Earth Giant (5e Race)
Earth Giant
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| An Earth Giant standing over a sprite village by Hitotsunami. |
| “ | It is said that all beings were sculpted from blocks of clay and given life by the gods. Large excess lumps of clay came together in the earth and eventually formed the earth giants found today. |
” |
| —Atlas, Historian of Candlekeep | ||
Physical Description
Earth giants are an intimidating presence to stand under. Towering over even the largest of goliaths, earth giants range from 13 to 16 feet tall with strong powerful bodies enabling them to lift impossibly heavy objects and take blows that would sunder most fortifications. As well as being physically impressive they are known for their deep connection to the primordial earth, which grants them the ability to naturally manipulate it in ways that others can only hope to attain through training and practice in the arcane. As such, this connection is said to be even greater than that of the dwarves connection to metal and has been observed to be even greater within the Elemental Plane of Earth.
History
Earth giants, like their giant brothers and sisters, were said to once live in great cities carved from mountains using their great size and collective might. The center of their empire was a magnificent capital city, named Voninheim, now known to the giants as the lost capital. Stories say that its size was so immeasurable that it extended into other planes, mainly the Elemental Plane of Earth. The parts of Voninheim that jutted into other planes were frequently improved upon by the earth giants, who found their ability to manipulate earth quite useful while within the plane. As a result, the majority of the earth giant population existed within those areas of Voninheim. When the great war between the giants and the dragons erupted, the connection between the two planes collapsed. This divided the earth giants from the majority of their kin and encouraged the greedy dao to invade what remained of the giant capital. Due to the destruction left behind by the dao, much of the earth giants' portion of Voninheim is destroyed or buried today. Much of its original splendor has been lost as the earth was broken and built back up time and time again. After the thousand-year war finally settled down, the earth giants found themselves incapable of escaping the population loss that their kin on the other side had faced. When the ceasefire finally came to pass, the world stood still, void of the roars of dragons and giants that once filled the air. While the giants tended to their wounds and recovered from their loss of population, other races began to rise to prominence in the absence of the two warring races. Most of what remains of the giants can be found in the isolated and unexplored regions of the world, in solitary within forgotten cities, and in the confines of uninhabitable mountains. Those that are bold enough to venture to the Elemental Plane of Earth will speak of the ruins of the legendary city of Voninheim, a city so great that it once rivaled that of the dao's City of Jewels, the self-proclaimed earthen capital. However, while most earth giants keep to the strong traditions associated to the Elemental Plane of Earth, some make the journey into the known world with dreams of restoring their race's place within the Material Plane, with divine orders from their god, or perhaps an important task from their clan's leader.
Society
Earth giants share the same societal values and expectations as the rest of the giants and are related by common elements of history, religion, and culture. They view one another as kindred, keeping any inherent animosity over territory and ambition to a minimum. Within the caste system of the giants (which they call the ordning), earth giants are ranked below frost giants and above stone giants. While they do not the size standards of the combined giant population, they equal the other giant subraces in terms strength and innate magical ability, granting them the power necessary to overcome the primitive hill giants and crush the more artistic stone giants. However, their stabilizers aren't enough to compete against the mighty frost giants. The lowest ranked giant of any type is superior to the highest ranked giant of an inferior type. It isn't considered evil to disrespect or even betray a giant of another type, merely rude. Earth giants like other giant types have a hatred for dragons but they have a particular contempt for the dao, genies of the earth whose greed and malevolence desecrates giant culture. In the time of the dragons, earth giants had a specific place in society, as all giants did. They were generally widespread within the disciplines of engineering and art. However, being separated from the majority of their kin for so long has caused them to learn to fill many of the roles they previously didn't occupy, learning to use their earthen magic for combat, crafting, and other practical uses in their time residing within the Elemental Plane of Earth.
