Giant
Giants are humanoid beings with prodigious size and strength. Few are ever seen, and there are not many left alive in this section of the world.
Physiology[edit]
Giants are far taller than other so-called "giant" races, such as the jotun, ogres, and norn, comparable in size with certain Giganticus Lupicus. The giants seen in Central Tyria have a dark gray skin tone, as well as have one large eye in the middle of their foreheads. The giants seen in northern Elona, on the other hand, have red-brown skin and two eyes.
It is not known what relation they have with the other giant races, if any.
Culture[edit]
Giants seen in Central Tyria adorn their body with white tribal tattoos. There is nothing known about their religion, and they no longer seem to have a concept of society—almost all seen so far have been nomadic hermits, preferring to live a solitary lifestyle and often in large caves. Although they are sometimes hostile to the smaller races, once befriended they can be remarkably loyal for a long period of time.
There is less evidence of culture among the giants remaining in northern Elona, who wear no such tribal markings although what few items of clothing they wear appear to be well-made. These giants seem to be less solitary, traveling in pairs or more, but can also be seen brawling among themselves. At least one of them, called Morg, speaks of the Six and seeks Ascension while another, Trunt, says that the concept of Ascension does not mean much to him.
Some giants are shown to have affinity with animals and creatures, having some as pets. This can be seen with Tomtom, who lives with a large pet griffon named Beaker, a giant residing in a secluded cave within the Labyrinthine Cliffs alongside a giant devourer and Elonian giants summoning tamed wargs with bait in battle.
Most giants have short, simple, monosyllabic names. There are also cases seen where children share names with their parents (such as Fen and his son), though it is unknown if this is common or not.
History[edit]
The giants are an ancient race, presumably dating back to the Age of Giants, although it is clear that their time is now long past. In days of old they were widespread, although they could be found in particularly high concentration in the Crystal Desert and northern parts of Elona. A small number of giants, at least, existed as a group in the Desolation sometime between the Exodus of the Gods and 757 AE, making their home at the Gray Oasis of Giyah. They used to collect tribute and slaves from other tribes in the region, but most were killed and reanimated by the necromancer Palawa Joko, and used in his armies.
On the northern continent, too, there are no longer many living giants. Orr used to have problems with them, but the giants there were all killed during the Cataclysm. However, with the Rising of Orr, they have returned as servants of the Elder Dragon Zhaitan. Of the giants that remain, some can be found in the more isolated hills of Kryta or in the remote areas of the Maguuma Wastes.
Giant hunters and brawlers can still be found in some regions of northern Elona, particularly the Windshear Scarps area of the Desert Highlands, Prophet's Path in the Elon Riverlands, and Scorched March in the Desolation. These giants are of the brown-skinned, two-eyed Elonian variety—gray giants, such as Uhiwi the Smoky, now appear to be extinct in this region of the world. A solitary giant called Kaarg the Gentle has been spotted as far south as the Sandswept Isles in Dajkah.
Types[edit]
- See also: Category:Giants
Related achievements[edit]
Slayer: Giant Slayer — Kill 1000 giants. (16
)
Notes[edit]
- The very limited number of hostile giants in Central Tyria make the Giant Slayer achievement notoriously difficult there. Traveling to Elona allows an easier completion of that achievement.
- Certain strike mission bosses, such as the Legendary Icebrood Construct, count mechanically as giants.
Trivia[edit]
- A cyclops, in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead.
- The giants seen in Guild Wars (particularly the Bull Trainer Giants) actually more closely resemble modern ogres. The appearance of Uhiwi in both Guild Wars: Nightfall and Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire, however, confirms that at the very least the Nomad Giants and Sadistic Giants found in Guild Wars Nightfall are the same as the gray-skinned variety of giant found throughout Central Tyria. The different appearance of the giants in northern Elona may be a reference to the Sand Giants of Guild Wars: Prophecies.
See also[edit]
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