Goliaths were a nomadic race of humanoids descended from the ancient giants, living in the mountainous regions of the world, and in the harsh lands of the forgotten north, in Yotunrime.
Descended from the blood of the stone-giants. Goliaths were massive. Standing 7-8 feet tall, making them taller than Dragonborn and half-orcs. A prominent warrior-culture, where they strive to greater and greater feats of their strength, show of glory and battle prowess. Very competitive, measuring talent, dedication and effort. Every day is a new challenge - a means to seek food, water and shelter. And protection against the dangers of the wilds. But they only fight upon equal grounds and honourable codes of fair play. Living in the harsh and inhospitable lands, even co-existing amongst the other races of the lands - but they detest the showing of weakness. Any who does not contribute to the whole of the community is expunged or left to die.
Goliaths had noticeably bony or prominent supraorbital ridges above their eyes. Goliath eyes were often a bright blue or green and sometimes glowed a little. Goliath skin was often grey or brown and was extremely tough (often compared to stone). One of the most distinctive features of the goliath was darker (often vertically symmetrical) patches of skin that covered their entire bodies. Goliaths believed that these markings somehow explained or controlled their fate or destiny. For this reason, goliaths never tattooed themselves as this could affect their future.
Goliath's most notable characteristic was their competitiveness. They kept track of their accomplishments and saw everything as a challenge. Those not familiar with goliath psychology would often get annoyed when goliaths constantly reminded them how many times a certain thing had happened, thinking them arrogant or self-centred. This was not the case, however. To goliaths, score-keeping was a natural and integral part of life, not meant to belittle or demean anyone. It was rare for goliath adventurers to retire or live to old age, as they often died trying to surpass their previous achievements.
Goliaths lived in small tribes that numbered between forty and sixty goliaths. This was usually made up of three to five extended families. Most goliaths lived in the same tribe their entire life. On rare occasions, a tribe that got too large would split into smaller tribes or smaller tribes would merge together. Goliath tribes were not large or permanent as the mountain terrain didn't allow for such settlements. Temporary villages would be set up then disassembled and relocated every month or seasonally.
At the highest mountain peaks dwell the reclusive goliaths, wandering a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and give them great physical power. Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their frigid realm, leaving each goliath with the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying.
Goliath tribes only went to war as a final option, preferring to move away from unsafe lands. They did not do this out of fear or cowardice, instead, they were aware that loss of life in their tribe was undesirable and had long-term consequences.
If forced to go to war, however, a tribe would do so without fear. Circumstances that might force a tribe included being cornered or having members of their tribe kidnapped. Once weapons were distributed and war captains were chosen, a goliath tribe could quickly become a very capable war band. Goliaths were always at the peak of their physical condition and their fine-tuned hunting skills made them competent warriors at a moment's notice.
RACIAL SKILLS, ABILITIES & FEATURES
- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by +2, and your Constitution score increases by +1.
- Age. Goliaths have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.
- Alignment. Goliath society, with its clear roles and tasks, has a strong lawful bent. The goliath sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self-sufficiency and personal accountability, pushes them toward neutrality.
- Size. Goliaths are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.
- Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
- Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
- Stone's Endurance. You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
- 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 have resistance to cold damage. You’re also acclimated to high altitudes, including elevations above 20,000 feet.
- Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TABLE
| GENDER |
BASE HEIGHT |
HEIGHT MODIFIER |
HEIGHT RANGE |
AVERAGE HEIGHT |
| MALE |
6'2'' |
+(2D10) |
6'4''-7'10'' |
7'1'' |
| FEMALE |
6'1'' |
+(2D10) |
6'3''-7'9'' |
7'0'' |
| GENDER |
BASE WEIGHT |
WEIGHT MODIFIER |
WEIGHT RANGE |
AVERAGE WEIGHT |
| MALE |
200 lbs |
x(2d6) |
204-440 lbs |
277 lbs |
| FEMALE |
195 lbs |
x(2d6) |
199-436 lbs |
273 lbs |
