Gargareans

The Fire Moon is inhabited by a race of warriors often called red or fire ogres, though they name themselves Gargareans, after their god Gargaros. Despite being called ogres, Gargareans lack the shape-shifting ability of their earthly kin. All of them are universally red-skinned, gigantic and angry. They are also all male. This is hardly an impediment to reproduction, as Gargareans can impregnate each other. When a fire ogre is ‘pregnant,’ a large hump grows on his back. After several months, this hump splits open to expose a small ogre, who is already capable of walking. 
Unlike Eshid, the Gallian Empire did not extensively settle Ayos, as the fearsome natives proved intractable. Only a few scattered imperial forts guarded the red, windblown sands of the Fire Moon. The Gargareans were enraged at the terrestrial invasion, and intended to construct a gigantic ship made of red stone, which they would fling straight at Sacris before emerging to conquer what remained of the empire. The First Age ended before this could occur, and the lunar colonies were abandoned. Still, smaller ships are sometimes hurled from the moon. The occupants have no way of returning, but this is of no concern, as they consider it incontrovertible fact that they will be reborn on Ayos. To the Gargareans, Vala is a dreamlike and possibly unreal place. Ayos is the true cradle of life. 
Where exactly the Gargareans come from is not clear. They might be a unique offshoot of the ghurs, hidden on the Fire Moon by Mortus. If Gargaros is really a particularly fierce and violent form of Mortus, the fire ogres cannot say. They consider Gargaros the only god worth worshipping and resent the intrusion of all other deities. Azin, mistress of the Red Moon, is considered an interloper, and many Gargarean armies are assembled to assault her spired palace of ruby, rising from a steaming and flame-tinged lake. The Gargareans also fight each other, and when this gets too predictable, they launch a raid on Vala. Most of what is known of the Gargareans comes from observations made by First Age lunar marines, who naturally were more interested in learning how to fight the red ogres. Unlike the more nuanced accounts of the lunar hesha, nobody seemed to have anything pleasant to say about the inhabitants of Ayos. And the Gargareans did not seem to have any interest in diplomacy or understanding either. A few examples of unusual arms and armor were recovered from Ayos and have since circulated over the planet. Likewise, particularly pragmatic warlords have hired bands of extra-lunar raiders, though even the most tyrannical overlord struggles to control the raging fire ogres. When Valans encounter Gargareans, the encounters are usually hostile, so little can be learned save a healthy fear of the Fire Moon’s natives. On the rare occasions when Gargareans have been willing to communicate in more than grunts, the conversations have proved far from enlightening, as the arrogant fire ogres see no point in describing their rich and ancient culture to the ‘weak little down-belows,’ who are just going to slaughtered when the fire ogres at last launch a mass-invasion of the planet. Fortunately, their sparkling personalities make such a united effort unlikely. A few outcasts have found places as bodyguards or mercenaries, but these rare examples are as taciturn as their more bellicose kin. No doubt much about the fire ogres will remain mysterious until the project of lunar colonization is revived. When that occurs, the Gargareans will be ready for battle, as they always are.