Giants

Giants are a nomadic race of large humanoids native to the provinces of Skyrim, High Rock and possibly others,^[1] such as Atmora.^{[UL 1]} They are known for their colossal height and immense strength. They are usually seen herding their mammoths through mountains and tundras, processing their mammoths' milk into cheese while eating cooked skeever.^[2]

By game[]

• Giant (Daggerfall)
• Giant (Skyrim)
• Giant (Online)
• Giant (Legends)

History[]

The giants have been around since possibly old Atmora. There is an old story about how Ysgramor, while still in Atmora, collected the laments of the giant-wives and fashioned them into a bowstring for his fable bow, Long Launcher. There is also an account about their origin, talking of a "Great Calamity" that drove one group of Atmorans into hiding and when the rest saw them again, they had changed. It is said that Atmorans were quite large but when this "Great Calamity" transpired, one group retained intelligence and became smaller while another grew larger and lost some.^{[UL 1]}

Only one giant is particularly well known and that was Sinmur, the "Giant of legend". Sinmur fought Ysgramor and his Five Hundred Companions with his giant clans but was eventually cornered in his barrow and killed by Wuuthrad. He was buried in what became known as Redbelly Mine in Shor's Stone in The Rift.^[3]

In the present day of the Fourth Era, giants mostly keep to themselves at their camps as they had done for most of history. Though sometimes local jarls will get annoyed at their presence such as in The Pale where there are quite a few of them and subsequently issue bounties to cull the herd.^[3]

Anatomy[]

Giants are eleven to twelve feet in height, and are mostly humanoid in appearance; they have long, powerful limbs, thick skin, with large hands and feet, and decorative scars on their chest that are mainly tribal or religious symbols.^[3] Giants' hair is braided with decorative beads and their faces are wrinkled. Their toes appear to have alchemical properties. Female giants are scarcely seen, but the reason behind this is unknown.

Technology[]

Giants' weapons are crudely made as they are simply a large stone and wood club. For clothing, giants wear pelts of fur and bones or a simple loincloth. Due to herding mammoths, they typically eat mammoth cheese, but apparently do eat other forms of food, as dead horses, wolves and skeevers sometimes appear on their cooking spikes.^[2] The giants are also among the rare races who have the ability to grind mammoth tusks into powder.^[4]

Behavior and intelligence[]

Giants are at least moderately intelligent, able to herd mammoths and fashion clothing out of furs and bones. They are nomadic, but tend to occupy the same camps repeatedly over a period of time.^[5] They speak a deep, guttural language, although it is unknown to anyone how to translate it. In 3E 405, some members of the Fighters Guild and Temple of Zenithar were known to offer lessons in Giantish language, though it is unclear if this knowledge was lost during the Warp in the West.^[6] They can however learn tamrielic.^[7] Giants have also been noted by Hasphat Antabolis to have been the first to refer to the Dwemer as "dwarves" on account of their natural difference in height and apparently having had an affectionate regard for them.^[8] Giants are known to organize clans led by a chieftain^[9] or a matriarch.^[10] Chieftain rule is indisputable and they lead organized attacks.^[11]

Giants have intricate beliefs regarding death, as they have specific burial grounds; as such, when a giant is dying, they go to said location to die. Also, if a giant was not at the burial grounds during death, then other giants will transport the body to the burial grounds.^[12] When in battle, giants use their brute strength to kill their foes, often crushing them with their clubs or simply stomping on them.^[13] They will often carve intricate patterns into the tusks of mammoths belonging to them; whether this serves a ceremonial, decorative purpose or another form of marking is currently unknown.^[14] They appear to have a rudimentary concept of trade, as evidenced that they will on occasion purchase animals from non-giant humanoids.^[15] Ceremonial sites are used by them to gather in where they trade, mate or communicate with whatever simple methods they have developed.^[16] Villagers will sometimes attempt to appease giants from attacking their lands by making a voluntary offering, typically livestock, decorated in a blue dye mimicking their tribal patterning, which they seem to recognize.^[17] Giants are also known for making spiral motifs on rocks and trees. speculations range from female enticement to territorial markings.^[18]

Appearances[]

• The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• The Elder Scrolls Online
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Orsinium
• The Elder Scrolls: Legends

References[]