19 Mar 2012
Hi guys, so I have been a lurker for a while now. Collecting ogres since they first came out (with a few year gap mixed in due to real life). So, the idea for my army is that this would be my Magnum opus army (having collected many armies but mainly OnG for over 15 years). I plan to make each model a bit like its own character with each being named and having a breif background. So far I have a good portions of my army fluff done (still have some refining and a few more topics to cover).
If you like indepth fluff this is for you, everyone else: you have been warned!
Feed back is welcome!
Morpheus
The Ogre Tribe of Zulu
On Ogres and the Great Migration
Many centuries ago, ogres lived on the sweeping grasslands bordering the ancient civilization of Cathay. It was here where they developed their nomadic tendencies as they would follow the migrations of the native gnubeast herds. Life for the ogre tribes was easy with plentiful food supplies and plenty of room in which to roam. This all changed with the coming of the Great Maw. The destruction caused by the meteor was widespread and complete, wiping out a majority of the ogre tribes on the plains. Brush fires burned for weeks turning what was once a utopia into a barren, hellish wasteland.
As could be expected a great hunger began to gnaw within the remaining ogre population as food resources quickly dried up. Soon the tribes began to travel further and further abroad in search for new lands to inhabit. Most of the tribes made their way into the mountains of Mourn, living on the grassy slopes. Some continued westward in search of new grasslands, these tribes dwindled down into smaller family units which are now commonly seen hired as mercenary units by lords in the empire of man. Not accustomed to the cold, wet mountain climate, one tribe made its way south and west in search of warmer lands.
On the Zulu
Naming of a Tribe
The Zulu Tribe roughly translates as the Burned Ogre Tribe. The name originates from the dialect known among imperial scholars as Bantu. Zulus route word Zol or sun which becomes Zul or burn and u which directly translates into you. In this dialect u refers to anyone who is not the speaker as there are no words to differentiate ogre from man, elf, dwarf etc. It is believed that this is because during the evolution of the language these ogres had never met another type of sentient being. However, the Zulu later compensated for this in the way that they pronounced the u. A slight change in tone or length, hardly perceptible to one untrained in Zulu linguistics, could change the meaning from respect to indifference to outright distain and aggression.
Making its way through the mountains of Mourn the ogres of the Zulu found themselves greeted with a mixture of respect and unease from other tribes. The dark skin of the Zulu unsettled other ogres as it appeared to be a sign that they were chosen by the Maw itself. Ogre legend says that the dark skin of the Zulu was brought about by the Maw burning the skin of the Zulu. It was thought that this tribe must be truly tough if even the Maw couldnt consume them.
As the Zulu made their way through the territories of other mountain tribes they used this unease to keep their own provisions stocked. Many tribes, afraid to invoke the fury of the Maw, would feed the Zulu and encourage them to move along as fast as possible.
Beyond Mourn
The Zulu wandered the lands for years before finding new savannah-like grass lands to the east of Araby. Here they once again had the wide open lands to live off of, following the migrations of the wild gruffalo and herds of thundertusk.
The Strength of an Ogre
Similar to other ogres the Zulu believe that might makes right. They have, however, developed a slightly more complex version of this belief with the addition of the ikhandadida or head puzzle. This is a hierarchy of strengths by which all ogres are judged:
(charts and diagrams dont transfer well into here....)
During initiation rites an ogre must prove his strength in each of these through a series of tests.
Ingqondumandla: at the age of about 8-9 years an ogre is already beginning to reach full maturity. As such the whelps are prepared to be initiated into adulthood. The first stage of testing is the testing of the strength of mind, the lowest level of the ikhandadida. Three tests are placed on the young whelp, first they are given a spined grasshog which they must find a way to eat without getting stuck by the barbed quills which cover its body as these barbs can work their way through the stomach lining of an ogres stomach and cause slow, painful death.
Next, the young whelp is sent out in search of eggs from the nest of the Great Ostrich a huge and vicious bird like creature which inhabits the plains. The challenge here is for the whelp to make it all the way back to the tribe without having eaten the eggs first, often this means that it will have first eaten the bird to tide him over!
Finally, the whelp must track a herd of the gruffalo in the expansive savannah grasslands. Upon finding a suitable herd he must find a way to separate a male pup from the mother.
Umzimbamandla: the first feat of strength that the whelp must pass ties directly into the final mind test. Having had separated a young male gruffalo the ogre must tackle and mount the beast. It will then be brought back to the tribe and depending on its temperament, either trained for war or eaten.
