The Jotnar

At the highest mountain peaks and the deepest frozen dales, where the frigid winds howl — dwell the giant humanoids known as Jotnar. Jotnar thrive where few other races live. In a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold is where they have made their homes. Some say their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and their natural endurance and strength give them great physical power. Their spirits take after the free winds, making them individualistic adventurers who are always looking for the next challenge. Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their frigid realm, leaving each jotnar with the responsibility to earn a place in the community or die trying.

Jotnar Traits

Ability Score Increase: Your Strength increases by 2, your constitution increases by 1.
Age: Jotnar reach adulthood in their teens and often live to be 150 years. Most jotnar stay physically healthy and appear young for far longer than the average human. Due to the harsh climes where they dwell however, and their love for adventure and challenges, many die fairly young.
Alignment: Jotnar are as varied when it comes to alignment as the average human. They do however show a tendency towards lawful or neutral alignments because of their sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self- sufficiency and personal accountability.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant. Jotnar traditionally only spoke giant, of which the common language evolved from. Trading with other cultures and their love for exploring eventually led to the Jotnar adopting the new common language not long after the humans of the mainland of Antreia started using it. Many Jotnar today speak predominantly common. The Jotnar do however have their own distinct dialect when speaking common, and their language is rich with unique words and sayings based on where in Northgaard the jotnar come from. All Jotnar learn the giant language from a young age, but most don’t use it actively, instead preferring common.
Vision: Normal
Favoured Time of Day: Midday
Favoured Climate: Cold to Frigid
Favoured Terrain: Mountainous, Tundra

Bonus Proficiencies (Pick 2)

Historian: You have proficiency in the History skill.
One With Nature: You have proficiency in the Nature skill.
Survivor: You have proficiency in the Survival skill.
Brawn:  You have proficiency in the Aethletics skill.
Menacing Presence:  You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Jotnar Weapon Training:

Simple weapon: Spear, Shortbow and Handaxe. And the Martial weapons: Longsword, Shortsword, Battleaxe and Longbow.

Northerner’s Endurance:

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 

Son/Daughter of The North:

You have resistance to cold damage. You’re also acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet.

Powerful Build:

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Wanderer:

You have an inborn ability to always know where you are in the world. You can look up at the stars or survey your environment to always know where north is, even in the deepest depths of a cave or in a snowstorm, and you can use your skills as a tracker to have advantage on any rolls which has to do with tracking of animals or humanoids.

Appearance

The jotnar largely resemble humans. However, they are noticeably taller (around 2,3 meters on average, males being slightly taller). Their proportions are also much broader and more heavily muscled than a typical human. The jotnar are often described as being giants, and they themselves consider themselves part of giant kind. Jotnar can also have long lives, living up to 150 and maintaining their good health and vitality for a long time, though very few die of old age. Jotnar also generate a considerable amount of body heat at the slightest exertion. Despite the cold weather of Northgaard, the jotnar are often only lightly clad, exposing skin which is frequently covered in elaborated tattoos which have a spiritual meaning to the jotnar, and of which often depict animals in simplistic, tribal styles.
Size and build: Jotnar have strong and tall builds. Your size is Medium. Male jotnar tend to be between 230cm and 250cm and females tend to be around 220cm and are less broad, but no less strong, than their male counterparts.
Skintones: Jotnar have a broad range of skin colors, but pale is the norm. Light-skinned jotnar living in southern cities will have their skin easily tanned by the sun however. Some jotnar tend to have a slight greyish hue to their skin, but this is less noticeable than the green hue of the orcs for example.
Haircolor: Jotnar typically have blonde, red or light brown hair which is often kept long, braided and shaved on the sides. Female jotnar often decorate their hair with jewellery, seashells or dried flowers, and members of both genders are fond of dying their hair with natural dyes.
Eye color: Jotnar eyes are usually blue and light in colour, but varieties of green or grey are also common.

