Cyclopes
The Cyclopes are a powerful race of giants with one notable quirk- their single eye. Living far to the south of Halyren, they are well-accustomed to cold weather. Their powerful legs allow them to stride through deep snow much easier than smaller races. However, as befitting the climate of Halyren, they also populate a large part of the Argelona Desert, where snow is much rarer because of the lack of rain. Consequentially, they largely live along the (relatively) more lush mountains or alongside the several rivers which run through it. Cyclopes are well equipped for the rough life at the bottom of the world, and have ruled over the halflings to their north for much of history. Still, in the past few centuries, human settlers and adventurers have largely pushed the Cyclopes from the land they conquered and into the desert. This is when the cyclopes were able to overpower many of the Gnolls in the region and take the best lands for themselves. They have mostly resisted Halfling and human encroachment into the desert, as their opponents do not have the home advantage they did outside the deserts.
The greatest point of Cyclops expansion took place around 2000 years ago, when the Hundred Isles were united by Čynag Blue-eye. This warlord eagerly looked towards new lands to conquer, noting the halflings and their sophisticated farms would be able to produce enough to feed his people. His rise having coincided with the Great Calamity, the halfling realms were already in chaos due to the calamity having disrupted food supplies and therefore presented an easy target- but Blue-eye was blessed with yet another advantage. The gnolls of the desert had temporarily been elevated from their madness by the calamity, and likewise desired the halfling lands. Striking a deal with the gnolls, Blue-eye was able to sweep across the halfling lands.
And so, the farms of the halflings were soon set feeding giantkind, and thus the Cyclopes swelled in numbers. Still, their breadbasket was never truly secure- gnoll raids after they fell from their sanity once more troubled the lands, and halflings uprisings were a regular sight and marred their rule. Besides, their conquest was never truly finished. The northern and central halflings remained free and continuously sponsored rebellions and unrest, especially the northern states. These halflings had been devastated under the gnolls, with much of their population lost to sacrifice, cannibalism, or fleeting as refugees. However some survived, and over time they grew to have a sizable population once more, upon which they began harassing the cyclops realms (as the empire had long since split). Since the Cyclopes nations did not use halfling troops their numbers were limited to those Cyclopes who settled the region, which caused compounding issues as early as the 500s SC. Northern Halfling Kingdoms launched attacks and assaults on the Cyclopes with the aid of human mercenaries and adventurers. while cyclopes fought one another over the corpse of the empire. One by one, the cyclops nations fractured and fell, their citizens fleeing south or, increasingly, into the deserts to avoid being slain. From there, they easily overran the Gnolls in the region and ended up, ironically, with more land than they had 2000 years ago. Still, the land is much worse and cannot produce the same grain surplus of the halflings, leading to a poorer, slower growing population.
The conquered halfling lands were by and large the only region where Cyclops settled down, most being tribal in nature with limited government. They tend to be loosely governed and most nations have just one large settlement- the chief's base. Farther south, most Cyclops hunt seals and birds and/or herd yaks. Those more northward typically hunt in the forests and steppes, eating things such as deer and boar. Those that have fled into the deserts are mostly herders raising livestock, but these have also been the main adopters of agriculture among cyclops.
Low
Physical Strength
Extreme
Societal Organization
Average
Birth Rate
Miniscule
Lifespan Classification
Above Average
Technological Progress
Low
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