The History of the Secambru Giants
Centuries ago, the Kytohan Empire created a race of giants to obliterate the barbarian hordes of eastern Aggradar. These giants were designed to be immensely powerful engines of destruction capable of tearing down the strongholds of barbarian chieftains, smashing through walls and scaling mountains. They wielded weapons the size of trees and rode the ocean in ships that dwarfed all other seagoing vessels. The secambru waged dozens of successful campaigns against the enemies of the Kytohan Empire. Fear and glory surrounded them. However, the secambru were treated brutally by the Kytohan military. There were slaves... mere property and nothing more to the generals that commanded them.
When the Sundering rocked the world, the Kytohan Empire was devastated. Taking advantage of the military's weakened state, the secambru rose up against their masters in a slave uprising. A massive revolt began and in the weeks following the Sundering, the renegade secambru slew thousands of Kytohan citizens. Led by a charismatic leader named Kurnoth, the renegades stole a dozen of the giant sized war galleys and fled the Kytohan Empire, heading for deep sea.
During the trek, a great storm hit and two of the ships were lost. One sank and the other was thrown against the rocks and stranded. Months later the surviving ships landed in southwestern Qeshir. Amidst much bickering, the group splintered into several subgroups. One group traveled north into the Rahjan mountains. A second group traveled east toward the great volcano known as Mount Durrodis.
The majority of the giants, still led by Kurnoth, settled in the grasslands of the southwest where they had landed. The group burned the great ships that had carried them there and vowed never to return to the slavery and suffering they had endured in distant Aggradar. Likewise, they abandoned metalworking, stonecraft and other practices that they had been forced to perform as slaves. For them, these were the tasks of slaves. They were now free and they wished to live free, free of the reminders of the past, free of the tasks that they had performed under the whip. They embraced nature and chose to live as primitive clans, hunting and gathering, living off what the land provided naturally.
Physical Description, Life Span
The secambru is the name that collectively refers to several breeds of giants that dwell in remote wilderness regions of eastern Qeshir. The various subraces vary somewhat, but they all share some basic similar traits. The current generations of secambru stand about 10-12 feet tall and weigh close to 1,500 pounds. They tend to have long, shaggy brown hair and wild unkempt beards. Other than their great size, they very much resemble muscular humans in all respect. The males tend to be larger than the females (who stand 9-10 feet tall and weight about 1,000 pounds).
The nature of the secambru is that with each succeeding generation, the race grows smaller and weaker as the magic that created them slowly decays. The first generation of secambru were 60 feet tall and god-like in strength and stature. They were intelligent and skilled in many crafts and arts. They lived over a thousand years old. Over the centuries, they have de-evolved. Most secambru alive today are 10th to 12th generation. Twelfth generation are the most common and they are only 10-12 feet tall and 1,500 pounds. The intellect of these great giants is also lessened with each generation. Twelfth generation secambru live about two centuries.
Emotional/Intellectual Notes, Likes, Dislikes
The secambru are proud of their history and strive to live up to the greatness of their ancestors. Despite their pride, the secambru are a dying race. With each generation, they grow weaker. In a few hundred years, they will be the size of mortal men and, one day, will die out altogether. Perhaps because of the decline of their race, they have fallen to preying on each other. The central population of secambru has fragmented into dozens, if not hundreds, of rival tribes over the centuries and much bloodshed and war flares up between these tribes. Much of the last 500 years has been marred by bloody tribal warfare. With each passing decade, their culture becomes more barbaric and primitive. There has been no development here in terms of culture, language or scientific development. On the contrary, they have reverted to an almost stone age society.
The secambru are a primitive race with an unending supply of superstitions, taboos and fearful beliefs. They dislike magic and have no talent for it. They consider metal working, stone craft, pottery, mining, farming, lumber harvesting and other advanced trades and crafts to be a fearsome taboo. Such things are associated with a past life of slavery. The secambru have abandoned all such crafts and will never willingly learn or perform any of them. For the most part, the secambru limit themselves to activities which bring them closer to nature. Only hunting and gathering are practiced by these people. They are nomadic hunters, following the herds, and gathering from the forest whatever bounty it provides naturally. Although fruit is plucked from the vine and certain roots and tubers may be pulled from the ground, trees are not harvested and the secambru try to impact their environment as little as possible.
