Giantism

Giantism, also known as gigantism, is a condition characterized by excessive growth resulting in long bones and an increased height, and an unusually large body size. Individuals with giantism may reach heights of two and a half meters, or even taller. Symptoms start occurring in early childhood, but usually not before a child is able to walk. The condition is slightly more common with men than women, with men also experiencing more severe symptoms. A person suffering from giantism is called a Giant.

A child born from two parents with giantism will show symptoms from birth, being born abnormally large compared to a regular human baby, but relatively normal compared to the size of their parents.

Symptoms

Core symptoms include rapid growth during childhood and adolescence, resulting in a height that is significantly above average for an individual's age and gender. They proportionally differ from a normal human build, developing large hands, feet, and facial features with a prominent jaw and forehead. These features are less common with female giants. The rapid growth is more often painful than not, and many giants suffer from chronic pains, stiff joints, and reduced motor functions.

Although giants experience voice change very early, around ages six to eight, drastically deepening their normal talking voices, they generally experience a delayed onset of puberty. While they mature mentally at the same rate as others, their bodies don't mature physically before technically having reached adulthood. Most giants are therefore practically infertile until they reach their twenties.

Giants have an increased body temperature, in some cases so high that living in warm temperate climates may impose severe health complications, or even death. Increased sweating and body odor is a common side effect of this

Treatment

There is no known method of stopping or reversing the accelerated growth, but that has not stopped people from trying. Throughout history, children with giantism has suffered amputations and mutilations in an attempt to stop the process, to no avail.

Most civilizations on the northern continent these days send their giant children to live on Miklareya, an island part of the kingdom of Auregelmir. It is an autonomous colony entirely populated and ruled by giants. It is a cold and harsh place, which alleviates giants' symptoms such as overheating and pains.

Type

Physiological

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare