Ordning (social structure)

The ordning is the social structure to which all giants adhere, dating back to the ancient empire of Ostoria. It is similar to a class-based society, but is much more specific, assigning a social rank to each individual. Therefore, each individual giant knows which others giants are inferior and superior to himself, and no giants are equal to other giants.

Each type of giant uses a different combination of skills or qualities to determine the ordning. Giants believe excelling in these skills to be the purpose of their lives. Annam All-Father, creator of giants, is seen as the ultimate in each of these skills. In all cases, advancement is made by challenging a superior, but different types of giants use different systems and restrictions upon advancement. It is considered an evil (maug) act to show disrespect to a superior giant. This can be mocking, betrayal, disobedience or a number of other behaviours.

The ordning applies to individual tribes, but it is an insult to treat a higher-ranked giant from another tribe as an inferior. Between different types of giant, there is a totally separate system, and even the lowest ranked giant of one type is superior to the highest ranked giant of an inferior type, but importantly, it is not considered evil to betray a giant of another type, merely rude. Titans are the highest in the ordning, followed by storm giants, cloud giants, fog giants, fire giants, frost giants, stone giants, mountain giants, hill giants, ettins, giant-kin and finally ogres.

When it was the 'small folk', not the giants, who defeated the draconic attempt to loose Tiamat upon the world, Annam saw this as complacency in his children. Annam broke the Ordning, thereby allowing giants to create their own social structure and see who would come out on top.