The Mik-Rhulak Giants
Most successful of all the races of giant, the Mik-Rhulak are a ferocious group. Having foregone the near universal placidity that most of their cousin giants express, the Mik-Rhulak are vengeful, aggressive and have a marked cunning to their mannerisms, with a society that values strength and honour above all.
The common consensus is that such a mindset developed, both as a result of the harsher conditions of the Tall Stretch, and the prevalence of neighboring humans to their communities. Humans, of course, have a historical trend of either becoming sub-subservient to their larger distant relatives or, more commonly, attacking them, stemming from superstitious fear and paranoia. Clearly, unlike many other giant races, the Mik-Rhulak were not ones to take these transgressions on the cheek. Retaliating in force, the Mik-Rhulak obliterated all human challengers, driving them from the Tall Stretch or forcing them into slavery, a practice that endures to this day. This great purge was the catalyst that would go on to embolden the Mik-Rhulak, as they began conquering the Tall Stretch, claiming its entirety for themselves.
Though dates are very tricky to pin down on account of the Mik-Rhulak's differing calendar, intrepid historians have placed the beginnings of this great expansion sometime after the advent of the Vrenidi people. So anywhere, from as early as 3000 M.E, to as late as 4000 M.E is the agreed upon time frame.
Previously stated, the Mik-Rhulak are a martial society, with expertise in combat denoting a high position of authority. In the present time period, the Mik-Rhulak still retain most of the cultural values from their earlier days, impressive considering the vast gap between the two periods. Starting at the top, the Grush-Gaz, "The Strong Ruler" who presides over all giant clans on the Tall Stretch at any given moment, selected via contests of strength between the Gazkan, chieftains who rule over a clan within a specific area, and relay the orders of the Grush-Gaz down the social ladder. Following these two are the Honkan, the upper class which is made up of the immediate families of the Gazkan, renowned warriors and artisans. While not always explicitly part of this caste, farmers and smiths within the Mik-Rhulak are afforded great social standing and respect, being so vital for their civilization. Below are the Rhulkan, quite simply "The People". Rank and file warriors, peddlers of goods and those in payed service to the Gazkan, the vast majority of the Mik-Rhulak can be considered Rhulkan. At the lower end of this society, one will find the Bourkan, a group composed of the undesirables, which range from those born with crippling disability, minor criminals and the promiscuous. Though they may be harshly treated by those above them, the Bourkan are not the bottom of Mik-Rhulak hierarchy. This disgrace is saved for the most wretched of criminal giants, the breakers of sacred oaths, the slander spreaders and, of course, human slaves. The Pakakan, "The Foul", who all respectable Mik-Rhulak giants despise.
While not as overtly religious as many human civilizations, the Mik-Rhulak still have a healthy dose of spirituality present. The popular religion throughout the continent is the worship of the Ancestral Titans, mythological precursors to all giant kind. The veneration of the first Titan Mnu, mother of creation, and her first-born son Ak, mightiest of the Titans, is especially important. In fact, the phrase Mik-Rhulak translates to "Great People of Ak", with many giants believing themselves the direct descendants of this Titan. This religion is accompanied by a widespread belief in spirits, both of the natural forces and of past giants, who guide and judge the living throughout life, presenting punishment in the form of natural disaster and sickness. This aspect of Mik-Rhulak culture bears a striking similarity to the beliefs of several other giant groups, particularly the Frynnish giants, whose description of spirits is an almost one-to-one match, despite the two groups only interacting towards the late Mythic Era and having very different cultural outlooks. Their exists also, a large number of Mik-Rhulak giants who believe in a repeating cycle of reincarnation, with the worthy giants dying and being reborn as creatures of great importance, while the evil are recast as meager beings, such as humans. These are the major beliefs of the Mik-Rhulak as a whole, though there are hundreds of smaller customs native to specific areas on the Tall Stretch. None of these religious practices are strictly enforced, and are not mutually exclusive to one another, so it is not uncommon to see a Mik-Rhulak giant following several of the major beliefs, on top of obscure customs found in their birthplace.
