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Though Ogryns tend to congregate in tribes, Grush had always preferred a solitary life, relying on his strength to survive. But hubris brought many a hero low. A fateful encounter with an Orc raiding party saw him captured and chained after a fierce battle. Their leader, Urtrak, intended to sell the captive into slavery - an Ogryn so mighty would have fetched a tidy sum on the markets of Velyzar.

Day after day Grush was forced to trail after the raiders, humiliated and powerless. He would have surely perished in the slave pens were it not for an odd stroke of luck that followed his recent misfortune. In the foothills of the Redspike Mountains, Urtak’s raiders encountered a band of Dwarves that had strayed too far from their underground halls. Sensing another opportunity, the slavers attacked and overwhelmed the Dwarves with sheer numbers. Though some managed to escape, Urtak still had two valuable prisoners to show for his effort.

Interrogation revealed that the Dwarves were scouts, housed in a watchtower nearby, allegedly loaded with fine arms and armor, and garrisoned by less than a dozen warriors. Ever rapacious, Urtak wanted to press his luck and ordered an immediate raid on that outpost.

Finding the tower proved simple enough, but as the Orcs arrived, they found it had been abandoned. At first, they believed the remaining garrison fled after being warned by their comrades. But the sight of splendid Dwarven weapons arrayed on old dusty and cobweb-covered shelves made it clear that Urtak had been deceived.

Suddenly, the sound of clashing steel echoed from behind. The surviving Dwarves had followed Urtak’s raiders and now attacked from the rear, liberating their comrades in a daring charge before withdrawing. The ancient gate crashed behind them, entrapping the hapless slavers within the outpost. And soon, giant spiders emerged from the darkness, eager to devour the foolish creatures that had disturbed their lair.

Assailed on all sides and unable to deal with the swarming monsters, Urtak had no choice but to order his captives released and armed. Foremost among them was Grush, who had taken up a Dwarven hammer and smashed his way through the eight-legged beasts as the party desperately pushed to the exit. 

By the time they managed to smash through the gate, barely a dozen survivors were left standing, Urtak and Grush among them. The Dwarves had already regrouped and set up an ambush for them, eager to put an end to the slavers once and for all. That is when Grush turned on his captors and brought Urtak low with a mighty blow of his warhammer while the other raiders fell to crossbow bolts and axes. 

In recognition of his bravery, the Dwarves allowed Grush to keep the weapon he had recovered from the tower, along with some other trinkets. Having rediscovered the value of freedom, Grush devoted himself to tracking down slavers all across the lands of Teleria and vowed to do everything in his power to put an end to those who engaged in that vile trade.