Giant ( Skyrim ) Giants are a race of gargantuan humanoids found in the wilderness of Skyrim and High Rock . Infamous for their colossal height and immense strength , giants share little civil interaction with human s or elves , although they did have some alliances with the Dwemer . Culturally , giants herd mammoths , processing their milk into cheese , complementing their omnivorous diet with the cooked meat of skeever . Seemingly nomadic , giants travel with their herds , setting camp across Skyrim and High Rock . Invaders are attacked with the massive clubs constructed by the giants . Anthropology . Anatomy . Giants stand between 11 and 12 feet ( 3 . 4m and 3 . 7m ) tall , and are mostly humanoid in appearance ; with thick skin , long , powerful limbs , large hands and feet , and thick greyish - brown hair decorated with braids and beads . Most giants have decorative scars carved into their chests , possibly serving as tribal or religious symbols . Their physical similarities with Orcs — jutting lower canines , tapered ears , and the presence of stumpy horns on the temples — serve as evidence of some loose relation to the Mer . All giants encountered in - game are male , with wrinkled faces and long , gray - streaked beards . Female giants make no appearances . Whether this indicates a scarcity of female giants , or some other unexplained attribute of their social structure or anatomy , or simply due to gameplay limitations , remains unknown . Technology . They arm themselves with crudely - made stone and wood clubs , and clothe themselves in fur pelts adorned with the bones of animals and humanoids , although many prefer a simple loincloth . They also herd mammoths for meat and milk , which they make into cheese . The giants ' diet seems to consist largely of meat and mammoth cheese , evidenced by their herding of Mammoths and the presence of charred skeevers and other animals spit - roasting over their massive fires . They also appear to be partial to horses and wolves as the bodies of these animals are ( less frequently ) found on smaller , square - shaped logpiles that have remained unlit . Sabre cat corpses can be found in their camps as well . Intelligence . Despite their primitive appearances , giants are moderately intelligent : they are able to fashion tools and clothes for themselves , herd mammoths , and harness fire for warmth . Giants can sometimes be heard " speaking " during combat , though their speech is deep and guttural , and consists of incomprehensible grunts and roars . There are no translations for any of the words they use , and they have no known written language . The only known giant who has dialogue , visible through the use of subtitles , is Karstaag the Frost Giant . During " The Cursed Tribe , " giant paintings can be seen outside Fallowstone Cave resembling their decorative scarification . Giants may also carve symbols into herded mammoth tusks . In the same quest , a shrine to Malacath is seen , decorated with patterns usually found at giant camps , as well as indications of sacrifice , which may ( or may not ) indicate worship . The shrine is also guarded by the giant who carries Shagrol ' s Warhammer . During the quest " A Night to Remember , " the Dragonborn is tasked with recovering a goat they traded to a giant during their alcohol - laced adventures . This shows that giants are intelligent enough to understand the concept of a trade and even become angry when double - crossed after said trade . The aforementioned giant becomes hostile and aggressive when the Dragonborn steals back the goat they had traded to it . Behavior . Giants are nomadic creatures that herd mammoths for sustenance , and are wary of , but used to , the presence of other races . They only attack if attacked first , or if someone strays too close to their camps or herds - lone groups of giants on the move can be closely approached with only a low chance of hostility . This is in contrast to the contracts issued by Jarl s , which state that the giant at a local named location has been harassing and attacking people and livestock . Due to a possible bug , sometimes they also appear to ignore the Dragonborn ' s presence altogether even if both are face to face with each other . Mountain giants are often seen traveling with mammoths . These mammoths stay close to the giants ' camps , and pouches of mammoth cheese are often found nearby , supporting the conclusion that the giants raise mammoths like livestock . Additionally , there is a giant herding a cow from the base of the path from Labyrinthian . The giant walks with the cow to Sleeping Tree Camp or another giant camp . After that , they stand still for hours . Giants are usually only found in the snowy terrain of The Pale , the vast tundra of Whiterun , or the warmer parts of Eastmarch , where they can roam freely . Giants can be found in Falkreath Hold or Hjaalmarch as well , but they are usually only there to raid the player ' s homestead . There is no evidence that giants need to rest or sleep , as they are never seen doing so . Their camps rarely , if ever , contain bedding materials . In some camps , giants have left a Giant Club lying on the ground . While the Dragonborn cannot equip it , certain followers possessing Two Handed weapon skills can . Interactions with humans . Some farmers offer cows as a sacrifice to the giants in order to avoid attacks on livestock . The cows are painted with traditional markings so that the giants recognize them as peace offerings . However , giants have been known to kill these farmers and ignore the peace offerings . An angry man named Ennis , mentions that the Dragonborn sold his goat to a Giant named Grok in the quest " A Night to Remember . " If is installed , it becomes evident that Giants can and will attack homesteads , often killing people and animals . The exact cause of the attacks is unknown . Giant camps . Giants can be found in the following locations :