Goliath

Hardy and physically imposing, the Goliaths are a reclusive race of mountain-dwelling humanoids. Rarely seen by those who spend their lives in the cities, they are somewhat of a rare sight even among those who wander the wilds.
With a great affinity for their mountain homes, the Goliaths are a nomadic, tribal people, who place great stock in personal strength and self-sufficiency. Those who cannot fend for themselves in the harsh landscape of the high peaks are likely to be left behind. From this mindset springs a great tendancy towards competitiveness. Goliaths thus place great importance on performing great deeds, and even greater importance on besting their own past efforts and the efforts of others.
For a competition to be truly honourable to a Goliath however, there must be a level playing field between those who compete. Personal skill is valued; reliance on magical items, money or other factors is not. This strong sense of fairness leads those Goliaths who do make their way into the civilisations of the world to be somewhat puzzled by the social hierarchies of the societies which they find themselves in; notably the relationship between peasants and lords.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Bipedal vertebrates, with two upper limbs.

Genetics and Reproduction

Sexual Reproduction between a male and a female.

Growth Rate & Stages

Goliaths mature at approximately the same rate as humans, and age at a similar rate. They seldom live longer than a century.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, a nickname assigned by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name.
Birth names are rarely linked to gender. Goliaths see females and males as equal in all things, and they find societies with roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best at a job should be the one tasked with doing it.
A goliath’s nickname is a description that can change on the whim of a chieftain or tribal elder. It refers to a notable deed, either a success or failure, committed by the goliath. Goliaths assign and use nicknames with their friends of other races, and change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds.
Goliaths present all three names when identifying themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname, and clan name. In casual conversation, they use their nickname.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Most Goliaths can speak Common and Giant.

Lifespan

75 Years

Average Height

7'-8' or 2.1-2.4 metres

Average Weight

280 - 340lbs