Lords of the Peaks: The Essential Guide to Giants

Product Identity All material that appears in a frame similar to this one is considered to be Arcanis-specific material and is therefore reserved as product identity. Such product identity may not be disseminated without express written consent of Paradigm Concepts, Inc. DESIGNATION OF OPEN CONTENT All material contained in a box that matches this one with the following exceptions: the proper names of NPCs, all description/persona information, mention of Arcanis specific locations, deities or races is too be considered to be open gaming content and if so used must bear the COPYRIGHTNOTICE copyright 2002 Paradigm Concepts, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Portions of these sections are derivative of the System Reference Document and are © 1999,2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Cover: Jim Pavelec Artists: Andrew Baker, Paul Carrick, Bob Giadrosich, Veronica Jones, Eric Lofgren, Raven Mimura, Steve Snyder Editors:Melissa L Miller Layout:Victor Choy Designs, Inc. Art Direction:Jim Beck Writers: James Maliszewski and Steve Kenson Cartography: Brian Dalrymple Additional Material: Peter Barrenechea, Scott Charlton, Duane Choquette, Henry Lopez Team Paradigm: Henry Lopez, Nelson Rodriguez, Eric Wiener, Peter Barrenechea, Jim Beck Introduction ..............................3 Giant Races................................4 Hill Giants ............................5 Hill Giant NPCs ..................10 Stone Giants ............................11 Stone Giant NPCs................15 Frost Giants ............................17 Frost Giant Characters ........20 Frost Giant NPCs ................21 Fire Giants ..............................23 Fire Giant Characters ..........28 Fire Giant NPCs ..................29 Cloud Giants............................30 Cloud Giant Characters........34 Cloud Giant NPCs ..............35 Storm Giants............................37 Storm Giant Characters........41 Storm Giant NPCs ..............41 Celestial Giants........................43 Celestial giant characters......47 Celestial giant NPCs ............48

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Giant-Kin ................................50 Ettins ..................................50 Cyclopes ..............................51 Ogres ..................................52 Ogre Magi............................52 Trolls....................................57 Half-Giants ..........................53 Friends and Foes ....................54 Game Mechanics......................58 Giant Examples....................60 New Skills................................63 New Feats................................63 Blood Gift Feats ..................68 Taste of Fear [Bloodgift] ......69 Prestige Classes........................69 Blood Disciple......................69 Catapult ..............................70 Giant-Slayer ........................71 Reaver of Wyrms..................73 Terramancer ........................75 Giant Equipment ....................76

Giant Religion and Magic ........77 Religion................................77 Deities..................................78 Clerical Domains..................80 Cloud Domain ....................80 Cavern Domain....................80 Cold Domain ......................80 Giant Domain ......................81 Storm Domain ....................81 Magic ......................................81 Giant Spells..............................83 Giant Magic Items................86 Giant Lairs ..............................90 Giant Lair Examples ............90 Glacier of a Frost Giant Jarl ....90 Cloud Island of a Giant King....92 ISBN 1-931374-14-7 This product is web enhanced www.Paradigmconcepts.com www.LivingArcanis.com

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Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to Lords of the Peaks, a sourcebook about giants, their society, culture, magic, and kin. This book is the first in a series detailing fantasy races for use in d20 roleplaying games and includes a lot of information for use by both players and Game Masters (GMs). Before getting into the meat of the book, let’s take a look at a few basic questions.

What this book is Lords of the Peaks serves two very important purposes. The first is to provide a wealth of information on giants. In this book, you will find: • Detailed descriptions of the standard giant races including their society and culture • Detailed write-ups of a variety of giant types • Information on giant-kin, as well as traditional enemies of the giants • New feats, skills, and prestige classes • Discussions of giant magic including new spells and magic items

At the same time, there is a lot of detailed information here. Certain assumptions are made within these pages. For the most part, those assumptions are made clear in the appropriate sections. The GM need not be kept in the dark as to the whys and wherefores of giant culture or magic, for example. We do make explicit statements about giants and draw conclusions from those statements. The information in this book inter-relates and builds upon what we already know about giants from Core Rulebook III. With luck, it does so in a seamless and holistic way, so that the largest number of people can get the widest possible use from this book. As always, the golden rule remains the same: if you don’t like it, change it. We believe we have reached a nice balance between absolutism and wishy-washiness. Rather than say, "This is how it is," we make suggestions and offer alternatives. Yet, we do not leave the GM or player stranded without any guidance. For those who wish simply to enliven their games with new details about giants, this book provides them. Almost everything in its pages can be dropped into most campaigns with minimal changes. Even so, Lords of the Peaks is not a complete book. To be used most effectively, it requires GM cooperation and thought – like all good fantasy roleplaying campaigns.

• Two examples of giant lairs This isn’t all that this book contains, but it should give at least an inkling of the depth and breadth of information contained within. This book is therefore of interest to both players and GMs. Anyone who has an interest in giants and their ways, whether as opponents, allies, or subjects of simple curiosity, should find something to suit their tastes. The second purpose is as a toolkit designed to be modified and altered to suit the needs of an ongoing fantasy campaign. No two campaigns are alike. Details of history and geography will differ from world to world and GM to GM. We understand this fact, which is why a lot of the information contained within these pages is tentative and conjectural. The purpose is to give GMs options that might suit their own campaigns, but also to allow them leeway to use their own interpretations. No one likes to be put in a straitjacket of someone else’s making. Lords of the Peaks is thus intended to offer possibilities to GMs and players, so that they can include giants in their campaigns in a manner that’s consistent with their own needs and wishes.

What this book isn’t

On the other hand, Lords of the Peaks is not a definitive guide to giants in the sense that very little contained within these pages is absolute. As noted in the previous paragraph, this book is a toolkit. Consequently, a lot of the details herein are couched in terms that give the GM the freedom to accept or reject as much or as little as he wishes without fear that it will invalidate large portions of the book. This is important since roleplaying games, by their very nature, are about creativity and flights of fancy. Anything that gets in the way of a GM creating and running the kind of world he wants is to be avoided at all costs.

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Giant Races

What is a Giant? Before jumping into its pages, let’s be clear about what we mean by giants. For the purposes of this book, a giant is any creature of immense strength and large use that bears the "giant" descriptor from Core Rulebook III. Giants are thus a particular class of monster, but a limited class. There are many giant-like creatures, such as titans, for example, that are not considered giants for the purposes of this book. As it is, we had difficulty giving even a small amount of information on all the commonly accepted giant races without making this book immensely long. In the end, we opted to focus on the most broadly usable giants, in order to make this more easily accessible to the widest possible audience of players and GMs. As you will see, even within this rather narrow definition of giant, there is still remarkable diversity and variation. Giants can be good or evil, friendly or antagonistic, heroic or villainous. They can range in size from just slightly greater than human norms to towering creatures of truly epic proportions. They can be warriors, wizards, or even servants of the gods. They can be altruistic or selfish, humble or egotistical. Some giants see themselves as servants of the gods, while others believe themselves to be gods. Yet, beneath it all, there is enough commonality to make a book like this possible. Lords of the Peaks concentrates on those commonalities and expands on them in a variety of ways. We hope you enjoy it!

Giant Races

While it is true that no two giants are exactly alike, there can be no denying that there are in fact six commonly acknowledged giant races. Members of each giant race have a number of characteristics with one another, based on a shared heritage, culture, and environment, as well as physiology. Consequently, these races are not merely artificial categories created by hoary sages and learned scholars for their own edification. Within these six "standard" races, though, there is remarkable diversity – a testament to both the ubiquity and adaptability of these large beings. Nearly every climate and terrain is home to one giant race or another and nearly every alignment can be found among them. Much like smaller races, such as humanoids, giants exhibit both universal characteristics, shared by all giants, and unique characteristics, shared only by members of a particular race, in addition to individual characteristics. Before examining the six most common giant races, a look at the universal characteristics of giants is in order.

Universal Characteristics The most obvious universal characteristic of all giants is their great size. The smallest giants generally stand at least nine feet tall, while the tallest tower over most other creatures from a height of over twenty feet. Unsurprisingly, giants also weigh immense amounts and their movements, including the mere act of walking, can shake the earth for many yards around them. For centuries, loremasters have attempted to explain how giants can possibly support their incredible

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weight and still retain the humanoid shapes they possess. As usual, there are as many answers to this question as there are loremasters. Nevertheless, the most widely accepted explanation is that magic is involved, perhaps an innate spark left over from their creation eons ago, or perhaps it is a gift (or curse) from the gods they hold in esteem. The debate goes on and the final determination may never be known, except to those willing to delve deeply into the origins of these huge beings. The great size of giants means that they also possess equally great strength and constitution. This combination gives giants an incredible hardiness that allows them to take far more punishment than most other mortal beings. Only the largest of creatures can compare with a giant’s ability to withstand damage, especially that dealt by weapons. The remarkable strength of giants is another significant characteristic and it colors nearly every aspect of giant society and culture. Even the most intelligent and magically adept giants cannot help but recognize how much more strong they are than other beings. Consequently, the temptation to use this strength to resolve disputes or lord it over their "inferiors" is powerful, particularly among giants of an evil disposition. This tendency to rely on their strength has given giants a reputation as unthinking brutes. While not without merit, this reputation has also blinded more than one would-be giant-slayer to the danger these beings truly pose. At the same time, the giant’s physical superiority can blind him as well, leading him to believe that any problem can be resolved through violence or a show of force. Many giants thus overlook more appropriate solutions to their problems, because they require a degree of forethought and patience that is not common among them. Unsurprisingly, most giants make poor diplomats and look down on other creatures as beneath their notice. After all, why negotiate for food or trade goods when you can simply seize them through force of arms? This is not to say that giants are stupid. Only hill giants exhibit below average intelligence and even they are far from moronic. Rather, giants so obviously surpass all but the most powerful creatures in raw physical power that they find it difficult to treat other races with anything but contempt. Even the relatively benevolent storm giants often seem arrogant and overweening in their dealings with smaller creatures. Giants have few rivals and fewer natural predators. It is not without reason that they view themselves as the top of the proverbial heap when it comes to interacting with other beings. All giants speak Giant, a language they share with less powerful members of their kind, such as trolls and ettins. Giant is an ancient and ponderous language that bears many similarities to other equally ancient tongues, especially Dwarven. Scholars contend that Giant is also the root language of Orc, Goblin, and Gnoll, among others – a not unreasonable hypothesis considering the close relationship between evil giants and these humanoid species. Other scholars claim that, like Draconic, Giant is one of the great "languages of magic" and that its vocabulary and syntax contain within it the seeds of powerful sorcery. Those giants who wield spells do tend to be sorcerers rather than wizards,

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant Races so there is some evidence in support of this theory as well. Giants with Intelligence scores of at least 10 also speak Common. Many highly intelligent giants speak other languages as well, particularly those favored by creatures living near them or those with whom the giants have a great deal of interaction.

Combat and Warfare As noted in the previous section, giants naturally rely on the great physical prowess to resolve problems. All giants favor Huge to Gargantuan weapons with which they can use their strength to deal the most possible damage. In addition, giants possess the seemingly innate ability to throw and catch rocks. Rock Throwing (Ex): Adult giants are accomplished rock throwers and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. A giant of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to 5 range increments. The size of the range increment varies with the giant’s variety. A Huge giant can hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects). Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC increases by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. More specific details of giant combat and warfare, along with strategy and tactics, can be found in the sections describing the giant races below.

Hill Giants If ever there was a giant race most deserving of their reputation as dull-witted and cruel, it is the hill giants. The smallest of the commonly accepted giant races, hill giants are selfish and cunning brutes, who live a primitive lifestyle based around hunting wild animals and raiding creatures less powerful than themselves. Most other giants, even other evil ones, regard hill giants as dangerous savages and treat them with contempt. For their part, hill giants hate their brethren just as passionately, which may explain why they are so often found in the company of ogres and orcs rather than other giants.

