At the dawn of the world the dwarves had begun to learn the skills of working bronze. Humans were building spears and hunting deer in the deep woods, barely learning to meet with the wolves, while the dwarves were learning to find the guts of mountains and turn them to blades. When the first of the dwarves emerged from their mountains bearing a sword, they met with the rest of the species. The dwarf declared the sword the ultimate weapon, the tool that would make dwarves supreme over the others, and demanded tribute. However, the greatest of the giant smiths scoffed, hefted their spear, and declared that the sword would never defeat the spear. This is when the dwarf smith struck out the eye of the giant.
The dwarves demanded supremacy over the giants, and the giants the same. Neither of them can ever allow their opponent quarter, as the war is so old, neither holds hate in their heart, merely duty. The giants have patrolled the forests and the hills, while the dwarves stay hidden in the mountain, both making wild dangerous raids upon the other. But the giant smiths have found ways to defeat the sword, building walls and fortifications unlike any have seen before. The dwarves have defeated these using axe, mattock, then firebomb to burn the bridges and topple the walls. The giants were scattered and left in small groups, bearing their hatred of the dwarves.
But the children of the smith lived on. The one eyed giants, the cyclopses, still build weapons with bronze and walls of stone. They share their secrets with their children, gather allies amongst the giants, and build armies in the silent places. They will build great fortifications for cities of humans, knowing one day they will betray their employers and use these cities as their own homes. They create weapons so beautiful and mighty as to make dwarves weep, knowing that dwarves will want these weapons enough to fight each other. They create art, to make sure all know the cyclopses are the greatest of giantkind. And one day, they will take their rightful place as rulers of the world.
For now, they wait.
Cyclopses stand approximately 4 meters tall, with one large central eye in the middle of their face. They are typically bedecked in armour like one of the great hoplites, with spears longer than a man is tall. They often live on the edges of society, keeping livestock and trading for crops. They rarely build fortifications for their own town, and rarely form great cities, unless they are living with other giants.
Mythic Stature: All weapons wielded by Cyclopses are considered three weapon lengths longer than normal. This means a Mythic Statured creature wielding a knife positions at Long in a fight. If their weapon length exceeds longest, their weapon length is considered Longer Than Longest (as per massive stature). A creature of Mythic stature also requires two more successes to move a hit to their head, due to the difficulty of reaching so high.
Seething Hatred: Cyclopses live in the shadow of their war with the dwarves, and bear a seething hatred of them. This trait is a call on for one Fighting Art when used against dwarves.
One Eye: The Cyclops has only a single eye. This great eye sees as well as two, but it is a weakness if it is struck. Any attempt to blind the Cyclops is at +1D.
Bronze Worker: Cyclopses despise iron and steel. The dwarves' workings are anathema to them. Their weapons and armour are almost all made from bronze, stone, and leather. Their weapons will break on steel on a 1 on the DoF when blocked by armour. Their armour will break on 1s and 2s. However, this trait acts as a Call-On for working bronze.
Cyclopses fight primarily with spears and shields, with a secondary sword in case of close in fighting. Their stature is large enough that they are often overwhelmed if their opponents can get inside their reach.
Root: Power
Actions: Strike, Block, Beat, Push
Forms:
Techniques:
A Burning Wheel Monster Every Week