Druk
Ogre
Druk, Drug, Druggor or Druggor Mobgaz — his full name, rarely used on formal occasions — is a neutral/evil, 36-year-old, warrior/mage/thief, dark brown ogre with even darker brown hair, dark blackish-brown eyes, and he runs a castle built into a cave that runs through the mountains, named "Worr Croa" by the ogres or "Crag Wither Mountains" as called by humans and other humanoids. Worr Croa isn't among the great, storied sites of ogre history, but it holds a real place in their smaller, quieter traditions — spoken of as one of the "Lands Meant for Ogres," a modest promised ground "where they can crush armies" without challenge from lesser peoples. It's not a site of great pilgrimage or widespread renown, but among the ogres who know of it, claiming and holding it — as Druk has — is regarded as a small fulfillment of birthright rather than mere conquest, and it has become Druk's personal favorite of his holdings for exactly that reason. Outside the cave castle, "Castle Black Clouds," the gate door built at the opening opens up to a bowl of dirt and grass where the mountains — despite how dangerous, with wild things, dire giant animals, cruel large dumb giants, and smaller, more docile barbarian, Viking-looking giants who worship wind, calling themselves the Thruhhul people. The bowl outside the cave resembles Mongolian plains in the mountains, where vast grass grows despite being crowded around by mountains, providing Druk's troops with a big bowl of dirt and grass in front of the cave. They have built a thriving farm and small fort town in the bowl, extending the castle's power and economy. He follows and is allied with a black, male, powerful dragon named Kuvvix Kov, who is neutral/evil and a devoted follower of Talos, god of storms and destruction. Kuvvix's devotion and power have impressed Talos enough that the god speaks to him directly — a rare and significant favor — and Talos has made it his will that Kuvvix rally Druk to the faith as well. Kuvvix was initially drawn to Druk simply as a reliable source of loot and tribute flowing into his own domain, but his interest deepened over time as he came to respect Druk's uncommon cunning for an ogre, along with their shared neutral/evil alignment — a mutual understanding that grew the alliance from convenience into something closer to genuine respect. Kuvvix, in turn, has been steadily influencing Druk toward Talos's worship, and while Druk shows growing respect for the faith — largely out of loyalty to Kuvvix rather than personal conviction — he remains slightly reluctant to fully commit, following more out of practicality and deference to his dragon ally than genuine belief. Other dark lords stand behind Kuvvix in order of loyalty. Druk does not get a thrill from hurting very innocent beings, such as children, but he does have a lust for war and utterly defeating his enemies, and a small craving for cruelty — sometimes defeating a rival town in a cruel way, like surrounding it with fire after letting the women and kids flee, or crushing the men outright. His troop count is on average 150 ogres, mostly neutral and evil; 50 pirates and thugs, mostly human; and 20 human servants — mostly runaway criminals turned into slaves when captured by Druk's scouts as they flee civilization into the mountains of Druk's castle. Good and neutral humans, mostly under banners, challenge Druk the most, claiming territory for their remote fortified towns in the region and often challenging Druk's territorial borders. Druk is not insanely rich but is doing well; his troops manage to manhandle the lands around them enough and bring loot back from pillaging, so Druk has a large surplus of treasure and goods.
by Kenny Brewster
