Beneath Castle Everglory: CUTNOSE ORCS AND BLOOD AXE BUGBEARS: A Primer
CUTNOSE ORCS AND BLOOD AXE BUGBEARS: A Primer[edit]
Cutnose Orcs[edit]
Cutnose Orcs have rough greenish-grey skin, bright red hair and curved spines. Given their pronounced stoop, they stand about 5’ in height. Their warty faces have beady black eyes and sharp yellow teeth, but no noses – they have all been cut off, leaving a reddish, wet hole in the center of their faces. The Cutnoses are proud of this feature and their shields all feature crude pictures of enraged and noseless Orcish faces. Clothing is generally simple and ragged – either animal skins stitched together or garments stolen from humans. Cutnose shields are round and brightly painted, while their swords are curved and have teeth like a saw. Cutnoses generally speak Orcish but no other languages. Even for Orcs, Cutnoses are quarrelsome and argumentative, to the point that any time five or more are gathered, there is almost certainly a screaming match going on. They are extremely xenophobic and attack strangers on sight.
Cutnose Archers will choose targets by the following priorities, in order: anyone who is an immediate threat to them personally, anyone with little or no armor, anyone showing signs of supernatural power, anyone giving orders, and anyone doing a lot of damage. They have the sense to switch targets if it is clear that arrows are not penetrating, either aiming for a vulnerable location or firing at somebody else.
Cutnose Warriors’ preferred battle tactic is to surround their foes to strike at them from the flank or rear. Cutnoses generally strike at the torso first, and if they can’t penetrate there, at the leg, and if they can’t penetrate there, anywhere where they can find a chink in the armor. If Cutnose Warriors find themselves facing a small number of highly skilled opponents (like the average PC party), they are likely to try slams and grapples, preferably from behind or on a flank.
Captured Orcs will know the relative strength of forces in the castle and will know the layout of level 1. However, they won’t give up any information without inducement of some kind, will lie if they think they can get away with it, and will be looking for a way to betray the party.
Blood Axe Bugbears[edit]
Blood Axe Bugbears are hulking 9’ brutes covered in long, filthy white hair. Their faces have round red eyes and short snouts like a bear, filled with long black teeth. They wear brightly dyed woolen tunics and trousers, cut in human style. Their mail is competently made and is engraved with scenes of bugbears killing lions, bears and human beings. Their huge great axes have decorative handles and the sides of their axe-heads are engraved with monstrous profiles with wide open mouths facing the blade, as if the axe was going to bite its foes. Blood Axe Bugbears are angry and violent by nature and will usually attack strangers on sight. They have been known to settle with Orcish tribes, however, enjoying the status conveyed by their size and strength.
Bloodaxe Bugbears ignore group tactics in battle. They just find the biggest, toughest-looking opponent they can and try to hack them in two with their great-axe. Bloodaxe Bugbears generally strike at the torso, since only weaklings have to attack vulnerable points. Captured Bugbears will know the relative strength of forces in the castle and will know the layout of level 1, but they will refuse to act as informant, even if tortured or threatened with death (both of which will just make them mad). They might be susceptible to bribery however and are certainly susceptible to magic.
