Jotuns



=== Jotuns (plural jotnar) are the creatures populating the planet Jotunheim and their subclass Muspels populate Muspelheim (also known as Hell). They are sentient, humanoid creatures averaging 9 to 10ft in height, often aggressive and territorial. If left alone the jotun population is autonomous. ===

History
Jotuns were introduced as a species in the chatroom Rural Idaho, during the pilot event. Valdyra has been an ice jotun since her introduction in the pilot. Bjorn is also a jotun, alongside their father Loki.

Myth
Jotuns are heavily aggressive, territorial aliens adapted to living in sub-zero temperatures. Their natural form is a light grey blue to blend in with their environment, and their skin is ridged with thin notches which vary depending on the blood caste, rank, and jotun themselves, like a zebra's stripes.

Jotun community functions on a blood caste which affects the intelligence, size, and power of the jotun in question. The strongest and biggest jotuns have the lowest blood caste of cerulean; they are essentially the soldier class, and fight on the command of the higher ranking jotuns. They have a low intelligence, are unfit to anything outside of physical work and are the tallest jotuns, averaging at 12ft. The next ranking is azure, the most common caste. These jotuns have an average intelligence and are relatively strong. They command the cerulean jotuns in war and labor, but are not intelligent enough to lead themselves. The second highest caste, midnight blue, are smaller in size, averaging just over 10ft, but are intelligent enough to lead armies and gather forces. And finally, the caste of royal purple, pertaining to the smallest but most magically gifted of the jotuns. These jotuns are almost extinct and are as intelligent as most Asgardians. They do not grow taller than 10ft.

Jotuns are well adapted to living in freezing cold environments and quickly develop a condition called Thaw in environments regularly warmer than 20 degrees. The adaptations they have developed to live on such a cold planet involve a chemical reaction which occurs in their blood when the air or their environment becomes too cold. The reaction superheats their body, allowing them to function in cold, but releases the blue pigment associated with jotuns. When not in cold weather jotun skin is cold as if dead. The lack of food on Jotunheim has allowed the jotuns to evolve so that they can survive only eating ice for just over three weeks. When jotuns do receive food they have the capacity to eat far more than a starved human could and will fill out far more quickly than a malnourished human. Their preferred food of preference is raw meat. The jotuns in the Orchard are based off the concept art of jotuns for the Marvel movie Thor.

Abilities
Jotuns have been mentioned in myth to lure travelers into the cold with their voices, which can hypnotise or daze humans. Once in the cold the jotun will kill and eat its prey. Jotuns can also supercool the moisture in the air, creating ice objects. A common use for this ability is ice weaponry fused to the jotun's arm until it breaks. Jotuns are stronger and faster than humans given their increased size.

Strangely enough, Jotunheim is too cold for snow, so most jotuns have never seen it.