Religion, Gods, Creation Stories, Legends, Myths
As slaves to the Kytohan Empire, writing was forbidden them and the secambru have never developed a written language. Hence, all history is passed down orally. Stories of the "great ones", the first few generations of secambru, have been passed down. Such tales form the backbone of their oral tradition and religious belief. Their religion is focused on a form of ancestor worship. The secambru worship ancient generations, the great early generations that made the ground tremble with their step and the world tremble with fear.
The secambru revere Nature and the natural order of things. They believe the world is a living thing, to be protected and loved. In turn, the world provides. They will hunt only for meat and skins, but never for pleasure. They will not cut down trees for lumber, but will use wood from a tree which has fallen naturally. They use stones from fields, but will not quarry stone from rocky cliffs.
Magic - Social Acceptance, Laws, Availability, Use
The secambru have little talent for magic. Earlier generations may have some skill, but these varies from individual to individual. The current generations of secambru have very little magic about them, with the rare exception. Such prodigies became shamans and practice primitive magic that evokes spirits and makes use of the natural elements. Their magic is primitive and simple compared to the arcane wizardry practiced in the great civilized nations in distant parts of the world. Secambru magic deals mostly with healing, food preservation and finding game animals.
Region, Boundaries, Weather, Terrain, Resources
The secambru are primarily centered in the wild grasslands of eastern Qeshir which bear their name… the Secambru Tribes region. This region has mild seasons along the coast, but the seasons become more pronounced inland with hot summers and harsh winters. The east is bordered by the Darijun Jungles, the north by the Rahjan mountains and the south by the ocean. The west flows up into the Wind Plains.
Population Density, Community Sizes, Mobility, Racial Subdivisions
The secambru are nomadic hunters. They follow the herds of game animals. Their communities are very mobile, never staying in one place for more than a few days. Such communities are small, typically less than 500 individuals. They dwell in caves quite often and primitive tents and lean-tos when no cave is available.
The main race of Secambru dwell in the grasslands of south eastern Qeshir. However, several subspecies of the secambru are scattered about Qeshir. The “Rahjan mountain giants” are a subrace of the secambru and dwell in among the peaks of the Rahjan mountains. Some tales tell of a race of desert giants in the deep desert of the great Ahtabi, and these are likely descendants of a secambru tribe. The Sea of Ash is known to have a race of giants, likely a subrace of the secambru.
Language, Alphabet, Writing, Records, Literature, Poetry, Art
As writing was forbidden to them when they were slaves to the Kytohan Empire, the secambru refugees brought no literature or learning with them. Having abandoned all craft and science, they have likewise not had a need for higher learning. They have never developed a formal writing system or alphabet. They have no mathematics, no glyphs of power, no poetry or literature or written records of any kind. Their history is oral, passed down from generation to generation in stories and song. What little art they do practice is visual in nature – cave paintings, bone carvings and the like.
The language of the secambru is called secambri. It is a corruption of the original Kytonese language, having been softened and slowed by the tongues of giants.
Intercultural Relations, Trade, Alliances
The secambru tribes trade and a great deal with each other. They make and break alliances with each other year in and year out. Very little trade is conducted with foreigners because of the secambru superstitious nature and general dislike of outsiders.
Food - Procurement Methods, Surplus, Storage, Distribution
The secambru are primarily hunter/gatherers. They migrate across the vast grassy plains, following the herds, each year. The men hunt while the women gather fruits, roots, tubers and flowers from the forests and grasslands. Excess meat is often salted and packed for lean months. There is never excess fruits and vegetables as they do not keep well and the women only gather what is needed. Every family within a tribe gathers there on food, so distribution of food is rarely an issue.
Technology - Architecture, Tools, Weapons, Armor
The secambru are quite primitive. Because of the history and cultural taboos, they have abandoned all arts and crafts of “higher learning”. This includes stonework, pottery, mining, farming, metalwork and carpentry. What this leaves them with is only the most primitive of crafts. Their clothing consists of leather, hides and furs. Their tools and weapons are fashioned from bone, wood and stone. Knives and clubs are the most common weapons. The secambru do not use bows, but have been known to fashion crude javelins and hurl them at opponents. Their armor consists of leather boiled in animal fat and thick layers of fur and hide. Their architecture is equally primitive. They carry primitive tents fashioned from hide and branches. These “tents” are easy to pack and carry on their horses.
