Gashrak Krumb's first breaths were of the fetid, humid air that blanketed the endless bogs and bayous of Murksump - a dismal realm inhabited solely by his dim-witted, bloodthirsty kin, the ogrish Twisted Tusks tribe. Even as a youngling, Gashrak towered above his peers in both imposing physical stature and intellectual curiosity. While the other ogrish boys grew callous and savage entertaining themselves with acts of cruelty and meaningless turf wars between tribal bands, Gashrak felt the ceaseless chaos reigning over these swamps would forever leave a void within his soul.
In his isolated wanderings through the shadowy fens, Gashrak dreamed of breaking free to uncover the mysteries of civilized lands beyond the swamp that beckoned to him in epic tales. His only true friend was Wick, a scrappy goblin outcast who Gashrak sheltered from the incessant pummelings and humiliation by older ogrish youths. Together they found solace in their shared feelings of alienation, weaving elaborate plans to escape into the wide world one day.
The fateful opportunity finally presented itself on Gashrak's seventeenth naming day, when he was to undergo the blood-soaked initiation ritual that would induct him into ogrish adulthood. But rather than submit, he saw this as his chance to flee into the unknown, charging forth from the swamp with Wick by his side and never glimpsing back.
With only their wits and physical prowess, Gashrak and Wick eked out a living on the road as bounty hunters, guides and back-alley fighters. In the arenas of border towns, Gashrak earned renown as "Crusher" for his prowess wrestling even the mightiest foes into submission. But he took no pleasure in these brutal contests, using them only as a means to survive in the surface world.
Driven by wanderlust, Gashrak immersed himself in the diverse cultures, faiths and languages of the kingdoms he traversed, gaining greater understanding of a world beyond his isolated upbringing. By 37 he was a seasoned sojourner, who found meaningful companionship not in those who looked like him, but scholarly mages and fellow outsiders who shared his longing for wisdom and belonging. Though Gashrak remained an object of suspicion due to his imposing frame, his gentle nature shone through.
Gashrak continues his odyssey without destination, but with an enduring yearning to uncover the limitless perspectives that lie beyond the horizon. Though lacking a permanent home, through melding the myriad experiences and lore collected on the open road, Gashrak has quilted together a tapestry of meaning and beauty reflecting the universality of life's shared journey.