How should I handle giving a orc challenge to a single player

[NihilsticBanana]

So I'm the DM of this campaign, Right now my players are in this orc camp where all the orcs worship this evil god of war and fire. They just found out that the orcs basically burn alive their old warriors once they grow too weak to fight and use the ashes from those old orcs in this sort of "Ritual Warpaint" which supposedly bestows the combat knowledge that old orc once had in life. While particularly great warriors are reserved to high ranking orcs in the encampment I did say that should an outsider prove themselves worthy they could gain access to this stuff. Here's the thing. One of my players wants to try and prove themselves worthy next session, Which is fine. But I'm not entirely sure how to handle something for just the "one player" Do I have them do a fight on their own? If so how do I handle CRs in this case? My players are level 5 currently. Also, I wouldn't mind suggestions for what kind of effect this warpaint could have on a player when applied. I like the idea of it being something they can only apply in the camp and have its effects only last so long. But outside of that, I'm not sure what I should have it do exactly.

Something to note would be that the player in question is a rogue but so far they've been an absolute killing machine, Like... They've handled more enemies in close-range combat than even our fighters.

Oh! Also, I'm not strictly locking myself to the idea that the challenge has to be a fight, I'd just like some ideas is all.

[VoodistMonk]

Have you looked at the war paint that already exists in Pathfinder?

Anyways, if you want it to impart the knowledge of experienced warriors, have it give temporary access to a high level combat feat. The jar has enough for 3 uses. Each use lasts XXX long.

As for the challenge... brute strength or endurance are going to be the most likely in an Orc camp. Probably not equipped with any gear. If they worship fire, highly probable that the challenge will be held over a pit of coals.

This is mostly a nonlethal challenge, for Orcs... but they make no promises as to the survival of the little squishy Rogue.

[Zepheri]

Orc respect honor specially if is a challenge vs a warrior if someone in the group challenge a leader of the orc in front all his followers hi must accept

[Foeclan]

Like VoodistMonk said, there's War Paint in Pathfinder.

Shoanti War Paint
War Paint of the Terrible Visage
Beautiful War Paint

You could also do something simple and just treat them as an Oil of Heroism or a similar spell (Good Hope, Bless, etc.).

[Secret Wizard]

You could do a Duel – rules are here: https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?Name=Duels&Category=Mastering%20Combat

[Meirril]

Have the Warpaint only be effective when applied as part of an observance ritual that takes an hour. Make the ritual something like build a bonfire (the flames must be at least as tall as yourself) and recount your past battles while applying the warpaint to your body. End the ritual by dedicating your next battle to the deity.

Effect: Gain your level + con bonus in temporary hp that last for up to 24 hours. While you still have some of these temporary hp left any weapon you hold does 1 additional point of fire damage. If you ignore or refuse any challenge the temporary hp are immediately lost.

Instead of fighting a fellow warrior, the challenger has to join a raid against an enemy camp. They have to kill a 'worthy' enemy warrior in single combat, and they have to set fire to something significant. Preferably a building or tent. This must be witnessed by two warriors from the tribe. This is war, not an assassination! No sneaking around.

[Thunderlord]

Orc's probably wrestle or do other tests of strength if not outright killing each other. Golarion orcs seem to be similar to Tolkien's uruks and one of his more on the nose uses of the uruk is that evil constantly turns on itself.

Wrestling can easily just be a grappling duel with unarmed attacks also being legal. Maybe your orcs like to box or do other martial arts as a form of non-lethal (yet potentially lethal) challenge.

As for balancing the CR or level of the orc in question, I'd say it'd depend on what kind of orc the player is challenging. If he is going for a fair fight then he'd take on something like a half-chief, or just an orc who leads others into battle and that the party can expect to be more durable than other orcs. This would probably be a 5th level barbarian and particularly difficult encounter. If he's gunning for the chief than it would be a different story.

[Quixote]

You could take some ideas from tribal societies in the real world. Getting elaborate (and often painful) tattoos, ritual scarification, even a dance where they wear grass mits with bullet ants woven into them.

[VoodistMonk]

There was a tribe native to the north American great plains region that would suspend the braves-to-be by their wrists, and then push bone hooks through the muscles of their chests. From these hooks, they would hang the skulls of Bison, adding additional skulls to each hook until they pulled through the muscle.

From my understanding, you could have them stop at any time. They would remove the skulls, remove the hooks, and let you down without negative consequences... you simply weren't ready to be a man, yet.

[Quixote]

I've heard of a similar ritual where a long cord of hide would be threaded through your skin and the other end was tied to a tall pole. You would then dance around the pole, winding the cord tighter and tighter, until it tore free from your chest.

[Zepheri]

Thunderlord wrote:

Orc's probably wrestle or do other tests of strength if not outright killing each other. Golarion orcs seem to be similar to Tolkien's uruks and one of his more on the nose uses of the uruk is that evil constantly turns on itself.

Wrestling can easily just be a grappling duel with unarmed attacks also being legal. Maybe your orcs like to box or do other martial arts as a form of non-lethal (yet potentially lethal) challenge.

As for balancing the CR or level of the orc in question, I'd say it'd depend on what kind of orc the player is challenging. If he is going for a fair fight then he'd take on something like a half-chief, or just an orc who leads others into battle and that the party can expect to be more durable than other orcs. This would probably be a 5th level barbarian and particularly difficult encounter. If he's gunning for the chief than it would be a different story.

Not only golarion, Warcraft to, if you see the movie the mang Kora it's sacred between warrior

[VoodistMonk]

Put them on the Malaka-Laka Balance Board of Trust...

[Quixote]

Thunderlord wrote:

...Golarion orcs seem to be similar to Tolkien's uruks

Zepheri wrote:

Not only golarion, Warcraft to...

I mean, not to be "that guy", but before Tolkien, there were no "orcs" as we know them now.

The Latin "orcus" meant "goblin, spectre or hell-devil". The term "orcneas" appears once in Beowulf in a list of the tribes condemned by God, alongside elves and ogres/giants. It was translated as "evil spirits", but there's quite a bit of debate there.