You sure it's safe to eat? I once saw a boy eat dog biscuits and hurl for three days
straight.
Would I have suggested we eat it if it wasn't? A dog is a different species. Giants, despite
being giant, are fundamentally human.
Human?
Yes. The Nords believe that, after their creation at the Throat of the World, they, too, were
giant. The two peoples did not become distinct until a war in the Merethic drove those who
would become Giants up into the mountains, leaving those who would be Nords to rule over
Skyrim.
When the Giants returned much later, they were as we see them today: clearly intelligent,
but no longer able or willing to talk man. They’ve got their own culture, with art,
language, and even rituals surrounding death. The Nords tolerate their presence and appease
them with the occasional offering, but the two peoples won’t ever again be one.
Although they are supposedly close enough to us by blood that they can reproduce with
humans - in a famous example, Lyris Titanborn of the Five Companions in the Second Era claimed
to have had a giant for a mother.
How that must have worked, given the difference in size and the fact that giants don’t usually
talk to Nords, is anyone’s guess.
Those myths are wrong. Everybody knows Nords came from Atmora, not the Throat of the World.
They came from both places, in a way. High Horthgar originally and Atmora later. You
see, all life began on Tamriel… except Tamriel at the time was a super-continent, with no
seas to separate it from Atmora or Yokuda or anywhere else.
This was the elves’ fabled Aldmeris. Don’t ever tell an elf
that, though, unless you’re in the mood for a fight. Following the Convention and
its associated events, the continents and their different peoples split, giving rise
to all the different cultures we know today. The proto-Nords traveled to Atmora, built
their civilization there, and returned uncountable years later when their new homeland became
inhospitable. It’s said that Giants are the last living inhabitants of that now frozen
wasteland.
And along the way the Nords turned from that into us?
According to the Skalds, though no archeologist I know of has ever been able to prove it.
There is the whole matter with the Dwarves, too… Supposedly the Dwemer were called such
by a race of Giants. Giants that would have to have been both communicative and ancient
to have named the Dwemer. For that alone I’m tempted to believe the myth.
...I still don’t like this.
You’re the one that wanted some proper adventure before you leave for Windhelm. You’ll remember
this fondly when you’re memorizing some ancient treatise or reciting the names of
all 500 Companions.
But what if his friends come back?
Giants live alone, meeting up periodically at special sites to talk, trade, and mate.
Outside of those special moments, the mammoth are their only companion. I've heard it said
that they are more like friends than cattle, giving the Giants milk and companionship in
exchange for protection. I've even seen a giant grieving his dead mammoth!
I'm still not going to just run in there and take it! He'll notice me and next thing you
know you'll need to find yourself a new apprentice who can stand putting up with you.
Simple: we paint some swirls on some stuff and create a distraction.
How's that supposed to work?
Apparently Giants can't help but want to steal anything that is covered in swirls. Did you
notice all the circular designs in the Atmoran ruins and armor? Or, for that matter, on any
traditional Nordic sword or armor piece? Wherever this affinity stems from, it must be ancient.
The swirls are mostly used on cows, but they would work just fine on this, too...
Alright. Now's our chance!
Mmm!
Phe! That’s gross!
It’s earthy and sophisticated! You won’t find food this rich and fresh anywhere else.
I’ll miss you, old man, but I won’t miss this food.
You won’t get a chance to miss anything if we don’t get out of here! Run!