Revision as of 19:25, 20 August 2015

Introduction

This page is intended to serve as a compendium of the many tales and myths of ogre kind for anyone interested in them. As you may know ogre tribes divide often with some individuals moving between tribes indefinitely over their lifetime. So it is not uncommon for neighboring tribes to have vastly different ideas about the same gods. In this case following a tale you may see a Variation Note where a tribe may restate the differences between their beliefs. For more information about ogre's habits and culture see the Ogre page and the personal pages of the Known Ogres.

The Urungnar: U'ron and his Children

Urungnar is a word that means 'children of the giant', the giant being U'ron father god of all ogres. When he was cast down by the jealous, fearful other gods his body became a mountain but his soul split in four and made manifest in 4 children: fiery Ugangi, wise Utezni, mischievous Uchronos, and gentle Una. The first set of stories are theirs.

The Allfather

Bugbears say Marjack was first among the gods and father to all. Goblyns would name their god Melashekhaad as the creator of all things, but ogres care little of these gods. To us there is only U’ron. The giant ogre named U’ron was born from the union of earth and sky. So long as there was the earth, so too was there U'ron. U'ron was the largest and strongest of all the gods and all the others quaked in fear whenever he came near, except Melashekhaad himself.

After Melashekhaad made the goblyns, U'ron saw them spreading over the earth destroying it. So Uron decided to create his own race, larger, stronger, longer lived, and more intelligent than the goblyns. Melashekhaad saw what U'ron was doing and wagered that he could not make a more powerful race than his goblyns. U'ron accepted and set about creating the first ogres, the Garad, sheltering them in a lush woodland valley surrounded by tall walls of ice and rock.

U’ron sculpted the ogre’s powerful body from stone and sewed veins of warm water through their limbs so they might move. However, these husks were slow and lifeless so he breathed air into their lungs so they could run and speak. Last he sparked fires in their hearts and minds so that they became both wise and passionate. U’ron labored and made many Garad, which were larger and more powerful then ogres are today.

Marjack in treachery began to conspire with the other gods against the goblyns and sought to include U'ron in his plot. But U'ron refused Marjack. Fearing that U'ron would reveal them to Melashekhaad, they tricked U'ron and killed him since they were unable to match him in combat. The giant fell slain to the earth where his body heaped into a great mountain range.

The Garad were both saddened and enraged by the gods’ murder of U’ron. They journeyed to his resting place and climbed the U’ronnag (U'ron's Mountain). At the peak, they found four children that they called Utezni, Ugangi, Uchronos, and Una – the Urungnar. Some of the Garad demanded that they kill the children believing them to be a curse sent by Marjack to destroy them. A Garad name Krollo who was one of the earliest born from U’ron protected them. Unfortunately, this caused a rift among ogres, who are notoriously stubborn and single minded. The rift fractured them into new tribes.

Una and the Water Spirits

Coming soon.

Utezni's Crossing

In his youth, Utezni was rarely in one place for very long. He would wander the wilds for months at a time leaving leadership to his siblings. During one of his journeys, he came to a long coast. The water rose up in a powerful wave that overcame the land and swept Utezni out to sea.

Utezni awoke clutching the trunk of a large tree with no land in sight. He clung to the tree trunk for thirteen days. Shadowy shapes circled below and lights danced in the sky. Utezni gazed into shadow and plucked from it knowledge of the worlds and all things in them. When Utezni returned he found his tree had washed up on a sandy shore.

Utezni wandered aimlessly unable to find his way. The shadows tore through his mind giving him no rest. He stumbled into a clearing ringed by tall pines. In the clearing –he would later call Vapnem – were five standing stones. Utezni built a pit lined with cobbles and struck a fire into it. Bellowing and beating his chest, Utezni demanded the pain in his head to stop but it would not. Desperate for relief Utezni took his hunting axe and lopped off his left hand. Wisdom came to him as his blood fell to the forest floor. On the five stones, he carved thirteen totems and recorded the wisdom of the cosmos with runes of his own design, stained with his own blood. When he had finished, Utezni seared his wound on a hot stone. The stone bound itself to Utezni’s arm. Utezni could not sever it and set off for home. When he arrived Uchronos chiseled his bound stone into shape and Utezni learned to use it as a new hand. As for his old one, Utezni boiled the flesh away and wore the bones in a pouch for the rest of his time on earth. These bones were passed down from shaman to shaman; some were given to chieftains other to warriors. They possessed great power and were prized. Now only seven of Utezni’s bones’ remain together and are in the possession of Utezni’s Shaman.

