Brainstorming an "Ogre Magi" race

[Davion Fuxa]

Might be worth putting up a poll then. Maybe with options like:

Lorebit A
Lorebit B
Lorebit C

---

Str/Cun Race
Str/Mag Race

[Lubaf]

How's this?

Loremaster Greynot's Analysis of the Races - Chapter X - Ogres

Possibly the humanoid race with the most unusual appearance--tall, blue skinned, with many patches of white fur--Ogres are also among the least populous of all the Civilized Races.

Their rarity owes at least something due to their sheer size; standing at about 7 and a half feet tall on average, the Ogres are the largest Civilized race, weighing at least twice as much as any other civilized race, and, as a result, eat commensurately--as a result of their immense appetites, the Ogres attempt to keep their numbers under control to prevent starvation.

The Ogres are a somewhat mysterious race in origins, due in part to the fact that the first known records of them are discussions of their (eventually successful) attempts to gain refuge in Shalore during the Age of Allure (and fewer then 400 existed at that time). No further population has ever been found that does not trace back to the "refugees of Shalore".

Of the Ogrish character, some common misconceptions are worth dispelling; yes, they are somewhat clumsy, although that is due to their sheer size, and yes they have a great deal of magical talent that frequently goes to waste because of their distractable natures, but their distractability has more to do with their keen senses then with any innate flaw in their character. Yes, they are highly likely to be found as wandering traders and mercenaries outside of Shalore, but this is not due to any greed in their natures; it is merely because their great appetites and few numbers mean that any Ogres who leave Shalore are either doing so to support their families, or for sheer wanderlust, and both professions grant them the greatest opportunities for either gold or travel.

Is this missing anything? (Their origins, if anybody cares to explain them, can be gone into in a different piece of lore--and, yes, I do have a separate explanation in mind for the Ogres of the East.)

Thanks
Luc "Textdump" French

[Davion Fuxa]

I think that sounds sort of fine, though the third paragraph can get altered as necessarily depending on what their final lore sort of revolves around being - for example, we might put in a tidbit like -

No further population has ever been found that does not trace back to the "refugees of Shalore", however, evidence exists that Halfling Kingdoms and Shaloran Elves have interacted with Ogres in spite of their lack of 'existing'.

[Lubaf]

I promised DarkGod I would go through and find any bit of lore that would require mention of Ogres. The only bits I could find can be patched by another bit of Lore:

Upon the Treatment of Ogres by the Shaloren
By The Ambassador To Elvala For the Thalorean Elves

I have been asked to describe the treatment of Ogres in their adopted home country by certain individuals, both in my home city, and in Last Hope; I have thus decided to have this published publicly in both places.

The first thing I am frequently asked about Ogres is upon the acquired Shalorean immortality, and the Ogrish lack thereof. The main reason I believe Ogres lack said immortality has nothing to do with any decision on Aranion Gawaeil, nor for that matter any elf whatsoever. The answer instead lies in Ogrish biology, and Ogrish culture.

Ogres seem to naturally store magic close to their skin, as part of a well-known defense mechanism; the immortality of Aranion Gawaeil requires a small seed of magic be implanted in the heart; experiments were apparently conducted (with volunteers, reportedly), but the process failed, due to the seed of magic migrating to the skin.

In both explaining their lack of immortality, and the rest of their treatment by the Shalore, I must emphasize that Ogrish culture is highly insular, and that most Ogres hold to certain strictures very closely. One of these strictures is that to modify a living being on a fundamental level is an immoral thing to do. To answer the obvious question, healers are considered an exception, as they seek to restore the being to its optimal natural state, not change its natural state into something else entirely.

As to Ogres day to day treatment, Ogres are, it is true, not considered full citizens of the nation of Shalore, but I have yet to hear of any official mistreatment due to that. I suspect this is because Ogres, as a people, are considered an extremely valuable resource by the Shalore; the Ogrish people are responsible for producing much of the food found in Elvala...

[At this point, the booklet veers off into discussions of current and historical Shalorean and Ogrish politics. Other then a mention that well into the dawn of the Age of Pyre, the Ogres were insistent that they not be mentioned in any documents that would be read outside of Elvala, you find nothing of interest. The reasons for this insistence upon secrecy are unknown.]

(The well-known defense mechanism refers to two of their racial abilities.)

Any objections?

Thanks
Luc "Unlored" French