Giantkin

Gifted giantkin displaying affinity towards the cold.

## Overview

Giantkin are descendants of the Prime Giants of Taaret, who have come to the realm of Aevonhold to expand the reach of their mother goddess, Aengetaar. Instead, they have split their species, stuck in this foreign plane with no way to return, or connect to their roots.

Now, giantkin are but a fraction of their ancestors, a nomadic people that have split themselves further into small bands that roam the continents. Their strength and height still rivals many of the home races of Aevonhold, yet this race of ancient masters of elemental magic have now fallen to their knees, a dying race of desperate people clawing their way to what they once were.

## Politics

### Government

Giantkin are governed through a theocratic system, where those with a closer connection to the Prime's divinity have been given a right to rule those who do not. At the top, these priests dictate the rest, choosing their most trusted and delegating tasks as required. Scribes and recordkeepers hold the knowledge of tradition, written law, and history, and use these precedents as ways to influence decisionmaking to further increase their chances of survival.

## Civilization

### History

Giantkin are descendants of the now defined Prime Giants of Taaret, or *izkonnen* in their own tongue, large humanoid creatures who dwelled high above Taaret's mountain ranges, deep into them, or far below them, adapted to the environments they resided in and grown in strength due to it. Their affinity for the elemental magics is insurmountable, using it mostly to enhance their own bloodline and adapt from such adaptations. Transformations have branched out their racial predispositions, making their bloodlines lean into an element of sorts.

These Prime Giants, rich in physical strength, raw endurance and mastery of magic, had once decided to send their strongest, most youthful members of their societies to other planes and expend the might of their mother goddess, Aengetaar, who lived as grand monarch of the Primes. Their focus was one, driven by a thirst for expansion through conquering and mastering new lands, although not for the sake of cruelty, yet a society's own glory. This self-imposed trial took them to the lands of Aevonhold, which those in their race's peak would venture into.

What had once been a dream, documented as 'The Awakening', turned rather quickly into a nightmare. Their connection to their mother was severed, and their link faltered. Their mages, known as *haldtseere* or 'Zenith Seers'. unable to connect to their previous sources, went inert. Some of their most evolved burst into flames, or were consumed by voltaic bursts. The purity of their bloodline turned against them, and only the most plain remained. Their magic was dying, and with it, the source of their growth.

Reduced to a fraction of their magical strength, and with only brawn to act as an instrument for their survival, they have settled in lands akin to their previous homes. They breed often and with numeric success, yet have found that their blood is diluted by the lack of Aengetaar's blessing, and as such their youth is born ever-weaker, and smaller than before. With each generation, the Prime blood is reduced to a thinner source, and their race grows ever distant to what it once was.

Now, giantkin are all that remain of the Prime in Aevonhold, and they have returned to a baser, more primitive ways. Their people dwindle in number, only growing when the space between Taaret and this realm grows thin, allowing a few blessed children to be born. As nomads, they roam throughout the continent in search for nexus points, or spaces where leylines allow their magic to peer through and grant them strength.

### Appearance

Giantkin are, although reduced in size compared to their ancestors, still massive creatures that tower over most other mortals. Their stature can reach fifteen feet in height as they reach adulthood, although some gifted and blessed giantkin can stretch beyond fifteen feet. Wide and broad-shouldered, their bone structure is incredibly dense and allow for muscle definition that is incomprehensible for some humans to digest.

Their bodies are covered in markings and tattoos, where symbols have been drawn into their flesh to symbolise identity or origin of a certain clan or house. Those gifted by the magic of Taaret, however, are born with these in ways that align with certain elemental magics as a token of their past.

## Instruments of Progress

### Magic

Magic is everything to giantkin, both as the key for their survival, and the only remaining tether to their homeland. It is what separates them from the rest of mortals, and particularly elemental mages of Aevonhold.

Giantkin magic is found entirely in the branches of the Elemental, although new generations have toyed with the idea of using other casting magics to their advantage. From their own mastery, giantkin have found new creative ways of using the elements as instruments of harvest, war, and progress, where they imbue their bodies with the essence of such elements and harness the magic using it as an extension of themselves.

Volcanic, storm, and frost magic are just examples of their masteries, now reduced to baser elements and woven by giantkin into more dilute forms that can be used in this state.