GiantFully grown giants stand anywhere between 8 and 12 feet tall. They look rather similar to humans in almost every way but they seem to be much more barbaric and unsophisticated. Some are said to have a skin tone that is slightly green, which helps to camouflage, considering their size makes them easy to spot. About 1 in 3 giants are born with only one large, centered eye. This hinders them in terms of peripheral vision but the one eyed giants, known as cyclops giants, have slightly better farsightedness.
Average Lifespan: 160 - 200 years Omnivore; can digest bones really easily, finding them to be especially nutritious for them
Favorite Treat: Crunchy Meats and Bones! Pregnancy
Maturity
History
Giants are said to come from Zethea and/or Uploria. This idea stems from the way giants make use of tall trees to be less visible to the public. Giants, by nature, are solitary, known to keep to themselves and travel or live alone. Over the years giants are seen all over Askeron with broad aspirations and comfort levels. Their population is small but spaced out. They have always been a well traveled species though, which helps them to reproduce and keep their presence. Since they have never been a species to live in clusters or socialize, there isn't much to say about their past when referring to them as a whole. They are a very individualistic group that have proven useful in a multitude of ways. Unfortunately, their species has also succumbed to abuse, being used for free labor and sometimes slavery, particularly in Agathora. Their dimwitted personalities make them an easy target to take advantage of but also, equally, a dangerous force to threaten.
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Most Populated Kingdoms:
Uploria, Arc, Agathora, Endensaw & Arblum (Darker shades on the map indicate higher population counts)
Giants make up 0.84% of the humanoid population on Askeron The Giant's Hand:
Symbol of Giant's Strength and Labor |
Culture
City Giants
City giants are those who have quietly adapted to the influence of humans.
Many might claim that city giants have been taken advantage of by humans, used to do heavy lifting jobs to build houses and/or buildings. Some city giants are abused and treated with hostility, discouraged from education and enforcing their barbaric nature. In other kingdoms the mistreatment is less noticeable, though it may not be a stretch to suggest the humans have both consciously and subconsciously taken advantage of the species.
City giants found in places like Zethea, living among the people on more equal terms, are perhaps the most sophisticated of giants. Instead of being used for physical labor, they are given the opportunities other species receive in terms of education and peaceful lifestyles. Zethea is especially known to be a welcoming community that makes it easy for giants to fit in and find access to educational sources.
Nomadic Giant
Nomadic giants are those who remain traveling loners, in what some would describe as the original intent of the species. The nomads are often found living in a shack on the outskirts of a town, before picking up and relocating. Motivated by a natural urge they move from place to place frequently.
Occasionally, nomadic giants are seen not so alone. These are the giants who keep livestock and herd animals along in their presence. Usually, this is the only company nomadic giants keep. The giants will keep a watchful eye over their herd and can be very protective of them. Perhaps this is the gentler side of their tall frames, caring for and enjoying the company of sheep, cows, bison, etc. This is a sense of husbandry giants have learned from the people of Horus, where you might find many idly sitting on a hill overlooking their companions.
Nomadic giants are known to be a bit more aggressive and territorial. The rule of thumb is to simply leave them alone, especially the animals they care for. They tend to be the more common, less educated giants and will take any approach as a sign of danger or invasion of their space.
Female Giants
Sighting of female giants are more rare than males, but they do exist. They actually take up 40% of the giant population. So, why is no one seeing them? For starters, female giants are simply less likely to become city giants. Of all the city giants in Askeron, female giants take up only 7% of them. Female giants are also less likely to travel with livestock. It's claimed that they have more of the 'flight' response and are more fearful of humans than anything else. They are exceptionally aggressive and easily tempered when the option of fleeing is unavailable or poses a risk, so they aren't to be underestimated. There are always exceptions to the common female giant though. It is always best to be cautious but unassuming.
Families
Grunts stay with their mothers until they are fully grown (physically), which is estimated to be around 13 years of age. The fathers are usually gone before the grunt(s) are even born. The only time this may be untrue is for city giants, who may, under extremely rare circumstances, be seen happily embracing the idea of committed, long lasting relationships. For city giants, some grunts stay with their mothers until much older. Most giants don't really understand what a family is or what purpose it could serve beyond protection. Mothers are very protective of their grunts but once they are fully mature it's often that the grunt will simply wonder out of sight and the mother never bothers to call them back, going separate ways. Some giant mothers have reported feeling proud when their grunt departs but the event is not acknowledged much further.
