Giant

Giants are humanoid creatures of exceptionally large size. The appearance of giants varies according to the type of giant but they are generally humanoid in appearance, just much larger. Their bone structure is more dense than that of humans, giving them extra toughness but slowing them down a little. Most giants have superior senses to most humans. In general they can see and hear twice as well. The cloud giant, hill giant and stone giant species have a particularly good sense of smell. Some have the capacity to see well in low light or total darkness as well. They are immune to almost all diseases, and have a slight resistance to poison. A female giant have a pregnancy of between nine and fifteen months, depending on the type of giant. Their offspring reach maturity in around fifty years. Although their ancestors were immortal, giant life spans decreased with each generation. The life expectancy of a giant is believes to be between 300 and 400 years depending on race, although later sources stated that storm and stone giants could live several centuries longer on average. The oldest giants were well over 1000 years old. Because their lifespans were so much longer than humans, giants are slow to make decisions and will not be rushed. Giants are intelligent creatures with their own set of cultures and customs. The intelligence varies according to the type of giant (and as with humans, with the individual) but most are at least on a human level of intellect, with the exception of hill giants. Most giants see themselves as superior to all other creatures. The ordning was one reason for this, but they are also much larger than many other species, so they will talk down to and patronize smaller folk, regarding them as unimportant. Giants live in tribes or families, but their numbers are limited because of their size, and the difficulty of finding plentiful food. Ancestry is important to giants. Most giants can trace their lineage back to Annam All-Father, and it is recited formally when introducing oneself to other giants. Once a relationship had been established between giants, whether it was amiable or hostile, this would be continued further down the lineage. Therefore, reciting one's lineage helped to dictate the relationship that would be established. Frost giant skalds (bards) would include lineage in the sagas they wrote. Giants have a different sense of good and evil than most other creatures. A "good" (maat) act for a giant is an act that honored a giant's deity or family, displayed bravery, or honored another "good" giant, regardless of the consequences. An "evil" (maug) act was one of cowardice, stealing, betraying a giant's deity, family or trust, or an act that forced a giant from its natural terrain type. Violating the ordning was also considered evil. Giants often differ in their religious views between species or even between tribes, having been known to argue and even war with one another over the exact desires of a specific deity. Generally, they all accept Annam All-Father, the creator of giants, as the top of the Ordning, the giant pantheon. Giants respect the stormazîn as the high priest of Annam, the highest ranked figure in the giant religious hierarchy, who resided in Annam's grand temple in the Ice Spires.