I am born a son of the Ash King and the vessel of Maskat. My blood is fire. My veins run with molten heat. My skin is obsidian, my hair a tongue of flame. I am of giants.
The history of my father's race is shrouded in mystery, for they are a violent and secluded people. Of what I know from feast hall tales and silent nights in Molthal, I shall write here.
Long ago, it is said that the god Shek-Rau Moko grew restless and was cast down from the heavens by his brothers and sisters. His body broke upon the surface of the world into five pieces, forming the Isles of Sheketh, filled with volcanos that pour out his scorching blood whenever he struggles to rise from the earth and climb back into heaven. On the largest island formed from his broken body is the great Mount Moko, tallest of the volcanic peaks. At its center is the beating Heart of Rau, which keeps the fallen god alive.
Shek-Rau, desperate to reach the heavens, poured his fiery ichor out onto the land and shaped with his magics the first of the Fire Giants. They were to tend his and cultivate his body and sacrifice offerings to him in the Heart of Rau so that he would not grow still and die. The first of these giants was named Rata and he and his wife Mawhi had many children, from which all giants can trace their lineage.
The giants grew and populated the great island of Sheketh, but they could not swim, for submerging themselves in water made them terribly ill. So they built boats and learned to paddle between the five islands. They fished and raised giant sheep and pigs. They formed into tribes and to honor Shek-Rau they took part in small combats between the tribes to relive the feud that threw Shek-Rau down from the heavens. At the end of these combats, the victors are honored and sheep and goats are sacrificed in the Heart of Rau.
This is how the giants of Sheketh came to exist.
Eons passed and expeditions have come and gone to the Isles of Sheketh, but the giants do not wish for interaction with the outside world, believing it interferes with their care for the body of Shek-Rau. Some settlements have been established on the island and, when discovered, occasionally the fire giants come destroy them, for they do not believe building large towns or cities upon the back of Shek-Rau honors him.
They harvest the naturally growing bounty of the land and cultivate the trees, bushes, and other living things into a natural harmony. When they fight, it is with obsidian and bone.
Yet, there are one or two tribes who have either fallen away from the primary belief in cultivating Shek-Rau, or believe they can do it from settlements. They have formed enormous fortified mansions of great blocks of stone and lumber and they fashion incredible works of smithery.
The volcanoes on the islands erupt often, so forming permanent settlements can be difficult in certain regions. The fire giants, immune to such heat, do not care, and explorers have witnessed them striding up rivers of lava as if they were no more than mere creeks.
This is what I know of the giants of Sheketh. This is what I have written.
Hasuras na-Gerra, Emperor of Amol-Kalit
The history of my father's race is shrouded in mystery, for they are a violent and secluded people. Of what I know from feast hall tales and silent nights in Molthal, I shall write here.
Long ago, it is said that the god Shek-Rau Moko grew restless and was cast down from the heavens by his brothers and sisters. His body broke upon the surface of the world into five pieces, forming the Isles of Sheketh, filled with volcanos that pour out his scorching blood whenever he struggles to rise from the earth and climb back into heaven. On the largest island formed from his broken body is the great Mount Moko, tallest of the volcanic peaks. At its center is the beating Heart of Rau, which keeps the fallen god alive.
Shek-Rau, desperate to reach the heavens, poured his fiery ichor out onto the land and shaped with his magics the first of the Fire Giants. They were to tend his and cultivate his body and sacrifice offerings to him in the Heart of Rau so that he would not grow still and die. The first of these giants was named Rata and he and his wife Mawhi had many children, from which all giants can trace their lineage.
The giants grew and populated the great island of Sheketh, but they could not swim, for submerging themselves in water made them terribly ill. So they built boats and learned to paddle between the five islands. They fished and raised giant sheep and pigs. They formed into tribes and to honor Shek-Rau they took part in small combats between the tribes to relive the feud that threw Shek-Rau down from the heavens. At the end of these combats, the victors are honored and sheep and goats are sacrificed in the Heart of Rau.
This is how the giants of Sheketh came to exist.
Eons passed and expeditions have come and gone to the Isles of Sheketh, but the giants do not wish for interaction with the outside world, believing it interferes with their care for the body of Shek-Rau. Some settlements have been established on the island and, when discovered, occasionally the fire giants come destroy them, for they do not believe building large towns or cities upon the back of Shek-Rau honors him.
They harvest the naturally growing bounty of the land and cultivate the trees, bushes, and other living things into a natural harmony. When they fight, it is with obsidian and bone.
Yet, there are one or two tribes who have either fallen away from the primary belief in cultivating Shek-Rau, or believe they can do it from settlements. They have formed enormous fortified mansions of great blocks of stone and lumber and they fashion incredible works of smithery.
The volcanoes on the islands erupt often, so forming permanent settlements can be difficult in certain regions. The fire giants, immune to such heat, do not care, and explorers have witnessed them striding up rivers of lava as if they were no more than mere creeks.
This is what I know of the giants of Sheketh. This is what I have written.
Hasuras na-Gerra, Emperor of Amol-Kalit
