Hrim Giants

The Behemoths of the North

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History

Once vast in numbers and dominant in the north, and their colonies and ever migrating communities thrives in the harsh and unforgiving conditions of the tundra regions. Hrims haven’t had the most influence on the world save for a Akdun, who took it upon himself to venture to the warmer regions and begin a long series of agricultural advancement. The other giants weren’t in favor in following and remained in the tundra regions. With the creation and mass colonization of other races their precious and limited resources only grew even more scarce and less available. Due to their known size and few talents they are believed to be simple and stagnant in the mind however studying their means and ways of survival has influenced most cold weather civilizations and mountain survival techniques.

Physical Description

The anatomical makeup of a Hrim Giant is just about the same as a human. Their organs are larger to make up for their large bodies. Their muscles are thick and grants them immense strength easily able to over power even the strongest adult orcs.

However due to the cold environment they dwell in as well as their large bones they find themselves prone to arthritis and crippling skeletal pains earlier than most other races.

Their facial structure is flat and long and generally their eyes are deep causing a very Neanderthal appearance to their forehead. Their larger noses and mouths make for heightened sense of taste and smell. this makes foods and things with an appealing smells perfect gifts to befriend a Hrim Giant. Their eyes fall into a lighter category with various shades of blue and hazel. With variety of hair colors from Red to white, the most common being light brown and dark blonde.

Now the most identifiable trait to the Hrim Giants is their size. Commonly ranging from 13-15ft tall these behemoths of meat and bone require large amounts of food and nutrients to sustain themselves. However their immune systems have over time adapted to fight off most diseases and natural poisons allowing them to consume nearly anything.

• Common Height:
  • Male: 13’-16”
  • Female: 14’-17”
• Common Build: Mesomorph
• Common Eyes: Blue, Hazel, Green
• Common Hair: Light brown, Blonde, Red
• Common Skin Tone: Pale white, Icy white, Rarely tanned skin

Culture

Having a great pride in their survival skills is not lightly said. These Hrim Giants claim the icy wastelands as their home and take great credit in the way it’s feared and avoided. Despite being large and brutish in means, their techniques and thoughts towards their actions are intelligent and can be valuable to any who find themselves in the frozen plains. They are generally nomadic and tribal. They stay in groups of 20-30 and every one giant has their niche within their tribe and community. From necessity they have learned to fashion hides and fur to use as clothing, building material and even harnessed fire to provide heat. The Hrim Giants even created their own runic symbols to communicate with each other and other tribes. Leaving behind messages and maps to prime hunting and other landmarks. However they’re verbal communication is limited due to grunts and drawn out and simple words in rare cases. Using non-verbal cues and Facial expressions to communicate.

With this, their runic symbols that are yet to be discovered and learned by any other then the tribal Hrim Giants, hold great secrets and deep roots to their true history and the history of their frozen wasteland they call home. It’s also said that the runic symbols have a map of the birthplace of the Hrim Giants and tells the story of their first steps and their ancient origins. Mysteriously the design of their runic and symbols are similar in form to Ancient Avalatan text but has no correlation creating more theory and speculation about the creation of these monstrous beings.

No matter what tribe of Hrim Giant was documented, observed and/or studied, they all had one common trend. An elderly female Shaman usually the tallest of her generation and the most calm and respected by her peers. In a Hrim Giant tribe the younglings were the work horses around the community while the adults braved the cold and fjords weeks at a time in search for food and rations. Back at the main horde and in charge of the tribes next steps was their Leyreader. She was capable of reading the land and environment for signs of where to migrate next in search of shelter and food. This giant woman had powers that the Hrim Giants thought divine and godly and worshiped her as a herald of the skies and ice as she often had the ability to mend and manipulate the ice or winds. Other than the Leyreader who headed the tribe, the Giants held the oldest male in great regard for his knowledge of the ice and seasonal hunting patterns of the nearby game. After him, those who had an affinity with the wild life were treasured. Often tribes of Hrim Giants were dominant and strict enough to raise Anion Bears and even in some cases Mammoths to travel alongside as warning to upcoming harsh conditions and emergency food source.

Despite all the importance the Hrim Giants put towards survival they are monogamous and stay with the same mate usually for the rest of their lives. There are many deaths due to widowed Hrim Giants unwilling to eat and continue due to the loss of a partner. This has caused a harsh impact on their population numbers.

They find themselves using icy hills as their main area to settle in, having been known to dig into the snow and than dirt until they hit rock and using this to be their shelter. Most of their runes and ancient text is found on the inside of these hill holes.

Mechanics

• Lifespan: 100 Years
• Heightened sense of smell and acute sense of taste .
• Large skeleton and organs require more nutrients.
• Incomparably stronger than the other races.
• Adept in survival/mapping skills in cold environments.
• Ancient written language unknown to all outsiders.
• Excel in non verbal communications, being unable to form complete or even half sentences.
• Due to thick skin and natural adaptation, they've grown immune to frostbite .

The World of Aethius • The Multiverse of Aethier