Diet

Jotnar are omnivored by heart and eat most anything. They tend to not be picky because of the scarcity of food year-round in the frigid places of which they live. Most jotnar prefer meat or fish however, often seasoned with ale, berries and herbs. Alcohol is an important part of any jotnar meal, and most families pride themselves on having their own personal mead or ale recipe. Even jotnar children taste mead and ale from a very young age, which is believed to make their constitution better and their bodies strong. Most jotnar live on farmsteads on Northgaard or the islands surrounding it, and although the summers are very short, they usually grow potatoes and other hardy vegetables to store and eat during the winter months. Because of the necessity of drying and storing during the winter, jotnar have developed a variety of different methods of which to salt, bottle and ferment the meat, fish and vegetables they gather during the summer.

History

The people who today call themselves jotnar are descendants of the giant who during the Age of Titans ruled the north. The giants waged war and lost against the dragons during this age, and to flee the wrath of their winged enemies, a group of frost giants fled to the arctic continent to the far north. These eventually became the jotnar. No one knows exactly why they lost their grander stature and became the smaller and more humanoid versions of giant that the jotnar are today, but one theory suggests that the jotnar procreated with another species of smaller giant, another progenitor to the humans of which already existed in the area, and thus lost some of their size and a good amount of the traits of which are seen in the rare “pure” frost giant that still exist on the continent. After hundreds of years the jotnar eventually moved further and further south again, in search of food and territory, and as the threat of the dragons eventually subsided due to the infighting which saw their empire crumble to dust, the jotnar explored larger and larger areas of islands to the south. Today, very few jotnar still thrive to the far north due to the inhospitable climes, and the largest jotnar settlements are found on the large island of Northgaard. The frost giants which still exist in their original forms oftentimes live side by side with the jotnar of Northgaard. The two, now distinct, species do not typically interbreed however, but live side-by-side as equals.
The jotnar, although still found primarily on northgaard and on the surrounding islands, have however expanded their territory heavily in recent years. Initially the jotnar made a living pillaging and looting seaside towns and settelements in the south, before returning to their home towns, but in recent years a truce has been made between the jotnar jarls and the kingdom of Lostrath, which has seen the two peoples agreeing to a mutually-beneficial trade and defense treaty. This has led to the jotnar joining the Northern Alliance, with all the perks and benefits that entails. Not all the jotnar tribes have agreed to this truce however, and some are still found pillaging the humans cities in the south, which have earned the race a somewhat negative reputation amongst the humans of the Northern Alliance.

Personality and Reputation

Jotnar culture is highly individualistic with a focus on personal success and glory— particularly when gained from the hunt, in a battle or through feats of great intellect, like having extensive knowledge on history. The jotnar do not fear death, as they believe the bold and strong can achieve immortality, but they do fear they will be weak and end up forgotten. As a result, each individual seeks to prove themselves, to build their legend through feats of individual valor and great victories. Every jotnar hopes their legend will be told by a skaald, celebrated at a moot, and remembered forever through story and song. Jotnar usually have a great sense of personal honor, for a jotnar without respect from others is already forgotten. For many, the focus on prestige means they're willing to accept any challenge which will prove their worth. They will never give up on their battle, quarry or friends, even if it means years spent tackling a strong enemy or difficult task. Nevertheless, to some jotnar the pursuit of prestige translates to bragging, bullying, unwise snap decisions, and an unwillingness to listen to reason. Jotnar are a hearty, proud people—quick to anger but then quick to forgive. They are, by their nature, a race of optimists, keeping a positive outlook. A setback is seen as just another challenge to overcome. They respect those who can best them in a fight, so brawling among jotnar is common. Drinking alcohol, often to excess, is also a large part of their culture. Being drunk and fighting is not an uncommon combination, for example, jotnar alemoots feature competitions of 'skill' which require the competitors to be very drunk to compete. 
In modern times, the jotnar of Northgaard are known to hold an annual grand moot, simply called the Hunt. The Hunt features a dangerous beast for fighters and hunters to try to kill, as well as what is usually at a typical moot. In order to join in on the Hunt, a jotnar must prove themselves worthy by presenting a trophy from a recent kill. The jotnar also hold a specialized moot called an alemoot, which specializes in testing how much one can drink and still complete an obstacle course of sorts. A jotnar might proudly trace their worthy ancestors through many generations and may pass a common name through a family (such as Olaf Olafson, seventh son of Olaf) but a great ancestry and family connections do not grant automatic respect to a jotnar. Everyone is judged not by their lineage or associated group, but by what deeds they have done. As a result, the jotnar are often tolerant of an individual to whom other races might treat with hostility by association- There is no such thing as infamy to the jotnar. For example, a jotnar who achieves respect from their peers through deeds that might be considered "underhanded" by human standards has still accomplished what the jotnar value most, and is seen as equal to a jotnar who has performed more "respectable" acts. Another side of this obsession with proving oneself is that individuals who are considered “weak” or of which have no qualities which can further the community, are by most accounts deemed unworthy to be part of jotnar society, and are most often cast out from society. These jotnar have a tendency to become mercenaries or bandits in human controlled territories, or they outright accept death due to what they perceive as their own inadequacies. Jotnar are known to marry, but only if the couple is of equal status. During the wedding, someone must speak on behalf of the couple in order to show that they are a worthy match for each other.

