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Olaf the Oaf (Male Half-Ogre Fighter)
| ATTRIBUTES: Strength: 19 Dexterity: 8 Constitution: 20 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 6 Comeliness: 6 |
APPEARANCE: Gender: Male Race: Half-Ogre Height: 7' 6" Weight: 260 lbs. Hair: Black Eyes: Dark Skin Tone: Tan |
PROFICIENCIES: Blind Fighting, 2-handed sword, , , , , |
Olaf was the product of a ritualistic union between his mother, an ogre shaman, and his enslaved human father. Raised in an ogre tribe, his father died an unpleasant death shortly after his birth. He knew his mother for some time because she remained shaman. Then, after his tenth snow pass a stranger came to the tribe.
This stranger, Johnny Bonecrusher, did not look like an ogre. His skin was pale and his body was narrow. However, his size rivaled the ogres and his strength surpassed theirs. He was swift of foot and excelled at the spear and a long metal blade that was unknown to Olaf's tribe.
Within a snow pass, Johnny had gained enough support amongst the ogres to challenge for leadership. When the old chief fell, it was only a matter of time before enmity developed with the shaman. Before high sun of that year, she was dead.
Olaf hates Johnny for killing his mother and more. Always smaller than the other ogre youths, he had always been thought inferior to the true ogres. In competition, he would go to any length, even trickery and intimidation, to prove his worth. Bad blood with the leader only aggravated his situation. He became the object of ridicule and was always excluded from raiding parties. During raids, he was left with the females to guard the slaves.
Here, as the slave guard, he began to realize the benefits of his human heritage. One day the raiding party returned with a group of northmen who had been ambushed and captured. The raiders returned with the northerners' blades which Johnny confiscated and kept wrapped in furs. Olaf overheard the others speaking of the long steel blades used by the northerners, and resembling Johnny's blade. He knew, then, that he must possess and learn to use this weapon. So he plotted to get one of these weapons even though Johnny threatened death to anyone caught with them.
One night, the males were on a night raid and the others were at the river. Olaf stole a blade and hid it outside the camp. The next day he picked two northerners to escort to the river for water. Though uncertain, at first, the slaves learned to appreciate good treatment, from the almost human slave guard, for combat instruction. For months Olaf learned how to fight with the strange bladed weapon. The northerners called it a two-handed sword.
Then one night it happened. As they practiced, they were set upon by the raiders of Johnny Bonecrusher. The raiding party had returned to camp via a different route. Johnny was enraged to see one of his bladed weapons out of its place and called for all of their deaths. As the ogre raiding party charged, Olaf and the two northerners fled. With his superior stride, Bonecrusher charged and hurled his spear. One of the northerners fell, the spear through his chest.
Through a valley they chased and, when the opportunity presented itself, Olaf and the remaining northerner climbed the mountain side. At the top, Olaf threw himself at a fair sized boulder. As it thundered down the hill, it brought other boulders with it. The ogres scampered for safety. The pursuit was stalled for the moment. As the two turned to flee, there stood three ogre sentries who had doubled back upon hearing the commotion.
The two fought valiantly but eventually, due to overwhelming odds, Olaf and the northerner were slain, or so Johnny thought. With the defeat of Olaf, Johnny reclaimed the blade. He warned the rest of the ogres of the fate that awaited any who crossed him. The remains of Olaf and the northerners were left for the vultures. The northerner was indeed slain, but Olaf had been so bloodied that the ogres, and Johnny, thought he was dead.
It was hours, or was it longer, before Olaf regained consciousness. Even when conscious, he found that he could barely move from the pain of his wounds. Move he did, though, for he had to get away before the ogres realized their error, and corrected it. Staying away from the raiding party trails, Olaf made his way further and further into the forest.
It may have been days before Olaf finally came to a clearing in the forest. The clearing had a small pond and a large strange hole in the ground. Hunger and thirst forced him to ignore the hole and move straight to the pond as fast as he could. Drinking to his fill, and more, he finally collapsed from exhaustion at the edge of the pond.
Olaf awoke to the sound of voices and the faces of two strangers, an old man and a female. Startled, he tried to crawl away but found himself in the pond. The old man then spoke to the female, the language that the northerners used. Olaf did not understand all of it but he heard one word he recognized, food. "You give Olaf food," he demanded in ogre. More unrecognized words. Finally Olaf blurted out the northerner's word, "Food!"
This seemed to get the response he was looking for as the man searched through the female's pack and fetched some jerky. Olaf cautiously moved forward, took the food, and then retreated into the pond to eat. This occurred several more times before Olaf thought he could safely stay out of the pond. That is when the old man reached out and gave him a small vial containing a liquid substance.