The next test for the whelp is to carry the tribal Maw Stone (a monolithic stone obelisk that represents a tooth of the great Maw. This stone must be present before any of the great feasts begin, as can be imagined this puts a great amount of pressure on the whelp to perform.
Isisumandla: finally, having completed all of the tasks set before him and brought the Maw Stone to the great feast the whelp is given one final test. The whelp is given a special dish at the feast which he must consume completely. Usually this meal is a sickening concoction of everything from bile to troll guts, all stuffed within the skin of a large male boar. If the whelp is not killed by the vile meal (or the ensuing flatulence) he is officially welcomed as one of the bulls.
On Hair and Scarification
Umyeko are the long dreadlocks which the Zulu grow. Up until a whelp becomes a bull they are completely bald. After completing all of their coming of age tests the first signs of hair begins to come in. It is not fully understood what causes this hair growth but it is believed to be a spike in testosterone levels during important events in the bulls life that trigger the growth of a dread. It is for this reason that a new dread grows in after slaying particularly large beasts or eating an especially obscene amount. An ogre with a full head of dreadlocks is truly a terrifying sight to behold.
After completing their coming of age tests the Ogres go through the Upwahu ceremony. During this ceremony the young bull ogre begins a series of markings on their body using a large blade. The result is permanent scars which the ogre will expand on as they complete feats of strength or stomach. This becomes a very open way in which one ogre can display their toughness to others in the tribe.
On Food and Religion
The umpheki are the tribal cooks, also acting as the shaman and religious leaders for the tribe. Marked from birth by a pasty skin tone they are taken from their family unit to be raised to learn the arts of both food and role of medicine men. These child anomalies family ties are completely erased as the infant is believe to be a child of the Maw. This strange group keep mostly to themselves (which the readily encouraged by the rest of the tribe), only interacting with others during feasts. They follow the ikhandadida with one exception; they see the isisumandla and ingqondumandla as being one and the same. They believe that all thought and wisdom originates within the stomach and to feed the stomach feeds the mind, thus in order to understand and use gut magic one must eat both in variety and quantity.
Within the umpheki there is a somewhat structured path that each umpheki could take in their rank (diagramed below). Young pups that have been taken into the ranks of the umpheki are, depending on aptitudes and tribal needs, placed into one of three devotions.
The Inyamadla (animal-eaters) study the arts of preparing, cooking and eating animals and meats. They learn not only what parts taste best, but also how to harness the very life forces of the animals for their magic. This devotion is associated with the strength of body on the ikhandidida and as such umpheki who excel at the test of the umzimbamandla are often entered into this role.
The Umfinodla (plant-eaters) name can be somewhat misleading, these ogres still eat anything, however umpheki of this devotion master the thousands of plants found on their migration. Powerful medicines and hallucinogens are derived from these plants. Associated with strength of mind, these ogres are often seen out at night watching the sky for the return of the Maw (and no doubt hopped up on very strong hallucigens).
Udla are the man/ogre-eaters. They focus on the consumption of other sentient creatures. Having excelled at the test of the strength of stomach (the most important test in an ogres coming of age), they are given the task of learning to eat intelligent creatures. While all umpheki are somewhat shied away from by the general ogre population the udla are wrapped up in their own superstitious fear. This is because when an ogre dies (either naturally or unnaturally) it is the udla who are given the task of butchering the body, and most disturbing, eating the stomach. It is for this reason that the udla become adept at the arts of death.
The three highest positions with in the umpheki are each taken by one individual ogre. These positions only change hands at the death of the one currently holding it.
The Ulaka (meaning fire or rage) is the fire maker of the tribe. They master all facets of making fires and can create flames which burn at just the right temperatures for whatever happens to need cooking at the time. This ogre moves has generally graduated from the role of plant eater, knowing what plants are best for making fires in various conditions or for specific purposes. Sometimes, an animal-eater will move to this role, having acute knowledge of how to cook meat just right.
An Unoziti (keeper) is the store master of the tribe. He is responsible for maintaining the cellars and ensures that the meat supplies are maintained. Sometimes this will require the commission of hunting parties to restock. He is also the tribes brew-master, creating a potent, vile drink known as Guz. The Unoziti also plays the role of mortician, responsible for the disposal of the final remains of an ogre into the Maw Pit. Perhaps one of the most unique things about the unoziti is his ability to write. Probably one of the only ogres able to do this, they have a crude form of letters and symbols which they use to maintain the cellars as well as keep records for the tribe. These secrets are past down from on unoziti to the next.
