History

There is no known recorded history of Ogres. They have simply been for as long as anyone can remember.

Geography

Ogre tend to live wherever they please, and can be found throughout Arthos. A few notable tribes do exist.

The Kraja Ogre

Situated far to the east of the Bakura mountains is an uncharted island that is commonly referred to as the Badlands by the various fishermen and seafaring folk who have seen it. It is said to be the homeland of a strange group of Ogres referred to as the Kraja. It is unclear whether ‘Kraja’ is the name of the tribe of Ogres, or their word for the island on which they live. The few Ogres that have been seen on the mainland speak without the usual Ogrish accent and wear mostly hide and bone, but are otherwise identical to their brethren. Being situated near the Spine Islands, the Kraja are said to have a great fear of the Orange Dragon, Ahriman. His roars are seen as a destructive and frightening force.

The Kraja Ogre are more passive and laid back compared to mainland Ogre. They enjoy maintaining a general state of relaxation on their island home, focusing on survival rather than the usual brutish tendencies of Ogres. The island houses several tiny tribes of Orcs as well, and the two people seem to coexist peacefully enough for Goblinoids.

The Gigas Fist

A war-like band of Orcs and Ogres currently led by Ogrish Chieftain Mammoth Tuskmonger. Once a heavy hitting force contracted by Clan Sprawn to raid villages for the war effort against Berphaunt, they broke off after Sprawn’s genocide and now roam the south eastern side of the continent. The few Ogres who are part of the Gigas Fist are known for tattoos they bear on their faces of a fist breaking a boulder, and the teeth of other races hanging from rings around their protruding tusks. Violent by nature, they are concerned with the conquest and amalgamation of all Goblinoid communities they come across.

The Semiotic Weavers

Also known as the ‘Big Thinkers’ to other Goblinoids of less intelligent clans. This tribe is a small group of intelligent Ogrish magi and Shamans capable of casting extremely powerful ritual magic. It is not known where they studied, nor how they managed to learn to cast rituals in the first place. They are led by Many-Eyes Sky-Talker, a blind Mystic Druid who is said to see through the eyes of all around him. Whatever the case, they seem to desire recognition for their magical craft, and have been contacting various Magi across the continent.

The Rimecallers

In the frigid wastes outside Jormunger a band of Ogrish hunters roam. They dress in heavy furs and winter wolf-skin pelts, toting the banner of Sybil, Goddess of the Hunt. Known for attacking during blizzards with their sizable horde of trained wolves, they are in constant conflict with Ice Elven hunting parties. Their leader is Rimeboss Yrtin Stormsson, a large blue-eyed Ogre, with half his face noticeably frost bitten. Once a Chosen of Dunarthos, Yrtin now bears the mantle of one of Sybil’s more violent Paladins. He occupies his time with a continuous campaign around the edges of both Einish and Ice Elven territory, submitting all who trespass upon his self-proclaimed domain to the great hunt.

The Horde of the Moon Tusk

Possessing no clear Chieftain, a band of five Ogres and several Goblins have fortified themselves in an abandoned silver mine as recent as year 2256. Each Ogre seemingly related to the next by blood, the Goblin purport that they are a family of Therianthrope killers, seeking the mines near Gerdain as a base of operations. Dwarven miners passing by previously abandoned cavern noticed strange new fortifications. Wooden spikes dipped in quicksilver were driven into the ground facing outwards, various silver dagger wielding Goblins lined the entrance, and what looked to be a very crude silver-gilded door was being put up by a few Ogres. Each member was dressed in grey rags with a tusked full moon emblazoned somewhere upon it. While the Gerdainian government is aware of the new residents of the mine, they see no immediate harm in the Horde’s presence. Most Gerdainian miners see the Horde as a joke, their ‘Were-creature hunting’ a popular topic amongst the working class. The Horde has yet to slay a single Therian on record.

Culture

Religion

Ogres will tend to band together with whatever religion brings them the most power, in the quickest manner. For many, Baaagh the Bloodletter is a common favourite, since an Ogre’s natural strength and fortitude lends itself well to the tides of battle. This is usually only practiced by Ogres within a clan of Orcs or other Greenskins. Ogres are not inherently religious, and have been known to make deals with Demonic creatures in an attempt to fuel their need for power in the shortest amount of time possible.

Breeding and Children

Ogres do not take spouses. The average Ogre will mate once in its life, and mate selection is based entirely upon the strength of the opposite sex. While Ogres can physically procreate with all members of the Goblinoid family, their disposition is toward other Ogres or Orcs. An Ogre child takes 6 months to develop from conception to birth. Many Ogre mothers do not survive the birthing process, because they will typically give birth to five or six baby Ogres. An Ogre female who has managed more than one pregnancy in her lifetime is revered in her community.

