Ordning

The **Ordning** is the caste system by which giants live, set up by the giant pantheon millenia ago so that all of Annam All-Father's children would know their place in the world.

It is rumoured that the recent *"Shattering"* to the Ordning means that giants are no longer bound to follow orders of their superiors.

## History

The Ordning, as previously dictated by Annam the Allfather, stated thus:

*The haug and fields I grant to my kin of greatest hunger,*

*The hallowed stein and enduring halls I promise to those of lasting patience,*

*The challenges of the barren ise I trust to my most able hunters,*

*The power of ild to forge my greatest designs I will to my most dedicated smiths,*

*The skye to watch over all of my children I leave in the care of my noble custodians,*

*Above all, the tempest of uvar and the calm of foresight I grant to the mightiest I have sired. Those born of the Storm.*

## Hierarchy

### Storm giants

The storm giants are led by their King and *Lord of the Deep* from his Sunken Hall. They are reclusive to the point of obscurity. Holding either the wild storm or the deep, grim malicious calm of the sea, these reclusive giant kin are speculated by any scholars who live far from mountains and coast to not even exist. As such very little is known about their abilities. Standing at the top of the Ordning, these 'good' giants have held all others in check from their Sunken Hall.

### Cloud giants

Fickle, prone to madness, tricksy, and obsessed with wealth, trinkets, artefacts and knowledge of the world below them. The nobles of this kin flew giant castles made of tangible clouds (such as the Skyswept Palace) as they surveyed their feifdoms. Just as likely to befriend or betray small folk they are the most diverse in goals, personality, and magical ability of giant kind. The secrets of constructing their flying fortresses has been lost with Ostoria - less than 30 exist to this day, some inoperable, some in desperate need of repair. As they are seen more than storm giants and place second highest in the caste system, some cloud giants believe their kind to be the rightful heirs of Ostoria.

### Fire giants

Disciplined, self-assured, crafty, and following a strict doctrine. These giant kin are creators of some of the most wondrous items of the times when man was still learning to stack mud. They are unaffected by heat and are slow to anger. They are fixed on their goals and pragmatic about solving problems. Due to their love of forging magnificent creations and their need for valuable resources, they are some of the most hostile to dragons. During the Thousand Year War between dragons and giants, the fire giants forged an enormous construct specifically designed to kill their winged foes.

### Frost giants

War mongering, glory hunting and ruling by might alone. These fearsome raiders do not feel the cold and relish the thrill of battle. Hot tempered, they are just as likely to fight one another as to attack points of civilisation. They enjoy hunting and resemble many barbarian clans in their customs.

### Stone giants

Known to be dazed, dreamlike, and obsessed with the gods. They are more lean and graceful than their kin. They can spend long periods of time in contemplation with potential benefits achieved. Encounters with them appear to show they do not perceive the world above the surface as real.

Stone giants are considered the artists of the giant-kin - they create beautiful and intricately carved stone murals to honour their god, and they are always situated below the surface in the 'real-world'.

Their patron god is Skoraeus Stonebones.

### Hill giants

Lacking any nuance, society, or wisdom, these giant-kin are convinced that size is the only thing that matters when deciding who should rule. They have an insatiable appetite and are used to being bribed into people's service by food alone. They use their size to sometimes bully ogres and goblinoids into their ranks, but can be easily usurped by their more intelligent minions. They are barely regarded as anything other than muscle by other giant kin. Waycrest managed to take great advantage of the lack of giant leadership following the death of Knothling and forced many hill giants into manual labour.

## Commentary

### Larid Prisgard

In his writings on the customs, habits, and culture of giants gleaned from the oppression of Waycrest. Prisgard is scathing in his condemnation of the supposed "good" storm giants who did not lift a finger to liberate the small folk from the yolk of Knothling.

He speaks to their feudal system, stating that at the time the king must not have been sympathetic to the plight of those he deemed beneath him. Choosing instead to meditate in his "Sunken Hall".

### Usher Wanwright

Wanwright speculates on the stance of storm giants in comparison to all other giant types. In his musings on the Ordning he postulates that the reason giants do not run wild attempting to reconquer old Ostoria is because the caste system prevents them from disobeying the top levels of their society. If this is the case the storm giant king must rule his court with an iron fist, exerting his presence to remind all others of their station.

The Storm King "Hekaton," he asserts, either fears the wrath of Annam in keeping the balance of power in check, or does not trust that engaging with small folk is in giants interest, for there is no record of him initiating diplomatic missions with the Lords' Alliance, Zhentarim, or minor kingdoms.

### Marketh Zondaris

When writing about the fashion, art, and expression of giant will, Zondaris claims that storm giants are unconcerned with the business of small folk, instead keeping a watchful eye on their ancient enemy: dragons.

He bases this claim on records that show the sale of dragon skulls, fangs, talons, and other tokens of felled wyrms are often sold to giant kin. These seem to be tokens of status - a way to remind dragons that they did not win the war for dominance over Toril. Perhaps it is a way of salting old wounds.

The most interesting record Zondaris produces is a sale between the city of Waterdeep and the "Sunken Court." Taking place hundreds of years ago a "Queen Neri" spent a considerable fortune for the purchase of the "Wyrmthrone" - an old relic of a bygone dwarven kingdom which features dragon skulls. Reports indicate it was an anniversary gift for her husband. She was accompanied by her youngest daughter who she lovingly called "Little Sers."

## The Shattering

In 1487 DR the cloud giant Zephyros spoke of a *"Shattering"* to the Ordning, which meant that the Ordning was no more, which explained the recent increase in giant attacks.

Zephyros stated that the fact the Shattering had occurred meant that either Annam All-Father had destroyed the Ordning himsef, or something on a cosmic scale had happened to undermine his will.

Zephyros was foretold by higher beings that his meddling in the Ordning would bring about "Doom", a term also used by Alta Cirrus' simulacrum.

The Zhentarim in Nightstone advised that there have been a large number of frost giant attacks up the High Road, in addition to the cloud giant assaults. The Zhentarim stated that it was the Lords' Alliance that angered the giants and were trying to start a war, and Zephyros relayed a simiar rumour that it was the Lords' Alliance that were responsible for the death of the Storm King's wife.

Zephyros stated that it was being used as an opportunity for ambitious giants to try stake their claim to be closer to the top of a new hierarchy, and suggested Countess Sansuri was doing just this, orchestrating cloud giant assaults on human cities. He did not feel however that Countess Sansuri would be looking to directly challenge King Hekaton due to his power.