So I’ve been playing Baldur’s Gate 3 (I’m addicted, it’s a problem) and, unsurprisingly, been inspired by all sorts of D&D related size fantasies. I’ve been reacquainted with my love for giants in armour. More recently, and specifically, paladins or guardian/sentinel types.
Like, I’m already a fan of giants who are capable of immense destruction, but also great gentleness. So it’s fitting to fantasise about a big, handsome man in beautifully crafted armour, striding down through the narrow streets of some town or city; helping those in need while doling out justice indiscriminately to those who do harm. He is careful, mindful that each step creates tremors strong enough to shake the tiny citizens and their buildings (the extent of this depends on his size). Some narrower streets can’t accommodate the width of even one leg, so he sticks to the main road. Maybe he’s stationed at the city walls, watching from a distance and intervening as necessary. His size alone is enough to intimidate anyone to submission, but he doesn’t shy away from using his fist or boot on bolder types who like to test him.
I think the fun part of his character is that justice isn’t always kind or merciful; often driven by the laws, or the code of his patron, maybe his own if he’s aggrieved by the formers. Because despite paladins having a reputation of being virtuous do-gooders, he acts with impunity, to judge crimes as he sees fit against his code - all for the greater good. Say, if I’m up for a more destructive scenarios, he can try to be careful where he walks, but it’s difficult to avoid things that barely or don’t reach his ankle. But it’s a manageable consequence of keeping the citizens safe. Idealism and dogma can be really unsettling - more so when the person is a colossal juggernaut. They’re scary! And do I love me some fear and tension in my fantasies? I sure do!
Importantly, he is not above vengeance. One scenario I like to play with involves him saving his little love from a corrupt official or government that hides behind a private army, and those who get in his way face his wrath. He saves her, of course, but does she watch on in horror from the safefy of his palm or shoulder as he continues to mete out his rightous fury? Maybe - that depends on my mood - she couldn’t stop him anyway, not without some effort at least. By then, he’s razed a good portion the city to the ground, the antagonist’s armies are down to the last few soldiers who have survived or haven’t managed to run away. He won’t stop until the antagonist is judged accordingly.
I could go on, but those are the main points I think. My thoughts are a bit everywhere, but I just wanted to share and get it off my chest. It’s been such a turn on, let me tell you. I vaguely remember a story I read a while ago on the VSW Forum involving an armoured giant, but it has been a while and I wasn’t so into destruction then as I am now. I could do with more anyway
Other inspirations (from video games because that’s how I roll) have been the Tower Knight boss from Demon Souls, and Ornstein from Dark Souls (when he is powered up by absorbing his partner, cutscene at 1:10). But they could be bigger.