Reading, Writing, and Magic

Ogres are by no means quick thinking beings, but they are not incapable of a higher level of intellectual thought. While the concept of reading and writing, as well as the artistry of magic, is not beyond their comprehension, an Ogre is unlikely to sustain the patience to learn either of these things. It is uncommon – but not impossible. Ogrish magi do turn up every once and awhile. With their natural physical strength bolstering their tiny magical aptitude with formidable stamina, Ogrish magi can be a frightening force. Ogres can have bouts of wily genius, especially when up against a test of strength or ability. Most problems they cannot outwit, they will definitively ‘out-smash’. Several clans of Orcs have owed their victories in battle to an Ogrish Warlord’s simplistic but strangely effective stratagem.

The Rampage

Rarely, Ogres who are nearing the end of their lives can enter a state of mind known to the Greenskins as the Rampage. Between the ages of 10 and 12, an elder Ogre will begin to quickly lose its long term memory. This is shortly followed by slurred speech, escalating to an eventual inability to speak or understand coherent language at all. The mind of the Ogre begins to swiftly degrade until most are left consumed by primal emotion. An Ogre in its Rampage will be driven by the needs of an animal, while retaining its strength and aggression without any of its higher cognitive processes. These unusual Ogres are those that are found wandering the various lands of the world, grunting and roaring at those unfortunate enough to cross their path. While not completely feral, the Ogre obtains a heavily exaggerated form of senility.

Ogres who begin to show signs of the Rampage are removed from whatever small society they belong to, for the safety of others. In some clans, these old and grizzled Ogres are sent into the front lines of battle to cause as much destruction as they can while they still draw breath.

Two-Headed Ogre

While inconclusive, stories of Ogres being born with two heads circulate bars and taverns across Arthos. Surprisingly, both minds seem to function in tandem, and arguments between the two are mainly over who gets to eat or break something first. While immensely strong, a two-headed Ogre is said to succumb to madness, or the Rampage, swiftly. Most do not reportedly live past the age of 5.

Politics

Ogres do not have a military force of their own, and instead fill the ranks of Orcish or Goblin armies. Few Ogres have issue with the inner workings of the various clans, and they tend to go with the flow of leadership. The few disputes over territorial claim that do happen can be bloody. Ogrish Chieftains or Warlords are often contested for their position by Orcs, whose fighting spirit and urge to challenge authority compels them to duel for rank. Especially if the Ogre leads a group of Orcs, other members will constantly accost their Ogre Warchief to test his might as a leader.

Common Personalities & Views

Ogres mature incredibly quickly. Their brief lifespans mean they are generally uninvolved in the grander workings of the world, the divine, and the more long-standing political figures and movements. To an Ogre, the focus is on the present: what can be accomplished now, and how it will improve their situation.

Ogres live where they please and are generally nomadic in nature. While they tend to band together with other ‘Greenskins’ such as Orcs, Goblins, and Kobolds, they rarely stay among others without a reason or common goal. This can include access to food, wealth, or power. An Ogre will focus on improving all areas of its life that it can, and anything that can assist in that endeavour is a welcome addition. On the other hand, Ogres will throw away what is not of use to them, in both a literal and figurative sense.

Views on Other Races

Ogres have few moral dilemmas, and as such have little actual hatred for the other races of the world. This also means they do not favor any of the other races. While at first glance it may seem that the Ogre feels a kinship with other members of the Goblinoid family, this relationship is based almost entirely around necessity. An Ogre would be fine among other racial communities, if racism and general dislike were not a factor. So long as an Ogre is left to its own devices, it will generally disregard the concept of civilized laws, unless it is made clear that the penalty for breaking them is severe enough to cause premature death. This is especially true for young Ogre who, while accepting their short lifespan, also want to live each year the world has given them to the fullest. It is also not unheard of for Ogres to be hired to do general labor, although they are almost always treated as slaves or degenerates.

Goblins: “Too crafty for their own good, but crafty nonetheless.”

Hoblings: “Too weak. Very tiny.”

Humans: “Pinkies worry too much. Tiny.”

Kobolds: “Good for a snack. Mostly bad luck.”

Orcs: “Violent and angry, but a strength we can respect.”

Roleplaying Tips

Ogres find ways to care about things, but never sweat the small stuff. They are proud of their natural strength, and shouldn’t hide it. Ogres, while not stupid, shouldn’t be played with a ton of intelligence. Rather, utilize wit when it comes to problem solving, and often look deep in almost strained thought when doing so. Their minds move slowly at times, so higher concepts such as magic, alchemy, and even reading and writing should be a chore, but not impossible. Deep bellows in combat, for Ogre characters who are fighting oriented, are a great way to get into character as such a large and lumbering being.