When West Virginians began mining and excavating, they unearthed something deeply disturbing: giant skeletons. The shortest of these dead were about 7 ft tall, while the largest neared 11 ft; all were found in or in close proximity to burial mounds. Though several skeletons were not brought to light until the 1800s, the first documented discovery of such remains occurred in 1774, when the Cheat River flooded, exposing parts of the giant’s skeleton when it subsided. In the same area, several more 8 ft tall corpses were uncovered later－locals referring to the site as “Giant Town.” Throughout the 19th century, gargantuan humanoids were being excavated everywhere: Moundsville, Huntington, Fairmont, Wheeling, Rivesville, White Day Creek, Charleston, Morgansville, West Union, and under the Cresap Mound.

Giants are found all across North America, but the Living Towers are West Virginia’s sub-type. It is not known for certain if any giants remain in the world today.

Community and Culture

The Living Towers were a mostly peaceful people, as there were few others near their settlements to war with. They cultivated forests across the Appalachian region, as they used wood for a variety of purposes and specifically appreciated the beauty of coniferous vegetation. With wood and stone they created weapons, tools, places of ritual, storehouses, and towering homes. At night, they burned logs, enjoying their sweet, wild scent; as flames danced around the gathering, the giants recounted their day, told stories, discussed plans, sang, smoked stone/clay pipes, and listened to the natural world around them. Saplings and young trees encircled their communities－each year, the circle growing wider, newer foliage always on the outer ring－ offering protection and privacy.

Giant leaders often sat in hardy, wooden chairs positioned in a small, yet tall building near the treeline; here, he/she watched over the community, conducted ceremonies, and ruled with absolute authority. Leaders were chosen based on their intelligence, strength, and goodwill, though others were made leaders based on their lineage alone.

In the cool portion of autumn and during the winter, the Living Towers wore heavy furs from animal pelts decorated with stones, gems, and bones, lined with fur inside, and layered with thatched material outside－which protected against strong winds, rain, and snow. In the summer, little clothing was needed: a simple loincloth or nothing at all on the warmest of days. Other clothing included simple shirts, long/knee-length pants, overcoats, hats, and shawls. The most powerful of the giants had copper bracelets and bands made for their wrists, arms, ankles, and foreheads; the metal was hammered, sometimes decorated with crude etchings or images. All Living Towers, regardless of standing, would wear lesser items, like: stone/wood gorgets on a cord with beads, worn around the neck; engraved sandstone disks worn on the wrist or ankle; and pieces of wood, stone, or clay beads strung on a simple cord, hung around the neck, wrist, or ankle. Children would sometimes use larger wooden or stone discs to play games in the field or forest.

West Virginian giants built tall towers to accommodate their size. Foundations were constructed of stone, supporting walls made up of whole trees tied together. The ceilings were flat or triangular, enforced with thatched grasses and branches. Several families would live in one house, though more powerful families resided in their own structures－though they housed multiple wives and larger numbers of children. The Living Towers were not nomadic, farming sunflowers, tobacco, squash, corn, and other vegetation; women and children also foraged for berries, herbs, fungi, nuts, seeds, eggs, and insects, while wild game (deer, bison, and other mammals), snakes, and fish were also prepared for meals. Prey was hunted with spears or cleaved with stone axes; all giants carried one or both upon their backs. Axes were prominent displays of familial heritage－marked with additional etchings denoting the individual and their life.

Development

Giants developed much the same as humans do, but entered maturity later, having longer lifespans. When the large beings died, they were buried in the earth; prominent members of society were memorialized under cairns with favored tools, weapons, and trinkets －all covered with dirt, looking like a large, round bump on the ground. The Living Towers felt a kinship with towering trees, worshiping them in life and believing to be incarnated within them in death. Family members were laid to rest together, previous mounds re-entered for an addition. In the spring, new trees would be planted for the deceased, as well as a few additional ones to keep them company and welcome them into the afterlife. Giants that died a dishonorable death or were criminals in life were buried in ceramic cocoons; upon their death, their body was caked in clay, then baked over a large fire pit until hardened. Hidden underground, the coffin was intended to prevent the giant from entering the afterlife, as he/she could not escape their tomb.