A fairly short one today - just an overview of (some) of the changes/spins I have made to traditional D&D Goliaths. This will be a "living document" and will be updated in the future as I continue to flesh out other Goliath cultures and dive more into the overarching 'race' of Goliaths.
Additional resources will be added for other racial types as I complete them. I think up next may be Dwarves, as I've talked a bit about them in the more generalized WorldbuildingWednesday series and have some newer ideas that haven't yet been put to paper.
Origin of rare hair trait:
Many generations ago, during the time of the last Gathering of the Herds, the Tribe was defeated and cut off from their ally tribes during an ancient war. Lost, deep in unfamiliar mountains, they eked out a rough life and eventually settled down in the mountains for several generations. They met and befriended a clan of mountain giants, and eventually through this partnership was born a half-breed... with hair. For the first time in known history. This youth would lead the tribe finally back to their lost homeland. Typically, the hair is blue, green, or grey, and these rare children are in modern times seen as a good omen for the tribe, and often are raised to be important figures in the tribe.
"Vaniva's fury" | as in: | "They'll face Vaniva's fury should they try!" - A phrase to illustrate the relationship between a caregiver and their charge(s). Generally the tribe's mothers, and their children. The accompanying legend that birthed the phrase is that in the time of Gods, when Vaniva yet walked the mortal plane, she is said to have faced off against a pair of giant rabid bobcats of the plains. She intercepted the rabid cats as the pair of them attempted to attack the tribe's children, grabbing each by the neck. One in each hand, she roared, and smashed them to the earth, proceeding to strangle them to death. If a village is threatened, goliath warriors will often yell insults and barbs towards the aggressors - such as "Quake, weaklings! Our warriors are nothing as compared to Vaniva's Fury!" (Basically meaning that the remaining caregivers - generally women - are just as capable as the warriors, and twice as fierce when protecting the tribe's young).
Goliath of Trothguard (generally) value the 'Warrior Bard' ethos. Spoken stories are central to their culture, and the ability to perform, memorize, and recite these tales and poems is equally as important to them as the ability to defend their tribes is. An individual that can do both is highly lauded by the tribe. Strength and war are closely paired to art, stories, and history. Part of the reason these skills are so highly valued may be due to long-forgotten alliances with the Dwarves of Trothguard, who generally lack skilled Bards, and were quick to recognize the value of those individuals that could harness their own innate magical ability through the performance of songs and other mediums.