As Olaf drank the liquid, a rush of energy passed into him. He instinctively stopped drinking and then finished the substance after realizing that no harm was done. As a matter of fact, he felt better. He felt some of his strength return, enough to allow him to stand, and so he did. Then he wanted more. "You help Olaf," he said in ogre. Then he tried another word he heard the northerners use, "More." Again this got the desired response and Olaf felt more of his strength return.
That is when the old man surprised Olaf with a word in ogre, "Friend." Olaf knew the word and knew what it meant. He also knew that he had never had a friend amongst the ogres. So he responded in ogre, "Olaf friend." That brought northerner type conversation between the two, much of which Olaf did not understand but he heard his name mentioned more than once. Finally the old man responded, with a finger pointing at Olaf, and one word, "Olaf."
Olaf placed his hand on his chest and proudly announced "Olaf." The old man then, too, placed his hand on his chest and said, "Rahmann." The female then followed the gesture and announced, almost as if Olaf should recognize it, "Katora." And so began Olaf's training in the ways of humans. It also began his introduction to the illegal 'sport' of pitfighting. Rahmann became his manager and the female pitfighter, Katora, his trainer and fellow pitfighter.
The first aspect about Olaf that Katora and Rahmann found was that he had a special interest in the two-handed sword. Why, they weren't sure, but Olaf knew the weapon he wanted when they stopped at the armory to outfit him. The cost of the sword was such that Olaf could not get any armor. Olaf didn't care, though, and he wouldn't leave without one of the swords.
To pay for the sword, his food, and the shelter provided to him, Olaf trained for fighting. After a few fights, his friends realized that pitfighting was not his calling. He was not very good at it because he couldn't grasp the concept of killing his opponents slowly to entertain the crowd. He also killed his opponents before they could surrender which displeased some of the other managers.
A team bout was once arranged where Katora and Olaf battled an orc and a half-elf fighter. Olaf rapidly killed the orc in spite of the orc's final pleas for mercy. He then moved to help Katora with the half-elf. After a few blows from Olaf, the half-elf surrendered. Katora had to keep Olaf from killing him as well. The half-elf's manager was angry over the loss of his orc fighter. Rahmann argued with the manager over retribution for the lost orc. The argument ended with the half-elf's manager vowing a rematch.
The rematch came quickly. Olaf tried to understand Katora's instructions about pitfighting as the manager announced his half-elf fighter. He also introduced the fighter's partner, an ogre with a large spear. Katora tapped Olaf on the shoulder as she rose to enter the pit. Olaf was looking at the ogre with an almost evil grin on his face. He recognized this ogre as one from his tribe. Katora nudged him again and he rose to his feet. They entered the pit as Rahmann announced them.
Olaf spoke to the ogre in his native tongue. "You think me dead?" he questioned as the ogre recognized him. "I have big blade like Johnny," he informed. "I kill you with it and eat you for breakfast," he threatened in ogre. "You die sorry you ever shun me," he menaced in ogre and then turned to Katora. "You get elf man," he smiled as Katora nodded acknowledgement. Then the call for last bids came and the half-elf's manager wagered 100 gold on his team killing their opponents. Rahmann accepted and countered the wager. Olaf smiled knowing that Rahmann wouldn't yell at him for killing these two.
The match started and the four warriors clashed. Olaf ignored the half-elf and concentrated on trying to follow Katora's instructions. He wanted to kill this ogre but then realized that there may be pleasure watching him die slowly. He'd torture this ogre as payment for his own tortured youth. Unable to control his strength, he decided to not attack as much as he normally would. He even thought of purposely missing his foe occasionally.
Olaf took a beating but also gave one. Katora killed her half-elf and Olaf could tell she was about to attack the ogre. Before he could object, Katora sprung into action from behind the ogre. "Olaf fight!" she ordered.
"Rahmann mad Olaf fight," he responded.
"Fight anyway," Katora ordered again.
Olaf came to life and started slashing the ogre with every attack. Katora had leapt to the ogre's back and now pulled its head backward. Olaf ran his sword into the orge's stomach. The ogre dropped his spear and clawed at the sword in his gut. Katora then sliced the throat of the ogre from ear to ear. The ogre fell backward to the ground and she tumbled to get out of the way.
