Encounter: The "friendly" ogres

Houston GM · November 17, 2004

I ran this encounter during our last game. The setting is based on the Warhammer world. Some of you might find it fun to use in your campaigns.

The PCs were trying to avoid human contact by traveling through a little-known mountain pass that was mainly used by smugglers. As they traveled up the pass, they encountered a group of ogre mercenaries who were having lunch.

I had previously informed one of the characters (an elven mercenary) that ogre mercenaries usually won't attack unless they're paid to ... or they're hungry.

The ogres were about as "friendly" (non-hostile) as any ogres get.

The group of ogres was large enough to trounce the PCs in the case of an attack. The ogres noticed the PCs when their mule brayed and gave away their presence. The ogre language revolves heavily around eating. I've provided translations of ogre slang from exerpts of the conversation that followed.

Grif, the ogre: (after hearing the mule) "Oy, slim! How's yer been fixed for food?"

(Translation: "Hello, non-ogre. What's happening?")

Eldanth, the elven mercenary: "The hunting was good back in the hills. We're well provisioned for travel."

Grif: (pointing around the circle at his companions) "Grok, Grat, Grug, Grel, Grif. Wot's yer called."

Eldanth: (using one of his aliases) "I'm Findolan, and this is Radka." (Lindiil was out of sight talking to the mule.)

Grif: (pointing at them) "Cleaver, food-finder."

(Translation: "A swordsman and a scout.")

Radka, the entertainer: (whispering to Eldanth) "I guess I'd rather be a food-finder than an entertainer to a group of ogres."

Eldanth: "Where are you headed?"

Grif: "Heading to Mad Dog. See if anyone pay us for dinner."

(Translation: We're on our way to Mad Dog Pass. Hopefully someone will pick up our contract there.")

Eldanth: "There's always lots of work there."

Grif: "We'll be eating greens for weeks."

(Translation: "Yes, we expect heavy fighting against the goblin hordes.")

Grif: (pointing to a pile of stuff) "Got some shells, if you want."

(Translation: "We acquired some armor that didn't fit us. We were just going to throw them away, so you're welcome to them.")

Eldanth: (after digging through the gear and discovering some dwarf-mail that wouldn't fit them either) "I guess 'shells' are armor."

Radka: "I see dwarf gear, but no bodies. If they offer me anything to eat, I'm going to decline."

Grif: (seeing Lindiil and the mule coming up to the camp) "Oy, slim!"

(Translation: "Hello, non-ogre.")

Lindiil, the beast mage: "Um ... hello?"

Eldanth: (pointing at Lindiil) "He's with us." (whispered) "I think he calls everyone Slim."

Lindiil: "What are you eating?"

Grif: "Some stunties came for lunch."

(Translation: "A group of dwarves attacked us. Their arrival fortuitously coincided with our mid-day meal.")

The encounter continued for most of a day as the ogres traveled alongside the party. The PCs finally found an excuse to slip away. Then they made a forced march down the rest of the pass in order to stay ahead of the ogres.

I found this encounter quite fun to run since the players were struggling to understand what the ogre slang meant. Grif spoke the local human language, but you can see how his vocabulary usage differed greatly.

Steve Long · November 17, 2004