- "Who could forget the Ogres? Not anyone with a sense of smell, that's for sure. Worse manners than Trolls, and that's saying something, but there are few troops you'd rather have on your side in the heat of battle."
Golgfag Maneater is an infamous Ogre mercenary captain, whose fame has made all other Ogre mercenaries to adopt the name of Maneaters.[3a] Possibly one of the most successful Ogre mercenaries of all time, Golgfag Maneater forged a reputation for the Ogres as fearsome killers for hire long before they became a relatively common sight in the mercenary armies of the Old World.[2a]Ā Ā
Although he could be mistaken for a mere Bruiser, Golgfag has been in active service for over sixty years, and has considerable tactical acumen to go with his lattice-like network of scar tissue. Golgfag's reputation and wealth have grown so considerable that in recent years he has begun to hire his own mercenary armies, including more and more Ogres as the great migration gathers speed. The term 'Maneater' was first coined when, after a drunken argument, Golgfag ate his paymaster whole and left carrying his coffers. He insists to this day that his name is misleading for, just like the faithful band of violent thugs that travel with him, Golgfag really isn't that fussy about what or who he eats.[2a]
History
Golgfag is the biggest, ugliest and quite definitely the loudest Ogre to shamble out of the eastern wastes in living memory. Born from the Sabreskins Tribe,[4a] Golgfag soon found himself leading a bunch of almost equally brutal Ogre warriors. He quickly developed a taste for man-flesh and joined forces with an Orc Warboss called Gnashrak Badtooth. Gnashrak was busy fighting against the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin high up in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Golgfag wasn't sure he liked the taste of Dwarf, but was more than happy to find out. Gnashrak thought the Ogres would prove just the kind of troops he needed to sort out the Dwarfs. However, he soon grew tired of the Ogres' appetite for Goblins, booze and raucous singing. After one particularly loud drinking session Golgfag and Gnashrak got into a huge fight. Soon all the Ogres and Orcs were scrapping. Golgfag tore off the Orc's arm and used it to bash his way out of the encampment before leading his lads to safety. Gnashrak was completely enraged.[1a][3a]
Soldier of Fortune
Golgfag promptly offered his services to the Dwarf King Ungrim Ironfist. He showed Gnashrak's arm to Ungrim as proof of his sincerity. In the face of such a convincing offer Ironfist was hardly able to refuse. Golgfag led his Ogres and a party of Dwarfs along a secret track to the Orcs' encampment in Broken Leg Gully - so called because of its impossibly steep and treacherous sides. The Orcs were trapped and horribly slaughtered. Gnashrak was captured and subsequently bound in chains and delivered to Ungrim Ironfist.[1a][3a]
Although handsomely paid, Golgfag looted the king's treasury during the ensuing celebrations, and then headed west into the Empire. There he took employment in the ranks of the Imperial army, and it was here that he discovered Halflings were by far his favourite food. Shortly afterwards he turned up in the lands of Tilea in the employ of one Lorenzo Lupo. Lorenzo found the Ogres to be excellent troops, but a considerable nuisance. The citizens of Luccini were forever complaining of being beaten, robbed or bullied by the rowdy Ogres. One night Golgfag decided to take rather more than his fair share of wine, directly from Lorenzo's warehouses. When the Ogres fell into a drunken stupor Lorenzo sent a company of pikemen to arrest them and throw them into his dungeons.[1a]
Fortunately for Lorenzo, an opportunity to be rid of the Ogres altogether arrived in the form of a messenger from one of the Border Princes. The messenger was hiring mercenaries on behalf of his master. Lorenzo cheerfully fitted him up with the Ogres, took his fee, and released Golgfag and his crew from captivity. Golgfag was understandably annoyed, but faced with a new offer of employment, a complimentary baggage train of food and a firing squad of Tilean crossbowmen, the Ogre decided to let matters lie for the moment.[1a] Golgfag's stay in the Border Princes proved a successful and profitable one. The Ogres grew fat and wealthy. They were kept busy by one side or another and were given every chance to indulge their appetite for fresh meat. Golgfag's only regret was the scarcity of Halflings thereabouts. Around this time he is known to have made a stint on the high seas[3a]. When he heard that trouble was brewing between the Orcs and Dwarfs he headed northwards once more. He fell in with a bunch of Orcs and Goblins and was soon feasting upon Dwarf again.[1a][3a]
Battle of Broken Leg Gully
It was after a foray against the Dwarfs that Golgfag was ambushed by none other than Ungrim Ironfist, his former employer. The canny Slayer King led the Orc army into a trap using a supply convoy as bait. The convoy consisted entirely of wagons full of cheap ale which the greenskins duly captured and drained. Golgfag and the Ogres courageously drank themselves into oblivion along with the rest. When they awoke, the Ogres found themselves in the dungeons deep below Karak Kadrin, along with the remnants of the Orc army. The Dwarfs no doubt expected Golgfag to die in this cramped and crowded dungeon, and probably thought this would be easier and safer than trying to kill the Ogre in some other fashion.[1a][3a]
When the Dwarfs finally opened the dungeon some months later, they were startled to find Golgfag still alive. He had eaten every other inmate of the dungeon, including the rest of the Ogres, apart from Skaff. Out of respect for his oldest drinking buddy, Golgfag had only, so far, eaten one of Skaff's legs. A great pile of Orc, Goblin and Ogre bones lay in one corner. When he heard of this, Ungrim Ironfist was so impressed that he ordered Golgfag to be taken a long way away and released.[1a][3a]
Golgfag soon gathered together some of his old lads and other keen young Ogres flocked to join him. Skaff decided to stick with Golgfag despite everything, and gratefully accepted the position of standard bearer as this gave him something to lean on. Before the summer was out, Golgfag headed south over the Grey Mountains in company with an Orc raiding party. It was there that he fought his first battles against Bretonnians, where he first sampled 'tinned food', which became Ogre slang for knights. From that day to this, Golgfag has never looked back. His reputation has, if anything, grown and grown. So has his girth. But he still has a few scores to settle, not least with the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin and with the treacherous Lorenzo Lupo. However, Ogres are straightforward folk and such things take second place to a good fight and a full belly![1a]
Present
More tales are told about Golgfag than any other Ogre alive, and Golgfag himself spins a great many of them. Though he exaggerates with wild abandon, Golgfag is still the most successful of all Ogre mercenary captains. He has won countless battles, looted upon the sacred island of Ulthuan, set eyes upon ruinous Skavenblight and survived, guzzled more kegs of Bugman's XXXXXX than most Dwarfs have even seen, and been personally decorated by Emperor Karl Franz. Golgfag has travelled the world and his cronies, known unimaginatively as Golgfag's Maneaters, have gained wide notoriety as being battle-toughened killers.[3a]
Over the course of his adventures, Golgfag has won and lost more fortunes than there are Gnoblars in the hills. His wanderlust prevents him from becoming a great leader, but earns him plenty of loot and renown. His title of 'Maneater' was coined when he ate his human paymaster whole and set off with his pay-chests - although the moniker is misleading, for he is not picky at all about whom or what he eats. Yet such is his fame that Maneater is now a general term for any Ogre who travels the lands as a sellsword. At last sighting, Golgfag had returned to the Ogre Kingdoms to recruit more Ogres into his famed regiment. Where he'll head next is anyone's guess.[3a]
Miniatures
Sources
