Skullcrusher

Few Ogryn mercenaries are more highly prized than the Skullcrushers. Clad in heavy war-plates made from scrap iron and looted mail, and bearing heavy-bladed, barbed axes, they make for imposing opponents. In battle, they can be found acting as bodyguards for important commanders, or striding into the thick of the fighting as the tip of an indomitable counter-attack. The origin of the Skullcrushers occurred during the War of the Elves. A few Ogryn mercenaries, tired of enduring the volleys from Aravian archers while serving the Dark Elves, crafted better armor for themselves out of scraps left on the battlefields. Prior to this, the Ogryn warriors had only borne crude war-plate, but with the addition of Aravian mail, their armor was better able to resist the enemy's arrows. Thus warded, they proved themselves to be a dangerous addition to the Dark Elves' forces. Their employers found that a phalanx of Skullcrushers was almost an army in and of itself. They were all but unstoppable on the field, capable of smashing a gaping hole in even the strongest enemy battleline and enduring storms of arrows and crossbow bolts. The Skullcrushers also made indomitable bodyguards, willing and able to protect their charges against any foe, almost no matter how large or terrifying, due to their faith in the impregnability of their armor and the fear their reputation came to inspire. This unshakable confidence ensured that Skullcrushers would fight on, even as their allies retreated, making them the perfect rearguard. The Ogryn took pride in their reputation for courage and immovability, and these led the ranks of the Skullcrushers to never depleted for long. Those who joined the group took to marking their helms with a smear of enemy blood, as proof of their ferocity. Selling their services to the highest bidder, the Skullcrushers have since fought on hundreds of battlefields across Anhelt, under the banners of the Free Cities, Aravia, and their old masters, the Dark Elves. They have even made their presence felt in the Lost Isles and parts of Peltas on occasion. Recently, the Ogryn known as Traguk Hammerjaw has assumed overall command of the Skullcrushers, after the death of their previous chieftain, Juk Snaptooth, at Lonely Marsh. Traguk is the very epitome of a Skullcrusher; stubborn to the point of obstinance and insanely violent. Larger than his fellows and fiercer by far, he is also cannier than many of his would-be employers expect of an Ogryn. The presence of the Skullcrushers can often determine the difference between victory and defeat, and Traguk has mastered the art of opportune renegotiation. He has learned that employers are often more than happy to double or even triple the Ogryn's pay to ensure that the fight goes their way. And if they are not, Traguk is perfectly willing to reposition his Skullcrushers away from the thick of the fighting. This tactic has earned Traguk and the Skullcrushers the ire of more than one former employer. In one instance, at the Battle of Briarford, the Banner Lord of Kaerok who'd hired the Ogryn refused to give in to extortion and instead ordered elements of his forces to attack the mercenaries at the clash's height. What persuaded him to attack his own forces – albeit reluctant elements – is not known. Whatever the reason, Traguk's response was as swift as it was brutal. He led his warriors in a crushing counter-attack that all but gutted their former employer's forces and handed victory to the enemy… who quickly agreed to Traguk's subsequent demand for payment for services rendered.