Thanks for the feedback all! My progress on this army has been sporadic, especially since I’m also working on units to add to my Free Dwarf and Imperial Dwarf Armies. But I’m getting more and more excited to work on these as I get closer to completion!
Today I finally got the last MDF bases I needed to fill out the army. It’s mainly an 80x80mm base for my giant, but also a bunch of smaller ones to fill the odd gap in my diorama (there’s thankfully not many). So next job is to glue a million mantic square bases to them so I can finally paint the rest of the multibases en mass.
I’m also thinking about adding a purple carpet down the centre of the army, to add another focal point and break up the endless expanse of stone tiles! I think the best option is to source some real fabric and glue it down, but I’m still thinking about it.
Aaanyway, one of the things I’ve been thinking about is coming up with some backstory for this army. I had a broad theme in mind (underground ogres guarding treasure that holds spiritual significance to them), but nothing too specific.
…until now. 
—The Deepkin Guardians—
Deep beneath the mountain ranges of Mantica, in the twisting tunnels and caverns that make up the underworld, there lies a vast subterranean realm. This is the domain of the Deepkin Guardians - a sub-race of albino Ogres and their goblin underlings. These hulking creatures are smaller, but more agile and cunning than their surface-dwelling cousins. They are fiercely protective of their underground home and the vast hoard of treasure that they have accumulated there.
For the Deepkin Guardians, the accumulation of treasure is not just a matter of wealth or status. It is a deeply spiritual matter, tied to their beliefs and traditions. The Deepkin believe that the riches they hoard are imbued with divine power, which protects them from the dangers of their underground world and grants them strength in battle. They see themselves as the rightful guardians of this treasure, and they will do whatever it takes to protect it.
The Deepkin’s goblin underlings play an important role in this endeavor. The goblins are their eyes and ears in the tunnels, scouting out new sources of wealth and warning their masters of potential threats. They are also the tribes labor force, digging tunnels and excavating precious gems and minerals from the rock. In exchange for their service, the goblins are allowed to live alongside the Ogres in their underground lairs and share in the spoils of their raids. Treasure stolen from the surface dwellers is treasure now owned by divine right, and that right even extends to the goblins (albiet with hefty “donations” to the Deepkin’s own hoard).
The Ogres and goblins have a symbiotic relationship, but it is not always a peaceful one. The Ogres are prone to fits of rage and violence, and they do not hesitate to use their superior strength to dominate their goblin underlings when they feel that their authority is being challenged. But despite these tensions, the two groups have learned to coexist and work together to achieve their common goals.
For the Deepkin Guardians, the accumulation of treasure is an ongoing quest, one that will never be fully satisfied. They are always on the lookout for new sources of wealth and new challenges to test their strength and cunning. And with each new treasure that they add to their hoard, they become more powerful and more fearsome, solidifying their self-declared status as Masters of the Underworld.
Okay, so to be honest, I actually used OpenAI to write the background, which I then modified to better suit what I was after. It feels a little lazy but hey - i think it turned out alright!