Physical Description

Though small by giant standards, hill giants still stand 10 _ feet tall on average and weigh about 1,100 pounds. Their features are rough and ape-like in appearance with a sloped forehead and beady, narrowly set eyes. They possess broad, powerful shoulders and thick, muscular limbs. While their arms are long for their bodies (sometimes reaching close to the ground), their legs are short and stumpy. Hill giants do not walk so much as lope in a shambling fashion that only adds to their simian appearance. Their skin ranges from light tan to a deeper ruddy-brown color. Their hair is generally dark, either brown or black, as are their eyes. Their bodies are often

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Giant Races covered in patches of wiry hair as well, but few hill giant males possess beards or mustaches. Female hill giants are only slightly smaller than their male counterparts and share their general appearance. Indeed, only an experienced observer or someone at close range can easily tell the difference between the two genders. As one might expect, hill giants wear crude clothing made from animal skins and hides. These garments are typically little more than furs, lacking even the most basic level of craftsmanship or artifice. Hill giants do not repair or wash these clothes, preferring to simply discard worn out items or add new layers of furs to cover up any holes that arise from constant wear. Unsurprisingly, many of these giants smell terrible. At the GM’s discretion, particularly odiferous hill giants might require a Fortitude save (DC 15) to anyone who comes within 20 feet of them, or suffer a –2 circumstance penalty on all attacks, saves, and skill checks for 1d4+1 minutes. Some hill giants adorn themselves with small trophies and testaments of their battle prowess, such as skulls or scalps. Some female hill giants braid their hair with finger bones as well.

Combat and Warfare Hill giants possess the most straightforward – and simplistic – approach to combat of all giants. It is primal and relies heavily upon strength and brutality to achieve its goals. Indeed, it is precisely these characteristics that have enabled hill giants to succeed in many combats. Whereas other giants prefer finesse or elaborate tactics, hill giants believe in a direct approach that, when it catches their opponents off-guard, can work surprisingly well.

Weapons

In keeping with their primitive and primal natures, hill giants prefer two kinds of weapons in combat. The first is the Huge greatclub. These are, in fact, the signature weapons of these giants and they nicely capture their reputation as brutish and stupid. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to underestimate how effectively hill giants wield these weapons. All members of their tribes are trained in the use of the greatclub from as soon as they are capable of lifting these enormous weapons. Elders and experienced warriors within the tribe instruct children in the finer points of using the greatclub in combat, so that, from a young age, they show a remarkable ability to deal out damage to any who dare to threaten the tribe. Hill giants also like to use rocks as missile weapons. They have a range increment of 120 feet, which means that they can safely throw rocks well before most opponents are capable of striking back at them. Rocks are thus used primarily as a defensive or first strike weapon rather than as a weapon of choice. Of course, there are rare hill giants who become so adept at using rocks as missile weapons that they devote themselves fully to the development of this skill. Such a giant might then possess the Weapon Focus (rock) feat rather than Weapon Focus (greatclub) that is more common among this race. Even rarer hill giants might acquire the Catapult prestige class.

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Hill giants who use weapons besides these are uncommon, not because they are incapable of doing so, but because they lack access to them. Hill giant society is too primitive to forge steel, iron, or even bronze. Consequently, weapons constructed from such materials are only found in hill giant hands if they have been stolen from other giants (which is rare, considering the relative weakness of hill giants compared to their kin) or because they have been specially constructed by their allies (almost as rare, because of the expense involved). Even so, there are reported instances of hill giants using swords and axes, as well as bows. In all such cases, the giants were in league with other giants, a wealthy humanoid tribe, or a powerful evil personage.

Strategy Hill giants are not well known for their strategic sense. They have a great deal of difficulty imagining "the big picture," which is why they cannot coordinate their attacks as well as other giants. Yet, hill giants are also remarkably cunning and possess an instinctive understanding of small unit tactics. That is, they work well in small bands of six to nine individuals, but become much less effective when operating in larger groups. It is probably for this reason that hill giant tribes almost never attack en masse, preferring to send individual raiding parties or bands against an enemy one at a time until either the opponent is worn down and defeated or the hill giants decide to retreat. Even so, hill giants understand the importance of both range and height. If they anticipate an attack against them, hill giants take to higher ground, where they can soften up their opponents with rocks. Tall, rocky outcroppings that provide at least minimal cover are the preferred perches of hill giant rock throwers. Hill giants can throw two rocks in a single round and tend to concentrate on one target at a time. Only if an enemy is particularly numerous will they generally split their attacks in a single round. In melee combat, hill giants prefer to rush their opponents and overrun them. Once they have engaged an enemy, they rely on their great strength and skill with the greatclub to make up for their poor overall strategy. Hill giants possess both the Power Attack and Cleave feats. Unsurprisingly, they like to stay close to multiple targets, so that they can take full advantage of Cleave. In addition, their high base attack bonuses allow them to use Power Attack very effectively, sometimes effectively doubling their Strength modifier for damage. Like rock throwing, hill giants can strike twice in a single round and tend to concentrate their attacks against a single opponent, if at all possible. Should they survive the initial rounds of combat, any rockthrowing giants in the area will probably climb down from their perch and join in melee combat. However, if the giants are in the right situation, they may prefer to continue their pelting. Especially experienced rock throwers may possess the Precise Shot feat to aid them in hitting their targets. Likewise, any hill giant Catapults will use the abilities of that prestige class to aid them in softening up or eliminating any enemies that remain below.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant Races

Society Hill giant society is much like the hill giants themselves: cruel, crude, and violent. The basic social unit is the family, consisting of a powerful male giant, his mate (or mates – polygamy, though rare, is not unheard of, especially for very successful hill giant males) and children, along with their mates and children, if any. Barring accident or violent death, both of which are quite common, most hill giants can expect to live approximately 200 years. Consequently, a family leader may lord it over several generations of his descendants. And lord it over he will. Hill giant society is a rough and tumble arrangement in which violence and cruelty are the keys to both survival and social advancement. Though family feeling is strong in the face of outside opposition, this does not necessarily translate into good wishes within the family. That is, fathers, sons, brothers, and cousins will certainly rally behind their common ancestry when faced with enemies from outside their blood relations, even against other hill giants. Within their families, however, they abuse and dominate one another as much as they are able. Nothing – not food, not mates, not social status – is taken for granted in hill giant society. Whatever one wants, one must seize for oneself and be ever wary of others who would do the same. Hill giant tribes are alliances of two or more families into a single unit. The chief of the tribe is typically the leader of one of the families and far outstrips his rivals in wealth and power. If he does not, his position is precarious, since his underlings will scheme and plot to overthrow him and steal his position. Such a situation is uncommon, since tribes generally do not form unless there is a powerful hill giant male who can impose his will on others outside his immediate family. As already noted, familial kinship is a powerful, if warped, element of hill giant society and only the threat of a truly dangerous enemy or the strength of mighty leader can create long-lasting social structures beyond the family. Hill giants do not farm or raise livestock. Their entire economy consists of raiding and stealing from others. They do keep pets and guard animals of various sorts. Dire wolves are the most common of these animals, but some tribes have been known to keep other dire animals, especially bears and wolverines. The giants exhibit an unusual sort of affection for their guard animals, providing them with food even when it

is scarce. Although seemingly contrary to the "eat or be eaten" mentality that predominates in their society, it is not. The giants see their animals as valuable pieces of property and have no reason to see that property lost if they can avoid it. Consequently, it is not out of affection but possessiveness that hill giants treat their guard animals so well.

Relations with Others As one might expect, hill giants do not make good neighbors. Their casual cruelty and penchant for raiding and stealing mean that they generally view other creatures as, at best, sources of food and goods, and, at worst, impediments to be eliminated. Only creatures bigger than themselves, such as other giants, can reasonably expect to escape the depredations of a hill giant tribe. Even then, there is no guarantee of good behavior, especially if a hill giant chief believes himself to be especially powerful or cunning. Stone giants are the only other giants who regularly inhabit the same general terrain as their hill giant cousins, so they are the only ones who ever run afoul of their greedy stupidity. Hill giants view all creatures smaller than themselves as "weak" and "puny." They treat them with a combination of contempt and pity. This is because hill giants equate size and strength with importance. It is probably for this reason that hill giants possess the most irrational hatred of Dwarves of all the giants. Despite the claims of many a Dwarven bard, these stout folk are no more of a threat to hill giants than, for example, humans or Elves. However, the vast size difference between hill giants and Dwarves is that much greater. That Dwarves fare so well against hill giants – and are indeed among their greatest foes – runs counter to the deepest elements of their psychology. Hill giants simply cannot fathom how an obviously puny race can pose such a threat. Unsurprisingly, hill giants treat Dwarves as their number one enemies and regularly conduct primitive pogroms to wipe out their presence near their lairs and steadings. Hill giants recognize some degree of kinship with ogres, whose size and strength are only slightly less than their own. Ogres often live near hill giants and work as servants and guards for their larger cousins. The habits and society of both races are remarkably similar, which accounts for a great deal of the success of such alliances. Unlike truly lesser species, ogres instinctively understand the role of strength and dominance in hill giant society. More important, though, is the fact that hill giants fear and respect magic. Their lack of

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Giant Races any significant spellcasters, including even adepts or clerics, makes them particularly vulnerable. Hill giants realize this and look to their ogre kin to provide ogre magi to make up for this deficiency. Of course, not all ogre bands contain – or will ever contain – ogre magi, but that is beside the point as far as hill giants are concerned. The fact that they could is enough. Besides, many ogre chiefs use this hill giant belief to their advantage, playing on the giants’ hopes and fears in order to gain access to both protection and loot. This is a dangerous game and hill giant chiefs who discover they have been tricked quickly and brutally punish those who did so. Hill giants also cultivate relationships with orcs, but for very different reasons. Orcs are clearly "puny" in the eyes of the giants. They lack the size and strength of even ogres and are easily dominated by those larger and stronger than themselves. However, orcs are also remarkably clever. Orcs maintain permanent settlements and even engage in farming and animal husbanding. Though they also raid, they possess sufficient forethought to plan ahead for leaner times. Orcs are also extraordinarily numerous and breed rapidly. All these factors make orcs excellent allies for hill giants, who lack almost all of these traits. Typically, a hill giant family will establish a good relationship with an orcish tribe by offering it protection in exchange for access to foodstuffs and the use of orc warriors as guards. The arrangement is strangely successful in most cases and many orcs actively seek out hill giants to serve as their protectors. Hill giants fear all creatures more powerful than themselves, especially dragons. To a hill giant, a dragon, even a relatively young one, is a concatenation of all their worst fears – strength, size, and magic. They avoid having anything to do with dragons, even those who share their general ethos. Hill giant legends are replete with tales of the ill consequences of dealing with dragons. As one might expect, foes of the hill giants take special pleasure in using dragons – or the threat of their involvement – to drive them from their lairs.

Environment

Despite their common name, hill giants can be found in a wide variety of terrains. This is a function of their primitive society. All they need is ready access to other creatures to raid and they are quite capable of establishing a home in almost any environment.

Hills Hills are, naturally, the most common locale for these giants. In such environments, they erect a variety of crude buildings, the most elaborate of them being constructed of wood, while the majority consist of skins or peat. Because they do not raise crops or animals, all but the largest hill residences are designed to be mobile – easily taken down and moved to another locale. Only the vast wood fortresses and steadings of the greatest chiefs are permanent in construction. Even in the case of temporary structures, hill giants make good use of guards and terrain. They prefer the high ground for their buildings and primary encampment. This affords them both a clear view of the low-lying terrain nearby as well as a solidly defensible position from which they can throw rocks at their enemies. Guard posts are scattered around the

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area, again preferably in higher ground, but hill giants will occasionally make use of lower areas, even gullies and crevasses. Guard animals are typically allowed to roam freely within a given area, so as to provide a roving defense that enemies cannot anticipate (even if it makes them vulnerable to attack by particularly observant opponents).

