Giants
Giants are one of the Eight Kingdoms of Heinlein's Empire. They live mainly in the interior of Burdia (Scandinavia) in relatively small villages (Lodges). There is one great city perched high on a mountaintop (Burdia the City). The giants were the last of the great races to "join" Heinlein's Empire. They were officially amalgamated several hundred years ago, but there was a bitter rebellion in about 1980 EH (about 25 year ago). This rebellion was largely put down by Centaur and Panzerscorp soldiers. To this day there is friction between Giants and these races.
Giants are a homogeneous race of magical creatures that range in size from about ten feet (when very young) to a maximum of 25 feet for a particularly old and powerful example. Most are 18-20 feet, or about three times as tall as a human. They are proportioned like a human and are magically strong and powerful. A giant has no trouble lifting a thousand pound rock or sprinting at 30 miles an hour. Despite common belief, giants can swim -- it is just hard for them.
Giants have trouble fitting into many human-sized buildings and they can inadvertently break equipment or clothing designed for human use. They can also easily injure or kill humans. The bottom line is that they tend to avoid humans because of the inconvenience and probability of mishap.
Another misconception is that giants are dim-witted. They are basically as smart as the average human. They are often undereducated because "book learning" is not particularly valued. (Most human books or scrolls are impossibly delicate for them to easily use). When offered the opportunity, they can excel.
Giant magic users are exceptionally rare. Some Giants are Metaphor Ghod followers, but they are a distinct minority. Giant bones and organs are used in some potions, but woe to the adept who is caught using them.
Giant art includes carved trees and boulders, as well as songs, story-telling, and dance. Giants are enthusiastic sportsmen and have dozens of popular contests. Their immense arenas attract visitors for all over the Empire (and beyond).
Giant reproduction and longevity is similar to humans. Giants are relatively immune to cold and heat, and they tend to dress in leather and furs decorated with metal, carved stones, and feathers. Giant women wear dresses in their cities but wear more modest pants when around shorter races.
Human money is inconveniently small for giants (imagine small denomination coins the size of rice grains). Therefore, giants usually take coins from the shorter races and embed them into stout wooden batons that are about two feet long. These are easier to manipulate and count and the coins can be removed when necessary.
|
