However, just then the sound of something very large crashing across the field caught their ears.  The gnolls turned, just in time to have a massive figure emerge from the darkness.  The ogre stood taller than even the gnolls, and he was bedecked in full armor, patched from human and orcish made suits alike.  A dented and nicked tower shield, still bearing the emblem of the human empire that had once guarded the town was held before him.  The nearest gnoll yelped and went sprawling as that shield struck him with the full power of an ogre's charge behind it.<br/><br/>A massive flail came up in the other hand, made for a lesser being to wield one-handed but held easily in the ogre's massive grip.  As he began to swing that huge weight slowly above his head, the ogre growled at the gnolls.  "Let her go and begone!"<br/><br/>They paused, perhaps considering their chances against the beast, or just all not wanting to be the first to flee.  But then as the ogre stepped forward and roared, the gnolls scattered, yipping and fleeing, leaving Jessica in a heap with a nice view of the ogre's huge boots.<br/><br/>Jessica was speechless at first...gnolls, then this...thing.  But at least it seemed to be closer to human.  And it hadn't attacked her.  Yet.  She looked up into its face.  "Uh...hello there.  And...thanks.  I don't know where those gnolls came from."  She looked up and down the creature--there seemed to be more up than down.  "Are you an ogre?"<br/><br/>"I am Thar'ok the Battlehammer," the ogre answered, "And yes, I am an ogre."<br/><br/>There was some rustling and a pair of smaller green-skined creatures appeared out of the darkness, bowing low before the ogre.  "M'Lord," the first said, "There's more gnolls about, a full pack of them."<br/><br/>The other nodded and added, "They've taken the farmstead, Master.  They were pleaureing themselves with three other humans in the main house."<br/><br/>The ogre returned his flail to his belt and stroked his chin.  "How many live here woman?" he demanded of Jessica as he reached down to pull her up to her feet.<br/><br/>"Pleasuring themselves?"  Jessica's hand went to her mouth, even as she took the ogre's proffered hand with her other.  "That's my sister and two nieces!"  She looked at the two orcs.  She had a bad feeling about all of this.  "We've got to save them."<em>Though I wonder if these two would save them, or take them for themselves</em>, she thought silently.