"Two expeditions I've been a part of, and two expeditions nearly ended because of lone Jotun Hunters. The first time they were surprised, likely striking out at us for fear; the second time they were expecting us and still came at use like a wild beast. Just one one of them matched the strength of five of our men." - Jean Montagne, La Patrian Explorer
The Jotun are a species of giant that are exclusively native to the Frozen Wastes. While originally believed to be a type of Magickal Beast, largely due to their attire of large bones and furs, it was recently discovered that they are in fact a Risen race of Orloch's creation, distanced cousins of the giants of Mak'Nanda. The Jotun stand between four and five meters, weighing in at anywhere from two hundred and fifty to three hundred kilograms. Their skin is pale, almost blue as if in early frostbite, though they are largely unaffected by the climate. Their bodies are almost always thick with fat which hides their layers of developed muscles. Despite their heavy frames, their long legs and seemingly boundless stamina allows them to cover great distances with ease.
As denoted by their physical frames, they are extremely gifted when it comes to martial capabilities, but are often lacking in regards to other sources of Magick. There are outliers, however. One in almost every few dozen Jotun will be born as a highly capable ice conjurer. These will be immediately marked as shamans and promoted into the leadership caste. As a shaman, they help craft the village and it's walls, extending out ever so slowly as the population increases.
Jotun Culture
The Jotun are strictly a race of hunters, as there is no vegetation to farm or gather. Their diet is exclusively carnivorous and their daily life revolves around food. Being such a large people, they require a lot of meat for sustenance, partly explaining their low population count. Their hunting style is dependent on what tool or weapon they have mastered; their bow hunters, weapons as long as themselves and firing arrows that would be pikes to humans, are ambushers, while the rest of them are either trappers or endurance hunters.
The hunt is everything to a Jotun. How they spend their day, what they dream about at night, what they discuss with others in their village. Storytelling is a vital night time ceremony to their people. All in the village of Mak'Gora that are present and not out hunting are fully expected to be in attendance and share their own story of their greatest kill. These stories will often be repeats of previous ventures, but all will still be listened to fervently - albeit most of the time to pick at each other's embellishments over the years.
Courtship is also a hunt in it's own right. Most often, a female Jotun will offer herself to a mate in exchange for the season's greatest trophy. A large trophy denotes power, a sizeable kill denotes the power to protect her and their home. A clean trophy denotes skill, a precision to not miss any details, creating quality tools and weapons for their survival as well as keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
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