I appologies for my long absence from this thread, as it is clear you all relie on me to get it going.
In this post I will say a few words of the Giants (Jętter) of Norse Mythology.
The name giants is not a verry fitting name for these creatures, but since the word Jętte does not exist in the English language, we have to use the name giant.
The giants was super natural beings of course in giant shapes (hence the name giants). They have existet since the worlds creation and therefor is as old (and maybe as mighty) as the gods. They lived in a place called Jotunheim (giant-home) wich was described as cold, dark, full of mountains and kaotic. Allthough the giants is a force of kaos, they are not all evil and enemies of the gods. (wich are not allways good)
Of good giants I can mention: Mimer one of the wisest beings in the Mythology, It was him who guarded the well of wisdom from wich Odin drank, later after his dead Odin brings him back to life and he becomes his advisor.(well actually he only brought Mimers head back to life)
Most giants is however in someway evil, the ones that seems most as anything from the world of Tolkien is the fire giants. Not much is nown about them save that they live in a world of fire called Muspelheim. They are lead by Surt the ruler of fire and wacher of the world of fire. At ragnarok he will lead the Fire giants against the gods, they will burn all of the earth and Surt him self will kill the unarmed Frej with his shiny sword wich light is brighter than the sun. When the fire giants tries to cross the rainbow bridge Bifrost that is the only way to the land of the gods. The bridge will however crumble under there feet. (Fire beast walks over bridge, bridge crumbles. Does it sound like anything you have ever read?)
My intention has been to show that allthough the classical giant is evil, they as a race are very diverce kind of like the maiar. They are just as old as the gods and can be both good and evil.
I know that all of this might be a little far fetched, but I do belive that Surt and his fire giants has inspiret Tolkien to his Balrogs.
Let me know what you think I Surt the father of Gothmog ?