THE HALF-OGRE

It is said that orcs can breed with almost anything. In similar vein, ogres are, lets say, carefree in their attitudes toward relations with other races. The offspring of an orc and ogre is typically an orog (“great orc”) or ogrillon. Ogrillons are sterile and orogs that mate with orcs produce orcs (01-90) or great orcs (91-00). Often, these strains will have strange growths or mutations. It is from (the rather painful) union of giants and orcs that produce such mutants as ettins. Thus, it is a well known fact that ogres produce mutant forms. Herein lies the tale of the rare half-ogre.

In the case where an ogre spawns with a half-orc (half-human), a half-orc is produced. Most of the time, these are strong for their kind (although no modifiers are given with regards to character creation) but no outward signs indicate the half-orc is anything but a normal, albeit typically repugnant, half-orc.

However, if the right conditions exist the most powerful of the half-orcs undergo a terrible transformation, growing even larger, stronger, and more frightening than before, becoming what learned men call a “half-ogre” (others consider them large half-orcs or orogs). The transformation commonly comes with variant mutations from the ogre heritage, these oddities must be hidden while in civilized lands or the half-ogre will be labeled a monster and attacked on sight­­—already easily noticed due to height.

How this works. When a half-orc single-class fighter or cleric or multi-class fighter/cleric is ready to train for 4th level in any class, assuming they meet the prerequisites, they can spend the XP gained to achieve 4th level and undergo a month-long transformation into a half-ogre. Multi-class characters will lose double the XP (down to the beginning of 3rd level in each class). Once the transformation is complete, the character will be a half-ogre forever afterward.

PREREQUISITES

In order for a half-orc to produce the necessary transformation into a half-ogre, the following prerequisites are required:

• Race. Half-orc only. The character cannot be part of the 10% of half-orcs that appear human. The character’s backstory must include questionable circumstances of birth.

• Minimum Ability Scores. Strength (18+). 

• Maximum Ability Scores. Intelligence (12)

• Like advanced classes, ability scores cannot be modified during character creation to meet minimums (or after creation, maximums).

• Class and Level. Single-class Fighter or Cleric (3rd) or Fighter/Cleric (3rd/3rd); Cannot be above or below this level. Must have gained enough experience points to train to 4th level in one class.

• Ritual. Transformation Ritual below.

BECOMING A HALF-OGRE

A player character half-orc with the required prerequisites will begin having strange dreams, odd lesions, and muscle cramps. Their visions give them knowledge of a ritual that will transform them into a goliath version of themselves. The player can make the choice to go through this period with out acting upon these visions, advance normally, and no other effect is ever produced. Those that follow their visions will conduct a transformation ritual as per below. NPC half-orcs, even meeting the requirements are only 10% likely to receive the visions and become a half-ogre. Thus, the creatures are suitably rare.

Transformation Ritual. You should work with your GM on the details of the ritual. However, the gist of it entails you tracking down your ogre parent and defeating them in single combat. If the parent is dead, there should be a suitable next-of-kin available. Typically, the types of ogres producing heirs such as these are leader types or unique creatures. You will be able to automatically detect your sire (or relative) and have two weeks (or so, per the GM) to find them. Once you defeat them, there may be some... Consumption-type requirements involved, and these lead to the kick-off of your transformation. This process will last two full weeks and is excruciatingly painful. Cruel Game Masters will call for a System Save at the end to survive the process. As part of your transformation, you will gain a strange mutation.

Work with the GM regarding the specific effects (and the GM may alter the list). Natural attacks that are used during the same round as a manufactured weapon do not add Strength adjustments to damage (but do not suffer the normal penalty due to two-weapon fighting).

Half-ogres range from 7 ft. to 8 ft. in height (80 + 4d4 inches) and weigh between 315 and 425 pounds (305 + 10d12). Skin color and hair color is variable but tends to be brown, grayish, black, dull yellow (skin only) or one of the above with a slight grey-green hue. Most (01-80) half-ogres have human-like eyes, though some (81-00) have the white pupils common to ogre-kind. Half-ogres age as half-orcs.

While half-ogres can be peerless melee combatants, they are essentially monsters to common folk. Thus, they tend to live on the fringes of civilization, typically in lonely isolation. Many, less burdened with morals, find themselves gravitating toward their own kind (orcs), commonly finding leadership positions among the tribes.

HALF-OGRE TRAITS

Creature Type. Half-ogres have the creature type: humanoid (giant, orc). Giant-fighters (e.g. dwarves, gnomes) gain bonuses when fighting them.

Experience. Half-ogres require 50% more experience per level (per character class) to advance each level after 3rd level.

Ability Scores. Your Exceptional Strength score increases by +20% to a maximum of 18/00 and your Constitution score increases by 1 (or to the minimum, whichever is higher). Minimums are an 18 Strength, and a 15 Constitution. Maximums are a 18/00 Strength, 12 Intelligence, 14 Wisdom, 13 Dexterity, and a 19 Constitution. During the transformation, physical scores will drop to meet maximums. 

Age. Half-ogres mature at the same rate as half-orcs.

Alignment. As per half-orcs. 

Size. Half-ogres are Large creatures, standing 7 to 8 feet tall and weighing on average around 360 lbs.

Armor. All mundane armor must be custom made (costing 3x). You can only use large shields (which provide a flat +1 bonus to AC and modify armor defense normally; readying/dropping the shield is as per a medium shield). You are not affected by armor or shield bulk.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 120 feet per round.

Hear Noise. (complex)—15% chance of success.

Infravision. You have infravision in dark conditions. You can see in dim light outdoors out to 100 yards as if it were daylight. Others may see you in the darkness due to eye shine (light reflecting off your eyes) out to double the normal radius of your light.

Large. When using normal-sized weapons, you do damage as if using the weapon type vs. a Large opponent (or Man-sized, whichever does the greater amount of damage). 

Monstrous. In civilized areas, unless carefully introduced, those that get a good look at you will assume you are an evil humanoid of some type (orog or bugbear). This means most folk you meet will be immediately hostile unless you are somehow disguised. Even if introduced by a trusted 3rd party or disguised, when interacting with non-giant-type races, your Charisma is treated as if it were 2 points lower with a maximum score of 8.

Restrictions. Half-ogres are meant to be very rare. Thus, after the first half-ogre appears in the group, there is only a 10% chance that any other half-orc will get the call to transform.

Starting Languages—As per half-orcs.

Strong. You use normal sized weapons as if they were one size category smaller than normal. Thus a Large weapon may be used in one hand or a Medium weapon in a secondary/off hand. The GM will determine exceptions.