Being an incomplete dossier on the various races of the giant-kin, their unique physiological and cultural distinctions, their positions within the now-sundered Ordning, and the appropriate means for combatting their recent aggressions

A Dossier on Giants

Compiled by Strixal Aerelesh of Waterdeep. Research by Chazlauth Yarghorn of same.

Untrue Giants

The lowest class, only technically part of the Ordning. Things like Ogres, Ettins, etc. fall here. They're not True Giants™, and are below all True Giants in the Ordning, but still have the basic attributes of being big, strong, and generally extremely stupid. All Untrue Giants, being below them in the Ordning, are expected to heed the call of even the lowliest Hill Giant.

Hill Giants

The bottom level of the proper Ordning. Hill Giants are largely big dumb idiots, being brutes and especially gluttons. Their only goal in life tends to be food, and they spend most of their time blundering around looking for it, or forcing other creatures to find it for them. It is said that the only reason they haven't died out thanks to their laziness and stupidity is because of their size and strength.

Strategic Assessment

They have a tendency to eat smaller species. Do NOT let the party Halfling do the talking!
Hill Giants equate size with power and respect, and among them the largest one makes the rules. This also applies to why they even listen to other giant types; they don't realize they follow an Ordning.
Ravenous eaters, and can eat things other creatures would find undigestible, like rotten meat and rocks. Obviously poisonous things are still avoided.
They and their dwellings are extremely squalid; watch out for disease and monstrous scavengers around Hill Giant lairs.
Extremely stupid and blunt, they cannot be reasoned with, and forget things often. They can be duped fairly easily as a result.
React extremely poorly if they actually realize they've been deceived or duped, or if they just forget about an agreement. Exercise caution when using trickery!

Stone Giants

The second-lowest level of the Ordning, gray-skinned, gaunt, and stern-looking, Stone Giants are the seers and artists of the giants. They generally live underground in vast complexes of caverns, which they consider to be truly solid and permanent.

Strategic Assessment

They value artistry and stonecarving above all else, and these define their place among themselves, and their rank in the Ordning.
Despite being the second-lowest ranking, other giants often consider them the wisest.
Known to be stellar athletes, even among Giantkind, sometimes able to catch rocks as easily as all giants hurl them.
A Stone Giant views the surface world as a humanoid might view a dream; they may act on impulse, and have little remorse if they decide to be violent. Approach any Stone Giant on the surface with caution!
Stone Giants without artistic skill or athletic prowess end up at the fringes of their society. Outliers thus tend to be more brutish, and brutish Stone Giants are therefore the most likely to wander the surface world.

Fire Giants

The middle tier of the Ordning, tied with Frost Giants. Fire Giants are easily identified by their flaming red hair. Both Frost and Fire are strong combatants, but Fire Giants tend towards forge work, being the master crafters, smiths, architects, and engineers of the giants. Fire Giants tend to be violent and warlike, but value martial discipline and training over the Frost Giants' berserker rage. This leads to them being master tacticians, though not master strategists. Much of their manual labour (farming, mining, etc.) is done by slaves taken from smaller races.

Strategic Assessment

They value skill at crafting and mastery of arms and warfare, and these define their place among themselves, and their rank in the Ordning.
Known to be completely unfazed by heat, even up to contact with lava. (Fire Immunity)
Dislike the cold, but will tolerate it if they must. (No Cold Vulnerability)
Known to be excellent tacticians, but poor strategists.
Said to work more through insight and experience than writing or arithmetic, though their leaders often have the brains to match their brawn.
Slaves are worked extremely hard and often to death. If captured, escape is a priority!
Fire Giants dislike Dwarves as many other giants do, but value them as slaves for their crafting skills and work ethic. As such, they may attempt to take Dwarves prisoner rather than kill them, as other giants might.
Have a rivalry with Frost Giants.

Frost Giants

The middle tier of the Ordning, tied with Fire Giants. Frost Giants are easily identified by their icy blue skin and blue or white hair. Both are strong combatants, but Frost Giants tend towards barbarian-style brute force, being the berserkers, reavers, and raiders of the giants. They're sometimes encountered without any equipment, but value worked metal plunder, which they repurpose into arms and armour. In battle, they're generally brutish raiders, though do often fight alongside various tamed beasts.

Strategic Assessment

They value pure brute strength and the means to display it (battle scars, musculature, trophies, etc.), and these define their place among themselves, and their rank in the Ordning.
Known to be completely unfazed by cold. (Cold Immunity)
Dislike the heat, but will tolerate it if they must. (No Fire Vulnerability)
Raid and plunder settlements regularly, often under the cover of a blizzard.
Value Rod (lit: "red") plunder, which is slaves and livestock.
Value Kvit (lit: "white") plunder, which is material goods. These may be jury-rigged into better quality arms and armor.
Often tame beasts such as mammoths and polar bears, and keep them as pets. These creatures are often bullied into submission, and eaten if they don't comply.
Because strength is their only standard of measurement, they are more likely than other giants to welcome a non-giant into their group.
Have a rivalry with Fire Giants.

Cloud Giants

The second-highest rank of the Ordning. Cloud Giants are identified by light skin, with hair of silver or blue. Historically, they tended to live in floating castles in the clouds, and some still do to this day. Others live in castles high among mountains. These castles are known to often have extremely bountiful gardens with giant crops. They tend to live as affluent princes, demanding tribute from others, and keeping "lesser" giants as employees, especially for the purpose of extracting tribute by force. Many are unconcerned by the plight of other races, but some tend to be genuinely benevolent towards those they lord over, though their motivations may not always be altruistic.

Strategic Assessment

They value wealth and the amount of wealth on display, and these define their place among themselves, and their rank in the Ordning.
Cloud Giants are generally all spellcasters, usually focusing on weather and air control.
Cloud Giants are like their patron Memnor; just as likely to be good as evil. Most are at least somewhat arrogant, so treat them as you would any ruler, to avoid their ire.
Known to train and keep creatures like Griffons and Wyverns as pets and guards.
Known to keep other giant races as employees.
Many Cloud Giants are said to have a compulsive gambling streak, which may be exploited.

Storm Giants

The highest rank of the Ordning. Also the physcially biggest, identified by pale purple-gray skin and hair and glittering emerald eyes. Storm Giants live alone in remote locations - deep ocean trenches or the highest mountain peaks, etc. They are often oracles, having a significant tendency to receive, and a strong regard for, omens. They are also often benevolent, even towards the smaller races, but can be extremely violent when angered.

Strategic Assessment

They value accurate prophecy and foreknowledge, and these define their place among themselves only, as they are already all at the top of the Ordning.
Storm Giants are known to be completely unfazed by ocean depths and thunderstorms. (Lightning, Cold, and Thunder Immunities)
Place high value on omens, and often have lucrative - if dangerous - opportunities for adventurers if they need a particular item retrieved.
Known to have spellcasting ability, generally related to storms and water.