Uchronos and the Dwarves

It came to be that Uchronos was climbing some mountains just for the thrill of it. As he perched on the cliff face, the wind carried to him the strange sounds of hammers ringing. He whistled and Thog took wing to seek out the source. When Thog returned he told Uchronos that just above him was a window, not more then a crack in the mountainside to allow light and air, which looked into some sort of room where large fires burned and tiny, hairy, pink-things labored.

Uchronos was intrigued and crept up to the crack and cautiously watched these strange creatures work. They smelted metal and formed shapes making all sorts of shining things but what interested Uchronos most was their weapons. Ogres only made weapons with wood, stone, and bone – nothing like what the mountain pinks had.

When night fell the dwarves set down their hammers and lifted up their horns quaffing mead and ale. It did not take long for Uchronos to realize there were three chiefs among these dwarves, each boasting about their latest creations. One had fashioned a sword or fine metal and silver inlay, another had made a broach of fine jewels, the last a war horn gilded and inscribed. Uchronos spoke to his raven, Orr, who speaks for Uchronos. Orr moved swiftly through the shadows and alighted on a rock. From here, it mimicked the voice of the Swordsmith claiming that neither of the other two could fashion a weapon as fine as his. The Jewelsmith scoffed and the Hornsmith jumped to his feet – after all the Swordsmith had no right to make such a claim. As for the Swordsmith, he thought the Hornsmith had said it. Uchronos then mimicked the Jewelsmith saying that he was capable but perhaps the Hornsmith was not since he did not possess the skill to work steel. The Hornsmith grew red and cursed the Jewelsmith’s beard. Uchronos spoke again saying that the Swordsmith’s beard was thin and falling out, and the Hornsmith’s had the consistency of wet stone-moss. Those were fighting words. All three dwarves leapt up and fought, tugging at each other’s beards. Suddenly a stranger’s voice issued a challenge.

The dwarves would work for three days to create the finest weapon they could. Happily and with little thought the dwarves agreed and set to work. Uchronos sent forth his second raven, Thog, who quietly watched everything the dwarves did. In that way Uchronos saw, through Thog’s eyes, all the secrets of the dwarf-smiths. At last, they unveiled their projects: a sword, axe, and spear of incredibly quality.

Uchronos released his last raven, Yrr, who is death. Yrr landed amongst the dwarves and startled them. Before they could move, swift and silent Uchronos had opened their throats – spilling their blood onto the polished stone floor.

Satisfied with his knife work, Uchronos examined the weapons. They were to splendid, light, and sharp but far to small for his tastes. The Trickster god had learned what he wanted to know and returned to the tribe with arms full of tools and materials.

He labored for many days and forged a mighty oaken boar-spear and wicked knife with steel the color of smoke. The spear he gifted to his warrior brother Ugangi who thought it a fine weapon. The knife he kept for himself. Utezni admired both and inscribed them with runes of power.

Ugangi's Hunt

Coming soon.

Ugangi's Nine Victories

Coming soon.

The Raven's Eye

All the Urungnar were great in stature and battle. Utezni came first in leadership and was formidable in battle, Uchronos was fast and accomplished many bloody deeds on the field, but none were as feared as Ugangi. No foeman had ever surpassed his skill with arms and pure, brutal strength. That made Ugangi bold and proud often belittling other warriors - especially his brother Uchronos. As enemies were defeated and grew scarce, Ugangi's harassment became relentless.

One night while the warriors were drinking around the fire Ugangi once again named Uchronos a craven, backstabber, and child. Emboldened by drink, Uchronos stood before the flames and drew his wickedly sharp knife. Ugangi tensed, expected Uchronos to attack him - perhaps he hoped Uchronos would. However, the Sly one instead cut his right eye free from his head, crushed it in his fist, and tossed it away into the flames all in silence. Ugangi made no comment but held his tongue more often from that day forward.