Mountains Ironically, hill giants prefer mountainous terrain to hilly terrain if they can seize and hold it. This relates to the hill giant (some would simply say giant) obsession with higher ground. Hill giant strategy and tactics relies heavily on the notion that higher ground is not only more defensible but that it is the only truly ideal circumstance in which to throw rocks. However, mountainous terrain is also more likely to house Dwarves or, worse yet, dragons. For this reason, only the most powerful, confident, or well-informed hill giant tribes ever take up residence in the mountains. In addition, those that do are more likely to be numerous and possess a wide variety of guard animals, especially dire bears. Mountain lairs are commonly wooden in construction, made roughly from felled trees and bound together with mud and rope. In some cases, they are little more than crude longhouses in which all the giants live communally on an earthen floor. In others, they are elaborate affairs, with multiple rooms and chambers, each one holding a different family or even group within a family. The latter is quite unusual and is a clear mark of both great wealth and power. Rumors persist of a particularly powerful hill giant chief whose steading covers an entire plateau in a mountain range and whose servants number in the hundreds. Whether true or not, the rumor nicely points out the level of power a hill giant chief would undoubtedly possess if he were to have an elaborate mountainous lair.

Underground In a pinch, hill giants will also take up residence underground. This is not a preferred option for several reasons. The first is that underground lairs are often difficult to defend. Though hard to find, their layout is entirely determined by nature and is not easily altered to suit the whims of the chief. Frequently, underground complexes do not have multiple easily accessible exits. Hill giants are rarely fanatical enough to fight to the death, which is why they dislike the claustrophobic character of subterranean lairs.

More importantly, underground lairs are more likely to run afoul of a variety of creatures hill giants would rather avoid. Chief among these are Dwarves, whose subterranean proclivities are well known. In addition, many dragon species, not to mention even more unpleasant creatures, dwell underground. Of course, some chiefs see an underground lair as a status symbol – proof of their power and virility. These chiefs are much more likely to launch pre-emptive attacks against their neighbors and to seek out Dwarves as enemies. Consequently, hill giants who live in subterranean locales are either very desperate or very belligerent. Until one has actually encountered the giants and observed their behavior, it is often impossible to tell the difference.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant Races

The Giants of Arcanis

A short treatise

penned by Sir Armind Gerhard Tildeghast

To my Lord Viscount of Trabalsk, Leopold Martel the Younger Greetings and Larissa's blessings to your lordship. It is with all due haste and diligence that I, your humble servant, write this treatise, offering my knowledge and succor at word of this dire news. I have examined the military reports bequeathed me by your lordship's herald regarding the roving nighttime raids of crafty giants between Trabalsk and the southwestern wooded foothills of the Paerthians. I have searched through them thoroughly many times for every available clue within their confines. It is indeed troublesome that the type of giant is yet unknown, but not surprising considering the only reported sighting came from simple folk and frightened pig farmers. Nevertheless, what is here indeed tells much already to the strategic learned mind. Your lordship was correct in surmising that a defensive posture, and the gathering of facts and lore would serve him better than a rampant charge by heady loyal vassals of the Crown. It is no insult to your lordships bravery, nor to his men-at-arms, but rather a compliment to the patient forethought of a true commander. I have given sacrifice to the Lady of Fate to bless these tidings, for as Her fortune wills, I have recently hosted a learned fellow bard familiar with much concerning giants. I shall borrow rudely from her travels to explain all types of true giants. While it is giants indigenous only to Milandir that do gravely concern your lordship presently, it has been explained to me that many giants rove far and keep similar ways, though they be separated by great distances and generations. I have chosen this method in the hope that foreign tales might lend some helpful clue, and be of further service in the years to come. As your lordship will soon discover, there are six types of true giants sprinkled across Onara, and though they are rarely seen, they still make their presence known to the world of men, as the goodly citizens of Trabalsk can rightfully attest. May mighty Hurrian keep and defend your lordship's person, the people rightly in his honored trust, and this small token of my service until it should arrive forthwith. Your humble servant respectfully,

Sir Armind

Upon Onara, there are six types of true giants, many with distinguished habits, though their native environments may occasionally overlap. Before the coming of the Age of Man, all giants walked the length and breadth of Onara. However things have changed dramatically now that smaller races rule, and in the modern age, but a few pockets of these beings lie sequestered in wild and rarely traveled parts of the continent. What follows are geographic habitats and small details specific to Onaran giant-kind.

Hill Giants

These creatures thrive across much of temperate Onara, encamped in the many mountainous ranges and foothills from just beneath the Wall of the Gods to the rocky jungle badlands of Uggur. Pockets of hill giant raiders assault Chauni caravans, pilgrims, and frontier outposts among the two mountain ranges that hug the stony basin of Ghunlud and the Flood Plain, the Corlathians and the lower Aqtau Mountains, as well as the connecting Khitau range. They lay in ambush or direct forays in the various passes, including nocturnal attacks into the Western Marches and the Blessed Lands. They often use hurled sharpened rocks and avalanches from high points of ambush, or dig huge pits to trap wagons and horsemen. Sometimes these pits conceal lesser giant-kin such as ogres pressed into collusion. They have been kept mainly to the western portion of these ranges due to occasional punitive raids and culling from the mighty dwarven enclave of Solanos Mor and occasionally sorcerous attacks or summoned demons from Encali. Due to patrolling Soldier Saints in the Blessed Lands, and the ferocious hordes of Voei viciously staking claim to the Fervidus Hills, these giants do not often extend their raids northward. There are a few hill giants in Canceri along the western edge of Nier's Spine, and progressively southward from the Komaal Hills to the southwestern shores of the Sea of Canceri. These giants occasionally attack caravans headed from Nishanpur to Hunder; some are ensnared and charmed by magic or promises of gold, or worse, reanimated as monstrous zombie guardians. Though a lone hill giant or two may be encountered where Canceri abuts the western deserts and plateaus of the Hinterlands, this is rare, for they do not adapt well to the arid climate. Even then, most encounters have been along the relieving coolth of the snaking Neichau River. The rest of the Hinterlands, though the terrain and altitude are welcome, are far harsher than these giants prefer. Hill giants that dare to venture into the Vastwood or the lesser woodlands nearby are dealt with quickly by elorii rangers and patrols, though some do band together occasionally with ogres and hobgoblins or else sneak across the border to the wooded Paerthian mountain range in Milandir. These incursions are not often long lived, since even a hint of a hill giant is enough to send many a well-armed Milandisian knight aquesting. With the exception of the Corlathian Mountains, the Western Marches, and occasional sightings among the rolling emerald hills and seaside cliffs of upper Annonica, the regions of the rest of the Coryani Empire is quite devoid of hill giants. The occasional rare giant might be seen in the Altherian wilderness, but this is rare. More common in this area are hill giants captured and brought to the Isle of Ymandragore to be used as overseers,

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Giant Races bodyguards, or to man the huge rudders of the dreaded black ships of the Ymandrake fleet. There are many more than this among the Pirate Isles, some used much like in Ymandragore as intimidating overseers, especially in the Crimson Slaver fortress-city of Garundi, and of course on Ghauma, appropriately called Giant Home. The League of Princes is devoid of hill giants for the most part, save the western mining pass of Broken Reach in Lhyllifel, and this is only due to the rugged expanse beyond - the unknown badlands of Uggur. It is here that hill giants thrive and claim dominance from smaller humanoid tribes, and military reports from the Red Dragoons of Fort Tyroch as well as the dwarven Enclave of Tir Betoq are proof that hill giants roam the whole of Uggur unchecked. Its is unknown whether hill giants frequent the broad plains and hills of the mysterious region known only as Dar Zhan Vor, though some nomadic camp tales tell of giants in days agone who fought epic battles against Chauni folk heroes.

Hill Giant NPCs Below are some typical hill giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of hill giants that adventurers are likely to encounter. Typical Hill Giant Large Giant Hit Dice: 12d8+48 (102 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 20 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +3 hide) Attacks: Huge greatclub +16/+11 melee; or rock +8/+3 ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+10; or rock 2d6+7 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching Saves: Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 17 Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9, Spot +4 Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): A hill giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds (Small objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A hill giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack.

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Hill Giant 1st-level Barbarian Large Giant Hit Dice: 12d8+48, plus 1d12+4 (119 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 50 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, +12 natural, +3 hide) Attacks: Huge greatclub +17/+12 melee; or rock +7/+4 ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+10; or rock 2d6+7 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, Rage 1/day Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +6 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 17 Skills: Climb +11, Handle Animal +6, Jump +11, Spot +8, Wilderness Lore +5 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard coins Alignment: Chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Hill Giant 4th-level Fighter Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 12d8 +60, plus 4d10+20 (152 hp) Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, +9 natural, +3 hide) Attacks: Huge greatclub +23/+18/+13 melee; or rock +13/+8/+3 ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+12; or rock 2d6+10 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching Saves: Fort +17, Ref +5, Will +6 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 11, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Climb +15, Handle Animal +6, Jump +15, Move Silently +1, Spot +11 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (greatclub), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub), Weapon Specialization (greatclub) Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Stone Giants Hill Giant 7th-level Ranger Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 12d8+72, plus 7d10+42 (213 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 22 (-1 size, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greatclub +26/+21/+16/+11 melee; or rock +16/+11/+6/+1 ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+12; or rock 2d6+10 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spells Special Qualities: Favored enemy (Dwarf), favored enemy (giant), rock catching Saves: Fort +21, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 17 Skills: Animal Empathy +4, Climb +16, Hide +3, Intuit Direction +4, Jump +16, Knowledge (Nature) +3, Listen +5, Move Silently +10, Search +3, Spot +10, Swim +12, Wilderness Lore +3 Feats: Ambidexterity, Cleave, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Power Attack, Tracking, TwoWeapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (greatclub) Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spells: Ranger: 2 1—Detect Snares and Pits, Entangle Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Stone Giants

Stone giants are unique among giant-kind in that they are usually neutral in the battle between good and evil, law and chaos. This is not to say they take no interest in such grand philosophical battles, but they show no strong inclination toward any side in these conflicts. Instead, they are largely content to keep to themselves and their own affairs. This aloofness has led to numerous mistaken beliefs about them, ranging from their supposed role as secret masters in an evil plan of epic proportions to their being nothing more than rock-throwing rowdies out for a good time. As is often the case, the truth is far more interesting.

Physical Description

Stone giants stand around 12 feet tall on average and weigh approximately 1,500 pounds. Unlike hill giants, they are lean and muscular in appearance with very little visible body fat. Indeed, their smooth gray skin is completely hairless (a trait shared by both sexes) and gives them the appearance of wellproportioned living statues. At least one bard has called stone giants paragons of the humanoid form. Despite their impressive physiognomy, stone giants are not what one would normally call attractive in appearance. Their deep-set

black eyes are gaunt features give them a grim and unforgiving appearance. While there is often little to no correlation between their facial expressions and their inner thoughts, it has not prevented their acquiring a reputation as dispassionate and unemotional. Stone giants wear a variety of different garments. Most are made of leather, dyed in various shades of gray and brown to match their native environment. These garments typically consist of a single wrap that covers torso and upper legs, tied at the waste with a belt or leather cincture. However, stone giant elders often wear more elaborate garments in recognition of their favored status within their society. Female stone giants and children dress similarly to males, but with certain concessions for differences in size and anatomy. Some scouts and warriors wear no clothing at all, in order to better blend in with the stone walls their skin resembles. All stone giants wear leather sandals when traveling any significant distance either underground or on the surface.

