Novice - Goliath Runecarving
"I can't tell if the runes keep them alive or kill them. As soon as their armor becomes stronger or their weapons more lethal, they hunt for greater danger."
- trader, bought to spy and report on Goliath runecarving
Qualifications
One who seeks to learn the goliath variant of runecarving needs only to find a mentor willing to teach them. Try mountains, they seem to like those. Mentors can easily be found in Icerise as well since novices are typically trained there as the tournaments are prepared.
Requirements
A student must be literate in giant.
Appointment
It takes time to master runecarving. Although goliaths may live the same length of time as humans, rarely do they make it past 50. Their competitiveness prevents them from resting on their laurels. In their quest to surpass their grandest achievement, they often fall trying to outdo themselves. Coupled with the goliath disdain for relying on anything besides their own strength and wits to conquer their foe, the goliath tradition of runecarving has nearly been ruined.
To ensure this tradition is not lost, bands of goliaths that have agreed to continue this practice within their village will force the smallest and weakest of the children to study this practice under a mentor. This ensures that the child will live as well as keep a skilled runecarver within the band. Although most children resist this placement, often they eventually find the challenge of outdoing their best symbol a fruitful endeavor.
Those outside of the band must simply be accepted by the mentor.
Duties
The goliath ideal of fairplay is inherent in all goliath runecarving. If one combatant has a runed weapon so must the other. Apprentices often find themselves creating two of every symbol they carve. This second symbol is for the person's opponent.
Although not restricted to apprentices only, goliath arenas are things of legend. Using runecarving to create increasingly more difficult challenges or landscapes for combatants to spar within, these spectacles seem to defy reason. Combatants may be given armor that changes the direction of gravity randomly, treating the walls as floors. Weapons may instead increase the weight of the opponent's limb that has been struck rather than slashing. The landscape itself is likely to shift unexpectedly as symbols cause rocks to liquify or air to petrify. The largest of these tourneys is The Rite of Earthbinder, held every 5 years at Icerise. Novices are often sent to Icerise to toil on the tournament ground in preparation for the next Rite of Earthbinder.
Responsibilities
The apprentice's sole job is to survive. Not many goliath runecarvers exist and losing an apprentice presents a colossal waste of time and resources. The mentor/mentee relationship is understandably very strong and apprentices are expected to adhere strictly to their mentor's instructions.
Benefits
Those who learn the goliath variant of runecarving benefit from a few unique cultural boons. Symbols carved into weapons confer an extra 1d4 damage if the weapon hits. Symbols carved into armor increase the bearers movement speed by 5 feet for every item carved. Effects that aren't captured by any spell in the player's handbook are also easier to carve, largely up to the DM's discretion on how that works (reflects the oddities runecarvers create in their tournaments).
Type
Professional
Past Holders
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