Olaf looked at the body of the ogre for a moment. An animalistic bloodlust rage swelled in his body and blurred his mind and senses. Katora faced the cheering crowd and Olaf's rage turned outward. A sharp object hit Katora hard in the side. Gasping in astonishment and pain she turned to face...Olaf. "Olaf, what are you doing?" she cried as an enraged half-ogre pulled his two-handed sword from her side. She brought her knife up to meet his next attack and tried to dodge his blow. He shattered her knife as his sword cut through her armor and into her shoulder.
Rahmann was out of his seat instantly and called for the ladder. Screaming at Olaf "What the hell are you doing!" as he hurried the ladder wielder. Olaf paid no attention and struck again. Katora raised her arm defensively against his blow. The sword split her forearm guard and cut through to her bone. "Olaf, please, stop. It's me, Katora. Stop." she cried as she grew weak from blood loss. Falling to the ground she tried in vain to shield herself from the rampaging half-ogre. She saw him draw back to take a full swing at her and knew she'd not see tomorrow as she passed out.
Rahmann grabbed the half-ogre's arm as her hands fell limp. Olaf started his swing in spite of the grip Rahmann had on his arm. "Stop it! Stop! That's Katora," he shouted in Olaf's face. Olaf's rage hesitated and he paused before his blade hit her again. "That's Katora you oaf! She's your friend! Stop or you'll kill her!" Rahmann shouted.
The rage in Olaf subsided and he looked down at Katora. "Help Katora," he demanded as he dropped his sword to the ground.
Rahmann knelt at her side and felt for a pulse at her throat. "I'll kill you myself if she's dead, you ignorant oaf," Rahmann threatened checking the other side of her throat. The pulse was very weak, barely distinguishable. He quickly found a vial and poured it into her throat. She barely regained consciousness but her pulse was definitely stronger. "Help me get her out of here," he ordered. They carried Katora to the carriage where Rahmann administered another vial. "That should keep her stable till I return," he informed the oaf.
"You help Katora," the half-ogre called after Rahmann.
"Somebody has to collect our winnings or this was all for naught," he explained angrily to Olaf as he left. Rahmann collected their winnings and some comments from the half-elf's manager.
"Glad your battle wench finally got put in her place. Almost worth losing to see that. Just wish it was my fighter that did it," he snickered as he doled out the coins.
They skipped the remaining fights and got Katora to the inn. Rahmann sent Olaf to bed and cleaned Katora up as much as she would let him. "Two vials and I still feel like death," Katora quipped as she rolled from Rahmann's side and into her bed. "Do you have any more" she asked, closing her eyes to the pain.
"No but I'll get more in the morning. You rest now" he said gently as she faded to sleep.
Katora slept most of the next day, waking only to drink Rahmann's potion and eat in her bed. She felt better by the third day and was up and around again. She talked with Rahmann concerning Olaf's future in the pits. They realized that pitfighting was not Olaf's calling. Olaf didn't know exactly what had triggered his rage and apologized extensively. Afterward, Rahmann allowed Olaf to fight only wild animals in the pits. Rahmann called him "Olaf the Oaf". Olaf liked the sound of the name but didn't understand the meaning of "oaf." Rahmann explained that it meant "good fighter."
Eventually, Olaf became quite good at the two-handed sword. It was definitely his weapon specialty. The training time with Katora also had other affects. Olaf became very protective of her because "She pretty, she Olaf friend." Katora, of course, was aware of Olaf's affections and did her best to keep their relationship professional in the following months.
All went well until one night when Olaf awoke to find Katora fighting with the drunken Rahmann. Outraged that Rahmann would try to hurt Katora, Olaf picked up the old man and slammed him to the floor. Rahmann hit his head on the edge of the bed.
"Olaf, I could have handled Rahmann," Katora stated as she checked Rahmann for signs of life.
Olaf began to panic, "Olaf not want hurt Rahmann. He hurt Katora," the oaf stated. "Rahmann not like friend," he reasoned.
Katora found no signs of life and proceeded to go through Rahmann's pockets looking for one of the healing vials. She didn't find any vials but what she did find surprised her. Many jewels, platinum pieces and gold, more than she had ever seen, filled his cloak, shirt, and pants pockets. Rahmann had not been truthful about the amount of winnings from the pitfights. "He's been cheating us" she snarled.
At that instant, the innkeeper appeared in the open doorway. "You killed him!" he shuddered and immediately ran from the room.
"Olaf, get your sword and equipment," Katora directed. Olaf promptly did so and returned to find Katora dressed in her pitfighter apparel. She was scooping the gems and coins she had discovered into a sack.
"The innkeeper will return soon," she explained as she handed the sack to Olaf. "We must leave, Olaf," she ordered.
