Goliaths

Goliaths are the smaller sub race of giants, often called "half-giants" which is a misnomer. They are a strong race that prizes physical prowess in their community and a deep sense of honor. Many have a mentality of do great and earn a place in the tribe, or die trying. They've spread out along the northern Nishis sub continent, creating many towns and villages where giants are still prevalent, some of them sharing communities with the Firbolgs of the forests. Goliath's typically prefer highlands or northern climates, but many have settled along coastal regions or plains.
Ability Score Improvement: 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.
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’re acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. You’re also naturally adapted to cold climates.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

They are typically names of meaning in their native language or dialects: Sechen, Maral, Borte, Toragana, or Yesuntei

Masculine names

They are typically names of meaning in their native language or dialects: Olar, Semsochi, Aruktai, Tsolmon, or Xangai

Unisex names

Dagun, Tutei, Megujin, Oyuun, or Mide

Family names

The family name of a goliath is typically his fathers name with the -si ending. If his father's name is unknown, then it is the male leader of the tribe or any male willing to take responsibility for the young goliath. Additionally, when greeting oneself, a goliath will typically give their family name first. Therefor a goliath named Terbish who's father is Orda, they would introduce themselves as Ordasi Terbish.

Other names

When a goliath reaches adulthood, they are usually give an community name after their "Wandering," which is typically something related to a deed they have done, or some other character trait: Smartwanderer, Hidesmasher, Rainstriker, Swiftcook, or Honesthand

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Goliaths are a reserved, but proud race. They maintain a sense of humility and modesty, but are always trying to prove their greatness. Many join warrior clans to prove physical prowess or their skill as a warrior. They consider this a responsability worth dying for as the view of great deeds written upon their skull for generations to see is a source of great pride and honor. Families are typically very close knit with strong clan bonds. Though there are feuds that happen between clans, they typically don't last long. Additionally, though they know of their heritage as descending from giants, they often avoid giant tribes. They aren't a strongly religious culture, but they will on occasion praise various deities, The Mountain being the most common.

Shared customary codes and values

The Warrior Clans located in Ondormodo 

• Tulenkeh (War mothers)is a woman only clan, and the only one with women. It is also one of the most unique clans as it isn't regional based. Where most clans have a specific territory, and any warrior within that territory typically automatically joins their regional "clan," Tulenkeh countrywide, making it the largest clan. When clan meetings occur, or battles take place, Tulenkeh's are usually called in as mediators. Some say they are "war mothers" because they have chosen to be mothers of the nation, rather then mothers in the domestic sphere. Its main "clan house" is located in Kara. 
• Tsasetgel (snow hearts) is a small clan that controls all the land north of the Frost Way. Its "clan house" is located in Degei.
• Modarga (wood fists) is a clan between Niwood River and the Frost Way. Its main "clan house" is located in Bilge.
• Chultuga (stone knife) is a clan in the forest between the Terbish River and the Niwood River. Its main "clan house" is located in Gugun.
• Khonishis (Nishis shepherd) is a clan in between the terbish river and kara river and is the largest as far as land mass and most wealthy. However, its central position and open plains does make it vulnerable to raids from other clans. Its main "clan house" is located in Odval.
• Elsuukh (sand drinkers) is a clan in the lands between Kara River and Mungling River. It is the oldest clan and is a center for trade and diplomacy despite its small size. Its "clan house" is located in Kara. 
• Tsusuraach (blood painters) is a clan in the southernmost part of Ondormodo. Its main "clan house" is in Khadan. 

Common Etiquette rules

Goliaths have a deep sense of honoring elders, as they are often seen to have lived through many great fights, or the fight of life. People will often give up their seat to someone older. Children are often not permitted at important meetings of adults, and are often expected to serve their elders (bringing them food, supplies, tools, etc). When entering someone's house for the first time, it is expected to bring a gift, whether it be food, furniture, art, or furs. Anything would be accepted with thanks, though it is expected. If there are honor wives living together, you must give each a separate gift. They are the keepers of the home, and their rules go inside the house. Most settlements have bathhouses which are either fed by hot springs, or contain saunas or sweat tents. Public or group nudity is very casual and these events are often very social, though typically with members of your own gender. However, it is not always the case. In these, its common etiquette to not stare. When eating together, nobody starts eating until the eldest begins eating, and its important to always except a drink from an elder, and drink what they give you. This leaves a lot of younger generations prone to getting intoxicated quickly at the amusement of their elders (typically not before they are an adult of course). Finally, boasting about yourself is typically viewed in a very negative light. If friends boast or talk up a friend, this is regarded in great respect, and typically encouraged, but the person receiving the praise is expected to maintain humble and modest.