The leader of the umpheki is the umpetha. He is ultimately responsible for teaching the others the art of food, as well as maintaining the food supplies for the entire tribe. As such, he heads the isilaha (butchery) where all food is brought for preparation for the feasts. Perhaps his most honored duty is preparation of all of the food that the InDuna (head of the tribe) eats. Being of such importance the umpetha is only permitted to enter battle in the direst of situations and he must rely on his umpheki to harvest stores as well as to collect samples of new foods.
Unlike the tribes leader who takes big names to describe various feats of strength or stomach, an umpetha inherits a last name of sorts. When one umpetha dies it is an ulaka or unozinti who will step up to take his place. The first order of business which the new umpetha must complete is the eating of the formers stomach (thus it is believed that they inherit the knowledge and wisdom of their former master). Once this is complete they gain the full name of the one they ate. For example the current umpetha, Braggut, succeeded Undiza. Braggut is now known as Braggut Undizadla or Braggut eater of Undizadla. This pattern compounds over time as a new umpetha moves up, in the case of Braggut he actually boasts forty seven last names making him the forty eighth umpetha of the tribe. It is in this way that the ogres orally honor the wisdom and knowledge of the previous generations of umpetha.
The Family that Slays Together Feasts Together
Interestingly, when the Zulu go to battle they fight in family units led more often than not by the inhloko (head/father) of the family unit. While in more civilized lands this is out of respect for elders or tradition, in ogre society this is due to the fact that the fathers are that much bigger than the rest. The largest of the offspring are often afforded the honor of carrying the family icon, while the loudest tries to prove their family is best by hurling insults at everything in sight.
On Gnoblars
Gnoblars have a unique role in the Zulu. As with many ogre tribes, gnoblars immediately gravitated to them as a way to gain protection. The Zulu found many uses for these small creatures and began taking them as pets and back scratchers. Once a plentiful resource, the gnoblars quickly became scarcer as the tribe migrated out of the Mourn region. Soon they became prized possessions of ogres and their family units, often bred to become particularly subordinate and floppy in the ear. Each ogre would keep their gnoblar close at hand to ensure no one else tries to steal it.
An InDuna is the tribal chief. Within the tribe they are addressed as Isisu or The Stomach which is the ultimate form of respect in ogre society. InDuna status is not gained by inheritance but by proving themselves using the ikhandadida. A challenger must best the current InDuna first in feats of the mind. Next they must best the other in strength. Finally, and most importantly they must out eat their rival.
If you like indepth fluff this is for you, everyone else: you have been warned!
Feed back is welcome!
Morpheus
The Ogre Tribe of Zulu
On Ogres and the Great Migration
Many centuries ago, ogres lived on the sweeping grasslands bordering the ancient civilization of Cathay. It was here where they developed their nomadic tendencies as they would follow the migrations of the native gnubeast herds. Life for the ogre tribes was easy with plentiful food supplies and plenty of room in which to roam. This all changed with the coming of the Great Maw. The destruction caused by the meteor was widespread and complete, wiping out a majority of the ogre tribes on the plains. Brush fires burned for weeks turning what was once a utopia into a barren, hellish wasteland.
As could be expected a great hunger began to gnaw within the remaining ogre population as food resources quickly dried up. Soon the tribes began to travel further and further abroad in search for new lands to inhabit. Most of the tribes made their way into the mountains of Mourn, living on the grassy slopes. Some continued westward in search of new grasslands, these tribes dwindled down into smaller family units which are now commonly seen hired as mercenary units by lords in the empire of man. Not accustomed to the cold, wet mountain climate, one tribe made its way south and west in search of warmer lands.
On the Zulu
Naming of a Tribe
The Zulu Tribe roughly translates as the Burned Ogre Tribe. The name originates from the dialect known among imperial scholars as Bantu. Zulus route word Zol or sun which becomes Zul or burn and u which directly translates into you. In this dialect u refers to anyone who is not the speaker as there are no words to differentiate ogre from man, elf, dwarf etc. It is believed that this is because during the evolution of the language these ogres had never met another type of sentient being. However, the Zulu later compensated for this in the way that they pronounced the u. A slight change in tone or length, hardly perceptible to one untrained in Zulu linguistics, could change the meaning from respect to indifference to outright distain and aggression.
Making its way through the mountains of Mourn the ogres of the Zulu found themselves greeted with a mixture of respect and unease from other tribes. The dark skin of the Zulu unsettled other ogres as it appeared to be a sign that they were chosen by the Maw itself. Ogre legend says that the dark skin of the Zulu was brought about by the Maw burning the skin of the Zulu. It was thought that this tribe must be truly tough if even the Maw couldnt consume them.
As the Zulu made their way through the territories of other mountain tribes they used this unease to keep their own provisions stocked. Many tribes, afraid to invoke the fury of the Maw, would feed the Zulu and encourage them to move along as fast as possible.
Beyond Mourn
The Zulu wandered the lands for years before finding new savannah-like grass lands to the east of Araby. Here they once again had the wide open lands to live off of, following the migrations of the wild gruffalo and herds of thundertusk.
The Strength of an Ogre
Similar to other ogres the Zulu believe that might makes right. They have, however, developed a slightly more complex version of this belief with the addition of the ikhandadida or head puzzle. This is a hierarchy of strengths by which all ogres are judged:
(charts and diagrams dont transfer well into here....)
During initiation rites an ogre must prove his strength in each of these through a series of tests.
Ingqondumandla: at the age of about 8-9 years an ogre is already beginning to reach full maturity. As such the whelps are prepared to be initiated into adulthood. The first stage of testing is the testing of the strength of mind, the lowest level of the ikhandadida. Three tests are placed on the young whelp, first they are given a spined grasshog which they must find a way to eat without getting stuck by the barbed quills which cover its body as these barbs can work their way through the stomach lining of an ogres stomach and cause slow, painful death.
Next, the young whelp is sent out in search of eggs from the nest of the Great Ostrich a huge and vicious bird like creature which inhabits the plains. The challenge here is for the whelp to make it all the way back to the tribe without having eaten the eggs first, often this means that it will have first eaten the bird to tide him over!
Finally, the whelp must track a herd of the gruffalo in the expansive savannah grasslands. Upon finding a suitable herd he must find a way to separate a male pup from the mother.
Umzimbamandla: the first feat of strength that the whelp must pass ties directly into the final mind test. Having had separated a young male gruffalo the ogre must tackle and mount the beast. It will then be brought back to the tribe and depending on its temperament, either trained for war or eaten.
The next test for the whelp is to carry the tribal Maw Stone (a monolithic stone obelisk that represents a tooth of the great Maw. This stone must be present before any of the great feasts begin, as can be imagined this puts a great amount of pressure on the whelp to perform.
Isisumandla: finally, having completed all of the tasks set before him and brought the Maw Stone to the great feast the whelp is given one final test. The whelp is given a special dish at the feast which he must consume completely. Usually this meal is a sickening concoction of everything from bile to troll guts, all stuffed within the skin of a large male boar. If the whelp is not killed by the vile meal (or the ensuing flatulence) he is officially welcomed as one of the bulls.
On Hair and Scarification
Umyeko are the long dreadlocks which the Zulu grow. Up until a whelp becomes a bull they are completely bald. After completing all of their coming of age tests the first signs of hair begins to come in. It is not fully understood what causes this hair growth but it is believed to be a spike in testosterone levels during important events in the bulls life that trigger the growth of a dread. It is for this reason that a new dread grows in after slaying particularly large beasts or eating an especially obscene amount. An ogre with a full head of dreadlocks is truly a terrifying sight to behold.
After completing their coming of age tests the Ogres go through the Upwahu ceremony. During this ceremony the young bull ogre begins a series of markings on their body using a large blade. The result is permanent scars which the ogre will expand on as they complete feats of strength or stomach. This becomes a very open way in which one ogre can display their toughness to others in the tribe.
On Food and Religion
The umpheki are the tribal cooks, also acting as the shaman and religious leaders for the tribe. Marked from birth by a pasty skin tone they are taken from their family unit to be raised to learn the arts of both food and role of medicine men. These child anomalies family ties are completely erased as the infant is believe to be a child of the Maw. This strange group keep mostly to themselves (which the readily encouraged by the rest of the tribe), only interacting with others during feasts. They follow the ikhandadida with one exception; they see the isisumandla and ingqondumandla as being one and the same. They believe that all thought and wisdom originates within the stomach and to feed the stomach feeds the mind, thus in order to understand and use gut magic one must eat both in variety and quantity.
Within the umpheki there is a somewhat structured path that each umpheki could take in their rank (diagramed below). Young pups that have been taken into the ranks of the umpheki are, depending on aptitudes and tribal needs, placed into one of three devotions.
The Inyamadla (animal-eaters) study the arts of preparing, cooking and eating animals and meats. They learn not only what parts taste best, but also how to harness the very life forces of the animals for their magic. This devotion is associated with the strength of body on the ikhandidida and as such umpheki who excel at the test of the umzimbamandla are often entered into this role.
The Umfinodla (plant-eaters) name can be somewhat misleading, these ogres still eat anything, however umpheki of this devotion master the thousands of plants found on their migration. Powerful medicines and hallucinogens are derived from these plants. Associated with strength of mind, these ogres are often seen out at night watching the sky for the return of the Maw (and no doubt hopped up on very strong hallucigens).
Udla are the man/ogre-eaters. They focus on the consumption of other sentient creatures. Having excelled at the test of the strength of stomach (the most important test in an ogres coming of age), they are given the task of learning to eat intelligent creatures. While all umpheki are somewhat shied away from by the general ogre population the udla are wrapped up in their own superstitious fear. This is because when an ogre dies (either naturally or unnaturally) it is the udla who are given the task of butchering the body, and most disturbing, eating the stomach. It is for this reason that the udla become adept at the arts of death.
The three highest positions with in the umpheki are each taken by one individual ogre. These positions only change hands at the death of the one currently holding it.
The Ulaka (meaning fire or rage) is the fire maker of the tribe. They master all facets of making fires and can create flames which burn at just the right temperatures for whatever happens to need cooking at the time. This ogre moves has generally graduated from the role of plant eater, knowing what plants are best for making fires in various conditions or for specific purposes. Sometimes, an animal-eater will move to this role, having acute knowledge of how to cook meat just right.
An Unoziti (keeper) is the store master of the tribe. He is responsible for maintaining the cellars and ensures that the meat supplies are maintained. Sometimes this will require the commission of hunting parties to restock. He is also the tribes brew-master, creating a potent, vile drink known as Guz. The Unoziti also plays the role of mortician, responsible for the disposal of the final remains of an ogre into the Maw Pit. Perhaps one of the most unique things about the unoziti is his ability to write. Probably one of the only ogres able to do this, they have a crude form of letters and symbols which they use to maintain the cellars as well as keep records for the tribe. These secrets are past down from on unoziti to the next.
The leader of the umpheki is the umpetha. He is ultimately responsible for teaching the others the art of food, as well as maintaining the food supplies for the entire tribe. As such, he heads the isilaha (butchery) where all food is brought for preparation for the feasts. Perhaps his most honored duty is preparation of all of the food that the InDuna (head of the tribe) eats. Being of such importance the umpetha is only permitted to enter battle in the direst of situations and he must rely on his umpheki to harvest stores as well as to collect samples of new foods.
Unlike the tribes leader who takes big names to describe various feats of strength or stomach, an umpetha inherits a last name of sorts. When one umpetha dies it is an ulaka or unozinti who will step up to take his place. The first order of business which the new umpetha must complete is the eating of the formers stomach (thus it is believed that they inherit the knowledge and wisdom of their former master). Once this is complete they gain the full name of the one they ate. For example the current umpetha, Braggut, succeeded Undiza. Braggut is now known as Braggut Undizadla or Braggut eater of Undizadla. This pattern compounds over time as a new umpetha moves up, in the case of Braggut he actually boasts forty seven last names making him the forty eighth umpetha of the tribe. It is in this way that the ogres orally honor the wisdom and knowledge of the previous generations of umpetha.
The Family that Slays Together Feasts Together
Interestingly, when the Zulu go to battle they fight in family units led more often than not by the inhloko (head/father) of the family unit. While in more civilized lands this is out of respect for elders or tradition, in ogre society this is due to the fact that the fathers are that much bigger than the rest. The largest of the offspring are often afforded the honor of carrying the family icon, while the loudest tries to prove their family is best by hurling insults at everything in sight.
On Gnoblars
Gnoblars have a unique role in the Zulu. As with many ogre tribes, gnoblars immediately gravitated to them as a way to gain protection. The Zulu found many uses for these small creatures and began taking them as pets and back scratchers. Once a plentiful resource, the gnoblars quickly became scarcer as the tribe migrated out of the Mourn region. Soon they became prized possessions of ogres and their family units, often bred to become particularly subordinate and floppy in the ear. Each ogre would keep their gnoblar close at hand to ensure no one else tries to steal it.
An InDuna is the tribal chief. Within the tribe they are addressed as Isisu or The Stomach which is the ultimate form of respect in ogre society. InDuna status is not gained by inheritance but by proving themselves using the ikhandadida. A challenger must best the current InDuna first in feats of the mind. Next they must best the other in strength. Finally, and most importantly they must out eat their rival.