Firbolg

Firbolgs are children of the Wild Mother: a reclusive race of giantkin who consider it their sacred duty to protect the world's wild places.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Firbolgs are tall, with a deceptively slender and long-limbed build. Their bodies are covered in a thin coat of velvety brown or gray fur, sometimes mottled with freckle-like spots and patches, which transitions to coarser, darker (but similarly earth-toned) hair on their head. Firbolgs have a flat, broad nose with a distinct pink or black "pad" like many animals, and long, rounded ears and a ropy tail like a deer. Their hands and feet also have rough pads that, while not as thick as the paw pads of animals, provide a similar degree of protection that allows them to go barefoot most of the time.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Firbolgs live alone or in small family groups, with no greater authority unless one counts the Wild Mother. They live lightly on the land, taking only what they need and never staying too long in one place; rather than building permanent dwellings, they use simple lean-to shelters that can be disassembled and carried, or even sleep in hammocks if the weather is warm enough. When firbolgs meet in their wanderings, they might spend a few days sharing a camping spot, swapping stories, and catching up on local news, then head off on their own paths. Disputes over resources or territory are rare, because they believe that nature belongs to nobody, and as long as no creature tries to take everything for themselves, there's enough room for everybody. Most creatures do not share this belief, so firbolgs are highly suspicious of outsiders.
Despite this seemingly atomized social structure, the firbolgs who inhabit an area are surprisingly close knit. They have places where they meet up for annual festivals, such as a sacred tree or standing stone, and even solitary firbolgs have probably known their "neighbors" since birth. Everybody knows everybody else right down to their lineage. If anything should happen to one member of the community, it affects all of them.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

In Vesperia, most firbolgs inhabit the most remote parts of the frontier: the Frostpines, hidden hollows of the mountains, untouched groves. It is rare for them to venture into civilized lands, but when they do, it is always for a very good reason.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As Melora's own subjects, firbolgs are blessed with a natural ability to communicate with animals and plants. They obviously can't have complex conversations with most of these beings, but they can ask them for help or basic information.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

For the most part, firbolgs consider names unnecessary. The firbolgs who live in an area generally know each other's faces, and the animals with which they spend most of their time don't use names, so they never really think about such things. They only adopt names for simplicity's sake when dealing with outsiders, in which case they either take an Elvish name or let the outsiders give them an appellation.

Relationship Ideals

Firbolgs are totally monogamous. They have one partner in their lifetime, who they choose very carefully. These relationships are most often formed when two single adults meet by chance and agree to travel together for a while; this is not unusual, since living alone in the wilderness can be dangerous. If they find that they are a good match, the partnership becomes permanent. A verbal promise takes the place of a formal marriage ceremony, but is considered just as binding.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Most firbolgs speak Elvish and Giantish, with different groups leaning more towards one or the other. There are a few regions where they speak an odd mixture of both.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Firbolgs are highly reclusive. When outsiders enter their territory, they make themselves invisible and observe closely for signs of hostility; if they detect the slightest whiff of danger, they try to deter the unwanted guests. They use magic to tell game animals to leave, divert water sources, and block off trails with tangling vines. Failing that, the firbolgs will take a more direct approach. If the newcomers seem peaceful, they will come out of hiding and politely ask them to leave. If their intentions are clearly malicious, however, the intruders will find out the hard way that firbolgs are shockingly fierce enemies when provoked.
Very rarely, a firbolg may leave the comforting familiarity of their wild home to brave the noise and crowds of civilization. These individuals are always either outcasts from their territory or on a special mission of some kind. The first type of firbolg is potentially dangerous, because for firbolgs to drive out one of their own kind means that they've committed a serious offense against the community. The second is probably harmless, because their mission is most likely a benevolent one, like preventing a disaster from striking their home, taking down undead monsters in the name of Melora, or finding a missing friend.

Origin/Ancestry

Giantkin

Lifespan

500 years

Average Height

7'6''

Average Weight

265 lbs

Geographic Distribution

• Frostpines
• Raven's Eye
• Roaring Plains
• The Pale Wastes