Unfortunately for the ambitions of the
Giants - and especially the Ordenvar - the loss of three out of nine ordai not only affects the social stability of the
Ordensma, but also the stability of the power inherent in the giant lineage. Periodically, a giant would be born much smaller and weaker than usual. Such individuals received little support from their kin, and were usually cast out to labour under the Ordentor.
Denied the name of 'giant', these disinherited children were called giant-kin, and as they interbred, travelled to different biomes and adapted to different ecological niches and social situations, distinct sub-lineages emerged. These lineages stabilised in time, as did the power of the remaining giants.
The viktar were giant-kin with active powers. Mostly descended from cloud giants, viktar have gifts of stealth and disguise, but individuals may also have power over fire, ice or storm. First generation viktar bitterly resented the treatment they received from their parents, and to this day they have a reputation for selfishness, meanness of spirit and cruelty stemming from their reaction to that resentment. Individual vikti are as varied as any, but many struggle with any attempt to make an honest living.
Compared to the viktar, the einaugr possess limited magic, but immense physical strength and resilience. Descended from fire and ice giants, many first generation einauger were given a place in the militia or the forges, and many still serve under their larger cousins, desperate for validation and belonging. Others have found a place away from the cities of giants, usually in those traditional trades, although occasionally in labour or agriculture.
Not all giant-kin took their lack of power lightly. The
Faendr are giant-kin who sought to restore their power by seeking to co- opt the strength of their enemies. They first used
Void Sorcery to match the power of a giant, and then, by degrees, took the power of the
Void into their flesh, mind and soul, becoming corrupted in each of those faculties. The faendr now form a separate society, driven by the hunger of the Void. Some are physically changed by the power they wield, either distorted by trying to contain it or transmuted into voidspar or other exotic materials. Their minds are also affected, exaggerating the giants' existing sense of superiority and lack of empathy.
The so-called lesser giant-kin are even smaller than the viktar and the einaugr. They tend to be descended from stone or hill giants, and are notable only for their size and strength. They go by many names, distinguished by a mixture of social context and physical traits.
Ogre is the name given to lesser giant-kin who dwell in towns or cities, either small settlements of grant-Lun or among smaller mortals. The word is also associated with giant-kin mercenaries. Those who live a nomadic lifestyle are more often called Jotnar. From their hunter-gatherer lifestyles the name Jotnar has come to be associated with giant-kin bounty hunters.
Trolls are similar to jotnar, but tend to be rangier with a pear-shaped body and disproportionately long arms. The reason for their distinctive body shape is what they call the belly-fire, a constant hunger coupled with a hyper-active digestive system, which are connected to an uncanny capacity for self-healing. While theoretically a powerful survival tool, without skilled medical care, it is easy for a troll to develop uncomfortable or downright inconvenient growths or mis-healed limbs.
Ettins are two-headed giant-kin, usually burn from a mix of troll and other giant-twin lineage. The second head is thought to develop due to some trauma in the womb which activates the dormant trollish regenerative capacity.
The minor grant-kin are usually descended from a mix of giant-kin and smaller mortal lines. Goliaths, also called half-giants or giant-bloods, are similar to smaller ogres, while firbolg are thought to have fae blood.
| Lineage |
Average Height |
Average Weight |
| Faendri |
19-30' |
15,000-20,000lbs |
| Vikti |
14-18' |
3,250-3,750lbs |
| Einaugin |
15-20' |
7,000-9,000lbs |
| Ogre/Jotun |
12-16' |
3,500-5,000lbs |
| Troll |
10-18' |
2,500-6,000lbs |
| Ettin |
13-17' |
3,500-5,500lbs |
| Goliath |
7-10' |
500-900lbs |
| Firbolg |
7-9' |
400-600lbs |
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