Arianne World Group nephros ADRF-world-races-giants Version 1.01 Category: Informational 2002-05-04 Giants TOC: 1. Appearance 2. Culture 2.1 Overview 2.2 Cities and Buildings 2.3 Arts & Crafts 2.4 Economy 2.5 Politics 2.6 Religion 2.6.1 Code Of Honour 3. History 3.1 Origins 3.2 Modern History 4. Game Notes 4.1 RP 4.2 GFX/SFX 4.3 Evaluation and Future Improvements 5. References 6. License 7. Document History 8. Author(s) 1. Appearance Giants look very much like humans, only a bit bulkier and muscular, with a rather crude skull. Oh, yes and the are _large_. At minimum they are twice as large as humans, and the average Giant is about 2.5 times a humans size (3.60-4.5 meters). Their skin is usually fair, often with a blueish or grayish tint, with brown and black also possible, but less common. Hair colour are the same as with humans, with black, brown and red taking precedence, and blond being extremely rare (except with members of the Royal Family). They grow no beards. Eyes are blue, black or grey. The average lifespan is 150 years. 2. Culture 2.1 Overview How to describe Giant culture? Its like humans', but without the fuss, Giants like to do things to the point, and don't like anything complex. This attitude id reflected by their way of life. Dwarves also follow a strict code of honour. 2.2 Cities and Buildings Giants usually dwell in (physically) large cities of about 5.000 citizens, which are always surrounded by a huge wall built of huge smooth stone boulders, and are heavily armed. No army has yet been able to conquer a city surrounded by a Giant Wall, or to break one, or to collapse it by tunnelling under. Rural Giants usually live in Farm buildings inhabited by at least three different families, and, depending on region, breed cattle, sheep, pigs or grow wheat, hemp or corn. Giant buildings are always made of stone (they don't trust wood too much, nor do they have enough forests) and are incredibly strong and heavy. 2.3 Arts & Crafts Craftsmanship is in very high regard, and every Giant wants to become a master in a certain craft. Good examples are: Architecture, Engraving, Smithing, Sewing, Cooking Things that require complex actions to work, such as magic or complicated machinery is very much mistrusted and disliked. (That does not keep most cities from sporting ballistas and catapults on their walls). Thus, magic users are rare. Giants are famous for their weapons which are always made from the finest steel, and usually nicely decorated. 2.4 Economy Most famous export articles: wool, woven goods, weapons, city walls Primary Trade Partners: Dwarves, Ogres, Humans, Centaurs 2.5 Politics Giants are ruled by a King, the throne being inherited. The King is assisted by the Honourable Council, a group of about two dozen highly decorated Giants. The King and His Council send out Governors for the districts of the Giant Kingdom, the Governors in turn choose cities mayors. <<>> Candidates for Governors and other positions are chosen in a peculiar way: Most of the Royal Family are blond, and blond hair is seen as a sign of good leadership. Blond children are given special education at the Court as soon as they reach their 10th birthday, and after 20 years of training they may apply for a secret contest at the end of which the candidates for political positions are chosen. The training includes lessons in dancing, cooking, history, courtiers manners, hunting, architecture, warfare, economy as well as one special quest every year which must be fulfilled to advance to the next year. Giants on such a quest must dye their hair to a different colour (so they wont get any advantages from their blondness) and may not speak to others on the same quest. The results of these quests plus the outcome of the Final Contest (a kind of exam held every seven years at a secret and sacred place) decide for which political positions the Giant may later apply. Foreign Politics: The King and the Council have loose contacts to the various Dwarven Kingdoms, where the Giants get their metals from. They have trading routes to some of the human Lands, as long as the cultural and moral situation there is deemed honourable enough to deal with them. Others are ignored or fought. They don't like elves very much. Their way of life is too complicated. They have an ancient hatred against Ogres. They kill them on sight if they can. 2.6 Religion <<>> Giants have three Gods: the male smith Unger, his wife Argun, and Nam, the animal. Unger made the rules in his smithy, Argun gives birth to all living things, and Nam went out to see that everything was balanced, devouring all that brings harm to Creation. All three gods have good and evil sides, Unger representing Order and the unchangeability of things, Argun symbolises creative force and abundance, Nam is God of nature, chaos, Death and destruction. 2.6.1 Code Of Honour The centre of a Dwarves' world is his Honour. Reciting the whole Codex (which incorporates over 200 rules) is beyond this documents scope, but here is an excerpt: I. The Giant always pleases the eyes of the Gods. He does this with his appearance as well through his deeds. II. Strength pleases the eyes of Unger. III. Kindness pleases Argun. IV. Balance and peace of mind pleases Nam. V. What is enough pleases the Gods. VI. What is more must be watched closely. VII. What is too much must be undone. XIII. A Giant without honour is not a Giant and disgusts Unger. XIV. Never will the Giant let a creature live if it is unpleasant to the eyes of the Gods. XV. The Giant does not kill his Kin (including himself) nor the Kin of his wife nor the Kin of his master. XVI. The Giant Will not knowingly let Harm come to his Kin, nor to the Kin of his wife, nor to the Kin of his master, XXXVI. The Giant does not drink blood. XXXVII. He does not eat creatures with the gift of the voice. (including birds) XXXVIII. Eyes, ears, liver, kidneys, fins and tails must not be eaten. CV. The Giants uses the gift of the voice loudly and proudly. CVII. The Giant does not speak empty words. (this includes lies, meaningless talk and even not speaking against "empty words") <<< AUTHORS NOTE: the codex needs work!! >>> If you examine the meanings of XIII to XVI you will understand why no Giant wants to lose his honour. A Giant who lost his honour must live knowing that he disgusts his God, should be killed, but must not kill himself. 3. Giant History 3.1 Origins 3.2 Modern History ??? 4. Game Notes 4.1 RP 4.2 GFX/SFX 4.3 Evaluation and Future Improvements On the ML discussion some topics were mentioned: My original question also involved Trolls and Ogres and suggested strong ties in their history and habitat area. Trolls and Ogres also are about the same size as giants, so the same GFX base model could be used (just different skin). Giants are basically just large humans, with a less advanced but comparable level of culture. The ancient Celts and vikings are somewhat like giants. Ogres are more like large orcs or barbarians: brutal, primitive, strong, aggressive but _very_ stupid. Trolls are difficult to perceive, they probably live underground, and are regarded stupid, but may be much smarter, hiding that fact. They definitely have a good grasp of (elemental) magic. Titans and Barbarians were also mentioned on ML, but my personal opinion is we should not have too many rather similar races. Unite Titans and Giants, and make orcs a bit smarter than elsewhere and unite them with the Barbarians. TODO: make model and GFX create game statistics make object xml file improve politics and religion section write history and include in general Arianne history make a map and include it into the Arianne World Map make Giant-specific objects and GFX (weapons etc) 5. References first post of concept and discussion in arianne-world ML Digest #8 and #9 dating from 02 May 2002 if you have a source-book of the RPG "Changeling" made by White Wolf Games, look at the Kith "Troll" described in there, that is what inspired me originally. Concept art: If I find good concept images, they will be in the same place where this document resides. please check for yourselves! this one is close: http://home.online.no/~grum/land/giant.jpg on the White Wolf page: http://www.white-wolf.com/Games/Pages/Sig%20Characters/Duke%20Topaz.html 6. License This document is (c) Peter Gantner, and licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (FDL) Version 1.1 or, at your option, any later version. See http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html for details. 7. Document History Version 1.01 2002-05-04 First Version 8. Author(s) nephros a.k.a. Peter Gantner End of ADRF