Goliath

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Goliaths have gray skin with mottled patches of dark gray resembling different types of stone, creating a unique pattern on each Goliath, which is one of the reasons why they choose to wear little clothes. They refuse to hide who they are from others, and see Goliaths who obscure their markings as trying to hide their fate or obscure who they are.
Their Powerful Build features let them carry all your loot as if they were a creature one size larger, so about twice as much as someone who has the same Strength score as them. Think of them as a giant, walking personal bag of holding. The attribute also comes in handy when making various skill checks, like if they were to be knocked prone or shoved. In addition, since they are often found quite high up a mountain, they don’t suffer from high altitude and are quite capable of negotiating mountain hazards.
In addition, they have lithoderms, small bone growths that are as hard as stone on their skin. These growths can be found across their body with many forming on their arms, shoulders, and torso, and even along their eyebrow ridge, giving them quite a stony countenance. Some Goliaths will embed small gems in these boney protrusions, adding a bit of glitz.

Ecology and Habitats

The first goliaths lived on the highest mountain peaks—far above the tree line, where the air is thin and frigid winds howl. If you are hoping to meet them, they still reside almost exclusively high in the mountains, within nomadic tribes that slowly make their way up and down the mountainside. Strength is their, well, their strength, and being from the mountains, they are tough as hell with a natural bonus to their Constitution. While you would think they might be quite nimble or graceful as they clamber up and down sheer cliff faces, they suffer a penalty to their Dexterity.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Goliaths are never satisfied, so defeating one enemy means their next foe needs to be bigger, stronger, and better. We think that this could drive you mad or into an early grave, especially when a Goliath thinks that the dragon they just killed wasn’t strong enough and they need to go immediately and find a new one that is older, stronger, and more powerful. Of course, that brings us to what happens when a Goliath can no longer compete or when they can no longer take on harder and harder tasks. At this point, they are cast aside, kicked out of the tribe, and left to a life of exile. If they can prove their worth as contributing members of the tribe, they are allowed back into the tribe. If not, they are on their own.
There are several roles and titles within a tribe. The Goliath Chieftain oversees everyone, assigning roles and determining when the tribe should move and when they should set up camp. Every morning, duties such as foraging, hunting, and cooking are assigned to various members of the tribe. Captains are the leaders of these daily tasks, and once they are designated, the captains then put together their team based on what their role was for the day. The other roles include the Tent-Mother and the Skywatcher. The Tent-Mother is responsible for the well-being of the newborn and young Goliaths who can not work yet. If you feel a closer connection to the spirits of nature or deities, then you might take on the role of the Skywatcher, who is the holy person of the tribe. Most often, this individual was a druid or shaman. They would consult with the gods to ensure there would be enough game and other resources available.
If you find yourself a night owl, you could instead become a Dawncaller, a watch person who is responsible for the safety of the tribe while they sleep. In the morning, the Dawncaller serves as an alarm clock, rousing the tribe with songs of the Goliath's greatness. In any society, you will face disputes, and so there are Adjudicators who act as the tribe’s judge and jury. Disputes that were particularly difficult to decide resulted in the Adjudicator creating a contest to decide the ruling. One of the final roles is the Lamentor, who seemingly has a crummy job, but one of great importance within the tribe. They are responsible for determining when a Goliath is either too old or weak to be of benefit to the tribe. They consult closely with the Chieftain, go over the reason for their decision, and create a song or poem telling of the accomplishments of the now ex-tribe member that they exile from the tribe.
Since their entire society revolves around fair competition, it should be no surprise that these creatures are typically lawfully aligned. They do pray to gods, and Kavaki, the Ram Lord, is their primary deity. It is said that he watches over Goliaths high up in the mountains, keeping track of them and providing them with food during the coldest months.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Goliath reside principally in the mountainous region known as "The Northern", which consists of the Bones of the Old Ones mountain range and the Trollstep Mountains.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Because Goliath tribes are pretty hands-off with their children once they reach a certain age, encouraging them to explore the wilderness independently, their children often wander the m
The best Goliath warriors will eventually win their freedom by amassing enough victories, but these Goliaths have little knowledge of their old home. Even living a ‘normal’ life now that they aren’t being forced to fight by their masters is something they struggle to comprehend. In this case, most Goliaths will join mercenary companies or rejoin gladiator games.ountainside alone. This makes it easy for vile slavers to capture the children, brutally raise them to toughen the kids up for the fighting pits, and then eventually turn them loose in gladiatorial combat.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Their entire society is based on keeping score and creating challenges so that they can keep score, but don’t take that to mean that just because they are competitive, they are asses about it. Wrestling is a favorite pastime for Goliaths, and they play sports and games almost daily. They keep score simply because they want to do better next time, not to rub it in the faces of others about how awesome they are.
Some of their favorite challenges include cliff-climb, goat ball, stubborn root, and many other games of skill, strength, and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Cliff-climb is pretty self-explanatory, you climb a cliff and try to go faster than everyone else. Stubborn root will also be pretty familiar to our readers since it is just “king of the mountain,” but you are a Goliath, and you are perched precariously atop a boulder with everyone else trying to pull you off. The last one, goat-ball, is an interesting sport where two teams of Goliaths are leaping between a dozen high platforms of rocks, each trying to get a lumpy goat fur ball, toss it back and forth between their team, and then chuck it at their opponents. If you fall off a rock or get hit by the goat ball, you are out of the game. It is a game of elimination, with the winners knocking the other team out.
A Goliath’s competitive spirit can seem very annoying to outsiders, as Goliaths are constantly trying to one-up each other. This thought process couldn't be farther from the truth because this type of behavior brings out the best in Goliaths. They don't hold grudges, so if a Goliath loses to another, they take it in stride and push themselves to do better next time. The person you lost to yesterday could be your teammate today. Their sense of competition also revolves around the concept of fair play. Everybody gets a turn, meaning everybody can climb the social and power ladder within their society. They find it silly that some communities' lowest person on the totem pole can't achieve personal greatness.

Common Taboos

Tattoos are considered taboo amongst the Goliath, as they believe that tattoos are "chiseling the rock" of their skin and an affront to their natural beauty.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

When it comes to other races, Goliath gets along with almost everyone. Humans are respected if they wander into their mountain, and dwarves are revered for their skills in crafting weapons.
Goliaths find halflings and gnomes curious species and respect them because of their lightning-quick reflexes. Elves astonish the average Goliath as they can't comprehend living that long. When you have a chance of falling off a cliff every day, it is hard to imagine being alive for hundreds of years or seeing five generations of your family. Orcs and goblins are viewed as troublemakers, though they’ll trade with them when they aren’t avoiding them.

Mogoth Limbtwister by Eric Belisle and John Hodgson

Lifespan

95 years (males) : 120 years (females)

Average Height

Distantly related to giants and infused with the supernatural essence of their ancestors’ mountainous home, goliaths stand between 7 and 8 feet tall.

Average Weight

350 lbs / 159 kg

Average Physique

Goliath are very muscular and have low body fat.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Goliath will often enhance their physical features with colored muds and clays. Goliath that are hunters, warriors, and military usually, if not always, paint their bodies with "war paint". The designs, colors, and body placements of these paints are done so with the purpose of maximizing a terrorizing visage.
Other Goliath will use "softer" designs, using geometrical and symmetrical patterns that symbolize their station within the tribe as well as their profession. One would have to understand the code of these patterns to identify individuals' rank and station.