Firbolgs
Firbolg legend tells of Loq Ton’eh, the creator goddess who wrote herself into existence, before writing the world into being out of loneliness. As she wrote the mountains and valleys, rivers and seas, she soon realised that knowing everything that would be made and ever be, brought her no joy. So, she wrote her sister, Kar’et Mah, into being, and gave her the task of filling the world with creations of her own. Young, excited and confident, Kar’et Mah wandered far across the breadth of the world, stopping when she came to a cavern filled with beautiful crystals that filled the darkness with light as bright as on the surface. There, from the crystals and earth she made a geode, and rested with it for seven days and seven nights. On the eight day, the geode cracked, and from out of it crawled the sisters. The first sister was bold and brash, and so left the cavern and ventured out into the daylight. Without the cavern to stop her growth, she grew too tall, and became the first Giant. The second sister was scared and wary, and pressed her back against a nook in the cavern. Tucked in as she was where the cavern narrowed in size, she grew too short, and became the first Human. The third sister was wise and patient, and waited with Kar’et Mah in the cavern, and reached the perfect height. She became the first Firbolg, and when the time was right, she left the cavern and found the vast barrens before her, which would become the home for her and her descendants.
Firbolg society originates from the barrens of Central Leica, where they lived in farming communities clustered around the River of Sorrows, following its path as it changed over the years. Life is harsh there, with drought being an ever present threat that no amount of irrigation or hydraulic engineering could solve. Because of this, firbolgs remained few in number and tightly knit. There were no wars, for there were no nations or tribes, or even family allegiances. Surviving in the barrens was enough of a challenge without worrying about killing. Strict laws soon arose to guide the firbolg people, with harsh punishments even for the most minor of infringements. Chief among these laws were the Words of Loq Ton’eh, said to have been given to a firbolg star-reader from the goddess herself. The Words numbered three, and were: Listen, Aid, and Live. All firbolgs had an obligation to, in order of importance, Listen to anyone that wanted to speak, and render Aid to all who needed it, but not so much that it left you unable to Live.
In time, life in the barrens grew too harsh for some firbolgs, who under the guidance of the star-readers set forth in great canoes hewn from the most ancient of the scant trees of the plains in search of a new home. By then, the elven realm of Baru Tenkassar had already been established, and in passing through their waters, the firbolgs angered the elves who demanded they pay tribute, which the firbolgs could not pay. Wrathful, the elves summoned a great storm that scattered the firbolg canoes, drowning half of the canoes. Carried far away by the storm, only five would reach the lands of the Koranin Valley; countless others swept away by the rough tides, never to be seen again. The five firbolg families were met on the coast by Taled Corsain, the youngest prince of the dwarven kingdom, who the firbolg were surprised to hear speaking a tongue similar to that of the giants. There, the five navigators who would become the lords of these firbolgs made a pact with Corsain, who promised them land to grow a great forest and dwell in peace in exchange for their support. In time, the Crickwood would grow into a sanctuary for the firbolg, one far more forgiving than their old home.
Those remaining firbolgs of Central Leica endure under the suzerainty of Tenkassarese elves. As the land continued to dry, the firbolgs were no longer able to pay tribute to the elves, leading to a deal being struck by Chieftainess Aka't Aue, whereby every firstborn firbolg would be sent to Baru Tenkassar to become the direct property of the Sea-kings for thirty years before being able to return home.
Firbolg speak either Leican or Crickwood Firbolg, the latter having absorbed many dwarven words for new technologies and magics, and the former increasingly adopting Tenkassarese elven vocabulary.
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