Religion
Within the giants' pantheon of gods, each giant subrace has a divine child of Annam associated with them, each with their own distinct personalities and strengths. After the fall of giantkind in the eyes of Annam, the all-father of giants disowned them and refused to acknowledge their prayers. Although each of Annam's sons is typically worshiped by giants of a particular type, they, like Annam himself, aren't racially distinct. The divine child of Annam associated with earth giants is Jorotun, Mover of Worlds. It was said the earth around him would mimic his often tranquil personality, as swirling patterns would be drawn into the earth as he walked. An oddity among his other six brothers, Jorotun appears in two ways: a pair of raised hands flanked by two mountains or a swirling mass of earth. Typically, Jorotun is depicted as the smallest of the other giants but always appears taller than any other earth giant. In the legends of the giants, Jorotun stray from the schemes and battles of his siblings, providing assistance only when absolutely necessary. He acts as a confidant in most of his stories, a reliable ally that resolves the problem that others cannot with his earthen powers. However, his power is looked down upon by his godly brethren, as the ordning doesn't value such an ability. Therefore, Jorotun is seen as Annam's last resort when resolving the conflicts of the giant gods. Much of giant lore only mentions bits and pieces of the fourth divine child of Annam. Many scholars believe that his small stature and magic was too different and odd for him to be accepted. However, another rather controversial legend insinuates that Jorotun received such treatment due being born from Annam and another unknown divine being that scholars believe may have been Jörð, mother of the Norse thunder god Thor, or another goddess of the earth, which nobler or religiously fanatic giants will furiously object to. Jorotun shares similar interests with his brother Skoraeus (stone giant) but dislikes isolation and views himself as an extension of the earth rather than one that creates from it. In the classic giant tales, Jorotun's most notable exploits are when his mood is soured or his brothers seem doomed to an impossible fate. Tales speak of whole mountain ranges crumbling and deep fissures forming when his perpetually peaceful attitude is shifted. Earth giants in particular attribute such environmental features to Jorotun. Memnor the cloud giant is often the root cause of many of these violent changes in Jorotun's personality due to his jealousy of the fine textures and works the land would create from his outbursts. Memnor is forced to rely on masks to make similar changes to the world. However, despite his alienation within the giant pantheon, Jorotun is still respected and treated as one of Annam's divine children.
Earth Giant Names
Earth giants tend to take giant names, though some take dwarvish, goliath and even names associated with the elemental earth. Typical giant names are as follows:
Male: Aegir, Alcyoneus, Argus, Athos, Atlas, Balor, Baugi, Bergelmir, Billingr, Bölthorn, Bress, Brontes, Cacus, Coeus, Cormoran, Cronus, Echion, Elatha, Enceladus, Eochaid, Epimetheus, Fachan, Fornjót, Geirröd, Geryon, Gilling, Gogmagog, Goliath, Gymir, Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, Hrungnir, Hymir, Hyperion, Iapetus, Kári, Klytius, Kumbhakarna, Logi, Mahabali, Menoetius, Nimrod, Oceanus, Og, Ophion, Polyphemus, Prometheus, Ravana, Steropes, Tethra, Ymir
Female: Angrboda, Banba, Bestla, Buarainech, Caca, Cethlenn, Chimalmat, Corb, Dione, Eithne, Ériu, Ethniu, Fódla, Gaia, Gjálp, Greip, Gridr, Gullveig, Hrodr, Járnsaxa, Laufey, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Rhea, Rindr, Skadi, Tethys, Theia, Themis
Optional Rule: Earthen Might
Earth Giant Traits
A race of giants, smaller than the rest of their kind their power comes from deep within the earth and posses the ability to manipulate the earth.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution scores each increase by 1.
Age. Earth giants are exceptionally long-lived compared to humans and notable more than other giants but far from immortal. These giants with their deep connection to the earth reach maturity at around 80 years old and like stone giants their lifespan isn't linked to the ordning, living just under millennia at 950 years.
Alignment. Earth giants are naturally good, but due to the prudence they are dealt they may become neutral or evil.
Size. An earth giant's height usually ranges from about 13 feet to 16 feet tall, and usually weigh around a ton. Your size is Large.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Creation. You know the cantrip mold earth[3] and can cast it at will. Starting from 3rd level, you know the earth tremor[4] spell and can cast it once. Starting from 5th level, you know the maximilian’s earthen grasp[5] spell and can cast it once. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You regain spent uses of this trait when you complete a long rest.
Giantkin. Your creature type is considered to be both giant and humanoid.
Giant's Stride. When you take the Dash action on your turn, you can move an additional distance equal to half your movement speed.
