Giants

DM's notes on Giants: Midrán Continent - God of Creativity and Manufacture, of cold and metallic dragons

• To craft is sacred; respect the mountains and geography you stand upon
• The cold wastes hold mystery, magic, and fear
• Frost Giant-ruled fiefdom
• Sponsors of artists and honor-bound hunters
• Carvers of Glacier Halls, big fortresses around which biggest settlements formed
• One Jarl who rises to power by garnering support from feudal lords, who lead their respective fiefs and the chieftains under them; though Frost Giants helped form the population in the North, not all leaders are Giants
• Some chieftains gain their title through hunts and achievements in battle, others are made leaders or advisors for their creative achievements and ideas.
• Land/fief division through Beacon Mountains, larger ones around which the largest Glaciers and Halls formed.
• Orc and Goliath settlements, some are absorbed into deeper giant society regardless of their standing

Deal with DM about Rai'Voa

How about this: The rune you traced with your hands, the one that began the vision of Sardior speaking to you, was a variation of the Soul rune. By tracing it and activating it, the soul of a giant long since trapped entered your body, lending you some of its strength and knowledge.
It was supposed to serve as an archivist in the temple, but time and erosion deteriorated its mind

Rai'Voa's Moment of Lucidity

Source: During the aftermath of the battle with the Hydra, as Ravik is briefly charmed and struggling against its influence.

Rai'Voa:
"Ink fades. Stone crumbles. Memory…. Wait. I was there. I was there. The Archivum stood tall, runes humming in the deep, and I traced them with hands that still obeyed. A name. Was that mine? Rai’Voa… yes. Rai'Voa! But the others? Where are the others? The halls were not meant to echo so empty. Not meant to… to…"

Context & Significance:

This is the first known instance of Rai’Voa recalling a coherent memory from before his fragmented, childlike state.
He remembers The Archivum, a place with humming runes, possibly tied to the Giants or an ancient order.
His distress at the halls being "empty" suggests a great loss or abandonment, which may tie into his fate.

Ravik's background about his trek to the Giant stronghold

On the night of his twentieth year, Ravik dreamed of fantastical beasts, towering gods, and deep, resonant voices. The details faded as he woke, but one truth burned in his heart: he had been missing a higher power to guide his hand and heart. With renewed determination, he set out on a pilgrimage to the north, drawn by an intangible pull to connect with the ancient giant heritage etched into his skin and the runes of his people.

Ravik’s journey was arduous, exposing him to dangers both natural and unnatural, but his persistence bore fruit. High on a crumbling plateau, he discovered the long-forgotten ruins of a giant stronghold. Weathered by centuries of exposure, the structure was little more than broken walls. For days, Ravik excavated tirelessly, meticulously recording every rune he uncovered, driven by a fervor he couldn’t explain.

At the heart of the stronghold, he uncovered a caved-in tunnel that led to a pristine chamber. Its walls glowed with untarnished runes, their power undiminished by time. In the center of the room was a stone carving of a dragon with outstretched wings and painted scales. Its chest bore a single rune unlike any he had ever seen. Compelled, Ravik reached out and traced the rune with his fingers. Darkness engulfed him.

In the void, a voice like rolling thunder spoke. It was Sardior who revealed his divine purpose for Ravik: to fight in Sardior’s name and continue the work of recording the runes of the giants. Sardior promised him protection, strength, and, in time, the marks of the giants themselves.

When Ravik woke, the brand of his god was etched onto his chest in black, shimmering ink. His purpose was clear, and his heart burned with newfound devotion. Once he returned to civilization, Ravik sought out the Ruby Disciples. Their alignment with Sardior’s will and their devotion to knowledge and protection made them the perfect home for his skills. Pledging his blade and his burgeoning rune magic to their cause, Ravik now serves as a warrior, dedicated to Sardior’s divine mission.