Jotun

About

Jotnar are an ancient species of giants who are the sometimes foes and occasional mates of the gods. As such, they act as foils, family members, and occasionally rampaging fiends to be overcome or outmatched. They are divided into three classes of beings, all related but each representing a different stage of the jotun’s evolution.

Thursar. The first stage is the thursar, when the jotun is youngest. Thursar are not very large but dangerous due to their brute-like behavior and their propensity for violence.

They are a threat to civilized communities everywhere and will not hesitate to raid anyone they deem weaker. Thursar are fond of feats of strength and will not hesitate to match their muscles against potentially more powerful opponents, if only to establish a hierarchy of respect and domination.

Risar. The second stage is the risar, mature jotnar who have grown out of (and survived) their thursar stage. These giants tend to become more attractive and it is these that are often mates of the gods. They are larger than thursar and more civilized as a result. Risar can be guardians or allies.

Although they lack the elemental might of the jotnar, they are still intelligent enough to be reasoned with and use tactics in battle.

Jotnar. The third stage, the most terrifying and ancient of beings, are the jotnar. Jotnar are enormous, so large that their hands can serve as shelter and attacks on them by Medium-sized humanoids can seem like a fly’s bite. These jotnar rare rarely roused to action, but when they are moved to act their wrath can be terrible to behold. With their great age comes knowledge, and jotnar that are this large know many secrets. These jotnar are not to be casually trifled with and in some cases are nearly impossible to harm.

Each jotun is an elemental being associated with the land from whence it hails. That said, they escape to the other worlds whenever they can to conduct raids.