Common Dress code

Many goliaths wear clothing made out of leathers and furs, with adjustable layers depending on the weather. Armor is typically a reinforced leather or bone. With the abundance of mammoths, large pieces of bone are common in armor creation. The wealthier one is, generally the higher quality of furs, decoration, or armor they might have.

Art & Architecture

Many goliath settlements have a variety of stone cities and structures carved from the mountain rock. These typically make up the center of a settlement. Then a city or town typically has a mid ring which is made up of wood, bone, or clay homes, or yurts. Typically a semi permanent structure simply made that is used as a home and or a shop. Then a settlement commonly has a series of tents around it made out of thick leather and furs that are ever shifting. People will often join nomadic groups, traveling under the control of a clan, that follow mammoth or bison herds and trades among various territories. Traveling merchants are uncommon in this area as most goods have a cycle of trade from the nomadic people, who consider themselves hunters, not merchants, but still often trade goods from place to place.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Goliaths rely heavily on mammoths and bison for sources of meat. Wealthier, non-nomadic, people will typically smoke their food, and enjoy a variety of side dishes such as corn, cornbread, squash, or berries. However, the most common type of food made by the goliaths is developed into rations that can be traveled and kept, known as Wasna. Wasna typically made out of dried large/lean game (such as bison, mammoth, elk, moose, or deer) and is grown into a powder. It is then mixed with fat, berries or chokecherries, wild onions, and wild rice. this is then made into a patty that can be kept for long periods of time, sometimes eaten with cornbread when available.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Births are usually done at home with the help of honor wives and the assistance of a midwife (typically an elder woman, shaman, medicine woman, or cleric). Its a female only event, and daughters one having the child are often expected to help and learn what to do quickly. Once the child is born, the midwife will perform a small blessing, while wrapping them in a special cloth the mother would have made while pregnant, depicting the ambitions for their child. Once swaddled and blessed, everyone is expected to leave, and the father is allowed to enter. If the father has died, or is unknown, then typically man close in relationship to the woman (a brother, a honor wife's brother, a father, or even an elder if non is available) will take that place and join the mother, taking on all the duties and expectations of a father. If a mother is lost, much the same thing will happen, and no child is ever left to go uncared for by two parents. Together, they will name the child and present the child with their family name.

Coming of Age Rites

When a woman gains her first period, she is often given her own home and allowed to begin looking for someone to marry. Her family will often gather to present her with as much as they can to furnish her home, which can be anything from a tent, to a cottage. Furnishings commonly include furs, utensils, tools, and food. Men who might be interested in a woman may also gift her with things they have obtained through hunting, trading, or farming. A woman may forgo all of this, and instead join the Tulenkeh. When a boy reaches their 16th summer, they typically begin their "Wandering" which is a solo adventure for 1 year. In that 1 year they are not permitted to return home or to be seen by their immediate family, though they can stay with other settlements and extended relatives. The importance is a fostering of independence and strength. He must use the skills he has learned to survive and find his place in the world. They may chose this time to join a clan, as long as they are not seen by their father, or see the world. After 1 year, they may return, and are allowed to stay with their parents or at a clan house if they have joined a clan until they are able to marry.

Funerary and Memorial customs

This culture deeply value the stories of their ancestors and where they came from, and the heroic deeds of their lives. When an individual dies, their body is laid out to be picked clean, usually through carrion beetles or ravens. This is either done by the remaining husband, wife, honor wife, parents, siblings, or children. If they have no immediate family, then it is done by the clan they were a part of. If they also were not part of a clan, then it is done by the nearest church. Once its picked clean, various local funeral guilds work on the skull of the individual, carving and paintes stories of the individual lives. This is usually representative of high points, deeds, loves, losses, those left behind, and in the case of children, what their parents aspirations were for them. If the skull has damage or a crack, it is mended with gold, silver, copper, or whatever metal can be afforded. Very rich families might used crush gemstones and embed the skull with gemstones, though this is vary rare. A poor family might have simple carvings without paint even. The skull of the individual is then either kept in a private family mausoleum or estate, the local temple, or a clan mausoleum. Within this resting place, a candle is always kept in the skull to light if the a family member wishes to pray to them, or think of them. On The Reaping festival to the Morning of Mourning, all skulls are illuminated, creating walls of lights. The idea being that they are paying respects to their ancestors, where they came from, showing stories of the past, and leaving hope for their future. In most temples or crypts, there is someone specifically in charge of being the keeper who knows where every skull is, who they were, and how they find them, and the family line. If a temple begins to run out of space, the oldest, or least visited skulls, typically go to the winding maze of tunnels built under the temples, only navigated by the Keepers. People who were murders or were executed are painted a deep red, void of any carving or writing of honor, and are never lit with a candle. This is a warning to others and a shame for relatives and families, which leads to peer policing and expectionation, and a maintaining of honor and pride.