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Stone Giants clubs are largely and heavily weighted at one end, making them extraordinarily effective weapons when wielded by a skilled user. If deprived these weapons, stone giants can make do with a hastily broken off stalactite or stalagmite. The sight of a stone giant ripping one of these pieces of a cavern from its place and then swinging it over his head in a rage is the stuff of legend and has no doubt contributed to their undeserved reputation for violence. On occasion, stone giants will use other weapons as well, such as swords or axes. These weapons are almost never forged by the giants themselves, since most lack the skill or motivation to craft their own metal weapons. Instead, they are likely to be trade goods acquired from other races in the vicinity. There are always exceptions, of course. Stone giants who live in close proximity to Dwarves and who have access to iron will sometimes establish forges of their own. These stone giants quickly become important purveyors of weapons and armor to other stone giants who lack these talents.

Strategy

Combat and Warfare Compared to most other giants, stone giants are remarkably pacific. They prefer to avoid combat, if at all possible. This is not due to weakness or an aversion for battle, but a philosophical perspective that combat should only be entered into if its outcome directly concerns the parties involved. Thus, stone giants look for other solutions to their problems, if they are able to do so. Many a giant-slayer has made the mistake of assuming stone giants are therefore poor fighters – an error they quickly learn to correct.

Weapons Like all giants, stone giants are very skilled in the throwing and catching of rocks. Consequently, they prefer to engage their opponents at a distance whenever possible. However, they lack the obsession with high ground that many other giants possess. Stone giants see the usefulness of a high position, but they also understand that their greater height and strength affords them the unique opportunity to use rocks as weapons even at relatively close range. This is a tactic stone giants often use against other giants, who lack their precision and facility in catching rocks. If forced to engage in melee combat, stone giants typically use great stone clubs that they fashion themselves. These

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Stone giants have less native cunning than hill giants, but they more than make up for it by their planning and forethought. They are masters of the ambush, especially in their native environment. Sentries and guard posts are common in areas they control. The giants who man them do their best to blend in with their surroundings, sometimes going to the effort of removing their clothing in order to aid in this activity. Such giants have a lower AC (they lose the +3 armor bonus commonly possessed by stone giants) in exchange for an additional +4 circumstance bonus to their Hide checks, which gives them a total of +12 bonus at minimum. Many stone giant guards and scouts are even more adept at hiding. Hiding giants then use their element of surprise to attack their opponents, hoping to kill or badly injure them before they have an opportunity to defend themselves. Because of their innate skill with rock throwing and catching, stone giants are much more free in their use of these traditional weapons, even at close ranges. Stone giants are precise enough in their aim that they regularly attempt to hit enemies engaged at close range with their fellows. Occasionally, this will result in a giant being hit by a rock instead of the intended target, but that is rare. Moreover, stone giants are masters of the point blank shot and think nothing of using their immense strength to hurl a boulder at a target only a few yards away. When engaged in melee combat, stone giants can show a remarkable viciousness that belies their stoic exteriors. The general principle behind all such attacks is to eliminate the threat as quickly as possible. That means stone giants regularly use Power Attack to stack the odds in favor of their doing a great deal of damage. For this reason, stone giants spread their attacks among as many opponents as they can. The intention is to weaken their enemies to the point that they either retreat or become less effective in battle, thereby increasing the giants’ own chances of success. In any event, stone giants are not cruel or vindictive in general and they are less contemptuous of smaller creatures than their brethren. Instead, they save their hatred for any who dares to threaten their lairs and loved ones. To them alone do they show no mercy.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Stone Giants

Society Stone giant society is a loose gerontocracy, revering their elders and deferring to them as sources of wisdom and insight. Given that, on average, a stone giant can expect to live 800 years or more, there is a great deal to be said for such an arrangement. However, emphasis should be placed on the term "loose." The elders of a stone giant tribe do not rule with an iron fist. In many ways, they do not even rule at all. Perhaps it would be better to say that the elders are regarded as "living memories" and are turned to in times of trouble and stress. More often than not, elders do not serve as the chiefs of the tribe, preferring to sit on an unofficial advisor council with which the chief confers when making important decisions. Even so, elders hold an important place in stone giant society, as described in the section below. The family remains an important element of stone giant society. Most families consist of a male, a female, their children, and a few other relations. Polygamy is all but unheard of among stone giants, since there is a strong egalitarian streak in them. Males and females typically work side by side and can serve in a wide variety of capacities. There is, of course, a preponderance of males serving as warriors and scouts, but there is no societal bar to females taking up these vocations. The same is true of the office of chief, which is a quasi-elective position in which his fellows acclaim a stone giant as the leader of the tribe. Stone giant tribes are associations of multiple families under

the leadership of a single chief and his council of elders. Stone giants show an impressive ability to transfer their loyalty beyond their family units and to the tribe as a whole. This has created a degree of cohesiveness that is lacking in, for example, hill giant society and sets stone giants apart from others of their kind. In fact, stone giants have a much greater sense of community than can be found among almost any other race of giants. This perspective is encouraged by the leadership of the tribe, who wishes to ensure that every member feels as if he or she has a stake in its well being. The stoic appearance of stone giants is a misleading one. These creatures possess powerful emotions and can be quite playful and pleasant under the right circumstances. Stone giant festivals and social gatherings are raucous, even bawdy affairs, replete with all manner of revelry and exuberant behavior. These festivals almost always occur at night, under the open sky. There, the giants have both physically and metaphorically laid themselves bare by removing themselves from their usual rocky surroundings. They can be free and open to the rhythms of the universe. Games of all sorts occur on these nights. Rock throwing and catching contests are predictably common, as are other tests of strength and prowess. Anyone who observed a stone giant revel without understanding its place in their society might be led to believe they were little more than drunken rowdies – a false reputation that stone giants frequently encounter among outsiders. The truth of the matter is that stone giants enjoy life and show that enjoyment in a variety of ways.

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Stone Giants

Art and Music Another outlet for the stone giants’ enjoyment of life is through art and music. Many stone giants are gifted painters. Though one would not suspect it, the walls of their underground lairs are often covered with immense – and vibrantly colorful – paintings of scenes important to the tribe. Vast murals showing the entire history of a tribe, everything from genealogies to victories to discoveries, can be seen in brilliant shades upon the stone walls of their homes. Many of these murals are centuries old and are the work of multiple hands over the generations. Only a select few outsiders are ever allowed to see these paintings. Like their "nakedness" beneath the night sky, the painted walls deprive the stone giants of their ability to blend into their surroundings. Being allowed to enter a lair and see these paintings is a profound expression of intimacy on the part of the giants, which is why so few have ever seen them with their own eyes. Stone giants also channel their exuberance through music. Stone pipes and drums are their preferred instruments and singing is also quite popular, even during non-festival times. Stone giant music tends to imitate natural sounds and rhythms, while adding a few unique elements that reveal its artificiality. Stone giant songs are long and soulful, sounding much like funeral dirges to those who do not understand Giant or their context within the culture. Stone giant artisans also exist, fashioning simple jewelry from natural materials. Stone bead necklaces, whether painted or unpainted, are popular among these giants.

Elders As already noted, stone giants revere those of great age and wisdom. These elders form an integral part of their society. In addition to sitting on the chief’s advisory council and being repositories of the past, elders possess magical abilities to varying degrees. Stone giants believe that elders gain their powers because of their closeness to nature and the favor of Rock itself. There is no direct evidence of this belief. The few stone giant clerics and druids can provide no insight into the matter either. Some sages suspect that this is a further manifestation of the inherently magic nature of all giants and that it only manifests in especially old stone giants because it is only they who have reached the point where they can tap into their wellspring of inner strength. Whatever the truth of the matter, all giant elders (who are typically at least 600 years old) possess a small collection of magical abilities. These are stone shape, stone tell, and either transmute rock to mud or transmute mud to rock. Of these, stone tell is probably the most important and the ability that induces the most awe in ordinary stone giants. It is often used to good effect with tracking enemies and intruders, as well when seeking other information of interest to the tribe. The other abilities are used primarily for defensive purposes in times of trouble and help to ensure that elders play an important role when the tribe is under attack. Some elders possess even greater abilities, being true sorcerers or even blood disciples. These powerful spellcasters have a wider access to magic than ordinary elders. Consequently, they

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are held in even greater esteem by those younger than themselves. These elders, especially the blood disciples, are looked upon as reminders of the glorious past of the giantkind, when the magic that flowed through their veins was stronger and more prevalent. For that reason, scholars and devotees of the occult take a great deal of interest in these elders, believing that they may hold the keys to unlocking the secrets of the giants’ true origin and purpose. For their part, the elders have little interest in such matters and tend to their duties as defenders of their people.

Relations with Others For the most part, stone giants enjoy good relations with their neighbors. Their largely neutral outlook and unwillingness to involve themselves in affairs that do not concern them keeps them from being viewed as a threat by most others. Of course, not all stone giants subscribe fully to this philosophy. Evil stone giants exist and they are mostly responsible for the unpleasant reputation the race has in the world at large. On the other hand, more explicitly good stone giants often aid their neighbors, such as Dwarves or humans, and work to counterbalance the actions of their nefarious kin. Stone giant society is still primitive enough that hunting and gathering is the primary source of nourishment. Some giants also herd goats and sheep, but these are far from common. Consequently, all but the most evil stone giants often find themselves in need of trade with other species. Giants purchase food, clothing, and sometimes weapons from their neighbors in exchange for stonework items and gems. Sometimes, elders use their stone shape abilities to create particularly spectacular works of art for trade purposes. The few evil stone giants who exist supplement their income through extortion. They set up tolls at mountain passes and threaten any who do not pay with death. Aside from sheep or goats, stone giants keep few animals for any purpose. Some use dire bears as guardians, but this is uncommon. The reason is simple: stone giants see animals as an integral part of the natural world that they do not wish to disturb through their actions. Keeping pets or guardians is, in the view of most of them, unnatural. Even herd animals are extremely uncommon among them, for the same reason. That said many giants build their lairs in close proximity to other creatures, hoping to take advantage of their presence. However, the domestication of animals is generally considered a debasement of the natural order and something to be avoided, if at all possible. In general, stone giants treat all intelligent creatures with a minimum of respect, at least to the extent that they bear no ill will toward the giants. If stone giants do look askance at particular race, such as ogres or trolls, it has little to do with their being smaller than themselves and everything to do with their ethical behavior – or lack thereof. Stone giants view others through the prism of their actions. Words and philosophy are important, of course, but it is deeds that truly speak of what is in a person’s heart. Provided that an individual or race shows itself to be honorable and well intentioned, stone giants rarely take any account of their size.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Stone Giants Mountains If stone giants live in the mountains, they build very rough homes of logs and stone. These crude buildings are strong enough to withstand the winds that whip across the mountaintops, as well as to fend off all but the most determined predators. Unfortunately, they lack the esthetic appeal of the subterranean lairs, being far more utilitarian in appearance. Even so, stone giant artisans and elders do what they can to decorate these mountainous homes. From the outside, most such work will be impossible to see, but on the inside, they will show the flair that distinguishes stone giants as among the most soulful of all giant races. Mountainous lairs consist of several buildings, each one housing a single family or a collection of related ones. A larger central building may also exist, used for communal gatherings and for council meetings. This central building includes an open pit hearth where game can be roasted and to be used for warmth in the cold winter months. Unlike subterranean lairs, mountaintop ones often include a large open area that is used for celebrations and festivals. Ironically, the ready presence of such an area sometimes affects stone giants in a negative way, with their usually raucous gatherings becoming both more common and more staid – a testament to the principle that familiarity breeds contempt.

The Arcanis Connection Environment As one might expect, stone giants can be found anywhere that stones and rocks are an important part of the terrain.

Caves Stone giants prefer caves and other natural subterranean areas as their lairs, if at all possible. Unlike hill giants, they are not especially cowardly and do not worry about being cornered within a cavern. In addition, many elders possess the ability to transmute rock to mud, which provides a convenient way to escape if necessary. Furthermore, the dark stone walls of a cave play to the giants’ greatest strengths, such as their ability to camouflage themselves. Underground lairs are also where stone giants show off their remarkable artistic abilities best. Painters, as well as sorcerers and elders, work their magic to create impressively beautiful homes. Curved archways, opened walls, and vaulted ceilings are but a few of the possible architectural feats on display here – all of them ornately decorated in brilliant colors and wild shapes. Typically, there are multiple smaller chambers centered on a single large hearth room that is used by all who live within the lair. The smaller chambers are segregated by families, as well as for certain purposes, such as training or play. If guard animals are present, they are generally kept away from the center of the lair in order to avoid the possibility of their wreaking havoc.

