Lägajf Eg

Translates to "Fire Giant" from the original Giant into Common. Lägajf Ega (/ˈlɛgajf eːja/) is its plural form.

Lägajf Ega are broad and bulky giants, standing at a height of roughly 18 feet and weighing over 7,000 pounds. Their skin is dark and their hair tends towards a spectrum of flaming orange or red, with similarly colored red eyes. They have senses well adapted to high temperature environments, particularly their eyes, which can see through hazes and shimmers associated with such temperatures. Lägajf Ega are impervious to harm from fire, even that exhaled by a red dragon. They can see and hear twice as far as the average human.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

The Lägajf Ega are a fascinating group of giants that live in small, close-knit family groups. They are known to have fomorians, verbeegs, dwarves, and gnomes as serf laborers in their forges and strongholds. The Lägajf Ega often form alliances with and even serve red dragons, which is quite remarkable. They are known to domesticate hell hounds as pets or guards and have serfs who work the farms and fields on the outskirts of their halls and fortresses. The serfs raise livestock and harvest fields, and almost all of their bounty is tithed to the Lägajf Ega.
The Lägajf Eg crafters work through insight and experience rather than writing or arithmetic, which is quite unique. They often keep serfs at court who have these skills, and they value their contributions immensely. Serfs not destined for court or the fields are taken to the Lägajf Ega's mountainous realms to mine ore and gemstones from deep within the earth. The Lägajf Ega low in the Ordning manage the mine tunnels and the serfs who toil there.
It's interesting to note that the Lägajf Ega were the officers, engineers, and crafters of ancient giant empires, which is quite impressive. Their position and unparalleled skill, along with their domineering outlook, make them haughty and arrogant at times. In ages past, when the giants worked together to dominate the world, strategy was determined by others. However, ever since most giants went their separate ways after the wars with the dragons, the Lägajf Ega have not mounted a grand, strategic effort to extend their sway. They have, however, fought countless skirmishes and other tactical engagements, mainly to solidify their hold on territory they have already claimed.
If an ambitious Lägajf Eg ever became a master of strategic planning, there would be no stopping a tribe of Lägajf Ega that enjoyed this additional advantage over their neighbors. Additionally, the Lägajf Ega shun cold but can adapt to cold environments with effort. They keep their hearth fires burning bright and wear heavy woolen clothing and furs to stay warm.

Shared customary codes and values

The Lägajf Ega are a people who highly value bravery and consider it to be one of the most important virtues. They enjoy challenging themselves by facing strong and powerful opponents, which has allowed them to gain a fearsome reputation as soldiers and conquerors. However, their skills are not limited to the battlefield. The Lägajf Ega are also known for their exceptional artistic abilities and craftsmanship. They excel in a wide range of areas, including smelting, smith work, engineering of metal and stone, and their quality of artistry is evident even in their weapons of war. They strive to build the strongest fortresses and create the most powerful siege weapons, experimenting with alloys to create the most durable armor and crafting swords that can pierce it. It is worth noting that the Lägajf Ega are considered to be the greatest crafters and engineers among the giants, and as such, they hold a special place in the Ordning, the system that governs the hierarchy of the giants.

Common Dress code

The Lägajf Eg culture is well-known for their unique fashion sense. They tend to favor clothing in bold, fiery shades such as red, orange, and yellow, with a preference for darker hues like black. The garments often have a singed or scorched appearance, which is thought to be a nod to their love of fire and the heat it generates. In addition to their distinctive clothing, the Lägajf Eg also prefer armor crafted from the most durable materials, including steel and dragon scales. This armor is not only highly protective but also adds to the intimidating presence of the Lägajf Eg warriors on the battlefield.

Art & Architecture

Lägajf Ega, the giants, are known for their exceptional skills in smithing, architecture, and technology. They reside in areas that are surrounded by rocky mountains, volcanoes, and lava floes. The giants have built their sturdy and iron-lined halls deep inside mountains or volcanoes, which support the weight of the stone above them. They have mastered the art of using rivers of magma to fuel their forges, and their fortresses are constructed around or inside volcanoes and near magma-filled caverns. The heat generated by the magma is used to power their forges, and the iron walls of their fortresses glow with a comforting orange hue. In areas where volcanic heat is absent, the Lägajf Ega mine coal to burn. Their traditional smithies occupy a place of honor in their demesnes, and their stony fortresses emit plumes of sooty smoke. In more remote outposts, Lägajf Ega burn wood to keep their forge fires lit, leading to widespread deforestation.
The Lägajf Ega are not known for creating works of art, although they maintain that their feats of metalworking and engineering are themselves forms of artistic expression. However, they do create jewelry from gems and ores that they mine and refine. In addition to this, some Lägajf Ega produce unique forms of art by manipulating magma as it cools, forming it into fantastical and one-of-a-kind shapes. The most striking of these artworks are collected and displayed inside their stronghold, similar to how other cultures create topiary gardens.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Lägajf Ega are a fascinating group of giants known for their exceptional crafting skills, which play a crucial role in determining their place within the Ordning. These giants understand the significance of high-quality weapons and armor in battle and thus highly value master artisans, architects, and engineers who can fashion the finest gear. Leaders within the clan are chosen based on their standing and general recognition as the best crafters in the tribe.
Interestingly, priests often take on leadership roles in Lägajf Eg communities, such as architects or forgers. When they don't hold such positions, their responsibilities include ensuring that other members of their tribe remain productive. While Lägajf Ega possess an average affinity for liktrokuk (runelore) and traditional sorcery, it pales in comparison to that of other giants. However, they prefer to memorize spells that help in detecting and thwarting intruders.
In addition to honing their crafting skills, Lägajf Ega also drill with weapons and engage in exercises to stay fit for battle. Their mastery of combat tactics is unmatched, and their fighting prowess comes from endless discipline and training. They attack their enemies with large swords, typically enchanted with flames, or they soften targets with rocks heated in fire or lava before engaging in close-quarters combat.
Innovative Lägajf Ega have developed boots made of iron or dragon skin to protect their feet, and they sometimes raise and train hell hounds as war dogs. They even allow trolls to roam free in rarely used parts of their fortresses, serving as perimeter guards. Trolls are low-maintenance, tough enough to deter most intruders, and their susceptibility to fire makes them of little threat to a Lägajf Eg.

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