It was only when the Voidgates to their realm suddenly stopped working that the Ogres came to realise that something terrible had happened: the Shadow Stalkers had come to Tyria. Soon, Shadow Stalkers poured through every gate which the Ogre Shamans had created, destroying their cities. With Shadow Stalkers lurking in every corner of their land, most Ogres abandoned their old homes. The Shadow Stalkers continued to hunt them, seeking to kill the Ogre Shamans to reopen the Voidgates.
Now the Ogres have come to eastern Tyria in search of a new home. Some Ogres have come as conquerors, carving out petty Kingdoms by attacking the remote western territories of the Empire and its neighbours. Others travel further as traders and mercenaries, selling wares, spells and services in hopes of building a new life.
How will you restore the lost prosperity of your people?
History
The Old Kingdoms
The Ogres come from a land to the west of Tyria. They founded several kingdoms there which came to dominate their native region. In Tyria, it was a land shrouded in myth and rumour, as the Ogre traders carried great wealth and showed little interest in Tyrian trinkets. It was said by some that the Ogre’s most powerful Kingdom, ruled from the Golden City, surpassed the Empire in terms of wealth.
The Realm of Gates
Voidgates were the secret to their prosperity. Many of these Gates predated the Ogres, but eventually some of the Ogres Shamans learned to control and even create their own Voidgates. With the Shaman’s powers, Ogres were able to travel anywhere in their realms in an instant.
Greed
This organisation allowed their people to live luxuriously, as even the most distant treasures of Tyria could be gathered in a moment. Soon, the Shamans looked beyond their homeland into the wealth of other Planes with Kings sending traders and armies to seek out treasures unattainable on Tyria. As Ogres grew more dependent on the Voidgates, they chose to ignore the warning signs of the impending disaster.
Cracks in the Gate
Individual traders and even small caravans began to disappear as they went through the gate, never arriving at their destination. As larger groups were targeted, survivors began to arrive. They spoke of cruel beings who hunted them through the void, but their stories were dismissed as hallucinations or anomalies.
Disaster
It was only when the Voidgates to the Golden City suddenly stopped working that the Ogres came to realise that something terrible had happened. The Shadow Stalkers had come to Tyria, and soon began to pour through every Gate which the Ogre Shamans had created.
A Hunted People
With Shadow Stalkers lurking in every corner of the Old Kingdoms, most Ogres abandoned their old homes. The Shadow Stalkers continued to hunt them, seeking to kill the Ogre Shamans to reopen the Voidgates.
A New Home
The Ogres have come to eastern Tyria in search of a new home. Here, they have found an unlikely friendship with some of the Goblin tribes who appreciate their protection against the Orcs. Some Ogres have come as conquerors, carving out petty kingdoms by attacking the remote western territories of the Empire and its neighbours. Others travel further as traders and mercenaries, selling wares and services in hopes of building a new life.
Society
Fleeing the Stalkers, the Ogres left behind the ruins of their cities and headed east. Their past grandeur is long gone. Some groups are fighting to establish petty kingdoms in the weakened western reaches of the Empire, while others have turned to a life of travel, working as mercenaries and traders.
A New Home
Ogres who have chosen to settle down somewhere tend to carve their towns and forts directly into stone cliffs where possible, emulating their fallen cities. Their strength allows them to carve stone better and faster than smaller species, and their craftsmen compete with each other to create the most ornate columns and the highest arches. Whenever they conquer territories, Ogres tend to let the indigenous population govern themselves as long as tributes are paid, and they will fight tooth and nail to protect their subjects. Many find this a decent situation, even though the Ogres do not share power and are merciless towards rebels.
Travellers
Nomadic Ogres are also common. Some of them have sworn never to settle down until they can repossess their fallen kingdoms, while others have simply adopted this life as their new identity. Ogre caravans are sought after for their strong, well-trained soldiers, but also for their shamans’ esoteric knowledge and their expertise as appraisers of gems and precious metal. They are known to specialise in rare artefacts and curiosities, and their knowledge of Voidgates allows them to find goods that others can’t.
Shamans
Ogre Shamans still exist, although they have lost a large amount of their knowledge since the fall of their people. They have retained much of their knowledge on Voidgates and often act as guides for their caravans and armies. They have an uncanny ability to track down hidden, derelict Voidgates and restore them. They are very careful not to attract Shadow Stalkers while doing so, not just out of responsibility, but because the Stalkers are actively tracking them in order to exact their revenge.
Signs of Station
Their society may have collapsed, but Ogres still take great pride in their appearance. They left their cities with as much riches as they could carry, and to this day an Ogre’s status is directly reflected in the refinement and luxury of their outfit and jewellery. In the regions they roam, there are many jokes on the theme of an Ogre starving to death while wearing diamond rings. They are both mocked and admired for maintaining an aristocratic attitude no matter how dire their circumstances get.
Djin’hai, Loyal Underlings
From as far back as their history goes, Ogres have always coexisted with smaller humanoid species. Most Ogre communities are filled with little cobra, lizard or pangolin-men, milling about all around their hulking masters. They are collectively called Djin’hai, the Little Ones. Djin’hai act as servants, assistants and squires, but those who show the right skills can rise through the ranks. The most respected of these little creatures are the master craftsmen, using their tiny hands to produce fine jewellery and embroidery, as well as the scribes and scholars who work for a shaman. Individuals from other species have occasionally taken up the work of a Djin’hai, such as Chameleons, Ratmen, or Halflings, although this is relatively rare. It’s often poorer groups who originally couldn’t afford to feed servants, or those whose original population was wiped out during a conflict.
Diplomacy
Ogres might fight other Ogres for any reason: many of the lost Ogre cities were enemies, and they still carry this legacy with them. They will ally with anyone for profit or because of an honour debt, but many Ogres remain wary of Shadow Stalkers and would only ally with them in desperate or exceptional circumstances - although some groups don’t care as long as they get something out of it.
