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Cyclopes (singcyclops; plcyclopes[1][3][4][6] orcyclopses[2]) were a race of giant-kin distinguished by having a singular, central eye.[3][2][1]

Description[]

Cyclopes were one of the smallest types of giants, standing only 12 feet (3.7 meters) and weighing 1,200 pounds (540 kilograms),[3] but they were as strong as the average stone giant.[7] Cyclopes had earthy skin tones that blended with their surroundings.[8] Males and females cyclopes of the Feywild were notably bald and had spiked heads instead of hair.[2] Other cyclops had hair and more human-like appearances.[9][7]

The most peculiar and distinguishing thing about cyclopes was the fact that they only had one large eye in the middle of their foreheads. It tended to be the same as the color of their skin. This eye was rumored to cause fear in any who looked at it. Their single eye gave them poor depth perception, however, and therefore they couldn't use missile weapons very well.[8]

Abilities[]

Cyclopes could throw boulders[4] like all giant-kin, but with less accuracy than normal because of their single eye.[8] Cyclopes that lived in the Feydark were also amazing blacksmiths and crafted powerful items for their fomorian masters.[2]

Society[]

Religion[]

Cyclopes typically worshiped Grolantor, for they admired his power and might over giant-kin.[3] But those who dwelled in fomorian societies in the Feydark often worshiped their masters, though the reasoning behind this was unknown to scholars.[10]

Other sources claimed that cyclopes did not worship any gods, as they saw little benefit from prayer and disliked rituals for they seemed too complicated and foreign. However, a cyclops that gained some kind of benefits of apparently divine origin or else was threatened an unnatural force would pay homage to the supposed deity in order to retain their gift or avoid that threat, at least while it remained.[1]

Craft[]

Cyclopes made many different and powerful magical and non-magical items. Their most proficient blacksmiths could forge rings of great magical power and swords with blades of lightning.[11] Fomorians were known to highly value their skill in forging magical items.[10]

Activities[]

Neverwinter MMO - Creature - Cyclops (Hewer - Storm Shaman)

A pair of cyclopes.

They usually served as bodyguards, blacksmiths, soldiers,[2] advisors, artistans, and spymasters in fomorian societies.[12] Some eladrin believed that the roles they played in these societies were so crucial that they would be severely weakened without the cyclopses.[10]

Homelands[]

Some cyclopes lived in such places as Nacmoran.[13]

When not living in cities, many cyclopes lived in caves, ruins, or forests:

Beyond the Prime Material plane, cyclopes could be found in the Feywild,[2][20] particularly in the Dark fey enclave and Realm of Malabog.[20] They also existed on the plane of Arborea's layer known as Olympus[21][22][23] and on the plane of Theros.[24]

History[]

There existed a wide variety of contradictory legends surrounding the origins of the cyclopes, many of them not having originated from the cyclopes themselves. They generally had little interest in how their people came to be,[25] though many on Toril claimed they descended from the line of Annam All-Father, chief of the Giant pantheon. Most other giants on Toril believed the brutes came from one of Othea's trysts.[26] Other myths suggested they were descendants of Annam's son Karontor following his banishment or were descendants of the god Vaprak.[25]

According to some accounts, the cyclopes originated in the Feywild,[2] having once been ogres that aided the fomorians in their invasion of that plane and shared in their fate of being corrupted.[25] The Olympian pantheon, who had their own questionable and rather ego-centric views on the multiverse's creation,[27] claimed that some of the cyclopes were originally the children of the primeval deities Gaea and Uranus,[28][29] the latter of whom locked them up in the plane of Tarterus until they were eventually freed[29] and later aided the Olympians in overthrowing the greater titans.[30]

Notable Cyclopes[]

Cyclops - comics

Chancil Crystalheart summoning a cyclops to beat Conner.

In the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, the mage Chancil Crystalheart of Memnon summoned a cyclops to beat Conner to death but eventually relented and dispelled the summons.[9]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 45. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 64–65. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 133. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclops_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)#cite_note-2
  6. Roger E. Moore (May 1991). “Editorial: The answers (sort of) at last!”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #169 (TSR, Inc.), p. 6.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 124. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Dan Mishkin (December 1989). “Shackles of the Past”. In Elliot S. Maggin ed. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #13 (DC Comics) (13)., pp. 18–20.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Chris Youngs (March 2008). “The Eye of Madness: Tyrants of the Feydark”. Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast).
  11. Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 48. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
  12. Richard Baker, John Rogers, Robert J. Schwalb, James Wyatt (December 2008). Manual of the Planes 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7869-5002-7.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 129. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  15. Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
  16. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  17. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  18. Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
  19. Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Cryptic Studios (August 2013). Neverwinter: Fury of the Feywild. Perfect World Entertainment.
  21. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 93. ISBN 0880383992.
  22. Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 40. ISBN 1560768746.
  23. Monte Cook (1996). The Planewalker's Handbook. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR), p. 16. ISBN 978-0786904600.
  24. F. Wesley Schneider, James Wyatt (July 2020). Mythic Odysseys of Theros. Edited by Misty Bourne, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 204. ISBN 978-0786967018.
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 James Wyatt et al. (August 2023). Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants. Edited by Janica Carter et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-6898-5.
  26. Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
  27. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 116. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  28. Paul Pederson (January 2000). No Time to Lose. Living City (RPGA), p. 2.
  29. 29.0 29.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 129. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  30. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 118, 123. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.

Connections[]

True Giants
Cloud EttinFire (Fire titan )FogFrostHill (Earth titanMouth of Grolantor)MountainStoneStorm Titan

True Giant Offshoots
AshCraa'ghoranMaurPhaerlin
Giant-Kin
Cyclops (Cyclopskin)FirbolgFomorianOgre (Oni)VerbeegVoadkyn
Zakharan Giants
DesertIslandJungleOgre giantReef
Other Giants
AbyssalEldritchFensirDeathSand

Related Creatures
GoliathTroll (FellGiant troll)
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