A fundamental concept for Tolkien (and the other Inklings) was that Evil cannot create, only corrupt (the Boethian, as opposed to the Manichean, concept of evil). In Letter 153 he explained that to a first approximation, Treebeard was wrong. "Trolls are only counterfeits, made by the Enemy in the Great Darkness, in mockery of Ents, as Orcs were of Elves." TT, p. 89) and Frodo was right." "The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own. I don't think it gave life to Orcs, it only ruined them and twisted (RK, p. 190) "Treebeard is a character in my story, not me; and though he has a great memory and some earthy wisdom, he is not one of the Wise, and there is quite a lot he does not know or understand." (Letters, p. 190) "Suffering and experience (and possibly the Ring itself) gave Frodo more insight ..." (Letters, p. 191)"To the first approximation" above because in that same letter Tolkien ade some subtle distinctions between "creating" and "making", which cannot be gone into here. Tolkien stated explicitly in that letter (and several other places) that the Orcs are indeed "a race of rational incarnate creatures, though horribly corrupted". Also that "In the legends of the Elder Days it is suggested that the Diabolus subjugated and corrupted some of the earliest Elves, before they had ever heard of the 'gods', let alone of God." (Letters, p. 191). In fact, the Silmarillion didn't actually know the truth but were merely speculating. But since Tolkien himself, speaking as author and sub-creator, more-or-less verified this idea, it's probably safe to accept it, as far as it goes. It has been widely noted that this conception leaves several questions unresolved. 1. Re: procreation, the Silmarillion says that "the Orcs had life and multiplied after the manner of the Children of Iluvatar" (p. 50), but nevertheless people continue to raise questions. For one, there was never any hint that female Orcs exist (there were two apparent references to Orc children, but both were from the Hobbit , and therefore may be considered suspect). 2.There is the question of why, if Orcs were corrupted Elves, their offspring would also be Orcs (rather than Elves -- a somewhat terrifying thought). This question leads to discussions of brainwashing. Genetics, which are not altogether appropriate to the world of Middle-earth. 3.Finally there is the question of whether Orcs, being fundamentally Elves, go to the Halls of Mandos when they are slain, and whether, like Elves, they are reincarnated. (This last would explain how they managed to replenish their numbers so quickly all the time.)There is also some reason to think that Orcs, like Elves, are immortal. (Gorbag and Shagrat, during the conversation which Sam overheard, mention the "Great Siege", which presumably refers to the Last Alliance; it is possible to interpret this reference to mean that they were there and actually remembered it themselves.) Orcs Also called: Orks, Goblins; Sindarin: Yrch (sg. Orch), Quenya (Valinorean): Urqui (sg. Urko), Quenya (Noldorin): Orqui or Orkor (sg. Orko), Adunaic: (sg.) Urku or Urkhu, Black Speech: Uruk (for lesser breeds: Snaga), Druedainic: Gorgun, Khuzdul: Rakhas (sg. Rukhs); all (or most of) these names stemming from Proto-Eldarin root *RUKU, "something that causes fear". Sindarin also Glamhoth: "host of tumult" .. A race of evil beings, bred by Melkor in mockery of the Elves of Iluvatar. The first Orcs were probably bred out of Elves, although some may have been lesser corrupted Maiar. Activities of the Orcs: Throughout the First, Second, and Third Age, the Orcs supported Melkor, and later Sauron and Saruman, in all wars. They were the most numerous of the both Dark Lords' servants. Melkor's breeding of Orcs began before his chaining and was continued under that period, probably by his servant Sauron. During that time the Orcs multiplied and in the Third Age of Melkor's chaininy attacked Beleriand in the first of the Wars of Beleriand. When Melkor was overthrown, tribes of Orcs managed to live on in the Misty Mountains and other places. Soon they founded or conquered the city of Gundabad in the north of the Mountains which became their capital. After having been left in peace throughout the Second Age, the Orcs were multiplying again around 1300 TA, and troubled the Dwarves of the Misty Mountains. In 2747, they had grown strong enough to attempt to attack the Shire. In 2793, the war of the Dwarves and Orcs begun, caused by the murder of Thror in 2790 by the Orc-chieftain Azog who had taken over Moria at the command of Sauron. The war lasted six years and caused the Orc-tribes to diminish severely. Moria was laid free, but the weakened Dwarves never returned there. In 2941, the Orcs joined the Battle of Five Armies under the leading of Bolg son of Azog. In that battle, three quarters of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains were destroyed. Some time after the year 2950 it was discovered that Saruman the White was breeding Orcs, which now started attacking Rohan. At the time, the Orcs were growing in numbers again, and in 2994 they destroyed Balin's colony in Moria under the command of the Balrog, and settled there once again. The final beat against the Orcs was probably at the end of the War of the Ring, when Sauron was destroyed in 3019. Leaderless and helpless, the few remaining Orcs were scattered and slowly dwindled. Languages: Orcs spoke their own tribal languages, together called Orkish. These were always corruptions of other languages and so different that the tribes could not understand each other. In the Second Age, Sauron tried to carry through a reform, using the Black Speech that he had constructed. Some Orcs under his command adopted the language, but the reform was never any success, though it had an influence on the other Orc-languages and all of Sauron's higher officers spoke it regularly. Between tribes the Orcs spoke Westron. ORC CULTURE AND HISTORY