To say the Mik-Rhulak are lacking in civility when it comes to over-seas diplomacy, is to be putting it mildly. This empire of giants has had a simple approach to interaction with any foreign power it has come into contact with. Namely, demanding submission and fealty from the group and, should they refuse, attempt to crush them utterly with direct force. This is a ... strategy, effective against the primitive tribes of men and giants of the past, to be sure, but not so sound when employed against an advanced civilization, one with access to refined magic and technology, which can neuter the advantages being a giant can bring. Thus, the Mik-Rhulak have been forced to take a more careful approach to diplomacy in more recent times, no longer capable of sustaining the ire of so many foreign powers on the other continents. While they are not proud of this fact, the Mik-Rhulak have indeed eased up on their outright predatory approach to expansion. Though they still despise the human powers, as well as the Vull'jorg, the Mik-Rhulak have garnered a semi-friendly relationship with the aforementioned Frynnish giants, whom they consider descendants of another important Ancestral Titan, while misinterpreting their relatives symbiotic relationship with the human tribes of Frynn, as akin to the Mik-Rhulak method of subjugation. In exchange for being taught their exceptional farming techniques, the Mik-Rhulak give their knowledge of metallurgy and combat training to the Frynnish giants.
Having developed on the Tall Stretch, where some of the most dangerous animals on Az roam, the Mik-Rhulak giants often express an antagonistic attitude towards the natural world. Usually, this takes the form of excessive hunting of large predators, such as the sabre-cat or ice wyverns, for these giants see it as a test of their own strength to go out and kill such daunting creatures. This has resulted in the numbers of many large predators dwindling, with many species going fully extinct, like the Lapursk, a giant mustelid reminiscent of a badger or wolverine, which was hunted for its valuable pelt and the glory that came with killing such a beast.
The Mik-Rhulak also make frequent use of natural materials to fuel their society, harvesting gigantic quantities of wood and stone for their buildings, while they mine considerable amounts of copper, tin and zinc for creating bronze and brass which is used in both decoration and smithing armaments. Since giants need a proportionally larger amount of these materials than humans, large swathes of the Tall Stretch have been damaged by their continued exploitation.
With all this in mind, it is important to point out that the Mik-Rhulak do value certain aspects of nature. While more recently they have shown a fondness for cattle farming, the most prominent example of this is the respect the Mik-Rhulak display for the mammoths of the Tall Stretch, sacred animals that have been carefully nurtured by these giants for centuries. Many rituals are performed in honour of mammoths, with the Grush-Gaz often receiving a rare individual, from a sub-species of steppe mammoth which can grow as tall as the Mik-Rhulak themselves, and are probably one of the only animals capable of bearing them as a mount. Such veneration would have evolved from ancient times, as mammoths were historically one of the few creatures that could sustain a family of giants for days. The Mik-Rhulak also would have developed an appreciation for how similar they were to these animals, both displaying deep familial bonds. This would relate to the Mik-Rhulak ideal of righteous vengeance, as mammoths have a similar reputation to elephants of seeking out revenge, against those that would bring their family unit harm. If being a symbol of abundance and physical might were not already sufficient, mammoths high natural intelligence means that they, as a species, exhibit a very high chance of being able to manifest magic in some form. So in totality, these shaggy creatures are a representation of most of the values the Mik-Rhulak hold dear, thus it is no surprise they are afforded such special treatment.
Perhaps the most insightful (and surprising) activity the Mik-Rhulak partake in as a society is the artistic endeavor of cloud-watching, a strange sight to behold for, what many humans would believe, a savage and barbaric group of beings. Often encouraged at a young age, the Mik-Rhulak act of cloud-watching is a cultural tradition that has major influence on their design and artwork. The popular form of embellishment on armor and household furniture, take the form of a skilled artisan, often called "Sky Scribes", working stylized images, of whatever cloud formation takes their fancy on the day onto the object in question. This yields a highly varied spectrum of art styles, with certain artisans favoring a more whimsical approach, flowing with the ever shifting clouds. Others capture a single image amongst the sky, working it into a more tangible visage, often searching for formations that represent figures of renown from Mik-Rhulak history. Due to the Mik-Rhulak's strength, artistic mediums are usually limited to working on stone or metal, as paper is not generally suitable.