Stone Giants

Stone giants are one of the hardest of their kind to find, being that they are shy and prefer seclusion or camouflage. Traces of their habitation exist throughout Onara, mainly in tales from dwarven enclaves or mountain travelers who have witnessed the noisy and destructive but nevertheless playful nocturnal rock throwing contests of competing stone giant clans. Wall paintings, carvings and other artifacts and traces of these giants are found in nearly every mountain range on Onara, with the exception of the Khitau Mountains. The dwarves of Tultipet claim that many of the beautiful stone supports, columns and structures in their enclave were formed by a venerated stone giant elder long ago, and that even more wondrous structures are sequestered away within great caverns in the highest peaks of the Aqtau mountains. There are also migratory Khitani that say they have seen traces of these beings well north of Jhen Lou province in the mountain passes of the Khitani Empire while traveling southward.

Stone Giant NPCs

Below are some typical stone giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of stone giants that adventurers are likely to encounter.

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Stone Giants Typical Stone Giant Large Giant (Earth) Hit Dice: 14d8+56 (119 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 25 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +11 natural) Attacks: Huge greatclub +17/+12 melee; or rock +12/+7ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+12; or rock 2d8+8 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching Saves: Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +4 Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +10, Hide +0*, Jump +10, Spot +3 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually neutral *A stone giant gains a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks in rocky terrain. Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): A cloud giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds (Small objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A cloud giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack.

Alignment: Neutral Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Stone Giant 4th-level Sorcerer Large Giant (Earth) Hit Dice: 14d8+84, plus 4d4+24 (177 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 23 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural) Attacks: Huge greatclub +19/+14 melee; or rock +14/+9ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+12; or rock 2d8+8 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spells Special Qualities: Rock catching, summon familiar Saves: Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +10 Abilities: Str 28, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 13 Skills: Alchemy +5, Climb +13, Hide +6, Jump +12, Knowledge (Arcana) +6, Spellcraft +4, Spot +11 Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Neutral Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spells: 6/7/3; 0—daze, detect magic, detect poison, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1—change self, charm person, mage armor, protection from evil, shield, sleep, summon monster I; 2—bull’s strength, flaming sphere, shatter Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Stone Giant 1st-level Fighter Large Giant (Earth) Hit Dice: 14d8+42, plus 1d10+3 (112 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 23 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural) Attacks: Huge greatclub +18/+13 melee; or rock +13/+8ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+12; or rock 2d8+8 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching Saves: Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +4 Abilities: Str 27, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 16 Skills: Climb +12, Hide +5, Jump +12, Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Spot +5 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard

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Stone Giant 7th-level Fighter Large Giant (Earth) Hit Dice: 14d8+56, plus 7d10+21 (162 hp) Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 28 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +11 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greatclub +24/+19/+12 melee; or rock +19/+14/+9ranged Damage: Huge greatclub 2d6+15; or rock 2d8+11 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching Saves: Fort +17, Ref +10, Will +5 Abilities: Str 33, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +17, Craft (Trapmaking) +2, Hide +6, Jump +16, Spot +5, Swim +15 Feats: Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Point Blank

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Frost Giants Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack Challenge Rating: 18 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Neutral Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above.

Frost Giants

Frost giants are the first of what might be called the "specialized giants," in that they exist primarily in one type of environment – the cold north. Frost giants are also the first of the "civilized" giants. They exhibit a complicated social structure and a distinct chain of command. This, combined with their strongly evil character, makes them much more dangerous than their hill giant cousins. Frost giants are feared in northern regions for their brutality and love of wanton destruction. Their use of huge longboats and other nautical craft also gives them the freedom of movement to strike at targets far from their frigid lairs.

Physical Description Frost giants stand approximately 15 feet tall and weigh around 2,800 pounds. In general, they look like muscular human beings of the sort that typically inhabit the northern reaches of many lands. Their skin is either snow or ivory white, with some tending toward albinism. Hair color varies from light blue to dirty blond (or white, in the case of albinos). Male frost giants typically sport full beards and mustaches, as well as long hair. They often braid their hair and beards in elaborate fashions, sometimes lacing metal or bone into them as well. Female frost giants are slightly shorter than their male counterparts and tend to be less broad-shouldered in appearance. Some might even call female frost giants comely, as their physical proportions are closer to

the norm of smaller humanoids. Despite their great size, frost giants have a life expectancy of only 250 years, even if few ever live to see that many winters. Because of the cold climates in which they are usually found, frost giants favor thick furs and pelts for clothing, particularly those of winter wolves. Some especially powerful warriors even wear the hide of white dragons as armor. However, most warriors favor more conventional chain shirts, crafted by the giants themselves. Helmets of all sorts are also commonplace, although those sporting elaborate horns, spikes, and feathers seem to be especially favored among them.

Combat and Warfare Frost giants are particularly warlike, even for giants. They are well known as skilled warriors, whose entire society is on a vaguely military footing. Consequently, they employ a variety of tactics and weapons, some of them quite sophisticated.

Weapons

Unlike most giants, frost giants are indifferent rock throwers. They are not as skilled as stone giants and have a far shorter range with these missiles. For that reason, rocks are used only when there is either no other option or when it is clear they are the best weapons for the job, such as attacking flying opponents. Frost giants much prefer to use their huge greataxes in combat. All who face them rightly fear these impressive weapons with their doublebladed heads. The primary difficulty with these weapons is that they do not have the reach of rocks. Frost giants must thus engage their opponents at very close range in order to be effective. For this reason, many frost giants take the Precise Strike feat to compensate. Other weapons are known among the frost giants, especially swords and warhammers. Because frost giants work metal (and sometimes even mine it themselves), almost any type of metal weapon could be found among them. Occasionally, an adept craftsman will even produce masterwork weapons, but this is uncommon, considering the

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Frost Giants time and expense necessary to do it. Frost giants would rather raid other giant settlements to gain such items, or force their captives to do the work for them. Besides rocks, missile weapons are virtually unknown among frost giants. Some bands have been known to employ javelins and spears. Bows have been reported in certain areas, but crossbows are completely out of the question. Frost giant sorcerers and blood disciples, on the other hand, use their magic as missile weapons, especially those specializing in the evocation school.

Strategy Despite the military bearing of their society, frost giants do not make good soldiers. Theirs is an ethos founded on the centrality of the "warrior" or "hero." This makes them very brave, sometimes impressively so, but it does not make them especially effective when working together. Their chaotic tendencies generally win out over their training. Moreover, their desire to show their superiority over both their foes and their fellow frost giants eggs them on to foolhardy risks and displays of vainglory. When such shows of daring pay off, they do so spectacularly. More often than not, however, they result in the giant’s getting himself into a difficult situation, or even drawing his comrades into one. As noted previously, frost giants are not avid rock throwers. They use them as missile weapons when no others are available, but they are neither particularly skilled nor enthusiastic in their use. Moreover, many frost giants view their use as somehow dishonorable, which is odd, considering that frost giant society has only the most tenuous grasp of honor in the first place. Most observers believe that this attitude has more to do with the lack of skill than with any genuine feeling about the propriety of their use. In any event, frost giants throw rocks at their opponents at a range of no more than 120 feet and will continue to do so until they either run out of rocks or their opponents are within melee range. Once in range, frost giants lustily enter battle. These creatures relish hand to hand combat, especially against opponents of their own size. They treat smaller enemies as pitiable things, but they do not allow their pity to get in the way of fighting. Frost giants know well how effectives Dwarves and humans can be in battle. They do not underestimate even the smallest opponents, even if their natural tendency is to scoff and mock them. Because of their immense strength, frost giants make good use of Power Attack. They also enjoy using the Sunder feat to destroy their opponent’s weapons and armor. Not only do the giants enjoy such rampant destruction, they believe it frightens their enemies. Though generally lacking in coordination, frost giants show considerable cunning when it comes to planning ambushes. Their resistance to cold enables them to burrow deep into snow banks and snowy slopes, where they lie in wait for an enemy to pass by. They then burst from the snow and use their moment of surprise to launch a vicious attack against their targets. Most giants focus all their attacks on a single opponent until he is defeated, hoping to get the opportunity to use their Cleave and Great Cleave feats to good effect.

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Moreover, frost giants treat killing blows as the only significant indicator of prowess and are selfish enough not to work together, except in situations of truly dire proportions.

Society Compared to, say, hill giants and stone giants, frost giant possess a complicated social structure. Families still exist, headed by a powerful male, his mate, and children, but they do not play as important a role. Instead, frost giant tribes are much more important. These tribes consist of multiple families and are headed by a leader called a jarl (or in some cases, an earl). Jarls are nobles in the truest sense: they are superior to the "lesser" frost giants they rule, both in terms of ability and attitude. Though still chaotic, they show a much greater ability to plan ahead and see the world from a different perspective, which makes them among the only frost giants who can transcend the cycle of selfishness and violence that are hallmarks of their society. Though often hidden behind a veil of "honor," the basic motivation of frost giant society is greed. Frost giants seek to acquire as much of everything that they can – food, weapons, gold, even mates. However, frost giants show minimal interest in sharing with others, or even in assisting their fellows in achieving common goals. When faced with the choice between self-aggrandizement and aiding another frost giant, the choice is an easy one for a frost giant to make. This same motivation colors the way they undertake almost every activity. Frost giants often recognize when an endeavor is dangerous or potentially life-threatening. Yet, they fear the possibility that one of their fellows might succeed at it and thereby improve his standing in the tribe. Most giants would thus rather undertake even a suicidal mission themselves than risk the chance that a rival could gain advantage over them, whether materially or socially. This is because frost giants view life as a zero sum game. Anytime someone wins, someone else loses. They would do anything they can to avoid being on the losing side of a proposition – even if it means losing their life in the process.

This is difficult for outsiders to understand, because it might seem as if a giant’s life is less valuable than his possessions while alive. In a sense that is exactly correct. Possessions are useful only to the living. After death, a giant’s soul passes into the realm of Ice, where they must once again fend for themselves and amass a new collection of goods under the watchful eyes of their god. One’s possessions in this life provide no comfort in the next; one’s deeds, on the other hand, grant Ice’s favor. Consequently, there is a paradoxical drive to amass as much wealth as possible, and therefore one’s personal comforts, while at the same time recognizing that these comforts are transitory and illusory compared to glorious deeds. Frost giants do undertake a wide variety of great deeds – at least in their own minds. Raiding and pillaging is the most common of these deeds. Frost giants are not incapable of farming or herding, but their native environment is harsh and unforgiving. Few see much point in wasting time with these difficult activities when it much easier (and more glorious) to attack enemies and seize their items instead. In

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Frost Giants fact, frost giants sometimes raid simply for the pleasure of destruction and the knowledge that they can do so. That is, some frost giants engage in "glory wars," the goal of which is simply to steal a small item of inconsequential value from a difficult to reach or secure location. The war is a test of physical prowess and courage and shows that even these giants consciously realize that there are things in life more valuable than possessions.