Celebrations
Giants do not celebrate birthdays or anything for that matter. They're more likely to completely lose track of time and forget their age or to never know it at all. City giants may be your best chance at finding a giant who knows how old they are.
Education
There are no giant-only schools in existence. Most kingdoms will accept giants into public schools, except for Agathora, which won't even accommodate or allow giants to attend. Unfortunately, most public schools do not make the proper adjustments necessary to ensure a giant's successful education.
Most giants don't reach their mental peak until age 45, which is too old to attend most public schools. The best schools for a giant is found in either Horus or Zethea, where they provide special learning classes to teach giants at their own speed. Some schools in Horus and Zethea even have special programs for giants of any age to attend. Other than this, the public schools in Askeron move too fast for many giants to keep up with, resulting in many of them dropping out. If a giant doesn't attend school in Horus or Zethea then they're left with educating themselves on their own time, which lets face it, many won't do.
City giants are those who have quietly adapted to the influence of humans.
Many might claim that city giants have been taken advantage of by humans, used to do heavy lifting jobs to build houses and/or buildings. Some city giants are abused and treated with hostility, discouraged from education and enforcing their barbaric nature. In other kingdoms the mistreatment is less noticeable, though it may not be a stretch to suggest the humans have both consciously and subconsciously taken advantage of the species.
City giants found in places like Zethea, living among the people on more equal terms, are perhaps the most sophisticated of giants. Instead of being used for physical labor, they are given the opportunities other species receive in terms of education and peaceful lifestyles. Zethea is especially known to be a welcoming community that makes it easy for giants to fit in and find access to educational sources.
Nomadic Giant
Nomadic giants are those who remain traveling loners, in what some would describe as the original intent of the species. The nomads are often found living in a shack on the outskirts of a town, before picking up and relocating. Motivated by a natural urge they move from place to place frequently.
Occasionally, nomadic giants are seen not so alone. These are the giants who keep livestock and herd animals along in their presence. Usually, this is the only company nomadic giants keep. The giants will keep a watchful eye over their herd and can be very protective of them. Perhaps this is the gentler side of their tall frames, caring for and enjoying the company of sheep, cows, bison, etc. This is a sense of husbandry giants have learned from the people of Horus, where you might find many idly sitting on a hill overlooking their companions.
Nomadic giants are known to be a bit more aggressive and territorial. The rule of thumb is to simply leave them alone, especially the animals they care for. They tend to be the more common, less educated giants and will take any approach as a sign of danger or invasion of their space.
Female Giants
Sighting of female giants are more rare than males, but they do exist. They actually take up 40% of the giant population. So, why is no one seeing them? For starters, female giants are simply less likely to become city giants. Of all the city giants in Askeron, female giants take up only 7% of them. Female giants are also less likely to travel with livestock. It's claimed that they have more of the 'flight' response and are more fearful of humans than anything else. They are exceptionally aggressive and easily tempered when the option of fleeing is unavailable or poses a risk, so they aren't to be underestimated. There are always exceptions to the common female giant though. It is always best to be cautious but unassuming.
Families
Grunts stay with their mothers until they are fully grown (physically), which is estimated to be around 13 years of age. The fathers are usually gone before the grunt(s) are even born. The only time this may be untrue is for city giants, who may, under extremely rare circumstances, be seen happily embracing the idea of committed, long lasting relationships. For city giants, some grunts stay with their mothers until much older. Most giants don't really understand what a family is or what purpose it could serve beyond protection. Mothers are very protective of their grunts but once they are fully mature it's often that the grunt will simply wonder out of sight and the mother never bothers to call them back, going separate ways. Some giant mothers have reported feeling proud when their grunt departs but the event is not acknowledged much further.
Celebrations
Giants do not celebrate birthdays or anything for that matter. They're more likely to completely lose track of time and forget their age or to never know it at all. City giants may be your best chance at finding a giant who knows how old they are.
Education
There are no giant-only schools in existence. Most kingdoms will accept giants into public schools, except for Agathora, which won't even accommodate or allow giants to attend. Unfortunately, most public schools do not make the proper adjustments necessary to ensure a giant's successful education.
Most giants don't reach their mental peak until age 45, which is too old to attend most public schools. The best schools for a giant is found in either Horus or Zethea, where they provide special learning classes to teach giants at their own speed. Some schools in Horus and Zethea even have special programs for giants of any age to attend. Other than this, the public schools in Askeron move too fast for many giants to keep up with, resulting in many of them dropping out. If a giant doesn't attend school in Horus or Zethea then they're left with educating themselves on their own time, which lets face it, many won't do.