The Goliaths of Shar

Giants among men, Goliaths tower over the humanoid races both in stature and in their lofty home in the highest altitudes of the Grey Mountains. Naturally strong and hardy, Goliaths are powerful warriors and fiercely competitive.

Tribes and Orders

There are six major tribes among the Goliaths of the Grey Mountains. The tribes are mostly autonomous, but their leaders do occasionally come together to elect one of themselves to rule as Jotun-Kung when it is deemed necessary. Each tribe also has an Order of 16 elite knights called Rooks who answer directly to the Jotun-Kung when called upon. Over time, many Giants have found their way to the Goliath tribes, seeing a natural home among them. Never really numerous enough to support their own population, they interbred with the Goliaths. These unions have caused each tribe of Goliaths to over time adopt many physical traits of the Giants associated with them.

Haugstram, The Hill Tribe

The Haugstam are the hunters, scouts and beast tamers of the Goliath tribes. They are nomadic, wandering the land below the snowline of the Grey Mountains and keeping wary eyes out for Dwarves, Ogres or other intruders on their land. They have a close connection with nature and tend to live in well camoflaged temporary shelters. They have a close alliance with several rookeries of Giant Eagles, often pair bonding with one as rider and mount. From the backs of these majestic beasts, they will hunt Wyvern for both food and status within the tribe. The Haugkung, leader of the tribe, is selected as whichever hunter has slain the largest Wyvern. The Haugstam trade food, tamed beasts and wood-carved goods (including large longbows) to the other tribes.

Iseklan, The Frost Clan

The snowline marks the border of the permanent Goliath settlements, and the Iseklan guard it vigilantly. They are warriors who value athleticism and martial prowess above all. Living in snow dugouts they set traps and ambushes and sometimes even build fortifications out of the very ice itself. To decide their leader, the Isekung, a challenger must defeat the current Isekung in a wrestling match to submission. The Iseklan are the greatest fighting force amongst all the Goliath tribes. The other tribes often send warriors here to train, and the Iseklan have many mercenaries for hire who are often found among the other tribes when a fighting force is required. The Iseklan are fond of capturing young white cave bears, wrestling them for dominance and taking them for mounts.

Steinstam, The Stone Tribe

Many cave entrances in the mountainside lead deeper into an intricate labyrinth of tunnels with mysterious runes lining the walls. By sheer luck or knowledge of the runes, one can navigate the maze and find the way to the Goliaths settled within these caverns. The Steinstam have a close connection to the ancient rune-magic of the Giants. They live somewhat secluded lives in these caves, creating stone works of art and gaining deeper understanding of the runes. Through this study many of the tribe become quite adept at wizardly magic, and the Goliath most knowledgeable of the runes and the arcane is selected as leader, the Steinkung. Many Goliaths make journeys to this tribe to learn about the runes, or to pay for enchantment or (magical) runic tattoos.

Ildklan, The Fire Clan

Following tunnels down, deeper within the mountains where the stone glows red leads to the home of the Ildklan. Geothermal activity makes the stone hot and the air sulfuric. Rivers of magma heat great forges which the clan use to craft large, durable weapons and armour to rival even the best Dwarven smiths. Workmanship is everything to these Goliaths, and to become leader one must challenge the current to a contest. In this challenge, both Goliaths have two days to mine ore and craft weapons and armour before they fight each other, with the victor named the new Ildkung. The Ildklan trade their creations to the other tribes and beyond.

Skyeklan, The Cloud Clan

Outside the mountain, just above where the lowest clouds shroud the tallest peaks, is a walled city half carved out of the mountain and half suspended on impossible looking pillars and buttresses. Looking over the outer wall one might be fooled by the blanket of cloud, but seen in the patches of clear sky is a thousand fathom fall to the mountainside far below. Though Goliaths of all tribes meet here, the main populace is the Skyeklan. The Skystad, the City of Clouds, is the center of commerce and trade for the Goliath tribes, and the city is full of extravagant opulance and wealth next to bustling markets and auction houses. Many of the Skyeklan are merchants who travel to the other tribes bringing trade and returning with whatever the tribe exports, be it cured meats from the Haugstam or rune-carved stone tablets (spell scrolls) from the Steinstam. The clan love to gamble large amounts in tournaments of a incredibly complex game based on military strategy called Pengar. Hierarchy within the Skyeklan is based on cunning and wealth, with the richest Goliath assumed to be the smartest and therefore made the Skyekung.

