"Yeah, Goliaths. We spent all night coming up with that one."

[Ranes]

I'm nowhere near done with a first read of Races of Stone but, having read the goliaths chapter, I'm completely sold on them. They will definitely feature - as npcs initially - in the new campaign I suddenly feel is imminent. What irritates me a little is the use of goliath as a racial name. It doesn't sit well with the PH racial names, which primarily describe themselves and nothing else. Goliath, with the capital of course, primarily describes a particular, particularly large individual. There is a lack of fit.

I'd read about goliaths here on EN World, before I bought the book. What I wanted was good dwarf and gnome background material but I actually found those chapters rather less inspirational than I'd hoped for. The goliaths chapter, on the other hand, I came to with very low expectations - precisely because of the name - and I found it by far the most inspiring.

With hindsight, that was inevitable. Dwarfs and gnomes are staple ingredients (ask any giant) and goliaths are new. I want to add that I generally liked the book's treatment of gnomes and the direction 3.5 has taken them in general. But the goliaths are really imaginatively and colourfully evoked. Then they're given the most unimaginative and - in my opinion, obviously - inappropriate name.

So, I'll rename them. Obviously. But what do you think? Do you have an issue with goliath as a racial name? Do you have Races of Stone and have an opinion about the goliaths? Does your hat of race name know no limit?

 

[Mark]

Dwarfs and gnomes are staple ingredients (ask any giant)

Good one, Ranes.

But the goliaths are really imaginatively and colourfully evoked. Then they're given the most unimaginative and - in my opinion, obviously - inappropriate name.

So, I'll rename them. Obviously. But what do you think? Do you have an issue with goliath as a racial name? Do you have Races of Stone and have an opinion about the goliaths? Does your hat of race name know no limit?

Call them "Boulderdashed"?

 

[Ranes]

Call them "Boulderdashed"?

Mountain monkeys, rock jockeys, cliff surfers, peak creepers...

But what would they call themselves? Now that I think about it, there are notes on their language...

INTERMISSION​

 

[Laman Stahros]

I'm thinking of using them in my campaign, but, there is little to no info on height and weight in their chapter. Don't know what name I'll use for them, either.

 

[mattcolville]

Obsidimen.

 

[D.Reaver]

Wrong game system.

 

[Wolf72]

Ranes ... call 'em Ranes. When I first read mark's post that's what I thought he was saying. It doesn't sound half bad, unless it's your real name, then it might be kinda awkward.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

"Stoners," like...duh...dude. *glassy eyed stare*

 

[Mystaros]

I don't have Races of Stone yet, but it sounds like these guys are tall man-like creatures actually made of stone... sounds like a race I created for Mystara some time ago, the Stone Folk, also known as the Hruka (or Hrukwarf to the dwarves of Rockhome). Here are some details...

http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/html/stonf_pc.html

If these "Goliaths" are just giants of some sort, perhaps you could go with the original Hebrew word for giant, Anak/Anakim (singular/plural) of which Goliath was a member (though he was not of pure blood). Anakim have also been called Nephilim, though that really only applies to the first generation of the race (Nephilim were purportedly born of angels and human women, while the Anakim were the children of the Nephilim and other humans). Or something like that... there's good details on that in Green Ronin's "Testament" setting book (which be not in my sight, at the moment).

 

[MerricB]

I rather like the name. It's simple and easy to pronounce, and that's a huge benefit.

It also has the connotation of a large humanoid figure, so that also helps!

Cheers!