Una tended to Uchronos. During this time the wind god first saw Una for more than a sister. Indeed he fell in love with her and desired her above all others. When he spoke to her about his feelings she denied him since Una only loved Ugangi the greatest of warriors whose wounds she had been treating since they were young.

Uchronos grew bitter and withdrawn preferring the company of his ravens over other ogres. Utezni returned from one of his wanderings and learned the whole tale from Uchronos. Afterward he presented him a magic eye made of blue-black glass, the color of night, that was enchanted so that it could see as any eye would. This "Raven-Eye" also gained a ability Utezni had not intended. The eye could also see the fates of the ogres Uchronos looked upon which terrified the wind-god. Therefore Uchronos preferred to cover his Raven-Eye with a strip of cloth.

Ogre children born with mismatched eyes are claimed by Uchronos and often have fate-seeing powers. Those with black, white, or red eyes are particularly blessed by Uchronos.

Una's Ascension

Years past by in a haze for Una. She was wracked with grief after the death of her brothers, specifically for Ugangi who she loved so dearly. Utezni had crafted her a rod from the U'tiek that held incredible magical power and through which she could contact the spirits of the dead. Those brief communications were her only comfort. Utezni warned her that continued contact with the worlds beyond would pull her closer to them but Una did not care. Although she performed her duties as a shaman and healer, she became increasingly more withdrawn from the tribe often wandering the paths of streams and ocean shores alone.

One day, shortly after the birth of her daughter, the tribe was picking its way over a series of jagged cliffs that overlooked the sea. Without warning a sudden and violent storm swept in. The ogres were buffeted by strong winds and stinging rain, lightning tore the skies and any spoken word was stolen by the noise of waves crashing below. Utezni led the ogres lower where they could take shelter but Una remained above on a high cliff face laughing into the rain. Utezni attempted to call her down, but Una could not, or would not, hear him. The heavy wind unexpectedly shifted and pulled Una fell from the cliff into the seas below. Her soul was freed and ascended into the sea. There she found greater peace but she remains temperamental and easily angered. Her rod was found among the driftwood by Utezni the following morning and eventually given to Una's talented daughter, who Utezni named Onna meaning 'dark-waters' in remembrance of Una's ascension.

D'Zono the Cannibal

Many years after Utezni led his tribe from their homeland they came to a place of rocky hills and thick forests. It rained often but there was ample hunting lands and other resources. Needless to say, it was an easy decision for the tribe to remain there for a time to rest. Months passed without much incident. One evening, a thick fog settled on their wooded vale. The night passed in gloomy silence and come morning one of the tribe's hunters did not return. This in itself is not odd since ogres easily spend weeks in solitude. But when he remained missing in the coming weeks the tribe grew suspicious. Hunters were told to go in pairs just to be safe.

A month after, when the ogres had become lax again, two brothers, noted warriors each, vanished on another night cloaked in fog. Troubled, Utezni built a great fire and sought Ugangi's thoughts but the Fire-Brand had no answers for him. He then called for Orr and spoke to Uchronos. The Raven-Eye peered at Utezni. Eventually he crowed a grim warning, "There are teeth in the fog, Stone-Fist, and they seek to devour you." Utezni spent a day by the sea but Una would not come to him. Finally he walked the stoney hills and read the earth. He could only sense an old presence, older than he was, watching from the hills.

Soon another fog smothered the ogres. Utezni ordered everyone to remain within the camps boundaries. He built a roaring fire and pounded the earth with his feet to drive away the mists. When roll had been taken Krollo announced that a young ogress, named Onna, was not among them. Utezni wasted no time, barely snatching up his sword and strapped on his shield before tearing off into the bush.

The unnatural fog was thick, impenetrable but Utezni trusted his feet to carry him to his unseen enemy. The paths led up, over, and through the stoney hills until halting beneath a great dome of rock that overlooked a round lake with still waters - like glass - though Utezni could not see more than ten feet across its glossy-black surface. Atop the dome a dim blue light glowed. As he approached Utezni saw that it was a fire burning eerily beside a stone alter. Atop the alter was little Onna.

