Appearance
Goliath are the largest of the known humanoid races, ranging from 7 to 8 ft. on average, and weighing up to 400 lbs. Their skin tones range from grey to desaturated blues. Males are typically hairless, though females may have thick, dark colored hair. Their eye tones range in the colder colors of purple, blue, and grey.
Biology
Goliath procreate in typical mammalian fashion. Their lifespans are comparable to Humans, though they are fully mature by their late teens, and live slightly shorter lives on average. Many question whether they are related to the
Elderkin due to their size. There is no evidence to suggest this is true beyond the simple fact that they are extremely tall. Goliath are well acclimated to cold climates, and high elevations, able to function at far higher elevations than any other humanoid race.
History
Goliath have almost exclusively lived in what is now the Theocracy of
Epsia. Their tribes are many, and ancient. Goliath history is in many ways detached from world history. Goliath live at extremely high elevations, usually above 20,000 ft., in conditions that would kill most other humanoid races. Living in such conditions requires a utilitarian approach to the world. Every member of the tribe pulls their weight, and no time is wasted on any activity that doesn't contribute towards the tribes survival.
Goliath societies were among the most successful in the
1st Epoch, capable of living at elevations where the air was too thin for the vast majority of Dragons to live. To those few Dragons who could pose a threat to them, their strength, and relative numbers were deterrent enough to avoid confrontation. This principle endured into the
2nd Epoch, allowing them to escape the wrath of the Sorcerers as well. When the Great Purge of the
3rd Epoch came, their society was untouched, as they had no Sorcerers among them. The conflicts of the
4th Epoch were of no concern to them, with only a few recorded clashes between Goliath tribes and the
Vesinian Empire, which never amounted to a significant war.
Late in the 4th Epoch, a number of
Dichotist monasteries established themselves in the region. These monasteries later converted to
Singulism, and grew in numbers. The monasteries offered a gateway to the rest of the world for the Goliath, through trade and conversation. Many Goliath converted to Singulism, leaving their tribes, and shaking the foundation of Goliath society. In the modern age, the Goliath people exist poised between the old and the new. Some tribes live in full ancient tradition, apart from Epsian society, leaving the frail or wounded to the cold in order to preserve the tribe, refusing to associate with outsiders. Other tribes have embraced a more comfortable, tolerable life, living at lower elevations and becoming a true part of Epsian society.
