Giantspawn

Giantspawn is a Subtype of creature which includes Halflings, Humans, Goliaths, and other creatures directly descended from Giants. While these are the most common Giantspawn, there are others, such as Firbolgs, as well as specific bloodlines or unique creatures, such as Hraeshvaelgr, the Corpse Devourer.

Giantspawn on their own virtue share no traits, however there are many Rites which require the blood of the giants to run through the caster, and there are many other abilities which only function when their user is born of Giants.

Unlike many other creature categories, it is impossible to organically become more powerful as Giantspawn. It is possible through certain rites and magics, such as *Rite: False Ordning* or *Rite: Jotunsblut,* but these are rare, and are often less effective than one would like. As the only option, however, many primarily Giantspawn cultures hold these Magics as sacred, or at the very least important.

Giantspawn are incredibly common, especially humans and halflings. Minorities of Giantspawn are found on nearly every continent, and several continents, such as Arclent, are majority Giantspawn.

## Giantspawn Creatures

### Humans

Many people do not know that Humans are descended from Giants. Even a lot of humans, if they are not educated in their own human history. Most humans do not possess Giant magic, however some, particularly the Marked, are considered the most magical Giantspawn in existence.

### Goliaths

Goliaths are the most common Giantspawn who obviously fit this title. They stand at 8 or so-feet tall, with strange skin tones, magical abilities, and elemental powers. Many live in mountains, however the majority now live in the Underdark, due to a series of events across Nexus' surface, which have made many of their traditional homelands unavailable.

### Halflings

The smallest of the Giantspawn, and some of the smallest humanoids in general, Halflings have a special place in Nexus; The luckiest people in history. The little Giant magic which remains in these pint-sized powerhouses comes in the form of the Giant's Providence. All Giants are destined to overcome the odds and be written in the history books, and while not every Halfling makes it to the history books, every Halfling overcomes incredible odds on a daily basis. Most don't even realize it, much to the chagrin of their companions.

### Firbolgs

Firbolgs are large humanoids with talents for shapeshifting and illusions, while still bearing the full might of their Giant ancestors. They live in the woods out of a general lack of want to mingle with other humanoid races, as well as a general respect of the wilds. Because of this, many Firbolgs mingle with Elves, Fey, or other such creatures. The resulting offspring often take on specific traits, with fuzzy fur, big ears and noses, and strange hair-colors. Due to their commonality, these are often called "Feybolgs."

### Cyclopes

The least recognized Giantspawn, Cyclopes are strange, 12-feet tall humanoids with only one eye. They bore some of the magic of the giants, and while it is rumoured that the Cyclopes are descended from Hill Giants, most Giantkin themselves dispute this fact... Especially Hill Giants. In the modern day, Cyclopes primarily live in the Underdark, where they are usually welcomed in non-Duergar cities, and sometimes enslaved by Fomorians and Nightborn Goliath.

### Tritons

Less well-known Giantspawn, Tritons are human-like creatures who live on the plane of Water. They are descended from Storm Giants who lived on the plane, and as such are blue-skinned water breathers who rarely come to the Prime Material. On the Prime Material, most are found in underwater cities.

## Traitors to Annam

Though called Traitors, this category of Giantspawn is as much a willing group as an unwilling group. These are Giantspawn who have not merely defied their nature as Giantspawn, but had magical steps performed to truly distance them from Annam and the Ostorians. They are no longer Giantspawn in this way, though particularly perverse magic could restore the connection.

### Gith

The Gith are yellow-skinned humanoids which have a natural talent for Psionics. They were Giantspawn, Humans mostly, collected by the Illithid and experimented on for eons, severing their connection to Annam by psionic force. They are split into two 'subraces', though these are not physiological divides, only a divide in mindset. Broadly, there are the Githyanki, who are war-like and vengeful over their eons of servitude of the Illithid, and the Githzerai, who attempt to put such history behind them and use their psionics to reach a form of enlightenment. Off of Nexus, the Githyanki primarily live in the Astral still, out of convenience and the presence of the Illithid(Whom they seek to destroy), and the Githzerai live in Limbo, finding it's highly malleable nature- Even when compared to the Astral- quite conducive to their psionic training.

In the material plane, the Gith are overall more grounded and less extreme in their differences. Rather, there is less faction-like behavior, simultaneously forcing the Gith together and allowing other viewpoints to take hold.

## Giantspawn and the Ordning

The Ordning is the social structure of the giants, put into place by Annam, the All Father, himself. By His will, Titans were the greatest of the Giants, followed by Storm Giants, Cloud Giants, Fog Giants, Fomorians, Fire Giants, Frost Giants, Stone Giants, then Hill Giants. One may note, the Giantspawn are not listed. Some see this as a problem, particularly those who feel that their place in the Ordning should be pretty high. Most who study the Giants, however, realize that it doesn't matter what Giantspawn themselves think, as nothing short of the word of Annam himself could change the Ordning. Even archmages find themselves incapable of altering the Ordning outside an individual level.

The Giants themselves vary in their opinions on the place of Giantspawn within the Ordning. Rather, outside the Ordning, how much respect they deserve. Most Giants consider the Giantspawn as being no different than the other "Small Folk," which is their name for most non-Giant entities. Some, most of which are Storm Giants, consider the Giantspawn as being "unofficial" giants, deserving the same respect as any other giant... As long as they are lower on the Ordning than the Giant in question.

## Giantspawn and Birthrunes

Birthrunes- Otherwise called "Mystic Marks" or "Annam's Favor"- sometimes appear on Giantspawn. As the names suggest, they appear at birth, and confer a level of Giant magic to the Spawn, usually a powerful level of magic. They are most common on humans, for reasons no Giantspawn have found, on whom they also confer the greatest magical benefits. Marked Goliaths and Firbolgs are the rarest, and have the least impact on their magical potential. The prevailing theory behind this is that other Giantspawn possess shreds of Giant Magic without special Birthrunes, so when Birthrunes appear, it simply has a less noticeable impact. This is still being investigated, though most Giantspawn are more preoccupied with other matters, so no progress is expected.