situation.

Unbeknownst to the Acolytes, some Ork Freebooter Flash Gitz have also arrived in system to visit the Big Mek for rearmament. However, on arrival their Kill Krooza and escort vessels is attacked by picket vessels, and the PCs arrive as this conflict rages around the station. The PCs will no doubt use the conflict as cover to enter the orbiting station and will find evidence of tech heresy on a grand scale (lots of opportunities for Orky collaborative mechanised monstrosities around the station and failed experiments) - the atmosphere, with elements of the station darkened and powered down, sections in free fall, open to space and numerous tube ways, grav chutes, and echoing access halls, data vaults and cogitator assemblies should create a claustrophobic space horror theme for this part of the investigation, with the backof the pyrotechnics of a space battle outside. There should also be some desperate battles with Skitaari-Ork cross-over beasts to show the power and lethality of the opposition.

At a suitable point, the PCs should uncover evidence of the heretic plot and have a gunpoint meeting with Flash Gitz on the vessel. They should also realize that separately they are both outgunned. What then follows is a classic "when will they turn on us, or where do we turn on them" team up between the Ork freebooters, dressed in their outrageous and slightly ridiculous piratical costumes, oversized, sparking cannons and bejewelled peg-legs and the acolytes that sees a showdown with the two villains, and the destruction of the base on an auto-destruct countdown.

If the two former allies could then sail their respective ways, even with some Orky sign of respect - "not too bad for a squishy 'umie I s'pose" then I think it would be one to remember.

The acolytes are sent to investigate something routine like Kidnappings on a imperial world and when they get there spend half a session leading them on maybe have a fight with some cultists and then have them go investigate smuggling operations when a shuttle prepares to land they are invited to go to lookout mountain to observe but when they look...

There's a hole in the shuttle. Looking up you see them Orks they notice you and exchange fight the shuttle veers off course and they pour out one of them looks at you "ORKS ITS SMASHEY TIME!". Instead of you investigating the Orks they blunder into your Investigation thus forcing them to rethink there investigation.

Another idea might be a plot hook I am stealing from Ciaphas Cain.

A research facility has fallen silent on the Ice world of Soryth your Inquisitor has a personal interest in the data they were collecting and so dispatches his acoyltes to find out more. Arriving they find the staff mostly butchered and various research subjects roaming the corridors. Upon entering the deeper levels they find a slab covered in water, slaughtered humans and a holo recording showing the researchers thawing somthing out from a block of ice which turns out to be an Ork who promptly jumps up and kills everyone. Now they have get the data and most likely hunt down the thing before it can cause any more damage to the facility and more importantly themselves.

Ork plot hook? Is that a bionic to replace an Ork Awfur's power klaw?