Firbolg

Firbolgs (FEER-bolgz ) were a reclusive race of giant-kin who preferred to avoid contact with other sentient races. They were the most intelligent of the giant-kin.

Description
Firbolgs resembled humans, and the males would sport great, thick beards. Their skin was fleshy pink, and their hair, though it came in many colors, was usually either red or blonde.

Abilities
Firbolgs could sense the presence of magical auras innately. They also had the power to change their physical appearance, including making themselves larger or smaller. They sometimes used this magical power to blend in or interact with smaller races.

Some sages reported that firbolgs could also make themselves turn invisible. They were also said to be able to communicate to a limited effect with both plants and animals of their forest homes.

Personality
Firbolds enjoyed quiet time in the woods, in harmony with nature. The forests were sacred to them and symbolized the heart of the earth and the adaptability of life. They saw themselves as the forests' caretakers.

While firbolgs of other worlds may have had tendencies toward a variety of alignments, those of Faerûn were usually lawful good in alignment, although they were seen as maug creatures by other giants.

Firbolgs considered greed to be one of the worst vices. They believed that one should only ever take what one needs and no more. They saw no value in material wealth such as gems and gold.

Firbolgs believed that charity was a virtue but also believed that it was harmful for the recipient to know the identity of the provider; because of this they appeared to be reclusive amongst the other races, although they were very sociable with established friends. They were extremely honest and could not lie without feeling physical discomfort, even if the lie was by omission.

Firbolgs saw the wearing of armor as cowardly, and thus did not usually wear armor.

Society
Firbolgs lived in settlements in remote hilly or forested areas, and would distrust any outsiders. Their settlements were strongholds, including wooden structures with thatched roofs and defensive towers. They used their magic to ensure that their homes remained a secret to outsiders.

Amongst their own kind, they lived in colonies, which were usually found in forests or caverns and watched by guard towers. Although they did farm, they preferred a more hunter-gatherer lifestyle, rather than the brigand/raider lifestyle of many other giants.

As caretakers of the woods, they carefully and resourcefully lived off the land, making sure to ensure balance. During summer, they stored excess nuts, fruits, and berries, so that they could provide food to the forest animals during winter.

Most firbolg tribes preferred isolation from other races, avoiding their politics and struggles. If intruders entered their territory, they would usually try an indirect approach at causing the "invaders" to leave&mdash;driving game away to discourage hunters or redirecting streams or forest trails to confuse parties. If these methods failed, the firbbolgs would at last confront the outsiders. If the outsiders seemed peaceful, the firbolgs would peacefully ask them to leave; if the outsiders seemed evil or seemed to have no concern for the forest lands, the firbolgs might mount a devastating attack.

Firbolg adventurers were rare and most often were individuals separated from their tribes&mdash;orphans, exiles, lone survivors, or the like.

Firbolgs seemed to have a natural tendency toward druidic magics, and many of the their chieftains were thus druids. Others became rangers or fighters. Other adventuring vocations were rare; firbolg monks were completely unknown.

Government
The firbolgs had rejected the ordning, the customary social order amongst giants and giant-kin, and preferred to exercise free will by using a system called "the code". This was conceived ages ago, although its exact origins have been lost, and a written copy was usually required to be carried by all firbolgs, but the exact implementation varies from one community to the next. It promoted the idea that the society was the most important aspect and superseded the individual. Actions were more important than relatives or heritage. If "the code" was breached, a firbolg might have been enslaved within his or her own tribe or banished completely, although transgressions were uncommon. The implications of "the code" meant that the firbolgs would treat all intelligent creatures as equals, and did not exhibit the same superior attitude that other giants and giant-kin display. For every decision made, they considered the effects on the forest and the rest of the natural world. During a famine, they would rather go hungry themselves than strain the land.

Firbolgs had a rough form of democracy known as "the cast". This involved summoning all the firbolgs in a tribe who then would cast their vote on an issue by using a rune-engraved stone.

Exile was often used as a form of punishment for an unforgivable act, such as killing a rare or beautiful animal or starting a forest fire. An outcast firbolg was never permitted to return home.

Religion
Firbolgs primarily worshiped the goddess Hiatea.

Language
Firbolgs had their own tongue, but also spoke Common,  Giant,  and Elven. Sometimes, firbolgs who interacted with outsiders took elven names. The traveler Volothamp Geddarm reported that Firbolgs had no names for themselves or their homes, but their were many named firbolgs and tribes in the region of Hartsvale in the North.

Combat
If provoked, firbolgs were formidable opponents, skilled both in physical combat and druidic magics.

Ecology
Firbolg pregnancies were typically about two years long. They reached adulthood at about 30 years, and could live as many as 500 years. Some scholars postulated that this long life was because firbolgs had fey blood, but most giant races had long lifespans.

History
The firbolg race was created when Othea, wife of the giant deity Annam All-Father, had an affair with Ulutiu.

Notable Firbolgs

 * Tavis Burdun
 * Vander

Notable Firbolg Clans

 * Helligbror
 * Kappebror
 * Kriggabror

Appearances

 * Cards:
 * AD&D Trading Cards
 * Spellfire: Master the Magic
 * Computer Games:
 * Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
 * Novels:
 * Darkwalker on Moonshae
 * Night Masks
 * The Chaos Curse
 * The Titan of Twilight