Goliath

#### **Statistics**

***Age***: Goliath possesses a lifespan of about 90 years. Culturally and biologically, they reach adulthood as fast as humans do.

***Characteristic*s**: Brawn +2, Vitality +1

***Languages***: Giant and your home Realm’s language

***Size***: Goliaths’ average weight is 130 to 150 kg, and their average height is 2 to 2.5 m. Your size is Medium.

***Speed***: 6 m base walking speed

***Natural Athlete***: 2 skill points in the Athletics skill

***Stone’s Endurance***: Once per short rest, when you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Vitality modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total.

***Powerful Build***: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

***Mountain Born***: You’re acclimated to high altitude and naturally adapted to cold climates. In addition, you gain resistance to cold damage.

#### **Appearance**

**Goliath’s** match their home climate well; tough, fair, and competitive. Standing between 2.0 to 2.5 meters tall and weighing between 120 to 150 kg, these humanoid behemoths have an aspect of the giant in their Soul. The goliath race is unable to grow any body hair. Their skin color is ashen grey, and they are decorated from birth with black marks, almost like a tattoo that runs all over their bodies in individual patterns.

#### **Lore**

##### ***Ourike and Goliaths***

Ourike, the mother of mountains, has always worshipped strength and fortitude. She was the first creator of the giant, the ogre. She taught her fellow members of the Primordial Accord the formula for the giant’s Soul so they could also have their variations of the giant. Even though her creation was ferocious and mighty like herself, she was mocked by other Enneade that the ogre was nothing but a big and dumb brute. Driven to prove them wrong, she created the goliath next, which inherited the giant’s strength but was as developed as the other great humanoid Enna races.

Ourike wanted her goliaths to be competitive, so they could challenge those who would look down upon the Primordial Accord as nothing more than creators of dead earth and sea. Undoubtedly instrumental in creating the World, but the new life making era of the Age of Genesis, no longer essential for the World’s development. Even if most Enneade disagreed with this opinion, many in the Primordial Accord felt unappreciated. Thus the goliaths became obsessed with their accomplishments, often tallying their deeds and searching to outdo themselves to reach even further heights. Competition is more than just a game for goliaths. It practices and measures an individual’s effort and talent, which can be vital for the continuing survival of their tribe.

Goliath’s seek to win, but there are not necessarily bad losers. Wise goliaths realize that there is much to learn in failure. Still, it is common that goliaths die young, always seeking more power. Old goliaths are an uncommon sight. Members who do not contribute are exiled. The goliaths refuse to include someone in their tribe who does not pull their weight. Usually, before it can come to that, members who notice their skills and physical health leaving them to prefer to leave the tribe of their own volition to seek an honorable death. Though many goliaths wish to meet their end far before their edge leaves them, in battle or adventure, dreading the experience of their power waning. A goliath tribe often lacks experienced leadership, as most members die before they can accumulate the wisdom that comes with age. The goliath community is not cruel, however, the wounded and the sick are taken care of, but even they are expected to do whatever they can for the tribe even in their weakened state.

Ourike also wanted her goliath to be resourceful and uncomplacent. She ordered her newborn race to carve their home in harsh and cold mountainous environments. There, the goliath tribes grew up to become self-sustaining and collaborative, as a single mistake could bring catastrophe to a whole tribe, and you could never take food, water, and shelter for granted. It also taught them that they could not utterly rely upon material things, like that of money or items, as it can be easily removed. Therefore goliath find societies with inherited influence, titles, and power, to be misguided and erroneous. A goliath can’t understand why they should show respect to someone who hasn’t earned their glory, nor do they understand why other people follow undeserving rulers. This has often set apart the goliaths from multiracial communities as they often refuse to follow other authorities.

##### ***The War of Earth and Air***

The reasons why some members of the Primordial Accord turned on each other is not something the goliaths remember. All they know is that the Enneade of Air, Aemun, Verhet, and Zerah, fought against their creator Ourike and her allies Qebnos and Ghebsis. As this conflict was the reason for Ourike’s death, they blame the air Enneade for her destruction.

The conflict took place in the middle of the War of Collapse events, and it ripped the ancient alliance of the Primordial Accord apart. It was a bloody affair, where elemental turned on elemental. The goliaths, in particular, were pitted against Zerah’s forces of aarakocra. Ourike and the goliaths won, Ourike slew Zerah and the goliaths eradicated the aarakocra. However, her allies weren’t as lucky. In the end, it was unclear whether earth or air had won, and the losses were disastrous. When it was all over, those who survived the civil war, both Enneade and Enna, now had to defend themselves against Enneade and Enna taking advantage of their weakened state. Ourike and her goliaths survived until the final showdown between the forces of Amaknuphis and those who would oppose him. In this final battle, Ourike fell, and Borias absorbed her power in the middle of the fight.

After the death of their creator and the end of the War, most of the goliaths sought protection from Borias, as he was the successor of Ourike and also had a philosophy that the goliaths respected. The rest asked Gera for protection, tired of death, and battle the thought that Progenitor would allow them to live in peace and honor for the rest of their existence. The old conflict between air and earth is still a festering wound within the hearts of the goliaths. Bloodshed is common whenever they cross paths with an ally of the air.