The Rise of the Giants

The Rise of the Giants is a time period in Elderain's history, lasting from mid-1534 DR to mid-1535 DR. It details a time period in which Elderain was ravaged by Giants rising from the ground, with some having discovered how to harness the power of some stray Crystals for themselves - and it ends with the summoning of the demons to put a stop to these corrupt giants.

## Flavor Text

*Shaken from their slumber by the devastation wreaked upon Elderain, the Giants clawed their way to the surface and marched through the land, heedless of the mortals that may get under their feet. Many people went to live underground in this time of peril. Some of the giants discovered a crystal lying undisturbed in the mountains near Gottsbruck, and they went insane, crystal giants coming like a wave to crash over the land. This era ends with a warlock summoning an army of demons to destroy the Crystal King.*

## Description of Events

The emergence of the Giants happened throughout eastern Elderain, though they were first spotted in a southern village called Stoneplace. Some people, like the unfortunate dwarf Dumby Bumbutt, were swiftly caught underfoot (yet Dumby has survived thus far). In order to combat the forces of the giants who had been corrupted, the House of the Golden Dragon intervened: a giant known as Shan rose from underneath the town to carry them on its back, and Master Chirping Sparrow (a former student of Master Zhang) taught it to control itself and defend others.

Soon after the Crystal Blight took control of some giants, questions of a giant leader began to emerge. While several infected giants vied for this position, their eventual leader was a Magma Giant infused with another, smaller giant; combining their strength made this new Crystal King a force to be reckoned with. After this, a large giant emerged from the lake between Yarburg and Cair Vanta; this created a large chasm in the middle of the Kingdom, and tidal waves affected the surrounding areas. This giant was known by Lakey, Leaky, and Terraform the Doom Giant by various peoples of Elderain.

Eventually, the people of Elderain had enough of the crystal giants attacking them, and a brave few formed an alliance to stop them – among them were Rigby the dwarf, and Master Chirping Sparrow. They discovered an ancient weapon in the middle of what was once the large lake; Master Chirping Sparrow discovered that the weapon would defeat the Crystal Giants, but in doing so open up a hole in the Prime Material Plane for demons to enter through, and they decided that this should not be used unless as a last resort. During the war, victories were won, such as Lakey/Leaky/Terraform winning a one-giant victory against a horde of crystal giants; losses were also suffered, such as the obliteration of Shan, and the House of the Golden Dragon, in Leaky’s chasm. At a turning point in the war, the Crystal King used the aid of powerful magicians to tie his soul to that of a dying god, which would make him all-powerful; it was in this moment of desperation that the people of Elderain used the superweapon to kill him. This killed the Crystal King and the god alike, and brought forth a horde of demons; thus, the Sundering was caused.