Because of their reverence for nature, the secambru do not mine metals or forge metal weapons. In fact, the working of metal is taboo for them. If they acquire metal weapons, tools and armor from slain opponents, they will gather up all such metal implements and bury them in great underground trenches and cover them over with dirt. In effect, they are returning the metal to the "wounded land". These caches contain huge amounts of weapons and armor - sometimes even magical items. However, these underground vaults are considered holy ground by the secambru. The giants guard these vaults ferociously and will be kill anyone even approaching them.
Use Of Animals
Because of their great size, the secambru cannot ride animals as steeds. However, they do use a wild species of cow as a beast of burden. These animals are occasionally hunted for meat, but sometimes domesticated for milk and labor. Such cows are property of the tribe as a whole and accompany the tribe on its nomadic wanderings. An animal that succumbs to illness or injury is slaughtered for the meat.
Transportation, Long Distance Communication
All transportation and communication is done in the most primitive fashion – by running and talking. A tribal chieftain may dispatch runners to speed word to a nearby tribe or to recall hunters.
Ownership Laws, Inheritance Customs, Monetary Form, Debt/Credit
As with all things in the realm of the secambru, might makes right. The strong dominate the weak, and with the secambru, that usually means the stronger, older generations rule the younger, weaker ones. There is no form of owernship laws, inheritanc, money or debt here. Trade and barter at the most basic level is the limit of their economy.
Gender Differences - Rights, Responsibilities
The males of this species dominate the females. Secambru females are little more than sexual slaves, property. Men do the hunting. Women do gathering, cleaning and raise the young.
Marriage System - Customs, Beliefs, Husband/Wife Relationship, Divorce
No formal concept of marriage. Males take the females. Strong males will take three or four mates.
Household Form, Family Form
Women care for the young, but there is little structure to the family in this culture.
Birth - Beliefs, Customs
No particular taboos or customs surround childbirth. The secambru tend to have many children, although few survive to adulthood.
Children - Discipline, Education, Recreation
Most children in Secambru at this time are 13th generation.
Death - Beliefs, Customs
The secambru burn their dead on pyres of wood and bury the bones and ash beneath stones. They always do this where the body dies, for the have a great fear of death and it is taboo to touch a dead body. They will handle the body with gloves only and as little as possible.
Names - Number, Sequence, Meaning
Every secambru male has a single name. Young males have a name of youth when they are young. Then, upon making their first kill during a hunt, they are given their name after they ritually eat the heart.
Secambru females are not given names. Since they are essentially property of the males, they do not need names.
Social Stratification
Despite their chaotic and barbaric ways, the secambru have a rigidly defined social pecking order based on generation. In all matters, an older secambru giant (earlier generation) outranks and bullies a younger (newer generation) secambru giant. This birth status hierarchy extends to all facets of secambru life.
Political System - Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Secambru has a very loose tribal provincial government. Chieftains rule tribes with the aid of subchieftains. Every tribe has at least one shaman and the words of these holy men carry much weight with the chieftains. The generation, size and strength of the chieftain determine the size of the tribe he can control.
Military - Size, Strength, Description, Organization, Weapons
The secambru tribes are fierce warriors. Every man, woman and child will pick up a bone or stick and fight. Because of the great size, they are very dangerous to the other races. A single enraged secambru male is more than a match for a six Padashan warriors.
Prominent Community Ceremonies
Fire Dances - Any time two or more tribes (that aren't enemies) meet, they have a Fire Dance. This is a communal gathering around a huge central pit fire. There is dancing, singing, drinking and such. News is exchanged at these gatherings and announcements are made. But the main function is trading and bartering which takes place around the fire. Women are often traded between tribes along with food, animals, slaves and crafted items. Because of this, women have no affiliation with any tribe. A woman may pass between a dozen tribes or more in her life.
A Fire Dance is also a place where challenges are made and duels fought. Leadership is sometimes challenged and fought for at these gatherings. News
This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.