Troɖyblöuk Eg (/ˌtrɔɖʏˈblœɵk eːj/)
Translates to "Frost Giant" from the original Giant into Common. Troɖyblöuk Ega is its plural, "Frost Giants."
The Troɖyblöuk Ega tower over 21 feet tall and weigh about 8,000 pounds. Their skin and hair come in shades of blue, white, and gray, and their eyes are generally blue or gray. These giants grow beards that can become matted with frost and icicles. Like all giants, they have heightened senses and can see and hear twice as far as humans. Their visual senses are well adapted to low temperature environments, allowing them to see more easily through snow and blizzards. Their bodies are impervious to harm from cold, even that breathed by a white dragon.
The Troɖyblöuk Ega tower over 21 feet tall and weigh about 8,000 pounds. Their skin and hair come in shades of blue, white, and gray, and their eyes are generally blue or gray. These giants grow beards that can become matted with frost and icicles. Like all giants, they have heightened senses and can see and hear twice as far as humans. Their visual senses are well adapted to low temperature environments, allowing them to see more easily through snow and blizzards. Their bodies are impervious to harm from cold, even that breathed by a white dragon.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
The Troɖyblöuk Ega are a unique group of giants that live in frigid, mountainous or arctic regions. These areas are known for heavy snowfall, which the Troɖyblöuk Ega have adapted to. They have built castles and caverns in these environments, and these structures have become their homes. Interestingly, the Troɖyblöuk Ega are one of only two types of giants that can contract lycanthropy in the form of werebears. When infected, they transform into polar bears which are hairier than the average Troɖyblöuk Eg and are incapable of assuming the hybrid form most lycanthropes can take.
Despite being part of a society, those afflicted with the werebear condition are known to be loners, as their pelts are considered highly coveted even among their own kin. These pelts are often tied to mystical practices and stories, and are resistant to normal weaponry, making them highly sought after. The Troɖyblöuk Ega are also known for capturing and taming wild animals, which they keep as pets, guards, or hunting companions. They are known for proving their strength and improving their status by challenging dangerous creatures such as white dragons.
The violent way of life that the Troɖyblöuk Ega lead means that most of them die in battle rather than passing away peacefully. Within their society, lälusjaemär take the place of the bards and minstrels of other cultures. These individuals spend their lives adventuring and composing epic poems, known as sagas, which honor the adventures of giants. Poetry is considered the "mead of the All-Father" to lälusjaemära, thus they start by pouring mead into a drinking horn and loudly praising the All-Father. Sagas are passed down through generations of lälusjaemära, allowing Troɖyblöuk Ega to maintain the history of the giants and earning lälusjaemära respect even among giants of entirely different types.
Despite being part of a society, those afflicted with the werebear condition are known to be loners, as their pelts are considered highly coveted even among their own kin. These pelts are often tied to mystical practices and stories, and are resistant to normal weaponry, making them highly sought after. The Troɖyblöuk Ega are also known for capturing and taming wild animals, which they keep as pets, guards, or hunting companions. They are known for proving their strength and improving their status by challenging dangerous creatures such as white dragons.
The violent way of life that the Troɖyblöuk Ega lead means that most of them die in battle rather than passing away peacefully. Within their society, lälusjaemär take the place of the bards and minstrels of other cultures. These individuals spend their lives adventuring and composing epic poems, known as sagas, which honor the adventures of giants. Poetry is considered the "mead of the All-Father" to lälusjaemära, thus they start by pouring mead into a drinking horn and loudly praising the All-Father. Sagas are passed down through generations of lälusjaemära, allowing Troɖyblöuk Ega to maintain the history of the giants and earning lälusjaemära respect even among giants of entirely different types.