Common Taboos

Tattoos are very negatively viewed in their culture, as they believe it can alter their fate which is determined by the markings on their skin. To change them will gain the wrath of Fate and Fortune. Betraying a warrior clan is considered the ultimate form of betrayal, worse even then killing a family member, due to the fact you have chosen them as your family. If someone is found guilty of having killed a fellow clan member, the murderer is often tied up, and each clan member is able to slice them. This allows each clan member to show their anger and get revenge. Typically, this takes along time for the individual to finally perish. Its a gruesome warning to those who would betray their clan brothers (or sisters). Killing a family member is also considered such an unbelievable act that it is an unquestionable death sentence. Duels are allowed between feuding parties, but breaking a duels customs is to forfeit your life in the duel and forfeit honor.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Strength is the greatest trait among goliaths, as they see it. Someone who is strong and muscular, or particularly large is considered attractive. Additionally, the natural markings on the tough skin of the goliaths is often believed to be the markings weaved into their skin by Fate and Fortune and tell of their future. They see tattoos as a great taboo because it might alter their fate. Goliaths also have bone like growths, almost like bony spikes, that protrude along their arms, back and chest. How distinct these are also has a large indication of how "attractive" a goliath is seen. Additionally, goliaths tend to have thick, hair that tends to be thick and unmanageable but is braided or dreaded with bone or beaded decorations, leather ties, and (in higher class environments) intricate designs. Many warrior clans encourage the shaving of heads to prevent hair from being pulled or caught in battle, or to "tidy up" the head of a male who may be losing hair. This has grown out of favor with younger generations as many young men will hair as form of self expression.

Gender Ideals

Goliath culture is often seen as male dominated where men are hunters, fighter, traders, and farmers. Women, on the other hand, cook, care for the hearth and home, and raise children. However, Women are rulers of the domestic sphere, meaning that a house belonged to the woman, and that she had control over what happens inside. If a woman was angry with her husband, she could kick him out, and would be within legal grounds to do so. Additionally, men are allowed to marry twice, but women have most say in whether or not a marriage occurs and has control over the marriage. Among the warrior groups of goliaths, there are several "clans" which are groups that men align themselves with in battle and war. Only one allows for women to join and it is known as the Tulenkeh. They are usually women who have chosen not to marry due to sexual preference or infertility, or instead wishes to be a warrior. A woman is allowed to leave at any time, and 'settle,' but many never do. Goliath males typically live with their families, or move into their warrior clan homes when they join, until they are married.

Courtship Ideals

If a woman likes a man, she may ask his father or mother for marriage, and if they accept, then she will approach the man. If the man agrees, then she will bring him to her home, and he will live with her instead of with his parents. If another woman also likes this man, she will approach the first wife and do much the same tradition, but talking to the wife instead of the parents. If the first wife agrees, and is willing to become an "honor wife." An "honor wife" refers to the relationship between two women married to the same man. For example a woman might say, "she is my honor wife." If both wives have a house, they will compare and choose the better of the houses and either save the extra for if they have a daughter, to gift to her, or sell it. After all parties move in to the same place, both wives are considered equal in the domestic realm, and often work together in a very close relationship. Its not uncommon for them to share a bed when their husband is gone. A goliath may have up to 3 wives, but most do not go above two, as relationships can become unstable or difficult.

Relationship Ideals

While women rule the domestic sphere, men are expected to make the other important decisions of a home, such as financial decisions, trading, farming, and hunting. Many of them get involved with political matters and voting among council meetings, where women are not permitted. Instead, women might gather their own "council of women" and the elder female will bring her ideas to the council. Women often bring their ideas and hopes to their husband, who will be expected to bring those up to the husband. Men often leave to go to war or fight with their societies, leaving women to handle business at home.