Hunting Raids are indeed an important part of the frost giant economy. So too is hunting. Much like glory wars, hunting gives frost giant warriors the opportunity to show their skills in battle. Unlike them, their skills are directed toward a communal goal, one in which the whole of the tribe shares the spoils. This is an obviously unusual activity, which even the giants recognize as running counter to the most basic elements of their society. That is why hunting possesses a mildly religious character, with a cleric or adept presiding over the hunters and invoking the blessings of Ice. Hunts can last for days or even weeks, depending on the prey. Dire animals are common objects of hunts as are winter wolves. More rarely, hunts are called for white dragons. These hunts occur very infrequently, not least of which because frost giants generally call white dragons their allies. However, the creation of a new tribe or the sealing of an alliance is sealed with the blood of a white dragon and the eating of its roasted flesh is a sign of friendship between frost giants. Because hunting is a religious duty, many of the normal frost giant social dynamics do not apply. Instead of the constant jockeying for position and chaotic melees, hunts are typically well-regulated and organized affairs. They show the extent to which these giants are capable of cooperation and coordination, if properly motivated and directed.

Jarls Jarls are the leaders of frost giant tribes. They obtain – and hold – their position of authority by sheer force of arms. Any giant capable of defeating a sitting jarl may legally claim his place if he so chooses. Female giants rarely become jarls, because they commonly lack the strength found in their male counterparts. However, should they challenge and defeat a jarl in open combat, they can claim their place rightfully and even the most traditional elders will not grumble overly much. The important thing to bear in mind is that assassination and subterfuge is considered an illicit means to defeat an incumbent jarl. Nothing short of open combat, in full view of the tribe, is considered lawful. Jarls also rule through religious sentiment. A jarl is considered the Chosen of Ice and uses this status to motivate his tribe. For example, only a jarl can call a hunt. It is this authority that allows a jarl to counteract the chaotic and reckless nature of his people. He can only do so for short periods of time and for very specific purposes. Likewise, he cannot do so in a manner that calls his judgment into question. Though the Chosen, Ice is a fickle deity and can – or be interpreted to – remove his favor from even the most powerful jarls if they act improperly.

In recent years, some jarls have decided to treat traditional enemies as subjects of hunts rather than of warfare. Though a novel interpretation, it has gained the blessings of clerics and adepts. In this way, cooperation is ensured. Dwarves and humans who have become the object of a hunt rarely survive unless they are extraordinarily powerful and well coordinated themselves. Some scholars believe it is only a matter of time before a particularly ambitious and powerful jarl unites several tribes under his banner and initiates a hunt against a kingdom or nation – undoubtedly with devastating effects.

Relations with Others For evil giants, frost giants maintain incredibly good relations with a wide variety of other creatures. Ogres, for example, are often used as trusted guards and servants. Ogre magi are, of course, highly prized as well; although frost giants possess sufficient magic of their own so as not make their presence a necessity. Frost giants also trade with ogres for goods they need, in addition to the aforementioned services. Frost giants have fewer interactions with others of their kind. Alliances and pacts between frost giant tribes are not uncommon, but leagues with other races of giant-kind are rare. This is not due to any sort of ill feeling on the part of frost giants. Rather, it is simple geographical necessity. No other giant race, certainly no other evil aligned one, is commonly found in the far north. Occasionally, evil cloud giants will take up residence atop a snowy peak. In such cases, frost giants will approach them seeking either an alliance or, more likely, employment as mercenaries in the cloud giant’s own machinations. Frost giants seek out glory wherever they can find it – even if is in the service of others. Frost giants maintain good relations with white dragons. Both races share a common love of senseless destruction and an interest in material acquisition. This also makes the two races rivals, but giants have learned over the millennia how to avoid creating undue stress on their relationship. One example of this is that frost giants who wish to hunt white dragons consult with these creatures beforehand to select a dragon that has fallen from favor with his fellows. In this way, the giants get their opportunity to gain glory while they show respect for the opinions of the dragons in their vicinity. They also subtly hint that they are quite capable of taking on a white dragon, if circumstances dictate, a lesson not lost on the dragons. Pets and guard animals are also present in many frost giant lairs. Winter wolves are the most common of these guardians, although dire bears are not unheard of. In cases where there is an especially close relationship between a giant tribe and a white dragon, the dragon may take up residence inside the frost giants’ lair itself. Reports also exist of frost giants keeping large black puddings as guardians. If these reports are true, the oozes are of an unusual albino variety, making them snow white in color rather than the usual putrid black.

Environment As their name suggests, frost giants prefer to live in cold environments. Anywhere ice and snow are commonplace make good homes for these giant warriors. Frost giants are

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Frost Giants to serve as slaves, typically in mines and other underground locales. Ogres and other smaller creatures run slave pens. Frost giants rarely make captives of others of their kind, preferring execution or ransom, if the giant in question is especially important.

Caverns Poor or otherwise downtrodden frost giants may take up residence in natural ice caverns. These accommodations are considered sub-par by all but the weakest of frost giants, since possession of a sturdy castle is considered the true sign of a jarl’s power. Interestingly, cavern-dwelling frost giants are much more likely to attract the service of a white dragon, since these great beasts dwell within caverns. Consequently, giant-slayers are to be advised that it is not necessarily the case that a cavern-dwelling tribe is impoverished or without resources. Indeed, it is even possible that they may well possess multiple dragon guards, which more than make up for the "indignity" of living in a cave like hill or stone giants.

Frost Giant Characters

not, strictly speaking, unable to live in other climates, but they are temperamentally ill suited to doing so. If they live for long in an area whose temperature is much above freezing, they become short tempered and even more chaotic. Consequently, only the most vainglorious frost giant would see much reason to travel to more temperate climes, let alone settle there.

Castles Frost giants are builders. They are quite good at constructing fortresses for themselves from blocks of carved ice and stone. These fortresses resemble the castles used by humans and other smaller races in most respects, except size. As one might expect, the castle of a frost giant jarl is immense, even by the standards of so large a race. This is precisely the way jarls wish it. A jarl’s castle is an outward manifestation of his power and prestige. Consequently, most tend toward the grandiose in design, with multiple high towers and impressive battlements. The central keep of the castle is home to the jarl himself. His inner circle of advisors and their families live in buildings nearby. The rank and file of the tribe live in outlying buildings, some of them not even within the walls of the castle. Beneath the keep, there are often dungeons and other subterranean structures. Frost giants enjoy keeping captives

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Frost giants are, by nature and conditioning, a martial race. They tend toward fighting professions when choosing a character class. Barbarians and fighters are by far the most common. Rangers too exist especially in tribes where the practice of the hunt is regularly entertained. There are, of course, no paladins or monks among the frost giants, as they both demand too great an attention to law, never mind good. Spellcasters, such as wizards and sorcerers, also exist but are rare. Of the two, sorcerers are much more common. Most large frost giant settlements include at least one sorcerer in their midst, perhaps even a blood disciple. Clerics are an important part of frost giant society. They lead the worship of Ice, as well as provide support to jarls in their duties as leaders. Clerics have access to any two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, and War (most choose Destruction or War). These are in addition to the domains of Cold, Giant, and Trickery associated with the worship of Ice. Druids are close to unknown among frost giants. Bards exist but are rare. Frost giants, being a society obsessed with glory, take delight in the stories of their forefathers and the warriors of the past. Thus, there is a natural place for bards in their society. Rogues, however, are almost nonexistent. Their abilities, though useful, tend toward the sneaky and subtle, traits not revered by these giants. Indeed, frost giants consider such traits beneath them and not the marks of a true warrior. Their laws regarding the sanctity of property and possessions are very strict and rogues who circumvent them quickly find themselves on the receiving end of harsh justice.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Frost Giants

Arcanis Connection Frost Giants There are but a few places that frost giants dwell upon Onara, since they prefer the hoary cold or at least high altitudes and frozen rocky landscapes. The lofty northern portions of the Wall of the Gods is known to have frost giants said to be consummate crafters and smiths, and that they have collected huge hoards of gems and ancient artifacts from the oldest frozen ice. The Skohir of the Hinterlands tell tales of their frosty northern homeland, and of mighty frost giant Jarls and chiefs who dwell in grand longhouses or in sculpted castles of ice. One popular folktale tells of a frost giant sorceress and her tribe, who pilot a giant iceberg fortress-ship preceded by horrible foggy weather. They stalk the northern waves and raid other ships and villages along the fjords and coastlines. The appearance of a far-ranging lone iceberg off the Bleak Coast is directly tied by the Skohir to these old tales and seen as a bad omen. These icebergs are rare, and are harvested as a delicacy in the hot and arid Hinterlands, but the Skohir will not use the "cursed ice" to the point of dying of thirst. Frost giants are known to inhabit the Corlathian Mountains, and also the lofty Lhauzhyr range, especially north of the great frozen lake underneath the city-state of Hegoch in Uggur. These giants often act in collusion with powerful mountain creatures, such as high-dwelling white carnivorous apes and leucrottas. A lone account from a lost Khitani ship states that far to the south, the temperature becomes cold again, and that many polar creatures live there, including terrible shaggy drakes and numerous frost giants.

Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): A frost giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds (Small objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A frost giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a

Frost Giant NPCs Below are some typical frost giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of frost giants that adventurers are likely to encounter.

Typical Frost Giant Large Giant (Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+70 (133 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee; or rock +9/+4 ranged Damage: Huge greataxe 2d8+13; or rock 2d6+9 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, cold subtype Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +13, Jump +13, Spot +6 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder

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Frost Giants Frost Giant 4th-level Barbarian

Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Cold Subtype (Ex): Cold immunity; double damage from fire except on a successful save.

Frost Giant 1st-level Fighter Large Giant (Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+84, plus 1d10+6 (170 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 24 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greataxe +19/+14 melee; or rock +10/+5 ranged Damage: Huge greataxe 2d8+16; or rock 2d6+12 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, cold subtype Saves: Fort +17, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str 34, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +20, Hide +1, Jump +19, Spot +11 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Weapon Focus (greataxe) Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evi Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Cold Subtype (Ex): As above.

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Large Giant (Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+98, plus 4d12+28 (218 hp) Initiative: -2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 20 (-1 size, -2 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee; or rock +9/+4 ranged Damage: Huge greataxe 2d8+17; or rock 2d6+13 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, cold subtype, rage 2/day, uncanny dodge Saves: Fort +20, Ref +3, Will +5 Abilities: Str 36, Dex 6, Con 24, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 16 Skills: Climb +21, Intimidate +7, Intuit Direction +4, Jump +22, Listen +7, Move Silently +1, Spot +17 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Cold Subtype (Ex): As above.

Frost Giant 7th-level Cleric Large Giant (Cold) Hit Dice: 14d8+70, plus 7d8+35 (234 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee; or rock +9/+4 ranged Damage: Huge greataxe 2d8+13; or rock 2d6+9 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spells Special Qualities: Rock catching, cold subtype Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +10, Diplomacy +4, Heal +7, Jump +18, Knowledge (Arcana) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Profession (Miner) +5, Spellcraft +9, Spot +11 Feats: Cleave, Empower Spell, Great Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 18 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often chaotic evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spells: 6 /5+1 /4+1 /2+1 /1+1; 0—Detect magic, Detect poison, Guidance, Inflict minor wounds, Light,

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Fire Giants Mending; 1—Detect good, Inflict light wounds (x2), Protection from good, Shield of faith; 2—Bull’s strength, desecrate, hold person, inflict moderate wounds; 3--Bestow curse, Contagion; 4—Greater magic weapon Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Cold Subtype (Ex): As above.

Fire Giants

With the possible exception of evil cloud giants, no other race so exemplifies the perfidy of which giant-kind is capable. Brutal, ruthless, and militaristic, fire giants lack both the flaws of their evil brethren and the virtues of their good kin. Not content to scheme amongst themselves, their evil is vast in its scope and insatiable in its lust. Their evil is also extremely well disciplined and organized, giving them the potential to be true scourges upon the face of the earth. For good reason, those who encounter them fear fire giants; they are recognized as one of the gravest threats to good in existence.