With regards to music, most instruments are formed from brass, great bells and gongs, which put most human equivalents to shame. Aside from these two, there are a few blown instruments that are reminiscent of woodwinds or brass, such as the Barbwal, a large column of wood which features anywhere from ten to twenty openings, played by blowing into an opening, producing a deep, rich sound. Timbre can range between wooden or brassy, depending if the Barbwal is reinforced with metal or not. Large group ensembles are rare, usually reserved for weddings and ceremonies involving the Gazkan, not often exceeding ten players for each individual instrument. This is due to giant's shorter average lifespan, as well as less finesse with their fingers, so it requires decades of practice before a giant can reach a level of proficiency suitable for such events.
Average attire for the Mik-Rhulak has been fairly constant throughout the ages, with treated animal pelt being worked into cloaks, leg-wear and head coverings. Depending on the latitude upon the Tall Stretch, shirts and chest clothing in general can be forgone, as the warmer south can prove quite debilitating for these giants, who naturally grow a substantial covering of body hair. Leather is used for boots and belts, though such items are associated with wealth or military, so mostly seen being worn by the Honkan and above, or the giants who choose to live in the extreme north, inside the arctic circle. "Fashion" as it were, is largely judged by how well made the clothing is, but above all, the animal the material came from. Clothing made from livestock is nothing to laud, whereas hide extracted from predators is a real display of aesthetic pride. The more dangerous the better. Decorative embellishment for clothing comes in the form of horns, fangs and other articles of bone, often worn as necklaces, or attached to grips on cloaks to enhance their appeal. Mammoth fur is the most lavish of materials, reserved exclusively for families of the Mik-Rhulak who trace their origin back to the founding tribes in the north, the great shamans, and the Grush-Gaz. The tusks are sometimes worn around the collar, jutting out impressively, even if they may pose a threat to the wearer's immediate surroundings.
Origin
The common consensus is that such a mindset developed, both as a result of the harsher conditions of the Tall Stretch, and the prevalence of neighboring humans to their communities. Humans, of course, have a historical trend of either becoming sub-subservient to their larger distant relatives or, more commonly, attacking them, stemming from superstitious fear and paranoia. Clearly, unlike many other giant races, the Mik-Rhulak were not ones to take these transgressions on the cheek. Retaliating in force, the Mik-Rhulak obliterated all human challengers, driving them from the Tall Stretch or forcing them into slavery, a practice that endures to this day. This great purge was the catalyst that would go on to embolden the Mik-Rhulak, as they began conquering the Tall Stretch, claiming its entirety for themselves.
Though dates are very tricky to pin down on account of the Mik-Rhulak's differing calendar, intrepid historians have placed the beginnings of this great expansion sometime after the advent of the Vrenidi people. So anywhere, from as early as 3000 M.E, to as late as 4000 M.E is the agreed upon time frame.
Societal Structure
Previously stated, the Mik-Rhulak are a martial society, with expertise in combat denoting a high position of authority. In the present time period, the Mik-Rhulak still retain most of the cultural values from their earlier days, impressive considering the vast gap between the two periods. Starting at the top, the Grush-Gaz, "The Strong Ruler" who presides over all giant clans on the Tall Stretch at any given moment, selected via contests of strength between the Gazkan, chieftains who rule over a clan within a specific area, and relay the orders of the Grush-Gaz down the social ladder. Following these two are the Honkan, the upper class which is made up of the immediate families of the Gazkan, renowned warriors and artisans. While not always explicitly part of this caste, farmers and smiths within the Mik-Rhulak are afforded great social standing and respect, being so vital for their civilization. Below are the Rhulkan, quite simply "The People". Rank and file warriors, peddlers of goods and those in payed service to the Gazkan, the vast majority of the Mik-Rhulak can be considered Rhulkan. At the lower end of this society, one will find the Bourkan, a group composed of the undesirables, which range from those born with crippling disability, minor criminals and the promiscuous. Though they may be harshly treated by those above them, the Bourkan are not the bottom of Mik-Rhulak hierarchy. This disgrace is saved for the most wretched of criminal giants, the breakers of sacred oaths, the slander spreaders and, of course, human slaves. The Pakakan, "The Foul", who all respectable Mik-Rhulak giants despise.