Utezni searched the mists for the enemy but found none. Only when he stepped near the alter did the sorceress reveal herself. She was an ogress, lovely to look at with long hair like hammered gold and eyes of emerald. Her voice was the sound a ruby would make if it talked. Utezni knew that as she spoke he was being bewitched but he fell all the same. A darkness enveloped him where in she was the only light. He no longer held his weapons but found that he was laying beneath her. She kissed him fiercely and Utezni lost the will to struggle. Suddenly her hands were inside him, tearing away his soul - but Utezni was stronger than the others by far. The god unmasked himself to her. He lifted his stone fist and broke her honey smile with a deafening blow.

The witch screeched and retreated, with her too went the shadow and fog. Her form had changed, now she stood a yellowed crone with eyes of onyx and a gaping, toothless mouth yet still lithe and strong. "Who is this that has the strength to challenge me, D'Zono sculpted by U'ron himself, master of fog and shadow?" Utezni squared himself to the witch and replied in a voice of the mountains, "Stone-Fist son of U'ron, and you Cannibal will know me." Utezni thrust out his fist and opened his stone fingers. As he did so the dome of rock opened beneath D'Zono's feet and she fell within. She screeched as Utezni spoke again, "I banish you to shadow and curse you to ever hunger." With a clap of his massive hands Utezni sealed shut the dome. He then drew a ring of powerful spells around the rock to trap the witch therein forever. If you return to the spot on a foggy night might be you'll hear old D'Zono screaming within and see the rune spells flare in fiery light - Utezni halting her reach for you.

When Utezni fetched Onna he found her clutching an ogre babe in her arms. The shard of Utezni's soul D'Zono had torn free had struck the earth and formed Utezni's son, who he called Ulv. Ulv would grow fierce and strong in the manner of Ugangi but would be plagued by darkness - a result of D'Zono's role in his birth. Onna would herself become wise beyond her years and take up Una's Staff as tribe healer and marry Ulv.

After Utezni's victory over D'Zono he made it known that any ogre who ate of another ogre's flesh would be cursed. Their soul doomed to wander the worlds until D'Zono finally found them and consumed them.

Utezni's Children

Utezni had two children, Kra'nok and Ulv who would go on to have their own. Generation after generation, Utezni's blood beget terrifying warriors and mystic shaman, all great chieftains of their people. Here is recorded their sagas.

Onna, Ulv, and Kra'nok

Coming soon.

Ulvok'na the Great

Coming soon.

The Garad and other Heroes

The Garad, as aforementioned, were the first generation of ogres sculpted by U'ron himself and were the most powerful of ogre kind - except the Urungnar themsevles.

Gli'mok

Coming soon.

Many Tribes

This section is devoted to the records of the many tribes of the ogres, or those that are remembered. Some of these tribes are extinct, broken by war or ogre stubbornness. Yet still some tribes remain both strong or in fragments. These are their stories.

For a list of all known tribes see the Ogre page.

Blood Hills Tribe

See Blood Hills Tribe.

Karanduawn Tribe

See Karanduawn page.

Dictionary of Gods and Heroes

A list of primary characters in the tales of the Urungnar and Garad including animal servants and legendary locations. Most entries also include a meaning of the name in the partially lost Stone Tongue of the ogres.

D'Zono: one of the oldest Garad, mistress of Shadow and Fog, the Cannibal. Sealed away under a spell bound dome of rock by Utezni she still hungers for the flesh and souls of ogres. Considered a demon by ogre kind.

Garad: meaning 'first/old-ones', a term referring to the first ogres sculpted by U'ron's hand.

Gli'mok: one of the Garad and Uron's favorite, gifted with mighty strength and grappling skill, name means 'earth-shaker'.

Krollo: one of the Garad who defending the Urungnar from those who would destroy them, a patron of parents.

Kra'nok: Utezni's final child born from Kragga the Thunderer, demigod of thunder, name means 'thunder-chieftess'.

Onna: the daughter of Utezni and Una. stolen by D'Zono, future mate to Ulv and successor to Una as healer and shaman. Name means 'dark-waters'.

Orr: meaning 'swift', one of Uchronos' three ravens who does his bidding. Orr is Uchronos' messenger and speaks with his voice.

Tarn: meaning 'devourer', a great black wolf with eyes of flame who scours battlefields to find the souls of the warrior dead and lead them to Ugangi in the world beyond. A favored sign of warriors.

