Firbolg

## Description:

Firbolg refers to a race of large, bipedal, humanoid Giantkin who tend to live calm, isolated lives in forests and caves. Due to their isolationist nature, most Firbolg do not interact much with those outside of their race, although some Firbolg settlements will live under the rule of Giants. Firbolg are attuned with nature due to their Fae heritage, and as such have a deep love for and appreciation of nature and forests; Firbolg make their villages and settlements within forests and prefer colder climates due to their heavy fur. Firbolg are very rare, only ever found in the Fairy Kingdom of Ireland, Northern Europe, the Froderlands, and northern Canada; Firbolg are often mistaken for Sasquatch, an offensive rumor Firbolg try to subdue. Firbolg naturally stand far taller than an average human due to their Giant ancestry, but are not as tall as the Giants because of their Fae blood; as such, Firbolg usually stand around ten (10) feet tall and weigh around six hundred (600) to seven hundred (700) pounds. Firbolg are naturally strong and bulky, but are rarely physically muscular.

Firbolg eyes are usually brown or green, and their hair is usually blond, brown, or red; male Firbolgs almost always grow large beards. Firbolg skin is fleshy pink or red, but can also be quite pale.

Firbolg are generally seen as unpleasant to look at or uncanny by other races, including Giants and the Fae. Firbolg rarely breed with other races, partly due to their isolation, but are not usually considered abhorrent or horrendously ugly. Their kindly nature and self-sacrificing culture often compensate for their looks, however, as Firbolg are considered one of the friendliest and least-violent races in the K2 Universe.

Firbolg intelligence varies considerably between individuals, although they are equivalent to normal humans; their Giant heritage creates lots of potential for Firbolg to accrue vast knowledge over time, and many Firbolg have excellent memories. Firbolg intellect is only surpassed by their wisdom, which is considered far beyond that of most other races. Firbolg are introspective, contemplative, pacifistic, and kind-hearted by nature, which leads them to seek great philosophies and comprehend powerful truths of life that other races miss; Firbolg are often misunderstood as stupid because of their slow, simple lives, but their careful, purposeful lifestyle is a consequence of their deep understanding of themselves and each other. Firbolg often adopt the technological level of whatever society is nearest their home, and have no issues adapting to more advanced forms of technology, as long as they do not damage nature. Firbolg do, however, possess a much stronger connection to Magic; Firbolg are, as a result of their Giant ancestry, partially resistant to Magic and can, as part of their Fae lineage, develop affinities for certain forms of Magic, particularly those pertaining to nature, life, and healing.

Firbolg reproduce sexually, but are known to have long pregnancy times. Firbolg often have very few children, often the result of resource scarcity and the long period of time it takes to give birth and reach adulthood. Firbolg are considered adults at the age of fifty (50), as they age significantly slower than other races; Firbolg biological adulthood occurs at around age forty (40).

Firbolg can live up to five hundred (500) years, although a stronger Fae ancestry or stronger connection to nature or Magic can naturally extend their lives indefinitely.

### Personality:

Firbolg society is highly collectivistic despite their preference for isolation. Firbolg consider themselves and all things a part of nature, and would gladly sacrifice themselves if it meant protecting a forest or settlement; this is derived from their Fae lineage and innate connection to the earth. The goal of every Firbolg is to take care of nature, immerse themselves in nature, and live fulfilled lives doing so; this very simple goal can lead Firbolg on grand adventures, however, as they seek to fight anything that may threaten their forest or communities.

Firbolg are famously temperate individuals. While their emotions are identical to those of other races, Firbolg are not quick to anger or fear and are generally more passive, calm, and joyous than other races, especially Giants and Fae. Firbolg collectivist culture also prevents them from developing large egos, viewing themselves as small parts of an incredibly large whole with a set role to play. Firbolg are hospitable like the Fae but do not expect the same of their guests like Fairies do; Firbolg protect their territory ferociously like Giants, but do not feel the need to conquer or take more than what is needed.

Firbolg are a race previously enslaved. As such, they value personal freedom greatly, and detest the use of slaves wherever it is found; their isolation and calm lives of pleasant gardening are considered acts of their freedom in opposition to the slavery they suffered for two (2) centuries in Greece. Firbolg treat all creatures as equal, regardless of sentience or perceived importance.

Firbolg live simple lives of subsistence among nature, taking only as much as they need from the ecosystem which they cultivate and protect. As such, they despise any semblance of decadence, wastefulness, and hedonism; such things are against nature for the Firbolg. Firbolg make extensive use of oral tradition and music as their primary means of artistic expression, although personalized clothing and accessories are also an important medium for individualization.