Belief
While not as overtly religious as many human civilizations, the Mik-Rhulak still have a healthy dose of spirituality present. The popular religion throughout the continent is the worship of the Ancestral Titans, mythological precursors to all giant kind. The veneration of the first Titan Mnu, mother of creation, and her first-born son Ak, mightiest of the Titans, is especially important. In fact, the phrase Mik-Rhulak translates to "Great People of Ak", with many giants believing themselves the direct descendants of this Titan. This religion is accompanied by a widespread belief in spirits, both of the natural forces and of past giants, who guide and judge the living throughout life, presenting punishment in the form of natural disaster and sickness. This aspect of Mik-Rhulak culture bears a striking similarity to the beliefs of several other giant groups, particularly the Frynnish giants, whose description of spirits is an almost one-to-one match, despite the two groups only interacting towards the late Mythic Era and having very different cultural outlooks. Their exists also, a large number of Mik-Rhulak giants who believe in a repeating cycle of reincarnation, with the worthy giants dying and being reborn as creatures of great importance, while the evil are recast as meager beings, such as humans. These are the major beliefs of the Mik-Rhulak as a whole, though there are hundreds of smaller customs native to specific areas on the Tall Stretch. None of these religious practices are strictly enforced, and are not mutually exclusive to one another, so it is not uncommon to see a Mik-Rhulak giant following several of the major beliefs, on top of obscure customs found in their birthplace.
Diplomatic Customs
To say the Mik-Rhulak are lacking in civility when it comes to over-seas diplomacy, is to be putting it mildly. This empire of giants has had a simple approach to interaction with any foreign power it has come into contact with. Namely, demanding submission and fealty from the group and, should they refuse, attempt to crush them utterly with direct force. This is a ... strategy, effective against the primitive tribes of men and giants of the past, to be sure, but not so sound when employed against an advanced civilization, one with access to refined magic and technology, which can neuter the advantages being a giant can bring. Thus, the Mik-Rhulak have been forced to take a more careful approach to diplomacy in more recent times, no longer capable of sustaining the ire of so many foreign powers on the other continents. While they are not proud of this fact, the Mik-Rhulak have indeed eased up on their outright predatory approach to expansion. Though they still despise the human powers, as well as the Vull'jorg, the Mik-Rhulak have garnered a semi-friendly relationship with the aforementioned Frynnish giants, whom they consider descendants of another important Ancestral Titan, while misinterpreting their relatives symbiotic relationship with the human tribes of Frynn, as akin to the Mik-Rhulak method of subjugation. In exchange for being taught their exceptional farming techniques, the Mik-Rhulak give their knowledge of metallurgy and combat training to the Frynnish giants.
Relationship with Nature
Having developed on the Tall Stretch, where some of the most dangerous animals on Az roam, the Mik-Rhulak giants often express an antagonistic attitude towards the natural world. Usually, this takes the form of excessive hunting of large predators, such as the sabre-cat or ice wyverns, for these giants see it as a test of their own strength to go out and kill such daunting creatures. This has resulted in the numbers of many large predators dwindling, with many species going fully extinct, like the Lapursk, a giant mustelid reminiscent of a badger or wolverine, which was hunted for its valuable pelt and the glory that came with killing such a beast.
The Mik-Rhulak also make frequent use of natural materials to fuel their society, harvesting gigantic quantities of wood and stone for their buildings, while they mine considerable amounts of copper, tin and zinc for creating bronze and brass which is used in both decoration and smithing armaments. Since giants need a proportionally larger amount of these materials than humans, large swathes of the Tall Stretch have been damaged by their continued exploitation.
