Jotun
The jotun are a strange and powerful race from the mountains in the eastern part of Grantan. The most reclusive and least widespread of the races, the jotun are only sparsely scattered outside of their cloud-cities in the mountains. Powerful in build and the only people with a species wide affinity for certain magics, most jotuns are threats not to be taken lightly.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Jotuns are large, bipedal humanoids. Averaging between 7 1/2'-10' tall, most jotuns tower over most other races of the world. Jotun hands are unique among the humanoid races, having five fingered hands with 3 central fingers with an opposing thumb on either side of the hand. They have small heads for their body size, with very thin, pointed ears that jut straight up. Jotuns are a hairless race with tan or yellow colored, and very thick, leathery hides covered in rough bumps. This hide serves as both a sort of natural armor and a connecting point for the species' natural affinity for lightning.
Jotun bones are very thick with a thin hollow core. The inner lining of their bones is not made of cartilage, but a unique material that can absorb and discharge electrical charges, trapping the electricity within the hollow of their skeleton. Thin lines of this material run between their bones, creating a sort of electrical circuit throughout their bodies. Even smaller lines run outward from their bones to the nearby bumps in their hide. This allows electricity that runs along the outside of their bodies to be drawn into the bumps and stored inside of their skeletons. The body can take on more charge than it can safely store, which is often dangerous for the jotun in question, so all jotun learn at least some basic methods for manipulating electricity in order to discharge this buildup.
Jotun bones are very thick with a thin hollow core. The inner lining of their bones is not made of cartilage, but a unique material that can absorb and discharge electrical charges, trapping the electricity within the hollow of their skeleton. Thin lines of this material run between their bones, creating a sort of electrical circuit throughout their bodies. Even smaller lines run outward from their bones to the nearby bumps in their hide. This allows electricity that runs along the outside of their bodies to be drawn into the bumps and stored inside of their skeletons. The body can take on more charge than it can safely store, which is often dangerous for the jotun in question, so all jotun learn at least some basic methods for manipulating electricity in order to discharge this buildup.
Genetics and Reproduction
Jotun give birth to live young, whose bodies are too small to retain any significant charge of electricity. As a result, jotun babies often give off jolts of static towards nearby objects, preferably their parents who take on the charge themselves.
There are occasionally jotun born with a birth defect. The child's skeleton forms with too little of the conductive material in their skeleton, cutting off their ability to store or discharge electricity.
There are occasionally jotun born with a birth defect. The child's skeleton forms with too little of the conductive material in their skeleton, cutting off their ability to store or discharge electricity.
Growth Rate & Stages
Jotun reach adulthood around 30-40 years of age.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Jotun society is caste based, with children being given the choice of which of the four castes they will learn to join at the age of ten. At 15 they will be given the chance to switch caste training, and one final chance at 20. After this final choice is made, they will remain with the caste of their choice for the remainder of their lives. Jotun society is separated into the 4 castes that represent the core disciplines of their society:
Thunder Caste- The Thunder Caste is made up of jotun warriors. They train to become protectors of jotun cities, soldiers for the armies, or mercenaries who travel outside of jotun society. Some focus entirely on the martial aspects of combat, while others instead intermix physical skills while also taking some time attending the jotun colleges of magic in order to become battlemages.
Lightning Caste- The Lightning Caste is made up of jotun magicians who devote the entirety of their lives to the study of magic, primarily the manipulation of electricity. The Lightning Caste also act as messengers and diplomats within jotun society, with capable electrical magicians riding off on small clouds to visit far-off places.
Cloud Caste- The Cloud Caste is made up of jotun scientists and engineers. While some do learn some basic magics on their own, most focus on the creation of inventions through the combination of magic and technology. The Cloud Caste are so named for the mechanical cloudborne cities in which many jotun live.
Sky Caste- The Sky Caste is made up of jotun merchants, politicians, miners, and other vocations not belonging to another caste. It is meant to represent the common people of jotun society as a whole.
Jotun leadership is made up of the Storm Council, a group of elders who meet to vote on major decisions. Each caste has one council seat except for the Sky Caste, who have four. The four Sky Caste counselors are made up of city or community leaders voted in by their peers. The Thunder Caste counselor is the acting commander of the jotun armies. The Lightning Caste counselor is the current head of the mages colleges in the cloud city of Jirta's Ring, which is a lifetime position. The Cloud Caste counselor is voted in by their peers in a yearly vote. Each counselor can put forth one vote for any subject up for debate, except for the Sky Caste. Instead, the Sky caste gets two votes between the four of them. They vote internally, with a majority vote one way or another taking both votes and a split vote likewise splitting the main votes. In the rare case of a tied vote, a motion will be tabled for further discussion and a re-vote at a later date.
Thunder Caste- The Thunder Caste is made up of jotun warriors. They train to become protectors of jotun cities, soldiers for the armies, or mercenaries who travel outside of jotun society. Some focus entirely on the martial aspects of combat, while others instead intermix physical skills while also taking some time attending the jotun colleges of magic in order to become battlemages.
Lightning Caste- The Lightning Caste is made up of jotun magicians who devote the entirety of their lives to the study of magic, primarily the manipulation of electricity. The Lightning Caste also act as messengers and diplomats within jotun society, with capable electrical magicians riding off on small clouds to visit far-off places.
Cloud Caste- The Cloud Caste is made up of jotun scientists and engineers. While some do learn some basic magics on their own, most focus on the creation of inventions through the combination of magic and technology. The Cloud Caste are so named for the mechanical cloudborne cities in which many jotun live.
Sky Caste- The Sky Caste is made up of jotun merchants, politicians, miners, and other vocations not belonging to another caste. It is meant to represent the common people of jotun society as a whole.
Jotun leadership is made up of the Storm Council, a group of elders who meet to vote on major decisions. Each caste has one council seat except for the Sky Caste, who have four. The four Sky Caste counselors are made up of city or community leaders voted in by their peers. The Thunder Caste counselor is the acting commander of the jotun armies. The Lightning Caste counselor is the current head of the mages colleges in the cloud city of Jirta's Ring, which is a lifetime position. The Cloud Caste counselor is voted in by their peers in a yearly vote. Each counselor can put forth one vote for any subject up for debate, except for the Sky Caste. Instead, the Sky caste gets two votes between the four of them. They vote internally, with a majority vote one way or another taking both votes and a split vote likewise splitting the main votes. In the rare case of a tied vote, a motion will be tabled for further discussion and a re-vote at a later date.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Because of the jotuns' unique electrical buildup almost all Jotun are capable of learning how to manipulate electricity through magic, even if they are not magic-capable. This is because, even if they can't manipulate electricity in the air, they can pull on their own internal charge.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Male jotun given names start with a hard "J" sound and usually consist of two syllables. Female jotun given names are also spelled with a "J" sound, but pronounced with a /zh/ sound instead; as in Taj Mahal.
Example Male Names: Jelmar, Jinon, Jutroh
Example Female Names: Janan, Jirrta, Jagdav
Example Male Names: Jelmar, Jinon, Jutroh
Example Female Names: Janan, Jirrta, Jagdav
Lifespan
100-160 Years
Geographic Distribution
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