Uvarstam, The Storm Tribe

At the very peak of the tallest mountain is the temple of the Uvarstam. The temple is a domed stone building topped with a tall metal spire which acts as a lightining rod. Below and around the temple are the caves and shacks where the Goliaths live. The Uvarstam follow a tradition of meditation and deep attunement with the forces of nature through which they attain understanding, prophetic visions, and often strong druidic magic. The Uvarstam value wisdom, which the believe comes with age and experience. As such, the eldest of the tribe is their leader, the Uvarkung. Many of the young Goliaths of the tribe leave to spend time in another tribe as a healer and advisor but also to learn from them and bring back new wisdom to the temple. The temple contains a large library of all this accumulated knowledge nd wisdom from the ancestors of all the tribes, and so many Goliaths send their children here to study.

Ordnings, The Knightly Orders

From each tribe there are 16 elite warriors who exist to serve the Jotun-Kung in times of need. They keep their talents honed and often combine skills and knowledge from other tribes to maximise their effectiveness in battle.

Jagar Ordning

The Order of Seekers is selected from the hunters of the Haugstam.
These Rooks usually ride Giant Eagles and either shoot large longbows from the sky or swoop down to skirmish, generally serving the functions of light cavalry.

Vaktar Ordning

Rooks of the Order of Guardians is selected from the warriors of the Iseklan.
They often ride cave bears and fill the role of heavy cavalry.

Skarar Ordning

The Order of Carvers take Rooks from the Steinstam.
These warmages use the magic of runes to empower themselves and their allies and disable their enemies.

Verkar Ordning

The Order of Makers originate in the Irdklan and use their skill as smiths to create and operate dangerous weaponry.
They have been known to build huge ballistae and catapults. They also serve as heavily armoured infantry.

Lisgar Ordning

The Cunning Order select members from the Skyeklan.
These Rooks serve as spies and strategists, guiding their allies and clouding the minds of the enemy.

Aldar Ordning

Rooks of the Elder Order come from the Uverstam.
They contribute great reserves of knowledge as well as healing magic and, when necessary, can unleash the destructive forces of nature on opponents.

Initiation:

When a young Goliath comes of age and wishes to join their Order, they must first take a pilgrimage to each tribe and gain the approval of the leaders. This often involves a test of some sort:

• The Haugstam require prospectives to bond with a giant eagle, ride it on a wyvern hunt and land a killing blow.
• With the Iseklan, prospectives must wrestle a young cave bear to submission and ride it back to the tribe.
• At the Steinstam, prospectives must learn the runes to successfully tattoo themselves with their first set of 'wings' (Spellwrought Tattoo: Feather Fall).
• With the Ildklan, prospectives mine ore and learn to craft their own weapons and suit of armour.
• In Skyestad, prospectives must study strategy and manipulation to be able to defeat a master at Pengar.
• The Uvarstam require prospectives to meditate and channel the forces of nature, until they can stand atop the temple during a storm while holding the great metal spire and redirect the incoming lightining strike without being harmed.

Once a prospective Rook completes these trials, they must return to their tribe and choose a Rook of their Order to try to defeat in battle. If the Order is full, the defeated Rook loses their position. The final initiation is to swear loyalty to the throne of the Jotun-Kung, which usually sits empty in Skyestad.

