Ogre
The Imperial Ogres of Amroth have forged an elegant, well ordered civilization, though one founded on war. One of the guiding principles of Ogre culture is the saying "The difference between a civilized man and a savage is the elegance with which he wages war". This maxim is embodied in most aspects of Ogre culture, from the finely crafted campaign furniture found in officer's tents or decorative engravings on their armor, to the well maintained supply lines and freshly prepared campaign rations.
Ogre Warriors and Ogre Magi:
Ogre Warriors make up the general populace of the Ogre civilization. A small percentage of children are born with blue skin. This variation notes the potential for enhanced magical aptitude of Celestial magic. This rare breed are known as Ogre Magi. The Magi are taken from all walks of life, any child born blue is taken into the Imperial Academy of the Stars almost as soon as they can walk, their parents guaranteed a comfortable stipend for as long as their child succeeds. All Magi are treated as both representatives and property of the Crown, a distinction which usually grants them a wide berth in crowds. While they may tend to lord over their yellow cousins, this is generally regarded as the way things should be, as their understanding of the cosmos far surpasses that of their more earthly brethren. They are generally allowed to do as they please.
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Ancestries
Ogre
Warriors make up the general populace of the Ogre civilization.
Costuming & Makeup
Amrothi Ogres prefer to dress in a refined, elegant, or militaristic look.
Requirements:
Must have yellow skin that can be highlighted with complimentary colors like brown or orange - all exposed skin must be covered in this way.
Must wear tusks at all times. (Unless eating, of course!) Tusks are usually made from “friendly plastic” and must be at least 1” long.
Advantages
+10 Max Body.
+2 Strength.
May purchase any weapon skill at -2 build, minimum of 1 build point.
+1 body gained for each purchase of the Fortify skill*
* Example: If your character is a warrior, instead of getting +3 Body for each fortify skill purchased, you would receive +4 body.
Disadvantages
May never learn Read Magic
Ogre Magi
A small percentage of ogre children are born with blue skin. This variation notes the potential for enhanced magical aptitude of Celestial magic. This rare breed are known as Ogre Magi. The Magi are taken from all walks of life, any child born blue is taken into the Imperial Academy of the Stars almost as soon as they can walk, their parents guaranteed a comfortable stipend for as long as their child succeeds. All Magi are treated as both representatives and property of the Crown, a distinction which usually grants them a wide berth in crowds. While they may tend to lord over their yellow cousins, this is generally regarded as the way things should be, as their understanding of the cosmos far surpasses that of their more earthly brethren. They are generally allowed to do as they please.
Costuming & Makeup
If anything, Ogre Magi tend to dress even more ornately than Ogres. Gemstones, jewels, and layered colorful robes all serve to announce their status and value to Ogre society.
Requirements:
Must have blue makeup on all exposed skin.
Must wear tusks at all times. (Unless eating, of course!) Tusks are usually made from “friendly plastic” and must be at least 1” long.
Advantages
+10 Max Body.
+1 Strength.
May specialize Celestial column at character creation
Read/Write is free.
May learn Read Magic at ½ cost.
Disadvantages
May never learn Earth Magic
Location
Susa:
The military capital of the Empire (not to be confused with Semerkhant, the Imperial capital and location of the Royal Palace). All the best training facilities and the barracks of the Immortals regiments are found here. This grey walled city is austere and full of purpose, the people here all attached to the military in some way. The city is kept fastidiously clean, and everything here seems to run on a well maintained clockwork like schedule. The best weapons and armor in the Empire are found here, and the Empire, unlike anyone except the Eunsurian and Dwarves, have long mastered the skills required to produce fine steel weaponry. Their designs are usually as decorative as they are functional, a far cry from the utilitarianism of Dwarven design.
Legends & Folklore
Immortals:
The highest positions any Ogre can rise to are those of Immortal. The Immortals are the most elite of special forces. Recruited from the best of the best, then further trained, they sacrifice their personal identity and ambition when they are given the mask and become pure instruments of Her Majesty's will.
Culture
The Eternal Empress rules over all of the Ogre Empire. The most worthy daughter of the Empress is always chosen as the successor to the throne. The Counsel of Viziers, a hand picked group of loyal aristocrats, manages the logistics of running such a vast empire. Their hated enemies, the Dwarves, retain the more fertile lands despite the constant wars over land and resources. This scarcity of natural abundance has led the Ogres to find other ways to support their people. The best way found was the use of the Ogre people as mercenaries. They buy food and supplies for their people with the lives of their young warriors. The Ogre companies are known Amroth-wide as the best money can buy. Any Ogre would rather face death and dishonor twice over than to break a contract which they have entered into. This devotion to duty, keeping their word, and attention to detail is probably why Ogre society functions as a pure meritocracy. There are no inherited ranks, no nobility of birth save the direct family of Her Eternal Majesty. The Ogres have managed to keep their violent tendencies in check through a very well-ordered military society. All Ogres perform mandatory military service in the mercenary companies or regular military. Even those whose tendencies are more towards the scholastic serve as record keepers.
Daily Life
The two things Ogres hold most important are their adherence to their word, or contracts, and their allegiance to the Empire and Empress. Most Ogres view her rule as the only thing lifting them from savagery, the only thing protecting them from the Dwarves, and the bright light of their society. Very rare indeed would be the Ogre who would ever think to turn traitor, or put their own good before that of the Empire.
Raised with a strong emphasis on loyalty and duty, the Amroth Ogre is the warrior perfected, knowing their sacrifice in battle is what protects and feeds their people back home. They find pride in exceptional service, and have little patience for weakness in others. This leads very often to contests of strength, prowess, and cunning among shield brothers, and a constant jockeying for rank, with each striving to prove that their elevation better serves the Empire than that of another, weaker, shield sibling.