Thog: meaning 'silent', one of Uchronos' three ravens who does his bidding. Uchronos sees through Thog's eyes and goes where Uchronos cannot.

Uchronos: U'chronos, Ukronos, the Sly, the Smiler, the Trickster, the Betrayer, Raven-Feeder, Raven-Eye, One-Eye. Urungnar god of the winds, birds, craftsmen, and the afterlife. Uchronos tore out his eye to prove his manliness and had it replaced by a black, glass eye made by Utezni, called his Raven-Eye, See-Eye, that can peer into the fates of ogres. He keeps three ravens: Yrr, Thog, and Orr. With his Raven-Eye Uchronos sees the death of ogres and sends his ravens to fetch them to the afterlife. Betrayed and killed his brother Ugangi for the love of Una but was consumed by his rage fire becoming wind. Name means 'great-darkness'.

Ugangi: U'gangi, the Wild, the Terrible, Fire-Brand, Flame-Beard, Urungnar god of fire, warriors, hunters, destruction, and the slain. Ugangi conquered fire and all other foemen and was second to none, not even his brother-chieftain Utezni. He was betrayed by Uchronos and ascended into a raging flame. He resides in the U'tiek and despises his brother. His companion wolf Tarn gathers warrior dead to join his warband in the world beyond. Name means 'great-rage-flame'.

Ulv: Utezni's eldest son, a fracture of his soul torn off by D'Zono. Considered a demigod of archery, the hunt, and winter. Burned alive by human priests but claimed by Ugangi for his war band in the afterlife. Ulv means 'great-wolf'.

Ulvok'na: the greatest chief of ogres sometimes called king, descendant of Utezni and Kragga.

Una: U'na, Lady of the Sea, Urungnar goddess of water, change, rebirth, healing, fertility, and understanding. She first learned healing arts from the Lake and River Spirits but was given greater understanding by Utezni. Name means 'great-healer'.

U'ron: known as Ule, Uron, Allfather, the Giant. Gave life to the first ogres. Slain by the other gods who feared him. His body became a mountain range known as the U'ronnag. Name means 'great-father' in the Stone Tongue.

U'ronnag: means 'great-father's peak(s), the mountains formed from the corpse of U'ron.

Urungnar: means 'great-child(ren), referring to U'ron himself and the four children made of U'ron's soul: Una, Uchronos, Utezni, and Ugangi.

U'tiek: meaning 'great-tree', World-tree, tree of souls, Utezni's tree, gateway to the afterlife where Utezni bound all souls to journey. Sought by the Karanduawn ogre tribe.

Utezni: Far Wanderer, Stone-Hand, Foremost of Chieftains, the Wise, Wizard Maker, Patron of Wanderers, the Tale-Teller, Urungnar god of earth, justice, wisdom, chieftains, shaman, and wizards. Utezni cut off his left hand to become wise, was the most skilled of wizards, created the Stone Tongue, was the first chief, wandered the worlds for a thousand years and fathered children. He returned to the U'tiek and ascended into the earth but still visits the living in the guise of a old shaman. His name means 'great-wisdom'.

Vapnem: the five standing stones where Utezni recorded the widsom of the world. Their location is lost to ogres today.

Yrr: meaning 'death', one of Uchronos' three ravens who does his bidding. Yrr seeks out the dead and guides them to the afterlife.

The Reliquary

A collection of relics of heroes and gods and thier locations.

Una's Staff: made of a branch from the U'tiek it carries great power, possessed first by Una and then by the line of her shaman, currently possessed by Ghanima, Shaman of Una.
Uchronos' Long Knives:' crafted by Uchronos, two knives of gray, patterned steel and ironwood, inscribed by Utezni, location unknown (presumed destroyed)
Ugangi's Spear: crafted by Uchronos, a boar spear made of gray steel and oak, inscribed by Utezni, location unknown (presumed destroyed)
U'ronnag: mountain resting place of U'ron, locaiton unknown
U'teik: the tree of souls gateway to the afterlife, location unknown
U'tezni's Fingers, the K'nutar: means 'knuckle-bones', several have been lost, currently kept by the Wandering Shaman
Vapnem: five standing stones where Utezni recorded the wisdom of the world, location unknown

Rites and Rituals

Totem Finding

Coming soon.