The Jotun-Kung

In times of strife, the Elders of the Uvarstam have visions of uncertain futures and a prophecy to be fulfilled. The Uvarkung has the power to call a council of the tribe leaders, and a message is sent out so they may all gather in a palace in the Skyestad in which sits a large empty throne. The tribe leaders may not leave this palace until they select one of themselves to be the Jotun-Kung by majority vote. The Uvarkung has no vote, but retains the right to claim the prophesy fulfilled and end the authority of the Jotun-Kung at any time. The Jotun-Kung has immediate command of the Rooks of the Ordnings, and the other tribe leaders answer to him or her during this time. They are able to make swift decisions for the interest of all the Goliath people.

Society and Culture

Ethics and Values

Actions over Words

Goliaths are often swift to make decisions and then commit to them fully. This is true even among the Skyeklan and the Uvarstam. Uncertainty is seen as weakness, which means Goliaths who make mistakes often make big ones.

Ambition and Skill

Goliath society has a social hierarchy within each tribe whichthe members of the tribe keep track of almost subconciously.The hierarchy is based on meritocracy, with each individual being constantly judged by those around them. Each tribe puts different weight on different skills, however. The Haugstam value the skill of the hunter and knowledge of beasts, Iseklan value martial prowess and raw strength, Steinstam value arcane talents, Ildklan craftsmanship, Skyeklan wits and wealth, and Uvarstam value age and experience most of all.

Challenge and Courage

Goliaths tend to see challenges as opportunities, a chance to prove themselves that it would be cowardly and unwise to avoid. They often show great courage as they refuse to back down in the face of impossible odds.

Honor and Responsibility

Goliaths are raised to be true to their word and to take ownership of their actions, including their mistakes. They take oaths very seriously, and any Goliath who breaks their word or is seen to lie publicly is usually shunned.

History

The First

The first Goliaths to find their way to Shar quickly made their way to the nearest area that felt like home: the Grey Mountains. These Goliaths brought with them their faith in the gods of Giant-kin, the Ordning and Annam All-Father. At first, they formed one unified tribe and began to build themselves a city where the Skyestad stands today. The Goliaths named one of themselves Jotun-Kung, known as Denforstar the First. The city-kingdom lived prosperously for many years, continuing to build. Many Giants found their way to the city, where they were often revered as having stronger ties with the gods. Communities formed around the different giant lineages and their favoured gods in the pantheon.

Revolution

Over this time, the Jotun-Kung and his successors accumulated power and wealth, becoming fat and lazy. The third Jotun-Kung was a half-cloud-giant known as Girighet the Greedy. As the name might suggest, Girighet levied huge taxes and pushed the Goliaths into poverty for his own gain. Eventually, the Goliaths had enough of fat lazy rulers, and rose up in a great revolution. Many Goliaths had sworn oaths to the Jotun-Kung, however, leading to a bloody battle with close friends and relatives fighting each other.

During the fight it was revealed that Girighet had in fact been consorting with a White Dragon. The Dragon began to wreck havoc to the Goliath revolutionaries and loyalists alike, until a Hill Giant called Ornryttar flew down from the peaks atop an enormous Roc. Ornryttar slayed the dragon in an immense aerial fight which is still depicted in Goliath artwork today, but his mount was badly injured and they both plummeted to their demise. To this day the Haugstam still ride eagles in Ornryttar's honour.

The revolutionaries threw Girighet to the rocks below, but they could not agree who should take the throne. The communities tied to Giant lineages each had different criterion for who they thought should be leader. It was then that the eldest Goliath, Gammalor, proposed a schism of the communities into separate tribes, where they could each have their own leader and that the throne of the Jotun-Kung would sit empty except in times of dire need. So the Goliaths and Giants split into the six tribes seen today.

The Dark Ages and Expansion

Over time, disillusionment with the Giant gods grew as more and more prayers went unanswered. Many lost hope, some turning to demon worship while others to nature itself. Cults were unsurfaced and crushed on several occasions, though several seemed to simply dissapear overnight. Some still say these cults survived and delved deeper into the mountain and may eventually return.

