Firbolgs resemble towering humans with distinctly giant features. They possess thick, tough skin with a fleshy pink hue and wear their hair long, most commonly in shades of red or blond, though other colors occur. Male firbolgs typically grow great, heavy beards. Their voices are deep and smooth, often marked by gently rolled consonants that give their speech a deliberate, resonant quality.
Firbolgs are immense in stature, typically standing over 10 feet tall, with an average height of roughly 10.5 feet. Their builds are powerfully muscled rather than cumbersome. In Faerûn, males average around 650 pounds, while females average closer to 500 pounds—lighter than their kin on other worlds, but no less formidable. Firbolgs of the Moonshae Isles are often described by outsiders as especially unattractive, a judgment that firbolgs themselves find irrelevant.
A typical firbolg is said to be stronger than a forest bear. Beyond raw physical might, they possess innate magical talents deeply tied to nature. Firbolgs exhibit resistance to magic and can naturally sense magical auras. Many are capable of altering their physical form, changing size or subtly reshaping their appearance—abilities often used to interact with or avoid smaller folk.
Their senses are keen, particularly in low light, and many can see clearly at night. Some sages attribute regenerative qualities to firbolgs, while others claim they can render themselves invisible for short periods. They are also known to communicate in limited ways with the plants and animals of their forest homes.
Firbolgs value solitude, harmony, and balance. Forests are sacred to them, representing the living heart of the world, and they see themselves as caretakers rather than owners of the land. Greed is regarded as one of the gravest moral failings; firbolgs believe one should take only what is needed and no more. Material wealth holds little value to them, though they occasionally indulge in playful pranks involving valuables taken from outsiders.
Charity is considered a virtue, but firbolgs believe the recipient should never know the benefactor’s identity. This belief contributes to their reputation as reclusive among other races, despite their warmth and sociability with trusted friends. Firbolgs are intensely honest and experience physical discomfort when attempting to lie, even by omission.
They tend toward confidence and fearlessness, though many harbor a deep unease around large humanoid mobs. Wearing armor is often seen as a sign of cowardice, and most firbolgs fight unarmored and without shields.
In Faerûn, firbolgs are typically lawful good in outlook, though other giant races view them as dishonorable due to ancient divine transgressions. Firbolgs admire storm giants and often emulate them, but they avoid most other giant-kin and may actively oppose them.
When roused to violence, firbolgs are devastating foes. They combine immense physical strength with tactical awareness and druidic magic, favoring teamwork over reckless aggression. Massive weapons such as two-handed swords and halberds are common, though a firbolg is strong enough to wield most human-made weapons one-handed.
They are adept at deflecting, catching, and hurling projectiles, capable of throwing stones weighing forty to fifty pounds with ease. Firbolgs fight decisively, aiming to end threats quickly—especially those that endanger their forests.
Firbolgs are a remarkably recent presence in Aurelthrym, having appeared only within the last eleven and a half years. Their arrival is widely believed to be intentional rather than migratory, as if they were placed—or called—into the realm to serve a singular purpose: the preservation of balance between flora, fauna, and the natural cycles of the world.
Unlike other realms where firbolgs exist in scattered clans, Aurelthrym is home to only a single known firbolg tribe. Their numbers are few, and every life among them is considered vital to the continued stability of the land. They do not expand recklessly, nor do they seek to spread their influence beyond necessity. Instead, they act as quiet stewards, intervening only when natural equilibrium is threatened.
Their bond to Aurelthrym’s ecosystems runs unusually deep, even by firbolg standards. Many scholars believe the realm itself recognizes them as caretakers, allowing firbolg magic to subtly influence plant growth, animal migration, and seasonal rhythms. Forests under firbolg watch tend to recover faster from blight, predation remains balanced, and invasive forces—mundane or magical—are gradually pushed out.
Because of their recent arrival and limited numbers, firbolgs remain something of a mystery to most inhabitants of Aurelthrym. Encounters with them are rare, often fleeting, and frequently indirect. Yet when the balance of nature is threatened on a regional scale, signs of firbolg intervention—altered terrain, redirected wildlife, or sudden natural resilience—are often close behind.