Questioning the intelligence of half-giants (by Peraego)

[Qoith]

When I visited the Lands recently I managed to catch up with several adventurers I have not met before. One was Kin'rae, an elven mage who seems to be progressing well through the ranks of mages. Like all magic casters, he seeks an illusive trade item to earn himself the power of the bind spell. He had learnt that a potion would help him in this quest and hence has set himself the task of locating the source of this potion before resuming his quest for a certain scroll. I merely confirmed that he was on the right track and gave a small piece of advice by way of a direction to head as he left the chapel.

The other traveller I met was a fellow hobbit - a monk by the name of Timothy. He had not so much a story to tell ... more he wanted a sounding board to discuss a disturbing sight he had seen earlier. Naturally I was keen to listen and offer my options. He asked if I have seen a half-giant mage visiting the Lands in recent days. Well I personally haven't seen this mage but I heard of an earlier sighting and truely, I must admit, I was sceptical at this piece of news ... but here was the monk confirming the sighting. He seemed truely concerned that there was a half-giant "with enough brains to use magic" and he added he felt "uncomfortable with something that unintelligent controlling magical forces". He seemed to have a very low option of half-giants in general - an option, I must state right away, that I don't share. I have meet several half-giants, admittedly, barbarians and fighters and they seem perfectly friendly and cheery people. Their speech is sometimes hard to follow but one can generally understand the gist of what they are saying.

But I digress ... Timothy asked if I could name one half-giant who wasn't witless and a name certainly came to mind immediately ... Jagg. I pointed out that I had heard a story that Jagg is even able to cast earthquake - surely not the feat to be sneezed at and requiring a fair bit of intelligence. Surprisingly Timothy dismissed Jagg as just another witless half-giant saying "Have you ever heard him form a complete sentence?" and "He doesn't bathe himself!" and "That fellow always wanders around stinking up the hospitals with his gaping wounded stinkiness". Well! I have never heard anyone mention half-giant's hygiene before - surely most wouldn't be game to say it to their face, that is for sure. I feel they were brave words for the hobbit - and ones he may be forced to recant when he next comes eye to eye with Jagg ... no ... eye to belly is more likely when he stands beside him.

Our discussion returned to the new mage in the Lands - the half-giant, Ugg. I did try to point out that surely some half-giants must have more intelligence that others - this is the case with all races. However I concur that his intelligence could not be as high as the elven mages like Kin-rae. Timothy suggested I keep an eye on Ugg's progress and this I have agreed to do. Ah, it is certainly interesting times in the Lands.

[jagg]

Wot dis? WOT? I bin hearin dat sum monk, wossisname...
Timffy! Bin sayin bad fings bout people like me. An mor dan dat, bein jus plain rude, sayin fings like I SMEL! Wel Timffy, wen yer bin slashin yer way thru goblins yer gonna git covered in blud an brains an less gud fings an all. Course yer gonna pong jus a bit! U shud try gittin out der an fitin fings an not jus sittin finkin how clean yer robe is an how nice yer feet smel.

Us bigguns mite not be de fastest wen it come ter finkin, it tru. But der nofin betta dan a big giant ter git u out of tuff spot. Wel, Two giants betta... an Free wud be betta even dan dat fer sure... but U KNO WOT I MEAN. I ope u neva need ter find dat out, cos I don fink der gonna be dat many come runnin after wot u said...

[Timothy]

I cannot deny that I said half-giants are dumb and smelly. In my defense, however, I was but a mere disciple and had experienced little of the lands. I recant my dispicable insult of the intelligence of half-giants.

[jagg]

Wel, s'not offen dat people changin wot dey fink, an even mor not offen dat dey come out an say dey woz rong. Timmfy woz real quick ter say he not mean dem bad fings he bin sayin, an wozn't noffin ter do wiv me bein ruff or noffin! No bashin about the head fer makin him say dat, jus comin ter kno dat he not rite... Wel xcept fer the smel fing, but den he bin covered in basilisk blud an kno dat yer not always smellin nice.

So dat all gud now! An wel dun ter Timmfy fer beatin dat baslisk wun mor time, an gittin wot he need.