Giantkin refers to the various races created by the Giants in times long past. Some scholars claim that they have a single Giant race of origin, and were then proliferated by trade and conquest. Other theories suggest they were created semi-collectively, with various giantkin breeds each built or modified by various ancient giants from some collaborative origin. The vast majority of Giantkin are composed of Ogre and Trollish kinds, with far smaller numbers of Cyclops, Firbolg, and others of a more monstrous behavior, or lacking any intellect at all.
Varieties[]
Cyclops[]
Cyclops were created by giants to be craftsmen and managers for other giantkin races. In build and stature they are similar to their ogre cousins, but can be easily differentiated by their single eye, and single horn in place of hair. This singular eye is extremely powerful; it can see clearly over three kilometers away, perceive miniscule detail, detect heat and mana, and act as a focus for magic. Similarly to ogres, cyclops suffer from the Hunger, but to a much lesser degree. The largest living populations of cyclops can be found in the southern Forbidden Plains and the Akisik mountain range of northern Sarhal.
Firbolg[]
The Firbolg served as mage warriors in each of the Giant civilizations that they were found in. Originally, they stood at a similar height to ogres, but were much leaner and more muscular on average - most records also depict them sporting long bushy beards. Of the giantkin, the Firbolgs are the rarest today, with the only known population living in Yyl Möitsä.
Ogres[]
Ogres are the most populous of the modern giantkin, and can be found in the Serpentspine, the Forbidden Plains, Nomsyulhan, Haless, and Insyaa. Under their True Giant masters, they served primarily as builders and laborers, and to this day retain an inborn knack for construction. They are most known for the affliction that affects all members of their race: the Hunger; a ceaseless desire to consume great quantities of food, with failure resulting in a berserk frenzy.
Trolls[]
The second-most numerous of the giantkin, trolls were created by the True Giants to serve as guards and soldiers. In line with this role, the trolls were endowed with the ability to regenerate from practically any wound dealt them, though this ability can be hampered by malnutrition, and countered by the application of fire or acid. Today, trolls can be found in Gerudia, Gozengun, and the Sarhali Shadowswamps.
Giant-made Monsters[]
Kadda[]
The Kadda are a kind of Giantkin found in Fangaula, created by a mix of Giant flesh crafting and infernal insights being applied to some of the last ogres the Fire Giants had brought with them from their exile from the Forbidden Plains. Their original purpose was to keep the local human population in check through terror, keeping inquisitive humans away from their volcanic home. When the fire giants of Fangaula were forced into the depths of their volcano, the Kadda were left to roam feral, slowly festering in the background of the Fangaulan landscape.
Ettin[]
Ettins are the largest and most physically powerful species of giantkin. Suspected to have been designed by the giants to do unvalued labour beneath even ogres that required the strength of giants themselves, allowing ettins functioning as living siege engines and heavy equipment. As a safety precaution it is believed that to prevent ettins from using their physical power to challenge the giants, ettins were given two heads to make sure it'd be difficult for a single ettin to rebel, let alone for multiple ettins to organise a rebellion.