Huge Frame. Your large size and powerful muscles allow you to push further beyond what most creatures your size are capable of. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. However, you require twice as much food and water per day as a normal creature your size, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Indomitable Presence. Your weight isn't the only crushing thing about you. Whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check against a creature of a size category equal to or smaller than your own, you are considered proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you are already proficient you may add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Thick-Skinned. While you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Constitution modifier.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant. The language that giants share is one of the few remnants of their once-grand empire. Over time it has fragmented into many dialects, and each type has its own distinctive accent, but giants of different types can generally understand one another. Any non-giant who learns the Giant language can converse with all types of giants, but giants sometimes have a hard time hearing the tiny voices of human-sized creatures, and some vowel sounds emitted by giants are nearly impossible to reproduce for any creature that doesn't have lungs as large as beer barrels. The Giant script uses a modified version of the runic letterforms claimed by the dwarves as their own. As giants were first in the world and thus the creators of the script is a fact that giants take for granted but which dwarves hotly dispute.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12′ 4'' | +4d10 | 1700 lb. | × (2d12) lb. |
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*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
Suggested Characteristics
When creating an earth giant character, you can use the following table of personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help. Use this table in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | The brutality of my peers is a relic of a bygone era that should be stamped out. I seek a more enlightened path through pacifism. |
| 2 | My size often causes me to do collateral damage when I walk, so I have to be as careful as I can when moving through communities of non-giants. |
| 3 | I take what I want. I don't care who gets hurt when I do so. |
| 4 | A giant lives for a few centuries, but giant-kind is eternal. Everything I do is to glorify my ancestors and make my descendants proud. |
| 5 | Dragons and Genies are my mortal enemies. Everything I do is to ensure their destruction. |
| 6 | I measure a creature's worth by its strength. The weak aren't worthy of my time. |
| 7 | The small folk are nothing but vermin. I find great pleasure in torturing and killing them. |
| 8 | Good or bad, Annam's sons represent the ideals that we as giants must strive to uphold. |
| d8 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ordning. Annam created the ordning for the good of all giants. It is our duty as earth giants to respect his vision. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Skill. What sets myself apart from my brethren is my mastery of traditional earth giant magic. Improving my skill is my top priority. (Any) |
| 3 | Power. No other race can match the strength of giants, and those that dare to try are in for a world of pain. (Evil) |
| 4 | Nationalism. Giants are the rightful rulers of the world. All will be well when our empire is restored. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Rebellion. The ordning is far too restrictive for the likes of me. I'll make my own story instead of being trapped within societal expectations. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Responsibility.As the most powerful beings in creation, we have a duty to use our strength for the benefit of all. (Good) |
| 7 | Exploration. Creating a metropolis for the giants was a mistake. Voninheim was destined to topple from the start as a result of the massive conflicts that we constantly participate in. I wish to see the world outside of my own. (Chaotic) |
| 8 | Tribute. The lesser races owe giants not just respect but payment of tribute. What they don't pay willingly will be taken by force. (Evil) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My clan is the most important influence on my life. Our collective place in the ordning reinforces our devotion to one another. |
| 2 | My clan-mates who serve our deity's temples are the closest companions I'll ever know. |
| 3 | My place in the ordning is ordained by our patron deity. It would be blasphemous to even think of climbing to a higher position in the ordning. |
| 4 | Though I can never rise above my clan's position in the ordning, I can still be a role model to my clan-mates. |
| 5 | My own kind have turned their backs on me, so I live alongside the lesser creatures of the world. |
| 6 | From the kind deeds that they have done for me, smaller humanoids have earned my respect. In return for their kindness, I would help any of them without hesitation. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm very clumsy, which is dangerous for someone of my size. I often cause massive destruction around me when I trip and fall. |
| 2 | The lesser creatures of the world are soulless. They exist only as fodder for the ambitions and appetites of giants. |
| 3 | Anyone that I feel like fighting is a fair target for my weapons. Camaraderie is a joke. |
| 4 | I care nothing for what others expect of me. When someone asks something of me, I can't help but argue and disobey their wishes. |
| 5 | I become panicked when I cannot feel the ground beneath my feet. If I can't touch the ground for an extended period of time, I am easily forced into submission. |
| 6 | I have an incredible fear of dragons and dao. My knees grow weak in their presence. |
References
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