With all this in mind, it is important to point out that the Mik-Rhulak do value certain aspects of nature. While more recently they have shown a fondness for cattle farming, the most prominent example of this is the respect the Mik-Rhulak display for the mammoths of the Tall Stretch, sacred animals that have been carefully nurtured by these giants for centuries. Many rituals are performed in honour of mammoths, with the Grush-Gaz often receiving a rare individual, from a sub-species of steppe mammoth which can grow as tall as the Mik-Rhulak themselves, and are probably one of the only animals capable of bearing them as a mount. Such veneration would have evolved from ancient times, as mammoths were historically one of the few creatures that could sustain a family of giants for days. The Mik-Rhulak also would have developed an appreciation for how similar they were to these animals, both displaying deep familial bonds. This would relate to the Mik-Rhulak ideal of righteous vengeance, as mammoths have a similar reputation to elephants of seeking out revenge, against those that would bring their family unit harm. If being a symbol of abundance and physical might were not already sufficient, mammoths high natural intelligence means that they, as a species, exhibit a very high chance of being able to manifest magic in some form. So in totality, these shaggy creatures are a representation of most of the values the Mik-Rhulak hold dear, thus it is no surprise they are afforded such special treatment.
Art and Aesthetic Trends
Perhaps the most insightful (and surprising) activity the Mik-Rhulak partake in as a society is the artistic endeavor of cloud-watching, a strange sight to behold for, what many humans would believe, a savage and barbaric group of beings. Often encouraged at a young age, the Mik-Rhulak act of cloud-watching is a cultural tradition that has major influence on their design and artwork. The popular form of embellishment on armor and household furniture, take the form of a skilled artisan, often called "Sky Scribes", working stylized images, of whatever cloud formation takes their fancy on the day onto the object in question. This yields a highly varied spectrum of art styles, with certain artisans favoring a more whimsical approach, flowing with the ever shifting clouds. Others capture a single image amongst the sky, working it into a more tangible visage, often searching for formations that represent figures of renown from Mik-Rhulak history. Due to the Mik-Rhulak's strength, artistic mediums are usually limited to working on stone or metal, as paper is not generally suitable.
With regards to music, most instruments are formed from brass, great bells and gongs, which put most human equivalents to shame. Aside from these two, there are a few blown instruments that are reminiscent of woodwinds or brass, such as the Barbwal, a large column of wood which features anywhere from ten to twenty openings, played by blowing into an opening, producing a deep, rich sound. Timbre can range between wooden or brassy, depending if the Barbwal is reinforced with metal or not. Large group ensembles are rare, usually reserved for weddings and ceremonies involving the Gazkan, not often exceeding ten players for each individual instrument. This is due to giant's shorter average lifespan, as well as less finesse with their fingers, so it requires decades of practice before a giant can reach a level of proficiency suitable for such events.
Average attire for the Mik-Rhulak has been fairly constant throughout the ages, with treated animal pelt being worked into cloaks, leg-wear and head coverings. Depending on the latitude upon the Tall Stretch, shirts and chest clothing in general can be forgone, as the warmer south can prove quite debilitating for these giants, who naturally grow a substantial covering of body hair. Leather is used for boots and belts, though such items are associated with wealth or military, so mostly seen being worn by the Honkan and above, or the giants who choose to live in the extreme north, inside the arctic circle. "Fashion" as it were, is largely judged by how well made the clothing is, but above all, the animal the material came from. Clothing made from livestock is nothing to laud, whereas hide extracted from predators is a real display of aesthetic pride. The more dangerous the better. Decorative embellishment for clothing comes in the form of horns, fangs and other articles of bone, often worn as necklaces, or attached to grips on cloaks to enhance their appeal. Mammoth fur is the most lavish of materials, reserved exclusively for families of the Mik-Rhulak who trace their origin back to the founding tribes in the north, the great shamans, and the Grush-Gaz. The tusks are sometimes worn around the collar, jutting out impressively, even if they may pose a threat to the wearer's immediate surroundings.
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments