10 Ogres with Personality

Giant lumbering savages, ogres are ferocious and dangerous opponents for neophyte adventurers. Violent and cruel they are capable of unimaginable savagery and depravity. Large groups can also pose a significant danger to more powerful and experienced adventuring parties, making ogres the perfect foes for a low- to mid-level campaign.

Use these ogres, to inject some flavour and character into your adventures.

Snurg Nashalface

Hideously ugly, even for an ogre, Snurg is a “nashalface”—whatever one of those might be. He wears a voluminous, stained brown hooded cloak to hide his hideous deformed face. One of his eyes is partially covered by a huge growth that also extends over much of his forehead.

Targ Whacker-a-Gnome

Targ hates gnomes, after a gnomish hero stabbed him in the bottom. He slew the upstart, but never forgot the insult—particularly as several of his kin joyfully repeat the story, when drunk. Sometimes, when it rains, it hurts to sit down and Targ falls into a foul mood. Woe betide anyone falling into his clutches, then. Prisoners are often stabbed in the rear with his wickedly curved dagger to, “See how they like it.”

Grak

Grak lived with goblins for several years serving as a mercenary and tribal champion. She has a goblin’s hatred of dogs (and wolves, which she has trouble distinguishing) and can speak Goblin (badly). She wears a filthy, ragged dog- and wolfskin cloak, which is her pride and joy. Anyone damaging the cloak faces her full—impressive—wrath.

Barg the Basher

Barg wields a massive club. Little more than a thick tree branch with iron spikes nailed through its head, the weapon is a fearsome object capable of inflicting horrific wounds. Barg likes to use it on helpless or unconscious foes to see how far the blood and gore flies. Even for an ogre, Barg is an odious individual, capable of literally any imaginable depravity. Consequently, few creatures dwelling nearby willingly have anything to do with him. Indeed, they might even hire the PCs to slay their terrifying neighbour.

Warg

So named for his savage anger and hunger for raw flesh, Warg has filed his teeth to sharp points. Paranoid enemies might even think he is a vampire. Dried blood—from his last meal—cakes his chest and shirt. In battle—when the fury overwhelms him—he tries to grapple his foes and rip their throats out.

Cag Fal

Intelligent for his kind, books fascinate Cag. He has amassed a small library from travellers he has slain, but is unable to read. He spares any “clever types” who fall into his clutches so they can read to him. Of course, if he doesn’t like the books’ contents the reader could be in serious trouble.

Lell

With long black hair and rippling muscles, Lell is devastatingly attractive to male ogres. She knows it, and likes to dress up and wear her best skull necklace when at home. Initially she welcomes intruders and tries to put them at ease…before pouncing. Her lair is festooned with gifts from male ogres—crushed skulls, crudely carved bone implements and more.

Frel Stumpy-Leg

Early in life, Frel suffered a horrific injury, and lost her left leg below the knee. She gets around by strapping thick branches to the stump and hopping/staggering about. Consequently, her approach is often heralded by a curious thumping sound. She has a beloved cat—a spiteful, lazy moggy, imaginatively named, “Dog.” Because it’s hilarious…

Gark Shivershadow

Gark’s fellows snigger behind his back that he has goblin blood flowing through his veins. It is true, Gark is smaller than his kin and lacks the savage, imbecilic bravery of his heritage. However, he is clever and quick and not above turning on his fellows if doing so gives him an advantage. Gark has mastered the use of the heavy crossbow and has such a weapon sized for a giant. Sadly, he has but six bolts remaining. Consequently, he chooses his targets carefully.

Sharldalla Skinwearer

Sharldalla dreams strange, fantastical dreams of a forgotten time when ogres ruled great swaths of the world and all the little races served and lived at their pleasure. In short, Sharldalla is hopeless and irredeemably mad. She is also charismatic (for an ogre) and plots to unite all ogres under her banner. Shardalla is also an enthusiastic flayer of her enemies and enjoys wearing their skin as clothes. She has crudely stitched together several horrific outfits she wears to make a good impression to other ogres.