Society

The jotnar do not have a central government or nation. Most jotnar resist submission, and will not kneel before anyone. The closest thing to leadership comes from the respect gained from other jotnar by those who have performed significant, widely recognized heroic deeds. Those jotnar with exceptional strength and prowess in battle might establish a homestead, and are often called jarl, but they are not considered rulers of those living within it although they can make decisions on behalf of the members of the homestead. 
That said, Northgaard as a hole is ruled by the “Storjarl” Ragnar Whitebear, a descendant of Olgeir Dragonslayer, who once united all the jotnar tribes of the north to fight a giant ice dragon that threatened the island, after centuries of infighting between the tribes. Ragnar is accepted by all as the master of Northgaard, and he is expected to keep the island safe. He is known to keep order and has had to kick troublemakers out at times, although he does offer forgiveness to foolish young jotnar if they apologize and recognize their mistakes. Ragnar's son and daughter—Helgeir and Sigrid—lead the Skinwalkers, a group of jotnar volunteers that vouch to keep peace in Northgaard, and who use were-magic of the bear to defend the people.

Religion

The jotnar have two official religions. Traditionally the jotnar have been following the ordning and thus the giant pantheon, but their reverence for the giant gods is a casual one at best. They acknowledge their existence, and some homesteads consider them patron gods, but in general their society is quite secular. The other part of jotnar spirituality is the reverence of the mysterious Animal Spirits, beings that embody the strongest, bravest, wisest, and most cunning animals of Northgaard. The Greatest Spirit is Bear, who is seen as the strongest of all the spirits and is said to have granted the jotnar the ability to shapechange into were-creatures known as werebears. The other spirits are the wise Raven, the cunning fox and the loyal wolf, of which together with Bear, are the four Great Animal Spirits, and are highly revered because of the assistance they have given the jotnar in the past. There are many other Spirits, such as Ox, Eagle, Wyrm, Whale, Mouse and Mountain Lion, but they are not as widely revered. Each spirit has any number of seiðkonur, female-only shamans who devote themselves to a spirit, serving as guardians to places where that spirit is venerated, and teachers of the lessons of that spirit. The four most important spirits have huge Spirit Lodges built in their honor; these are governed by the most powerful seiðkonur. As with other aspects of their lives, the jotnar take an individual approach to their religion. 
Groups of jotnar, such as families, larger lodges, or isolated homesteads tend to revere a particular Spirit over the others, calling forth its special attributes so they might emulate it. This means that some Spirits are more widely revered in some places than in others. On rare occasions, tension may arise between the followers of some spirits; for example, followers of Bear might see Raven's approach as deceptive and therefore weak and dishonourable. It is important to note that, while a jorn may focus on revering one Spirit over another, all jorn acknowledge the existence of all the Spirits, even if they do not revere all those Spirits, or consider some of them weak. While they do not worship or revere the Gods of The Faith, they do acknowledge them and their power.

