Ogre
Ogres are large, powerful beings with incredible strength but slow minds. They often come off as dumb, and in the short term they are. Barely smarter than a beast, ogres make up for their dull minds with the strength of a giant. They often wander alone or in small family groups, looking for food to eat. They aren’t picky either, eating plants, animals, people, really anything or anyone they can get their hands on. This makes them valuable minions to more powerful monsters: big dumb brutes who will do whatever you want for food.
When they set their mind to something though, an incredible shift happens. When focusing on a task for extended periods of time, they seem to build up cognitive momentum. This snowball effect can lead to them becoming as smart if not smarter than most humanoids while they concentrate. Some ogres can learn to use magic in this way, becoming powerful mages. Ogres who can retain this state of intelligence are called the Pattari, or “smart ones” in the ogre tongue. It is a rare gift for ogres, but this increased intelligence makes them respected and looked up to by their peers. These Pattari lead ogre society, which while rare is a terrifying force when they gather in larger numbers. These ogre towns usually only last as long as the Pattari leading them, with the ogres wandering off once there is no unifying force holding them together.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Ogres have large humanoid bodies, but with feet akin to those of a rhino or an elephant. Their skin is also similar to these animals, being thick and leathery to the touch. The average ogre stands around 10-15 feet tall, and is heavily muscled. They also have large orc like tusks growing out of their lower jaw, though they seem to have no relation to orcs.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
While they are sapient, ogres are well known for their stupidity. Most of them see little need for intellect or cunning. Who needs smarts when you're a giant boulder chucking hulk? Just smash whatever gets in your way, and if that doesn't work: hit harder. All of them do have a special power however. When focusing, they build up cognitive momentum and can become smarter, with the smartest reaching human levels of intelligence. This increased cognition only lasts as long as the ogre concentrates, which they will generally only do until they achieve their goal.
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
Ogre beauty is mostly based on how strong or fat an ogre is. If an ogre is muscular, that indicates great strength which other ogres find attractive. An overweight ogre shows that the ogre can both get and eat a lot of food, which is very desirable for a partner.
Average Technological Level
On their own, ogre society is roughly in the stone age in terms of technological progression. Some pattari have unlocked the ability to use basic smelting but this crude forging is rare and most ogres are content to hit their enemies with big rocks instead of going through all the effort to hit them with shiny metal rocks. Their strength and size makes throwing boulders and swinging logs plenty effective, which combined with their low intelligence has limited their progression. They are capable of using more elaborate tools though, especially with coaching. Some have even taught ogres to use ogre sized crossbows to turn them into walking ballista. These must be supplied by outside forces but ogres given more advanced tool can put them to excellent use with their massive strength.
Common Myths and Legends
Ogres worships a god called Gorog, who is a cross between hercules and an old American folktale figure. Most of his myths involve Gorog having a problem, then solving the problem with liberal application of extreme force. Gorog's adventures are a beloved part of their storytelling tradition, with ogres making up new stories as a pastime. There is very little canon in these myths, allowing anyone to add to it. Gorog beating a dragon to death with another dragon, Gorog accidentally releasing an ancient evil only to break it in half with his bare hands, Gorog eating an entire castle of elves including the stone, anything that portrays him as extremely powerful. These grand deeds serve as inspirations to the ogres, who hope to be as well fed and powerful as Gorog.
Ogres solve all their problems with brute force, and favor rocks and crude clubs as weapons. This leads to most ogres being strong and muscular, with even a wimpy ogre able to snap a human in half.
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