How Are Ogryns Treated Under the Imperium?

[Karak Norn Clansman]

Recently over on Reddit, the question was raised how Ogryns are treated in the Imperium. The question hinged on whether or not Ogryns have the chance to live a normal life akin to baseline humans, despite the latter being raised to hate the mutant, since Ogryns are loyal followers of the Imperial Cult in their simple way. Likewise, Black Library books that touch on the subjects were asked for.

 

It is a good question, and it would be interesting to see people's take on it. Here is my response:

 

Loyalty Met By Ingratitude: On Imperial Ogryns

 

If an author would write that Ogryns are treated by human societies in the Imperium, just as if they are baseline humans, then that is a surefire sign of bad writing.

 

The Imperium is meant to embody all the worst depravities of human history. Loyal Ogryns? Trampled upon. Spat upon. Enslaved and abused. Occasionally maybe even culled by pogroms. Humans who see the value in well treated Ogryns are rare exceptions, usually Imperial Guard veterans or enterprising individuals with an unusually independent mind. Imperial man will hate, fear and despise abhumans such as Ogryns. Look to Necromunda for a taste of Ogryn life under Imperial rule, where Ogryn slaves are commonplace, and where one gang in the system consist of rebelling Ogryn Slaves.

 

I remember a bland group effort at worldbuilding an Earth-like Imperial planet in 40k over on Warseer forums. In it, the participants had actually written that the world had an Ogryn population, and thus the baseline human population was tolerant of abhumans. That is not how you write to the spirit of the setting. If the world has an abhuman population, then that is always a reason for the baseline humans to hate and despise mutants all the more.

 

After all, it is rather difficult to hate something distant which you have never seen with your own eyes. Hating your neighbour, on the other hand, could not be easier.

 

Remember that even the most poor and miserable baseline humans, still has their hatred of filthy abhumans to cling to for some semblance of dignity in the cruel world they call home. Even the lowliest of baseline human underclass can sneer at a mutant underclass below them. The social standing of the dirtiest caste of baselines can still be better than that of shunned and even worse enslaved mutant scum. At least the baseline human paupers can find some comfort in their cultic-approved purity of blood, as true sons and daughters of Holy Terra, unlike those wicked abhumans who have deviated from the true template of sacred seed.

 

It is the fortyfirst millennium, and there is only man's hate for fellow man.

 

[Iron Lord]

In the White Dwarf articles that introduce Ogryns (reprinted in Index Imperialis) Ogyrns are commonly employed by planetary governors as bodyguards, and some even serve in the Adeptus Arbites.

 

IMO "abhumans" are far less feared and hated than "regular mutants".

[apologist]

@Karak Norn Clansman – great post. With the proviso that a million worlds is a big place, so anything can happen, I think your point about the spirit of the setting being the 'worst of all possible worlds' is spot on. 

 

We've seen a few examples of ogryns being treated fondly, but even in these cases they're very lopsided master–slave/dog relationships. Broadly speaking, ogryns, like all denizens of the Imperium, are treated as chattel.

[Ahrimanjjb]

The new Warhammer Crime book The Wraithbone Pheonix has this idea as one of its central plot points.

 

It focusses on Ratlings more than Ogryns, but as an Ogryn is one of the main characters you do see a lot of their side too.

 

Well worth a read.

[sairence]

Apparently there's a dialogue between the Ogryn and Veteran Guardsmen in Darktide:

 

Ogryn: what means Abhuman?

Vet: Absolutely human, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

You know that Vet had his bacon saved by an Ogryn charge at least once. In War of the Beast, a pair of Ogryns accompanied a strike force. The Commissar that was their handler at one point read them from a childrens prayer book to calm them down. 

 

But I think I agree...the general populace will view them with hate and disgust.

[Emperor Ming]

What constitutes as a normal life, when the working imperial citizen works a 20-hour shift, every day, until they die. slavery sounds more merciful

 

and "for every working citizen there's a million that die in the gutter unwanted, and they should be grateful, as by doing so they serve the Emperor"

 

Not the exact quote from the core rulebook, but its close enough

 

 

[FarvegNugan]

It's usually 12 hour shifts 6/7 of the week for human workers, often 7/7 days of a week. Also the imperium is a huge place and their are many different views. In the imperium The way I see it from the lore I've read, most colonised world's follow an imperial template and wind up actually quite homogenous despite their distances. Ie all prefab hab blocks and the same blocky imperial buildings. Same church, same cops etc. 

 

     These guys are your stereotypical Imperials. However world's that joined the imperium or became compliant have vastly differing cultures and even technology.  So yes there is definetly imperial man and citizens, but there are just as many worlds that pay their tithe and give glory to Him on terra, who have cultures that allow for better treatment of abhumans and humans alike.  Of course alot of those worlds are even worse, making the harkonnens seem calm and measured and absolutely not degenerate.    Remember big E was fine with having say...Nuceria in the imperium with its self rule intact. 

Edited November 30, 2022 by FarvegNugan