Shared customary codes and values
The Troɖyblöuk Ega are known for their emphasis on brute strength and battle prowess, both of which determine their place in the Ordning. They gauge an individual's might through wrestling, boasting, displaying impressive musculature, scars from past battles, or showing trophies made from the remains of enemies. However, due to their emphasis on strength, they are more open to welcoming non-giants into their communities than other giant races. Those who demonstrate great strength and skill, such as someone who can hunt polar bears bare-handed or wrestle a Troɖyblöuk Eg into submission, are revered by the giants and considered to be blessed by the All-Father and his children. The Troɖyblöuk Ega believe that physical strength is not only essential for survival, but it also determines one's status in the community. As such, they often engage in rigorous training regimens and tests of strength to constantly improve their abilities. In addition, they have a rich history of stories and legends that celebrate the feats of the strongest and most skilled among them, passing down these tales from generation to generation.
Common Dress code
The Troɖyblöuk Ega, fierce warriors in their own right, are known for their unique fashion sense and weaponry. They craft their armor from the skins and pelts of wild animals, adding a touch of personal flair with jewelry and adornments. Chainmail is a popular choice among them, often paired with helmets featuring horns, feathers, and bone.
In terms of weaponry, the Troɖyblöuk Ega make use of a variety of battleaxes and greataxes, as well as repurposed armor and weapons from their smaller foes. For instance, they create makeshift scale armor by stringing together shields, while swords are used as heads for giant-sized spears.
But it's not just about functionality for the Troɖyblöuk Ega - their armor and weapons also serve as a record of their battle honors and trophy collection. Notches are carved into the haft of their weapons to show the number and type of foes brought down, while horns, feathers, claws, and tusks are affixed to helmets and armor as decorations commemorating their greatest feats of strength.
In terms of weaponry, the Troɖyblöuk Ega make use of a variety of battleaxes and greataxes, as well as repurposed armor and weapons from their smaller foes. For instance, they create makeshift scale armor by stringing together shields, while swords are used as heads for giant-sized spears.
But it's not just about functionality for the Troɖyblöuk Ega - their armor and weapons also serve as a record of their battle honors and trophy collection. Notches are carved into the haft of their weapons to show the number and type of foes brought down, while horns, feathers, claws, and tusks are affixed to helmets and armor as decorations commemorating their greatest feats of strength.
Art & Architecture
The Troɖyblöuk Eg culture is rich in art, with skilled sculptors creating works of art from ice and snow that are truly breathtaking. These sculptures change shape as the ice and snow melt and freeze, making them all the more fascinating. In addition to sculpting, the Troɖyblöuk Eg people also value carving and leatherworking. While some may view crafting everyday items as beneath them, they take great pride in carving bone or ivory into beautiful jewelry or the handles for their tools and weapons.
One interesting aspect of the Troɖyblöuk Eg culture is that they cannot tolerate the heat of a forge. As a result, they do not mine their own metal or craft their own weapons and armor. Instead, they highly prize fire-forged items made of steel and iron, which they often obtain through raiding. However, such gear is rarely large enough for them to wear, and many Troɖyblöuk Eg make do with cobbled-together items. For example, they may use crude suits of scale armor made from human-sized shields lashed together or fashion war hammers from anvils riveted onto logs.
One interesting aspect of the Troɖyblöuk Eg culture is that they cannot tolerate the heat of a forge. As a result, they do not mine their own metal or craft their own weapons and armor. Instead, they highly prize fire-forged items made of steel and iron, which they often obtain through raiding. However, such gear is rarely large enough for them to wear, and many Troɖyblöuk Eg make do with cobbled-together items. For example, they may use crude suits of scale armor made from human-sized shields lashed together or fashion war hammers from anvils riveted onto logs.
Foods & Cuisine
Troɖyblöuk Ega are a fascinating species with a unique dietary pattern. They predominantly consume meat, which is a result of the environments they typically inhabit. Their carnivorous diet is sustained through hunting and raiding settlements for livestock. However, they are not above trading for food, which provides them with an opportunity to expand their diets and try new things.
In addition to obtaining their food through traditional hunting methods, Troɖyblöuk Ega also raise livestock for future use. This practice not only ensures a steady food supply, but it also allows them to control the quality of their meat. They take great pride in their ability to raise healthy and strong animals.
Interestingly, when in dire need, Troɖyblöuk Ega may choose to forgo cooking a fresh kill. This is because raw meat does not make them sick, unlike many other species. This is a unique adaptation that has allowed them to survive in harsh environments where cooking facilities may not be available.