"He hurt Katora. He cheat," Olaf argued.
"They will not understand," she explained. "We must leave or they will kill us." With that, Olaf closed the sack and they hurriedly left the inn. Outside, the innkeeper and village guards were already approaching. "Olaf, this way, run," Katora ordered, leading the way toward the forest.
"They small. Olaf stop them. Tell them." Olaf hesitated.
"NO! They will KILL you! They will KILL me!" she pleaded.
"Then Olaf KILL them!" he snorted.
Suddenly, an arrow lodged itself in Olaf's arm. As he cried out in pain, he heard Katora beckoning again.
"Olaf, hurry! Run!"
As he turned to run, another arrow lodged itself in his shoulder. Howling in pain, he lumbered off after Katora. His superior stride, and new fear of these 'little spears', allowed him to catch her quickly. They entered the forest with more arrows bouncing off the surrounding trees.
They continued running through the forest until the sounds of the guards were nowhere to be heard. "I think we're safe, for now," Katora stated as she slowed. "Let me take a look at your wounds," she said as she examined the now broken shafts of the arrows. "I can get them out, but it will hurt Olaf," she explained.
"Katora friend. Katora help Olaf. Take little spears out," Olaf responded.
Katora smiled at his analogy and found a thick branch for Olaf to bite on. "Bite on this to help control pain," she explained. Olaf followed her directions and she removed the arrows. She then tore strips from a garment in her pack and fashioned a dressing for the wounds. "You should heal in a few days but we must keep them covered," she explained, "Now let's get moving again."
The pair continued for the rest of the night and into the day before stopping by a small stream. Here they changed Olaf's bandages, drank, and Katora decided they should walk in the stream to cover their tracks. While walking along, Katora explained, "Olaf, oaf is not a good word. Rahmann made fun of you by calling you an oaf."
"Rahmann not friend. Fun of Olaf. Try hurt Katora. Not friend. Good he dead," the half-ogre reasoned. After following the stream for a few miles, they neared a small town. Moving out of the stream they cautiously entered the town.
Katora located a tavern and they moved in to get something to eat. After paying for their meals and eating to their fill, they found the local general store. They purchased traveling gear, cloaks, rations, medical supplies, and an inexpensive brass ring. Katora donned the ring and reasoned that they'd be less conspicuous if people thought they were married. After their small shopping spree, they went to the inn and checked into a room as a newly married couple.
In their room, Katora changed Olaf's wound dressings and they settled in. Katora modestly changed out of her pitfighter apparel and into her nightshirt while the half-ogre turned away. Olaf watched the reflection of her strong yet supple human body in the wall mirror while she reached for her nightshirt. He was not familiar with the female form because female ogres never wanted anything to do with a half-ogre. He couldn't stop staring at her reflection, until she noticed his gaze in the mirror.
He saw the anger flash across her face as she hurriedly finished dressing and turned to face him. Olaf immediately covered his eyes with his hands. "Olaf sorry."
"That wasn't nice!" she shouted.
"Olaf no see girl 'fore. No hate Olaf," he pleaded.
"You've NEVER seen a female before?" she queried.
"Ogres not same as Katora," he explained.
"Well now that you've seen, don't do it again. It's not nice," she informed him. They slept that night with Katora on the bed and Olaf on the floor, voluntarily.
In the morning, Katora donned her pitfighter apparel again. This time she made Olaf turn away and cover his eyes while she changed. He dutifully complied and they packed to leave. They returned to the tavern for breakfast before continuing their journey. After breakfast, Olaf went to use the facilities while Katora paid the bill.
As Olaf exited, Katora grabbed him by the arm and they quickly left the town. She explained that two men from the town where Rahmann died were looking for them at the tavern. Once they were well out of town, Katora took Olaf off the road and into the woods. There she evenly divided the supplies and remaining gems and coins from Rahmann. She explained, "We can't continue travelling together," giving half to Olaf. "We must split up and go different ways if we are to be safe," she rationalized.
"Olaf like travel with Katora. Katora friend," Olaf objected.
"Katora not safe with Olaf and Olaf not safe with Katora," she pleaded.
"Katora and Olaf still friend?" Olaf questioned.
"Yes, Katora and Olaf will always be friends," she answered hugging him, "but we must leave now before they come looking for us." With that she smiled at him and turned to leave.
"Olaf miss Katora" came a response.
She turned, looked at him, smiled again, and said "I'll miss you, too. When it's safe I'll find you." Olaf smiled a big grin and then turned and wandered off into the woods.