While not overly trusting or blindly friendly, Firbolg start almost every interaction with a pleasant, peaceful demeanor and only take action against someone or something else if that creature or thing threatens them or their forest first. Firbolg are cautious but not paranoid, careful but never anxious, and live lives of moderation in everything they do.

### Abilities:

Firbolg are most notably inhuman in their personal abilities, granted by their impressive supernatural lineages. Their raw size grants Firbolg superior strength when compared to humans, although not enough to surpass Elves; their size also works to their detriment, making them slower than an average person. Firbolg have excellent eyesight, a carry-over trait from the Giants, and can see in the dark perfectly.

Firbolg are also naturally resistant to Magic, a consequence of their combined Fae and Giant ancestry, and have a powerful affinity for nature-based Magic. Many Firbolg become Druids or Clerics, drawn towards such occupations by their peers and their ties to Magic. Firbolg do not, however, possess the ability to cast any Spells innately.

Notably, Firbolg are very susceptible to Lycanthropy, a feature of their physiologies believed to stem from their partial connection to Fae creatures. This susceptibility has led Firbolg villages to be very tolerant of Lycanthropes in their midst, and serve as havens for those of other races who suffer from the curse; furthermore, Firbolg are also one of the few races rumored to possess a cure for Lycanthropy.

### Culture:

The goal of Firbolg culture is to protect and preserve nature at all costs. Firbolg villages are structured according to seniority, and arranged primarily in family units. Religion plays a very important role in Firbolg culture, being inseparable from their government bodies most of the time, except in situations where the Firbolg are ruled over by a different race.

Firbolg do not have their own language, and instead speak Giant and whatever language(s) are most common in the area surrounding their home forest. Firbolg in forests that house other intelligent races may also speak the languages of those other groups.

#### Cuisine:

Firbolg cuisine is very hearty, and primarily vegetarian. While Firbolg are not against the consumption of meat, they find it easier and kinder to live off the land rather than hunt, and will turn to fishing before eating a deer or pig. As such, much of their food is based on wild plants: berries, fruit, cattails, wild carrots and potatoes, mushrooms and truffles, etc. Many Firbolg settlements will also grow their own food in small farm plots, and will grow a wide variety of produce which they may even sell at the local markets. Firbolg food is very filling, generally quite healthy, and designed to be eaten slowly.

## Religion:

Firbolgs practice a henotheistic form of religion, worshipping only two (2) gods in the Giant pantheon instead of all of them. Firbolg faith is very inwards-facing with a focus on community and unity with nature; divine interaction occurs via active worship through prayer, sacrifice, etc., and interaction with nature. The Firbolg believe in a single Afterlife, that of Florellia, a Realm of gardens, springs, rivers, and tranquil lakes located within Jotunheim that is considered a neutral ground of negotiation and celebration within the Giants' pantheon; Firbolg who are good in life go to Florellia, while those who are evil do not receive an Afterlife at all, and simply cease to exist upon death. For the Firbolg, the supernatural exists in nature and in the gods. Worship is conducted primarily via personal rituals, prayer at shrines, etc., although larger settlements with organized religious groups will have group services and city-wide holidays; holidays are rare, and tend to celebrate the changing of seasons and special mythological events.

### Worshipped Gods:

1. Ymir: Supreme deity of the Giant pantheon and primordial Giant of cosmic proportions; worshipped as the creator of the Earth and progenitor of the Giants associated with the Earth, the elements, death and immortalization, etc.
2. Phalena: Goddess of the Firbolg, created from a bond between [EARTH GIANT GOD] and [REDACTED], a powerful Archfae; associated with life, fertility, plants, unity, community, defense, protection, peace, the life cycle and death, and humility.

### Clergy:

Firbolg clergy are Druids or Shamans, considered in-tune with nature and aligned with the desires of the world and their goddess. These clergy can be men or women, and are placed in charge of directing a Firbolg community to make sure they respect nature, take only what they need, and properly worship their goddess.

Firbolg clergy are allowed to have families, and many do. Many Shamans and Druids live lives of solitude separate from the rest of their community, however, spending time tending to plants, communing with nature and other Druids of their Order, etc.

### Cultural Aspects:

Important cultural symbols include gardens, a system of intertwined roots, and groves of plants; holy colors are various shades of green and brown. Learning is passed down via oral tradition and writing; the Firbolg believe in three (3) creation myths: the creation of the world through the death of Ymir, the historical creation of their race (see below), and the mythological creation which occurred in Jotunheim before the historical occasion.

Deadly sins include a disrespect for nature, selfishness and greed, uncontrolled emotions (especially anger), and despair; in contrast, the highest virtues are unity with nature, selflessness and humility, tempered emotions, and hopefulness.

The Firbolg are associated with woodworking, song, paintings, and natural works of sculpture formed through the Magical manipulation of plants and trees.

