Who is Skrag the Slaughterer?

The question of how to make an Ogre more deadly is not one that is often asked, in jest or otherwise. A walking pile of hungry, often dumb meat is something to run away from, not ruminate on the possibilities of. Luckily(?), Skrag the Slaughterer exists to explain why packing an Ogre full of magic and knowledge, ripping off his arms and replacing them with dull metal blades, making him half-mad with pain is probably not the greatest idea.

It certainly doesn’t leave him ‘armless.

As the prophet of the Great Maw, always dragging a great Cauldron behind him to fill with the brains and gristle of his enemies, Skrag leads a unique life in service of the ever-hungry God of the Ogre peoples. It makes him no less of a terrifying leader, and his legions of Gorgers and ever-hungering monsters terrorise Dwarfs and Men alike.

One such terrified man, Andy Hall, joins us to give the lowdown on Skrag.

What differentiates Skrag from Greasus?

They’ve very different creatures. While Greasus is a king that sits upon a throne of gold and greed, Skrag is a wanderer – led by his visions and surrounded by the ghoul-like and ever hungry Gorgers.

He is a caster, a powerful Slaughtermaster and the most adept user of Gut Magic there is – for that is the magic of the Great Maw and Skrag is His prophet.   

What does he keep in his cauldron and how did he end up like this?

Skrag was the head Slaughtermaster of Bron Rockgrinder, a Tyrant with a notoriously bad temper. While Skrag’s role was of a high station, he was tormented by a particularly cruel little Gnoblar who happened to be Bron’s favoured. The Gnoblar knew it and thought itself under the Tyrant’s protection, but it perhaps pushed Skrag too far. He ‘accidentally’ cooked the irritating Gnoblar and served it up on a platter to Bron at a great feast. The Tyrant was not amused. 

In a rage, he hacked off Skrag’s hands and devoured them in front of his cheering Ogres. He ordered Skrag’s pot be attached to the ex-Slaughtermaster’s back so he ‘could drag his shame about’ until his dying days. The Tyrant was not finished – he banished Skrag to the cursed under-caves of Bron’s mountain, where he was led and sealed in.

The hungry Gorgers that lurked there quickly sensed prey. Skrag wasn’t having any of that – he stuck his butcher’s tools into his bloody stumps and made short work of the pack that attacked him. From that moment on, the Gorger’s who survived Skrag were his servants. The pack would soon swell as if the creatures knew of the carnage and meat that was to come.

Skrag finally emerged out of the caves further up the mountain, he had been wandering in the dark for a while and was now convinced the Great Maw was talking to him… guiding him to a great purpose. He came upon Bron’s Tribe from above with his pack of Gorgers and enacted a bloody revenge – filling his Cauldron to the brim, which seemed to greatly please the Great Maw.

So, as a player, keep his pot full and the buffs will surely follow!    

How did Skrag end up quite so far-flung from his brethren and what else can you tell us about him?

Skrag is a wanderer, with no rhythm or reason or so it seems. He is led by the Great Maw, which makes him a perfect candidate for the events to come. We meet up with him around the Grey Mountains, so, far from the Ogre Kingdoms themselves, but if the nations of men are looking to the north, well, that’s an opportunity to fill that cauldron up!   

Skrag has another great voice performance, both horrific and disgusting. We wanted to get across his mania, so you’ll find he rarely talks to anyone but the Maw. I liken him to a cross between Rorschach and Gollum.

Thanks, Andy.

Skrag is more than happy to induct you into the worship of the Great Maw – just as soon as WARHAMMER III launches on February 17^th. We hope you’re hungry.