Giantfolk and the Clanless

The wars of the Brightsword saw a massive drop in the numbers of non-humans living with humans. Non-humans, or “giantfolk” as the humans call them (regardless of actual size) retreated to their own settlements or the fringes of human society. In the decades since the First Jarl, giantfolk have spread back across the human lands, although there are some areas – notably the Wolf capital – where they are still quite rare.

Each human clan, tribe, village, or family has their own opinion on giantfolk, often dictated by their proximity to Fridulfsburg or the geography of the surrounding region. Dwarves, for example, are almost unheard of for the Elk, as they are ill suited for the light and nomadic lifestyle of that clan and generally ill disposed to so much sky overhead; whereas dwarves are as close to a common occurrence as giantfolk get in the lands of the Bear, and some Owl hamlets are comprised of a majority of dwarves.

Giantfolk settlements and cities have enjoyed a degree of prosperity in light of the humans fracturing into clans, and they are usually uninterested in events beyond their borders. The recent push for unification has brought with it dark memories for long-lived giantfolk with even longer memories, and their leaders keep a keen eye on the human lands for fear a new potential leader looks to make a name for themselves in blood.

The Clanless

In addition, other smaller groups live and thrive in the Sjonderwold that don’t fit neatly into the broader definition of the clans. These can be anything from offshoots from the main clans, hybrids between differing clan practices and beliefs, or even groups that chose not to unify into the dominant five.

Generally, the clanless respect the laws of the clan with which they cohabitate, and are considered good (if odd) neighbors. Clanless peoples can make up anywhere from a tenth to a third of the population of a region, although this variance usually depends on how close they are to a Wolf stronghold and how accepting the local Wolf clan leader is of the uncertainty they bring.

Clanless folk are also the most common form of travelers to be found in the Sjonderwold, and as such have a cherished place in most communities as bringers of news and novelties.