Physical Description Fire giants are as different physiologically from their peers as they are psychologically and socially. Standing 12 feet tall on average, they are not much taller than their stone giant cousins and are almost diminutive compared to frost giants. However, fire giants have broad, burly chests measuring nine feet around, as well as comparatively short, thick arms and legs. They weigh over 7,000 pounds, making them far heavier than all but the mighty storm giants. Ironically, this gives fire giants a squat appearance very much like that of Dwarves – their worst enemies. Of course, their coal-black skin and flaming red or orange hair (often worn long and tied in elaborate braids) clearly set them apart from their ancient foes. Fire giants possess long lower jaws that project outward from their face, giving them a decidedly inhuman (and un-Dwarven) look. Their mouths are filled with large dirty white and yellow teeth. Male fire giants usually sport beards and mustaches, although this is far from a universal rule. Female of the race look similar to the males, but are shorter and lighter. They possess somewhat less Dwarven proportions but are still obviously stout in body shape. Fire giants can live for as long as 350 years, although the warlike nature of their society means that most males typically live significantly shorter lives. Leather and cloth are the favored materials from which fire giants make their garments. The hides of fire-resistant animals, such as hell hounds and pyrohydras, are favored over other sorts because of the harsh environment in which they reside. Many giants dye their clothing black, red, yellow, or orange, both because they better blend in with the natural surroundings of fire giant lairs and because these colors are sacred to Fire. Warriors prefer to wear chainmail and helmets, both made from blackened steel. Heroes and other powerful fighters sometimes don magical or dragon-hide armor. The latter is held in special esteem, since fire giants

have a longstanding feud with the red dragons, with whom they share a love of flame but little else.

Combat and Warfare Fire giants are deadly warriors. Even the youngest and weakest members of their society are capable of fighting against a variety of opponents. Children are instructed from a young age in the proper use of weapons, as well as in basic tactics. Females and elderly giants can also hold their own when forced to engage in battle. Of course, the entire male population of the race possesses both the skills and the weapons to wage war at any time. Little wonder then that fire giants seem to be a society constantly in the throes of combat.

Weapons Being both a warrior people and talented weaponsmiths, fire giants wield a wide range of weapons. The weapon of choice for a giant warrior is the greatsword. Held in both hands, this mighty weapon is the signature of a true fire giant hero. Tales of valor and glory among the fire giants often credit success not only to the warrior himself but also to his greatsword. This weapon is seen as a gift from Fire, for it can only be properly forged by a lengthy and painstaking process that requires exposure to extreme heat and steam. Fire giants usually name their weapons, believing that their swords will better serve them if they can call upon them by name in battle. As one might expect, their names, when translated into Common, are both colorful and vicious: "Skull-splitter," "Foe-smasher," "Cleaver in twain," and so forth. Of course, not all fire giants use greatswords. Some simply lack the funds necessary to acquire these weapons. Others simply prefer other implements of destruction. There is no dishonor in using another weapon, even if the greatsword occupies cultural pride of place. Slashing and piercing weapons, like spears, knives, daggers, and other types of swords, are the most popular. Some fire giants, especially those who take pleasure in their Sunder feat, also use bludgeoning weapons, like warhammers. Missile weapons are rare, but not unheard of. Greatbows and javelins are much more common than crossbows, but the latter do exist among wealthy and sophisticated tribes. Rocks, of course, are popular as well. Though not as adept at rock throwing as some of their kin, fire giants nevertheless take pleasure in a well-thrown rock. They have even developed a number of techniques to make up for their lack of skill, such as heating rocks over steam vents or dowsing them in lava flows. Unlike lesser types of giants, fire giants have good access to magical weapons. Both sorcerers and clerics are important parts of their society. Sorcerers are seen as special servants of Fire, who is worshipped as a god of magic, among other things. Both types of spellcasters work with smiths to produce magic weapons of all sorts, as well as magical armor. Magical – especially intelligent – greatswords are prized above all others. The mark of a true hero or powerful king is the possession of a mighty magical greatsword, preferably christened in battle against the hated Dwarves or red dragons.

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Fire Giants

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Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Fire Giants

Strategy

Society

As noted elsewhere, fire giants are excellent tacticians and strategists. Their lawful nature aids them immensely when it comes to the practice of war. Fire giants possess an almost innate sense of order and recognize those above them in the chain of command as worthy of respect and obedience. In addition, they work well together, using a variety of fighting styles that take advantage of this feature of their psychology. Fire giant warriors are rarely found alone. Most travel and fight with a partner, with whom he has trained extensively for years, perhaps even since childhood. The bond of friendship and trust between these partners is one highly regarded among fire giants, being on par with – or exceeding – the bond between mates.

Fire giant society is orderly and disciplined. Both families and tribes are organized in a hierarchical structure, based on a combination of age, strength, and skill at arms. Typically, males occupy all the important positions within a fire giant tribe. Females are considered weaker and, therefore, less important by virtue of that fact. Of course, not all female fire giants either agree with or exemplify this characterization. If a female is capable of besting a male in the hierarchy, she may be granted the rights and privileges usually reserved for males. The same is true of both young and elderly fire giants as well. Anyone who can show their physical prowess can, in theory, gain a place within the hierarchy of fire giant society.

Fire giants love to take advantage of terrain when fighting. Consequently, they prefer to do battle in areas of intense heat or volcanic activity, since these pose little threat to them. Their immunity to fire enables them to stride freely through geysers, lava pools, and heat vents without concern for their safety. This gives them exceptional mobility. It is also used to taunt their enemies and goad them into taking unnecessary risks that could result in their running afoul of these hazards. Fire giants also enjoy grabbing their enemies and tossing (or pushing) them into open flames and pools of molten rock. Their training teaches fire giants that no tactic is worthy of contempt. Sometimes, fighting "dirty" or dishonorably is the key to victory and few fire giants care more for the abstract principle of fair play than they do for victory.

However, it is important to note that the very nature of the societal h i e r a r c h y militates against this possibility in most cases. That is, most fire giants simply accept the status quo as "they way things should be." Even females and young giants, who are least well served by the current regime, rarely question it in any significant way. Religious leaders, who use the dogma of Fire to keep everyone in their place, reinforce this psychology. This is not to say that there are never revolts or uprisings against the hierarchy. They can and have occurred throughout history. To be successful, though, they have to not only overthrow their predecessors but also convince the majority of those not engaged in the revolt that things will be better if they do. Like all giants, fire giants prize strength and valor above all else. They rarely turn their backs on a winner, no matter how much he or she might act counter to established norms.

Rocks and other missile weapons are used for two purposes. The first is defensive. In the initial stages of a combat, rock throwers and bowman make their attacks against their targets, in order to weaken them and give the other warriors time to take up their positions for melee. These missiles are typically heated or set ablaze in order to deal added damage. The sight of a molten rock or flaming arrow also serves the purpose of disheartening opponents by striking fear into them – a favorite fire giant tactic. The second use of missile weapons is to distract targets and, with luck, push them into dangerous areas. A well-thrown rock, for example, can force an opponent into a lava pool or trap him near a heated steam vent. Then, a giant warrior closes in for the kill, laughing as he walks unaffected through the flames.

Fire giants show great aptitude both as craftsmen and as spellcasters. Weapon and armorsmithing are both revered occupations, while spellcasters – especially sorcerers – are viewed with awe. Fire giants do mine ores and gems for use in their crafting of items they use or desire. They frequently use slaves of various sorts (although never Dwarves, whom they kill rather than take captive), in addition to lesser humanoid creatures, to collect these minerals.

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Fire Giants For the most part, though, there is little in the way of art or learning that does not in some way relate to the practice of warfare. Some loremasters argue that fire giant society would collapse if it were not constantly at war. The thesis has proven difficult to prove or disprove, because no one has ever encountered a tribe of these giants that was not engaged in at least a low-level war with its neighbors. Most fire giants fight against several enemies at once, in the process mobilizing their entire populace toward this endeavor. Indeed, for as long as anyone can remember, fire giants have been at war with their neighbors and with each other. Their wars against the Dwarves and red dragons are the longest lasting and most vicious, but fire giants are ecumenical in the search for enemies. They will – and do – fight almost anyone for any reason.

What is most curious about the warlike nature of fire giants is that it seems to be directed toward no end other than the maintenance of their social structure. That is, their society is organized like a military camp. Therefore, they must fight wars in order to justify this structure. Naturally, only wags accept this line of reasoning as anything but a joke, but the fact remains that the constant state of war these giants experience is curious indeed. They seemingly have little interest in territorial expansion as such. Beyond a quest for ores, gemstones and bits of ancient lore, there appears to be no real rationale for their continued battles against other creatures. The truth of the matter is shrouded in mystery and appears to rest in the psychology of their leaders – the kings and queens.

Kings and Queens The chiefs of the fire giant race style themselves kings and queens, believing in their divine right to rule. This belief is supported by the clerics of Fire, who acknowledge them to the chosen of their god. This divinely ordained position, coupled with the lawful nature of the fire giants, could partly explain how and why perpetual war can be maintained, at least in the short term. In the long term, though, a more significant explanation is required. That explanation is simple: fire giant kings and queens believe themselves – and their race – to be the true gods of the world. They recognize the connections between fire, magic, and power, as well as their own affinities for each. They see these as signs that, once, in the distant past, fire giants ruled the world from their great castles of basalt and obsidian. At some point, they were cast down, or fell through their own hubris, into their present degraded state, awaiting the day when they may reclaim their divinity and assume their proper place as rulers of the world. This belief is not one commonly held by the average fire giant. Rather, it appears to be a peculiar artifact of fire giant psychology that appears only as a giant gains greater power and influence. By the time a giant has ascended a throne as a king or queen, he or she is convinced of his own incipient divinity. This seems to be especially true of queens, since they must overcome numerous societal barriers to gain their position, thereby "proving" their superiority over others. This "divinity complex" appears to outsiders to be a form of insanity – power madness – that only grows more intense with time and constant warfare. In the end, it reinforces the

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drive to war, which only drives the giant deeper into his madness, which then escalates the cycle to the next stage. The most powerful of fire giant chiefs are usually mighty fighters with sorcerous abilities, including dynamancy. These giants look upon Fire itself as nothing but a metaphor for the divine spark within the fire giant race. This heresy is not discouraged by those clerics who know of it, leading some loremasters to wonder if it might not be true. Even if it is not, there is little question that fire giant kings and queens believe to be so, seeing themselves and their followers as gods in the making. The practice of war and the accumulation of knowledge is the key to ascension and the true raison d’être of the race.

Relations with Others Despite their warlike nature, fire giants enjoy a wide variety of amicable relations with other creatures. Ettins and trolls are common servants and foot soldiers in fire giant armies. Both species are inherently more chaotic than giants prefer, but they have nonetheless shown themselves to be fierce – and loyal – warriors when used in battle. More importantly, both fear fire giants’ command of flames and rarely act contrary to their orders, despite their otherwise unpredictable natures. Fire giants also have good relations with outsiders from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Both fire elementals and hell hounds can sometimes be found in their service, summoned by clerics and sorcerers, or sent as gifts by devils or even Fire. Hell hounds are especially popular among fire giants, who use them as guard dogs and hunting animals. Some fire giants even show a strange affection for these noxious beasts, treating them as pets rather than as mere servants. Of course, many other races serve as slaves for fire giants. In battle, these giants often take many captives, whom they put to use as house slaves or as workers in their mines and foundries. Sometimes, captives will be ransomed or used as hostages to extort wealth, weapons, or other concessions from enemies. Dwarves are one of the few exceptions, as they are slain rather than captured. Fire giants hate the Dwarves with a passion surpassing all other evil giants. The similarity in their appearance suggests that there might be some ancestral link between the diminutive race and their immense look-alikes. Others argue more reasonably that their shared interest in mining and smithing has more to do with the hatred. Still others point out that Dwarves are among the only races that can, despite their size, hold their own against the fire giants, a fact that undoubtedly perturbs these proud warriors. Red dragons are among the few natural enemies of the fire giants, partially because they share the same environments. In addition, red dragons have shown a remarkable interest in disrupting fire giant war efforts. For no reason other than sheer perversity, these dragons attack the giants, often causing immense casualties. For their part, the fire giants return the animosity by raiding red dragon lairs, slaying all the adult dragons within and capturing the young, whom they then domesticate and train to attack their own kind. This in turn leads to further retaliation by the dragons,

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Fire Giants further escalating the cycle of violence. Rumors also persist of weird half-giant, half-dragon crossbreeds that are used by one or the other side of this conflict (or both) as shock troops. The origins of the conflict are lost in the mists of time, unknown to any but the oldest dragons and giant kings. Some believe it relates to the giants’ quest for their lost divinity, while others claim the dragons played a role in the giants’ fall from grace. Whatever the truth, red dragons are among the few creatures that earn even more enmity than the Dwarves – an amazing achievement! Fire giants, though bellicose, will trade and make treaties with those they deem worthy of the effort. This includes other giants, especially evil cloud giants, in addition to humans and even Elves. Admittedly, few good-aligned creatures trust these giants. Yet, the fact remains that fire giants are, if nothing else, trustworthy, at least so long as its to their advantage in sticking to the letter of their agreements. Consequently, any race that enters into an alliance with the fire giants had best consider carefully why the giants have offered this arrangement and how long those conditions will prevail, for as soon as they do not, they will assuredly go their own way.

