Know Your LotRO Lore: Types of Orc

As Orcs were seen as slaves to Sauron, their roles didn't quite reach beyond that of the books. There was a slight hierarchy where certain Orc and goblin leaders were mentioned. The Uruk-hai were seen as the superior form of Orcs. They were larger, more powerful and had darker skin. The snaga were the lowest form of Orc: slaves of the slaves.

As stated previously, goblins were considered a type of Orc, or at least in the Orc family. They were first described in Tolkien's 1915 poem Goblin Feet, which was his first published work. He later called his description of goblins as "quaint elfin creatures" a mistake, and dismissed it as juvenile.

The Uruk-hai that were bred by Saruman were done so for their special power and might. These were seen as 'super-soldiers' to lead the other Orcs into battle. It is said that these uber-Orcs were bred with Men of Dunland, leading to the race of Half-orcs or goblin-men.

Originally, the languages of the Orcs became so varied, communication between tribes was impossible. When Sauron returned to power in Mordor in the Third Age, he adopted the Black Speech for his armies. This language is spoken throughout The Two Towers, as we began to learn more about the Orcs in this book.