FAIR PLAY

For jotnar, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. Competition measures talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine survival in their home territory, not reliance on magic items, money, or other elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Jotnar happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A jotnar who relies too much on them can grow complacent, a recipe for disaster in the north. This trait manifests most strongly when jotnar interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles jotnar. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most talented person in the kingdom should take his place. Jotnar rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power..

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Among jotnar, any adult who can’t contribute to the community or family is expelled. A lone jotnar has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Jotnar have little pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the jotnar concept of fair play. A permanently injured jotnar is still expected to pull his or her weight in the community. Typically, such a jotnar dies attempting to keep up, or the jotnar slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the jotnar drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A jotnar would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folks have ever meet an elderly jotnar, and even those jotnar who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical skills decay.

DRIVEN COMPETITORS

Every day brings a new challenge to a jotnar. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the unhospitable north. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire community or village, while an individual’s heroic effort can ensure the entire group’s survival. Jotnar thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Jotnar love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Jotnar are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a jotnar slays a dragon, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few jotnar adventurers of such dedication reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments.

SHAPECHANGERS

The jotnar may ask the Spirits they revere for help, calling on them in battle and using their shape-shifting abilities to better connect with them. These spirits are said to have granted some Jotnar the ability to shapeshift into were-creatures. The Spirits are said to grant the jotnar the control they need to keep the beast at bay, and those who are not deemed worthy by the Spirits lose themselves to the were-blessing should they receive it, roaming the land as savage beasts. Although the Spirits rarely directly help the jotnar, when they do, they provide impressive advantages. Despite the rare direct intervention of the Spirits, the jotnar often call upon them when hunting, and believe that if the Spirit did not help them, is because it knew its help was not needed.

Classes

Jotnar are a curious and adventuring people, and thus they are known to take up any class that can give them an advantage in battle.
Magic: Although fewer magic users exist among the jotnar than does those that prefer to fight with an axe or a sword, there are renowned sorcerers, warlocks, wizards and druids among the jotnar. No magic is directly forbidden apart from necromancy, and the wise men and women who perform arcane feats are as celebrated as the jotnar who are strong of physical prowess.
Mix: Jotnar Paladins and Bards are also a common sight. Jotnar especially make good bards because of their love for history and story-telling, and their mead halls are often filled with the music of the skaalds.
Non-Magic: The majority of jotnar despite their willingness to try most anything are Fighters, Rangers or Barbarians. Jotnar are exceptional trackers, and their bodies are strong and their stature is tall, which make them powerful wielders of both bow and greataxe.

Jotnar Names

Most jotnar follow a Northern European or Viking-style first name system, sometimes influenced by Russian. 
Their surnames can vary in a multitude of styles. Those without any achievements or legends have surnames after one of their parents (father/mother's first name followed by -sson or - sdottir or a variant thereof this is most commonly seen in children, and they're named after the more famous of their parents even if they do not like said parent (e.g., Bragdar Heidisson). Surnames do not get adopted from generation to generation, and they can be changed by the individual to fit their own personal legend and aspirations. Couples may not always share surnames either. Some Jotnar may also take titles instead of a surname if it fits them and their legend more (e.g., Normir the Mist Walker).
Female Jotnar names: Astrid, Signe, Thyra, Gunhild, Gudrun, Ulfhild
Male Jotnar names: Njal, Roar, Halfdan, Birger, Torsten, Erik
Surnames and honorifics: Eriksson, Thyrasson, the Mist Walker, Whitewolf, the Raven’s Eye, Sharpspear

Related Organizations

• The Fate