Post by Deleted on May 1, 2004 9:56:26 GMT -5
According to the elven Carpá'dosían myth Ogres were among the races which came to life after the four main races sprang from the four elements. Thus the Ogres were also born through the Rain of Life which fell on Caelereth, bearing the spirit of the High Goddess, Avá the Beautiful. However, this of course is only the elven point of view. If the rather primitive culture of the Ogres is capable of religious beliefs is a different question, which still remains unanswered yet.
The Ogres are one of the minor races of Caelereth, but nevertheless one which won't be forgotten so easily when encountered. As they are possibly one of the most violent and strongest races they can be a match even for a whole bunch of experienced adventurers.
Ogres are about two to three peds high with very broad shoulders and long, muscular arms. Their skin varies from gray to light brown depending on the territory. On Cyhalloi this species can be seen often with paler skin of nearly yellowish color as well. Their heavy skull supports the muscles of a strong jaw that hosts a row of long, sharp teeth, capable of biting a junk of flesh and bones out of their prey. With their long arms Ogres can still walk on two feet like humans, however, whenever running or hunting they can be seen on all fours, then exceeding even the speed of a fast horse on short distances through the forest.
They do not really wear cloth but only decorate their body with signs of their strength and skill. Skulls and ears from fallen enemies, hides from prey and other insignias are signs of an old and experienced Ogre. Normally they also cover their skin in mud to protect it against parasites and claim the dominance over a certain territory. They favour red clay to color themselves in a bright and recognizable color. When attacked or surprising someone Ogres often use clubs or huge bones as weapons which widen the range of their already deadly strength.
Ogres usually live approx. 40 to 60 years. Most of them are living in the wild regions of Northern Sarvonia though you can even encounter them in the wilderness of Santharia as well. They are very greedy for food and feast on meat from any animal or beast or other races' members they can hunt down. Cannibalism among Ogres has also been spotted. Ogres live alone and always seek out a certain territory they claim for themselves. Anything found within these borders is seen as a possible prey and hunted to satisfy the great hunger of these creatures.
At very rare occasions - usually in times of food shortages - Ogres have been seen to rot together and totally abandon their isolationistic territorial behaviour. This suggests that the Ogres have at least a basic way of communication with each other as this totally contradicts their usual behaviour when encountering someone within their own territory. Obviously called by howls they meet at certain neutral spots at the borders between different territories. Up to ten Ogres might then join each other and look for new hunting grounds. Time is precious then as they can only prevent attacking each other by finding sufficient food sources to satisfy everyone's hunger. These are the dreaded occurences when Ogres attack human or elven settlements in the midst of winter to appease their hunger with human or elven flesh and their cattle.
The mating time is usually late summer or early autumn, the birth of the offspring being in spring or summer of the following year. Ogres might get pregnant every three to four years as it takes so much time for a young Ogre to grow up.
When at heat female Ogres extract an odor and leave a scent on her usual hunting tracks that invite male Ogres from bordering territories to enter her realm. The fights for the females have never been spotted but they must be short and violent. Judging from the evidence which has been found the underdogs suffer from brutal bone fractures and wounds when they survive the fight at all.
After the mating the male and the female stay together for about three years till their offspring is grown-up. Ogres usually only have one offspring. While the female seeks a safe hideout, a cave or a secure crack in a valley to breed the offspring the male hunts to aquire enough food for both of them. During this time are one of the rare coincidences when adventurers can run into the great misfortune of facing two to three Ogres at a time in the wilderness. When the offspring is grown up the female drives the male out of her territory out of fear the male could see its child as a new concurrent. The male then has to conquer a new territory as its old one usually has been taken by other Ogres and so only the strongest Ogres get older than the age of 30.