Giants

The Giants are the most famous among the Genesis Creatures which were born immediately after Einhasad and Gran Kain had broken free from the Primeval Globe at the beginning of time. They were known as the Wise Ones, for their intelligence was as great as their bodies strong. The Giants promised to keep faith in Einhasad and Gran Kain, as it was the actions of those two gods that created their life and world. Einhasad and Gran Kain in turn were satisfied with the Giants and appointed them to be the masters of all living creatures.

In the course of time the Giants created an amazing civilization, with an extremely high technological level but at the same time keeping the "lesser races", i.e. Humans, Orcs, Dwarves and Elves, as slaves. Among themselves, however, they had no real hierarchy, their nominal ruler, the "First Titan", being primus inter pares. Their capital was Arvitaire, a big city in the northeast of what is now known as the continent of Gracia, and on this continent a lot of their technology can still be found today. But apart from that, the Giant scientists built research facilities all over the world, the most well-known being Pavel's Laboratory in Elmore and the Cruma Tower near the modern Town of Dion.

Originally the Giants were truly devoted to Einhasad and Gran Kain. After some time, however, they began to harbor skepticism in their hearts. Gran Kain had already proved his own stupidity by making lowly living creatures called Humans. In addition, as a consequence of Gran Kain's lewd conduct and Einhasad's jealousy, Shilen had created the Underworld and various demons came into existence. Due to Eva's weakness and incompetence, the continent was badly out of shape. Seeds of doubt began to sprout in the minds of the Giants. Did such gods deserve their worship?

The Giants could ride chariots made with their own hands and freely go in and out of the gods' palace. They could use magic to lift up islands and live in the air like gods. They could prolong their life span until it seemed like they would live forever. Finally the Giants began to think that their power was equal to that of the gods. In spite of their wisdom, they became excessively arrogant. And thus the Giants set out to become gods.

They built a huge laboratory complex on what is now known as the Isle of Souls and began to experiment by modifying living organisms to create new forms of life, grafting arms on flightless birds - the Muertos - and wings on Elves, which resulted in the Kamael. Intoxicated by their power, the Giants organized a strong army of their creatures to fight against the gods, in spite of the previous failure of Shilen, who had been supported by six great dragons and numerous demons.

The gods saw the preparations and were enraged. Especially Einhasad, who claimed the sole right to create life, was speechless with fury. She swore to destroy all Giants along with the continent and the entire world. Gran Kain pleaded with her to remain calm: "Much as you are the Mother of Creation," he argued, "so is destruction my responsibility. You know too well what I had to go through when I coveted your task. I will myself punish the Giants for their arrogant conduct. Yet if you still want to destroy the entire world, I will fight you with everything I have." Gran Kain did not want to allow the destruction of the continent no matter what and Einhasad was greatly offended by Gran Kain's intervention. However, as they were of equal status, she could not stop him.

Einhasad compromised in the end. In order to punish the Giants, she decided to borrow Gran Kain's hammer - known as the Hammer of Despair. Due to its great destructive power, even Gran Kain had never used the weapon. Yet in her fury, Einhasad lifted the hammer high above her head and brought it down in the center of Arvitaire.

Only when red flames rained from the heavens did the Giants realize that they had committed a foolish error. They reached up with their combined strength to thwart Einhasad's angered delivery of the Hammer of Despair. Yet even with the Giants' might, they merely altered the direction of the hammer slightly, and it still grazed Arvitaire as it descended upon the world. That was enough to destroy the world's greatest city; countless Giants as well as their servants from other races were instantly crushed. A large hole was left in the earth and immense waves covered its surface. All that remains now of Arvitaire is the resulting bay by the name of "Devastated City".

Those Giants who survived the destruction fled to the east to avoid Einhasad's anger. Their route paralleled that of Shilen in her earlier flight. Einhasad continued to hunt them down and burned the fleeing Giants to death one by one with bolts of lightning. The remaining fugitives trembled in fear and implored Gran Kain: "Gran Kain, Gran Kain! We have realized the error of our ways. Only you can halt the rage and madness of Einhasad. Do not let us perish, we who have been born from the same place as yourself, we who are the wisest and strongest creatures in the land!"

When he heard their desperate prayers, Gran Kain suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pity for these poor creatures and thought that the Giants had suffered enough for their transgression. He lifted up the deepest waters of the southern seas and blocked Einhasad's path.

Einhasad shouted in anger, "'What is this? Who dares to interfere with me? Eva, my beloved daughter, rid the water that blocks my path this instant or be ready to follow in the footsteps of your elder sister!"

Eva feared Einhasad and immediately returned the waters to the sea. Then Einhasad continued to chase the Giants, killing them one by one. The Giants cried out to Gran Kain again: "Gran Kain! The mightiest of the gods! Einhasad continues to chase us, determined to exterminate us! We pray to you, please have mercy and save us!"

Gran Kain lifted up the earth on which the Giants stood. The great cliff hindered Einhasad's chase and she shouted in a loud voice: "Maphr, my beloved daughter! Who dares to interfere with me? Set the land down this instant. Or be ready to follow the path of your sister!"

Fearful at these words, Maphr tried to lower the earth, but Gran Kain stopped her and said to his wife: "Einhasad, why do you not give up? The whole land knows your anger and trembles before your wrath. The wise but foolish Giants feel their wrongdoing to their very core. See for yourself! Those proud and noble creatures - who at one time ruled the earth - are hiding on a narrow strip of land and shaking in fear as they seek to escape you! No longer can they challenge the gods. This place will eternally be the Giants' prison. Calm your rage, your revenge is complete."

Einhasad continued to rage, but she could not act against Gran Kain's wishes - he possessed strength equal to her own. She decided that, as Gran Kain had said, it would be better to leave the Giants on that narrow, barren land to forever repent their sins rather than to kill them all. She ended her hunt and returned to her home. The piece of land that Gran Kain had lifted up to shield the Giants from Einhasad's wrath is today known as "Abandoned Plateau", it is the territory from where the famous Anghel Waterfall is thundering down.

The Giants found shelter in some caves east of what is now known as Town of Aden. They tried to rebuild their old culture, defying gravity with floating buildings and experimenting on other creatures. But ultimately all they produced was a mockery of their ancient glory: the entrance halls to their caves being anchored by bridges to solid ground, their vivisectionist experiments never getting beyond peeling the skin off some Kranrot bears, making them furious with pain. Those last Giants were never enough individuals to form a healthy breeding population. They degenerated physically and are now dependent on mechanical aids to move around, using weapons they can barely wield and fearfully staying together in small groups. The Humans who now rule the land call them derisively "Lesser Giants", hunting them for the ancient books they carry around with them as talismans, not being able any more to read them.

Special thanks to XVII for the map!