Stoneborn: Children of the Giantsleep
“Stone does not forget. Nor do we.”
Overview
The Stoneborn are the Mythborn descendants of the ancient Stone Giants—those colossal, earthbound titans who once walked the world as living mountains. Where their ancestors slumber beneath the roots of continents or have become part of the land itself, the Stoneborn remain as walking echoes of stone’s will: enduring, unmoved, and ever-watchful.
Born of mortal bloodlines but touched by the elemental soul of the Stone Giants, Stoneborn are beings of deep memory and quiet strength. They are builders, wardens, lorekeepers—and, when roused, unbreakable.
Physical Traits
- Height: Typically taller than humans; broad, dense, and powerfully built.
- Skin: Tones of granite, obsidian, clay, or pale sandstone. Some have marbled veins or gemlike inclusions.
- Eyes: Earth-toned—coal black, amber, moss green, or metallic silver.
- Hair: Often stone-gray, copper, or deep brown; may feel coarse or metallic to the touch.
- Other Traits: Some develop patches of hardened skin, living tattoos, or runic birthmarks that glow faintly when near ley energy.
Culture
Stoneborn culture is shaped by patience, craftsmanship, and memory. They revere silence, not as absence, but as presence. To them, stillness is a form of wisdom.
- Every act should outlast the one who performs it.
- Words are stone. Speak them with care.
- Memory is sacred. Forgetting is failure.
Communities are often built into mountainsides, canyon cities, or deep subterranean halls. They are master masons, architects, and rune-carvers.
Magic & Abilities
Stoneborn are not flashy mages—they are enduring conduits of earth magic, manifesting slowly but with immense permanence.
- Stonecall – Move or shape stone with will alone, especially in sacred places.
- Earthsense – Feel vibrations through ground and stone; detect lies, emotion, or nearby movement.
- Runebinding – Carve runes into surfaces or weapons to store or trigger magic.
- Leyrooted – Draw strength and stamina from proximity to leyline-rich stone.
- Unyielding Form – Temporarily harden skin into rock-like plates in moments of defense.
Role in the World
- Masons & Architects: Their buildings last centuries and channel leyflow.
- Archivists: Many serve as lorekeepers, memory-stewards, or monument-tenders.
- Wardens: Stoic protectors of vaults, sacred sites, or dangerous ruins.
- Elders & Judges: Known for impartial wisdom and patience in diplomacy.
Relationships
- With Mortals: Often respected for strength, craftsmanship, and wisdom—but sometimes seen as inflexible.
- With Druids/Verdantblood: Allies in preservation and site sanctification.
- With Shadowkin: Quiet mutual respect; both honor memory in different forms.
- With Noctari: Mistrust. Stoneborn remember when the vampires first bled the land.
- With Stone Giants: Revered. Some believe their dreams still guide the Stoneborn in sleep.
Lore & Legacy
- The Gravemark Pact was etched into a living mountain by a Stoneborn elder—it still pulses with runelight today.
- It is said that a Stoneborn child once stilled an earthquake by walking into its heart and becoming its silence.
- Many Stoneborn believe they will return to stone upon death, leaving behind something that endures—a wall, a statue, a rune, or a legend.
See also: Stone Giants, Leylines, Runebinding, Gravemark Pact, Verdantblood