During the Demon War, the Goliaths and Giants fought against the demons, sustaining heavy losses but earning respect as fearsom warriors among the other races. At the end of this war, there had been a Jotun-Kung on the throne for so long that many Goliaths had forgotten this was not how things are meant to be. The Uvarkung and many elders of the Uvarstam had died, leaving a young and weak Uvarkung behind. The seated Jotun-Kung, Vardar Haugstam, held onto the throne and ruled for many years as a tyrant, attempting to rebuild and spread the Goliath territories. In this rapid expansion, the Goliaths fought brutal wars with both Dwarves and with Ogres to the east. The Dwarves mounted strong defence, naturally aided by their tunnels being much to low for Goliaths to fight well in. Most gains were made against the scattered Ogre clans, until the Ogres eventually unified and pushed back.

Restitution

Meanwhile the young Uvarkung, Blixta Uvarstam, grew stronger and more powerful, reading the knowledge of her ancestors and how things used to be. She gathered support from the tribe leaders and arranged for a large Wyvern to be released near the Skyestad during a storm. Not to be seen to back down from the fight, Vardar mounted his great eagle and flew up into the sky to face the Wyrm. In this moment, a huge bolt of lightning, guided by Blixta, arced down through both the Wyvern and the Jotun-Kung, stopping both their hearts and plummeting them to the foot of the mountain.

The Goliaths have worked hard to mend relationships with the Dwarves and Ogres, and no Jotun-Kung has since tried to hold on to power beyond their time.

Relations

Acrosia

The Goliaths stick to their high altitudes and subsequently have little conflict of interest with the Acroshians. Since fighting the demonic forces together in the dark ages, there has been an informal peace agreement between the two peoples. Occasionally Skyestam merchants will make long journeys to cities such as Seth to trade rare Goliath craftsmanship for fine luxury goods. Many exiled Goliaths integrate themselves reasonably well into Acrosian society and often find work as mercenaries there.

Dwarves

The Dwarves have never forgiven the Goliaths for their unprecedented attack, and remain wary if not hostile towards them. The Goliaths have tried to initiate trade but find only closed stone doors.

Giants

When Giants are around, they are treated with respect for their great strength and often looked to for guidance. However, Giants are also much slower than Goliaths to make decisions and usually somewhat less ambitious. They can also be considered more bound by their nature than the Goliaths. For these reasons, they are not so much at the top of the social hierarchy as outside of it completely. Several Giants live among the tribes today, and though they rarely hold positions of power, many have become Rooks of their tribe's Ordning.

Ogres

The Goliaths and Ogres have made peace with each other, and the Ogres are very fond of buying the large weapons and armour produced by the Irdklan. Some Goliaths who worship the Ordning look down on Ogres as 'lesser' giant-kin.

Religion

Druids

The majority of Goliaths have turned away from the worship of the Giant pantheon, who many of the first Goliaths to come to Shar followed. Instead, their religion is a more abstract worship of aspects of nature itself. Each tribe has it's own practises and customs: the Haugstam might bend trees in intricate knots or carve totems, the Iseklan sculpt the ice and snow into brutal figures, the Steinstam scrape beautiful murals out of stone etc. The Uvarkung is seen as the head of this faith, having a deep connection to nature's storms.

The Ordning, The Giant Pantheon

There are still those who cling to the old Giant gods. This practise is not shunned, but is deemed foolish by many as the gods were believed to have abandoned the Goliaths long ago. This faith is at its highest among the Irdklan, followed by some residents of the Skyestad.

The Families

Of those worshiping the Ordning there is a group of families, one within each tribe, who take the practise to the extreme. These families venerate Giants themselves, and have strong strains of Giants' blood within them. The family in the Haugstam are large and fat, in the Iseklan they are thick-skulled brutes, in the Steinstam they are exceptionally tall.
They generally share features with the associated type of Giant, and they arrange marriages with those with similar traits if not with Giants themselves whenever possible. This has, however, lead to centuries of incest among the families, causing deformities to appear.

Exile

Goliaths can be harsh and unforgiving. Though the death sentence is rare, the punishment for many crimes is exile from the tribes. Reasons a Goliath might be exiled include:

• Abandoning allies in battle.
• Breaking an oath.
• Demon worship.
• Murder without a fair fight.
• Showing any signs of corruption.