In addition to obtaining their food through traditional hunting methods, Troɖyblöuk Ega also raise livestock for future use. This practice not only ensures a steady food supply, but it also allows them to control the quality of their meat. They take great pride in their ability to raise healthy and strong animals.
Interestingly, when in dire need, Troɖyblöuk Ega may choose to forgo cooking a fresh kill. This is because raw meat does not make them sick, unlike many other species. This is a unique adaptation that has allowed them to survive in harsh environments where cooking facilities may not be available.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Troɖyblöuk Ega are led by the Sprursdå, who are not only intelligent but also powerful. They are known to possess some of the best equipment in their community, which they use to assign tasks like childrearing, crafting, or hunting to other Troɖyblöuk Ega. Apart from the Ordning, family is the most important bond in their societies. This is why the recitation of ancestral lineage is an important aspect of the sagas crafted by their lälusjaemära poets. These poets introduce each new character with a full recitation accompanied by appropriate music.
Whenever Troɖyblöuk Ega of different clans meet and their status is unclear, they engage in wrestling for dominance. This can at times resemble a festival, with giants cheering on their clan's champions and making bold boasts or challenges. At other times, it can take the form of a chaotic free-for-all.
Troɖyblöuk Ega often try to ambush their enemies by hiding within snow atop icy or snowy slopes, elevations that would be too high for most smaller creatures to reach. They often engage their opponents by first hurling large boulders at them from afar, then closing in with some form of weapon.
The Troɖyblöuk Ega recognize two kinds of loot: smörn and fårl. Smörn plunder consists of living creatures, mainly livestock, but also the occasional hostage. These hostages serve two purposes: to discourage retaliation and pursuit, and to provide potential for ransom. Fårl refers to material goods, the most prized being objects of steel, alcohol, and large gems.
Raids by Troɖyblöuk Ega cause significant damage to inns and taverns, with their cellars gutted and their casks of ale and mead gone. Smithies are likewise toppled, their iron and steel claimed. Curiously undisturbed are the houses of moneylenders and wealthy citizens, for the raiders have little use for coins or baubles. Troɖyblöuk Ega prize gems and jewelry large enough to be worn and noticed. However, even those treasures are most often saved for trading opportunities with other giants more adept at crafting metal weapons and armor.
Whenever Troɖyblöuk Ega of different clans meet and their status is unclear, they engage in wrestling for dominance. This can at times resemble a festival, with giants cheering on their clan's champions and making bold boasts or challenges. At other times, it can take the form of a chaotic free-for-all.
Troɖyblöuk Ega often try to ambush their enemies by hiding within snow atop icy or snowy slopes, elevations that would be too high for most smaller creatures to reach. They often engage their opponents by first hurling large boulders at them from afar, then closing in with some form of weapon.
The Troɖyblöuk Ega recognize two kinds of loot: smörn and fårl. Smörn plunder consists of living creatures, mainly livestock, but also the occasional hostage. These hostages serve two purposes: to discourage retaliation and pursuit, and to provide potential for ransom. Fårl refers to material goods, the most prized being objects of steel, alcohol, and large gems.
Raids by Troɖyblöuk Ega cause significant damage to inns and taverns, with their cellars gutted and their casks of ale and mead gone. Smithies are likewise toppled, their iron and steel claimed. Curiously undisturbed are the houses of moneylenders and wealthy citizens, for the raiders have little use for coins or baubles. Troɖyblöuk Ega prize gems and jewelry large enough to be worn and noticed. However, even those treasures are most often saved for trading opportunities with other giants more adept at crafting metal weapons and armor.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
The Ordning, a set of rules and traditions among the Troɖyblöuk Ega, assigns social rank solely based on physical strength, regardless of gender. Both male and female Troɖyblöuk Eg elders are responsible for most of the child-rearing duties. It is considered a grave offense to attack or challenge a pregnant female, even in an attempt to improve one's social status. It is believed that such actions go against the fundamental principles of the Troɖyblöuk Eg culture.
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