Goliaths

## Origins

The goliaths are a race that has long lived in the mountains of Jord. The ancient Vela’haari texts mention that the goliaths were kept as slaves to work in mines and quarries for the Vela'haar. The goliath oral accounts that have been handed down the generations affirm this, and some of the tales (if they are to be believed) painted a horrid picture. These oral accounts also claim that shortly after the Awakening of the Great Ones (The Raising) the enslaved goliaths turned against their masters and broke free. Afterwards they retreated into the mountains and hid from man until the Vela’haar Empire had crumbled.

## Racial traits

+4 Strength, -2 Charisma. Goliaths in Jord were a slave race for a long time and they are not as physically hardy as normal goliaths, nor are they particularly good at influencing others to their side. Medium Size: Goliaths are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size, but see powerful-build below. Normal Speed: Goliaths have a base speed is 30 feet. Giant Blood: Goliaths count as both human and humanoid (giant) for any effect related to race. Darkvision: A goliath can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Mountaineer: A Goliath has a +2 to climb and survival checks, thanks to their mountain heritage. Powerful Build: Whenever a goliath is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for CMB, the goliath is treated as large if doing so is advantageous to him. A goliath is also considered to be large when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A goliath can use weapons designed for a large creature without the -2 penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. If a spell or effect changes the goliath’s size to large or larger, the abilities of the spell or effect override the effects of powerful build. Intimidating Prowess: As feat, but only against medium, or smaller, non-Goliath humanoids. Proficient with all Simple weapons, and treat any weapon with the word “goliath” in its name as a martial weapon, but no armor or shields. Acclimated: Goliaths are automatically acclimated to life at high altitude. They don’t take the penalties for altitude described in the Mountain Travel section on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Unlike other denizens of the mountains, goliaths don’t lose their acclimation to high altitude even if they spend a long time at a lower elevation. Mountain Movement: Because goliaths practically live on the ledges and cliffs of the most forbidding mountains, they are particularly adept at negotiating mountain hazards. Goliaths can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. A goliath can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half his speed as a move action) without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Languages: Goliaths begin play speaking Common and Gol’kaa. Goliaths with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Gnome, Giant, Goblin, Orc, Terran.

## Goliaths and other races

Since The Raising the goliath population has spread out all across Jord’s mountains. The highest concentration of tribes lies in the northeast, within the borders of the Falhasti Kingdom. Goliaths are very friendly towards Falhasti, seeing them as the closest humanity has come to being like themselves. Some goliath tribes have actually joined Falhasti cities and live right alongside the humans. It isn’t uncommon to see goliaths outside of their tribal lands, but generally these goliaths are ones that have been exiled by their tribe. Many wealthy Velhanni and Aliahn merchants and politicians use these exiled goliaths as bodyguards. Goliaths fear and distrust the Velhanni and their arcano-tech. Goliaths view Aliahns with a bit more respect than the Velhanni, but think some of their rules and ways are frivolous or even silly at times. There is a tribe of goliaths that allied itself with the people of Aliah during its uprising against Velha. They see elves as being too frail, but respect how wise and agile they can be. The Quari elves are too slow to action for the average goliath, and the Raihu are too strange in their ways and words to truly get along with a goliath. Goliaths have a hard time taking halflings seriously, but the two races get along well after goliaths realize how many stories the average halfling knows. Halflings also share the goliaths’ hatred for goblinoids. The one race goliaths have the most respect and fear of is the killoren. The stories that goliaths tell of the killoren generally paint a picture of them being servants of the Gods of nature sent to punish those that defile it. A goliath is likely to try to prove his devotion to the protection of nature when meeting a killoren for the first time.