Firbolg come of age at fifty (50) despite reaching biological maturity at age forty (40); an important coming of age ritual involves the rising adult's first attempt at communion with nature, a ceremony which also serves to reveal a person's affinity with Magic or blessings from their goddess.

Marriage for the Firbolg is very important; their naturally friendly and loving demeanors ensure that love is held in the highest regard. Firbolg marry for life, and divorce is only allowed if a genuine loss of love is detected between the couple; divorce is considered a great shame upon an entire family, and the children of the failed union are often pitied and given extra attention by others to compensate for their family situation. Firbolg marriage ceremonies are very particular, and can occur only in the Spring.

Firbolg view death as a necessary step in life, and do not fear or dread its inevitable arrival. The Firbolg do have very particular funerary rites, however, and require that their bodies be returned to nature; this could mean many things, although most Firbolg are buried under a tree, with the belief that their remaining Life-Force will sap into the tree and the surrounding area to help it thrive. This funerary rite often means that the Druid groves of Firbolg settlements also serve as cemeteries of Soul-infused hallowed ground, protected from evil and warded against Necromancy.

Firbolg rarely see other people, but most commonly interact with Elves, Halflings and Fae, and Giants. Firbolg are always welcoming and hospitable, a requirement of their social code derived from the Fae, and are always happy to welcome new members to their communities. Firbolg are also willing to take in and help Lycanthropes with no questions asked, as long as the individual is willing to take their advice.

## History:

### Origins & Time as Slaves:

The origins of Firbolg are shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. Many JPCU scholars believe they originated in ancient Greece, and descended from the Nemed, the third (3rd) group to attempt to settle Ireland. As the story goes, Nemed's thirty (30) surviving followers fled Ireland in groups, beaten back and forced to flee by the Fomorians; these thirty (30) remaining followers split up into three (3) groups of ten (10), and each group went to different parts of the world. One group went north and became the Tuatha Dé Danann; one group went to Britain, and the final group went to Greece.

The Nemed were powerful men and women with access to great Magic and knowledge of the Fae, but the Greeks were more numerous, just as Magically powerful, and far more martially experienced. The Greeks quickly overwhelmed the third group and enslaved them, keeping them in chains for two hundred and thirty (230) years. These Fir Bolg, or "Men of Bags," were forced by the Greeks to carry heavy loads of stone, soil, produce, and other materials that turned these half-Giant-half-Fairies into great, strong men and women. This brutal manual labor, their knowledge of Fae Magic, and their Giant heritage derived from descending from Nemed and being in proximity to the Cyclops, led to these slaves interbreeding and mutating into the Firbolg seen today.

The Fir Bolg were also made to settle on rocky, mountainous terrain by their oppressors, who took the fertile farmlands for themselves; so the Fir Bolg used their great strength and endurance to carry thousands of bags of soil to the top of their mountain, where they came to cultivate the earth atop that craggy rock. This is believed to be the origins of the Firbolg's skill in gardening and herbalism.

Eventually, the Fir Bolg were able to escape their enslavement at the hands of the Greeks and, after over two hundred (200) years, attempt to settle Ireland once again; this exodus of the Fir Bolg is said to have occurred at the same time the Jews had their Exodus out of Egypt. The Fir Bolg fled Greece in a great armada of ships, first to the Iberian Peninsula and then on to Ireland. Now the fourth (4th) group to make such an attempt, the Fir Bolg, now a separate race known as the Firbolg, made their home on Ireland.

### The Five Chieftains & The Second Exodus:

This time, the Firbolg had the strength and willpower to survive on Ireland against the forces of the Fomorians, and successfully beat most of them back. Now in control of Ireland, the Firbolg divided the island into its famous five (5) Counties and assigned a Chieftain to rule over the tribes of each County. The five (5) Chieftains were also ruled by a High King, sat on the throne in Tara, where a series of nine (9) High Kings would rule over Ireland for the next thirty-seven (37) years.

The High Kings of Ireland were perfect leaders, each exemplifying an aspect that all kings should aspire to replicate. This would not last, however; after those thirty-seven (37) years, the Tuatha Dé Danann would come to land on Ireland once again. The king of the Tuatha Dé Danann would ask the ruling High King of the Firbolg for half of Ireland, and the High King would refuse. This would lead to the Battle of Mag Tuired, where the Firbolg were defeated and Tuatha Dé Danann crippled; as recompense for their defeat, the Firbolg were deposed from leadership over Ireland, although the Tuatha Dé Danann kept the Firbolg's original organizational structure. The Firbolg were then given the County of Connacht as their new home, although many Firbolg fled Ireland out of shame or fear of persecution or enslavement, another exodus which would help spread the Firbolg around the world.