Environment Fire giants prefer to live in regions of fire and flame. Volcanically active areas are among their favorite spots in the world, as are places where geothermal vents or extreme heat

are commonplace. Rocky terrain is also preferred to all other sorts. Fire giants especially dislike forests of any sort, since it makes it difficult for them to move easily and forests catch fire far too easily. If an area with a strong connection to the Plane of Elemental Fire exists, fire giants will seek it out, treating it as a pilgrimage spot where they can worship Fire in its purest and most undiluted form.

Castles In keeping with the military nature of their society, fire giants are great castle builders. Like their cousins, the frost giants, fire giants build immense castles from stone and metal. These huge structures are remarkably feats of engineering and architecture, with high walls and multiple towers, as well a moat containing lava or heated water. The interior of the castle usually contains at least a keep, in which the fire giant king or queen resides, along with his or her family and closest retainers. A number of other buildings house the king’s entourage and warriors. Smaller structures outside the castle, including satellite castles, house the remainder of the tribe. Castles are often built near mountains or any other place where mines are located. Castles also serve as fortifications in other strategic locales, such as near a gate to the Plane of Elemental Fire or a ford in a river. Fire giants may not take much interest in seizing land, but they enjoy the power that comes from preventing others who value it from obtaining it themselves.

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Fire Giants Caverns Occasionally, fire giants will also take up residence underground in vast cavern complexes. Their reasons for doing so vary from tribe to tribe, but can generally be broken down into three categories. The first, and rarest, is poverty. Some fire giant tribes simply lack the skills or funds necessary to build huge castles. Since they can be excellent miners, it makes much more economic sense to rework already existing natural structures. The second possibility is strategic. A giant tribe might wish to lay claim to a cavern because it possesses something of greater value, such as rich veins of ore or access to a planar portal. In these cases, the giants rework the caverns as best they can to provide a defensive structure suited to their needs. Indeed, some cavern lairs can be as elaborate and well defended as any castle, as more than one giant-slayer has discovered over the centuries. The third possibility is a subset of the second. In this case, the strategic value is related to the giants’ ongoing quest to reclaim their lost heritage. For a number of reasons, a giant king or queen may believe that a cavern offers clues or insights into restoring the giants to their proper place in the universe. This is especially true of locales that contain ancient and unexplained ruins and structures. With their long lives and single-mindedness, fire giants can be incredible investigators of the past – particularly when their dreams of divine restoration are at stake.

Arcanis Connection Fire Giants Among the volcanic northern mountains of Canceri and the Hinterlands there dwell many fire giants. Most are independent tyrant lords of their domain, bowing to none save the most powerful among their kind. However, some few, notably from the snowflecked fiery clefts of Nier's Spine, have allied themselves nominally to the similar militaristic outlook of the val'Virdan clans based in the fortified holds of Hunder, Lohwach and the Vrain. A few of these giants have offered their services over the centuries, also allying what Nierite priests they have to val'Virdan causes, but not before direct subservience to Nier. Some fire giants become embroiled in the inter-clan wars between these fortresses and respective contesting Nihang or Akali. This political conflict is made more complex to outside observers by those giants allying themselves to the Swords of Nier in Erduk. Wars between the fire giant clans and the dwarven enclave of Nol Dappa add fuel to this fire so that giant conduct, policies, and alliances in this region are as turbulent as the rumbling volcanoes these beings live upon. There is a small clan of fire giants living in the Pirate Isles on the island of Naori, around the volcano called Ghord. The armor they wear is hammered

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blackened iron chased and set with gold and huge lustrous fire rubies. They are said to be led by an immortal priest who serves the fire god inside the volcano. It is also said that there is a lone fire giant clan in the one volcanic peak of the western Aqtau Mountains, renowned for their smiths and metal-craft. They have a massive forge that is manned nearly day and night, and the titanic hammering report from their anvils can be heard echoing for many miles away. Many flaming swords and the finest giant breastplates come from this place, along with worked and crafted valuables of sublime perfection. It is said that there is an ancient Nierite temple sanctum overlooking the smithy that may be visited on certain holy days to Nier. Although the giants tolerate pious adherents and even some Kelekenes to go there, even to view the silhouetted giants at work from a distance, they punish trespass to their workplace itself mercilessly, afterward throwing broken bodies and weapons to the hellish glowing forge and smelters without a further thought. This clan also has an uneasy truce with the nearest dwarven enclave of Tultipet, often broken and re-mended over centuries of placation to open warfare and back again ceaselessly. The reason for this truce is unknown completely, and even most of the fire giants and dwarves have forgotten, yet still it continues on as a time-honored tradition.

Fire Giant Characters As one might expect, most fire giant characters are fighters. Rangers exist and almost always choose either Dwarves or dragons as their favored enemies. Barbarians are rare in the extreme, because of their generally chaotic and disorderly demeanor. Paladins are virtually non-existent, because of their good alignment. Fire giant monks dedicated to the service of Fire do exist, although they are rare. At least one monastery is reported and others may lie hidden on some forgotten mountaintop or deep within an active volcano. These monks seek to release the fire within them by selfdiscipline and training, thereby regaining the divinity they once possessed.

Wizards and sorcerers exist among fire giants with the latter being more common. The few wizards are usually evokers specializing in fire magic. Both types of spellcasters occupy important places in their society, since their arcane abilities are seen as further evidence of the giants’ divine heritage. Bards are uncommon, both because of the lawful nature of fire giant society and its relative paucity of music, song, and other art forms. Clerics dedicated to Fire are also important in fire giant society. They keep the flame of worship alive among their people, as well as point the way toward a return to divinity. Clerics also deal with outsiders, such as elementals and hell hounds, since they too are servants of Fire. They can choose two domains from among Evil, Law, Trickery, and War. Rogues generally function as scouts or assassins in fire giant

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Fire Giants society. The profession of "thief" is rare among these giants, because they place relatively little stock on personal possessions. Moreover, stealth and subterfuge are better focused on warfare rather than self-aggrandizement. Consequently, rogues usually find themselves working toward the goals of battle when they are found at all.

Fire Giant NPCs Below are some typical fire giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of fire giants that adventurers are likely to encounter.

Typical Fire Giant Large Giant (Fire) Hit Dice: 15d8+75 (142 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (chainmail); base 40 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +5 chainmail) Attacks: Huge greatsword +20/+15/+10 melee; or rock +10/+5/+0 ranged Damage: Huge greatsword 2d8+15; or rock 2d6+10 and 2d6 fire Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, fire subtype Saves: Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Spot +17 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Standard coins Alignment: Often lawful evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): A fire giant can hurl rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A fire giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Fire Subtype (Ex): Fire immunity, double damage from cold except on a successful save.

Fire Giant 1st-level Fighter Large Giant (Fire) Hit Dice: 15d8+75+1d10+5 (152 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (chainmail); base 40 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +5 chainmail) Attacks: Huge greatsword +21/+16/+11 melee; or rock +11/+6/+1 ranged Damage: Huge greatsword 2d8+15; or rock 2d6+10 and 2d6 fire Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, fire subtype Saves: Fort +16, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Spot +17, Craft (Weaponsmith) +4, Jump +14 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Knock Back, Swat Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard coins Alignment: Often lawful evil Special Attacks Rock throwing (Ex): A cloud giant can hurl rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds (Medium-sized objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock catching (Ex): A cloud giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Fire Subtype (Ex): Fire immunity, double damage from cold except on a successful save.

Fire Giant 4th-level Cleric Large Giant (Fire) Hit Dice: 15d8+75+4d8+20 (142 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (chainmail); base 40 ft. AC: 22 (-1 size, +8 natural, +5 chainmail) Attacks: Huge greatsword +23/+18/+13 melee; or rock +13/+8/+3 ranged Damage: Huge greatsword 2d8+15; or rock 2d6+10 and 2d6 fire Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, fire subtype, Spells, Spontaneous Casting: Negative Energy. Saves: Fort +17, Ref +5, Will +8 Abilities: Str 31, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 13

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Cloud Giants Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Spot +17, Spellcraft +5, Heal +7, Concentration +10 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Combat Casting Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Standard coins Alignment: Often lawful evil Special Attacks Rock throwing (Ex): A cloud giant can hurl rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds (Medium-sized objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Rock catching (Ex): A cloud giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Fire Subtype (Ex): Fire immunity, double damage from cold except on a successful save. Divine Spells per day (5/4/3): Typically prepared spells include: 0—detect magic, guidance (x2), mending, resistance; 1st—command, protection from Good, shield of faith, summon monster I; 2nd— bull's strength, endurance, speak with animals. (Domains Evil and War)

Arcane spells per day (6/6/6/4): Spells known; 0— arcane mark, detect magic, light, open/close, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1st—alarm, reduce, sleep, true strike, Burning Hands; 2nd—arcane lock, Flaming Sphere, summon monster II; 3rd—dispel magic, Fireball. Special Qualities Rock catching (Ex): A cloud giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Fire Subtype (Ex): Fire immunity, double damage from cold except on a successful save.

Cloud Giants

Cloud giants are set as high above their lesser giant brethren as their cloud castles are set above the Earth below. Other than storm giants, who they consider their peers, cloud giants see themselves as superior to all other sorts of giants. This lofty attitude usually extends to other "earthbound" races like humans and, even the most well-meaning cloud giants, can be rather condescending toward "lesser" beings. Needless to say, this does not endear cloud giants to others, which suits them just fine.

Fire Giant 7th-level Sorcerer Large Giant (Fire) Hit Dice: 15d8+75+4d7+35 (191 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (chainmail); base 40 ft. AC: 20 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural, +4 Mithral Shirt) Attacks: Huge greatsword +22/+17/+12 melee; or rock +12/+7/+2 ranged Damage: Huge greatsword 2d8+15; or rock 2d6+10 and 2d6 fire Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, Spells Special Qualities: Rock catching, fire subtype, Spells Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +10 Abilities: Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Spot +17, Spellcraft +5, Concentration +10 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Combat Casting Challenge Rating: 17 Treasure: Standard coins Alignment: Often lawful evil Special Attacks Rock throwing (Ex): A cloud giant can hurl rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds (Medium-sized objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks.

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Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Cloud Giants

Physical Description Cloud giants are among the largest of giants, standing about 18 feet tall and weighing around 5,000 pounds. Their features are more refined and attractive than those of lesser giants and their bodies are more finely proportioned. Cloud giants have smooth, pale skin ranging in color from milky white tinged with blue through sky blue or pearly gray. Their hair has a metallic quality to it, from silvery white, to brassy or golden blond and occasionally coppery red-gold. Their eyes are iridescent blue or stormy gray, sometimes changing color according to the giant's mood. Female cloud giants are slightly smaller and lighter than males, with similar coloration. They often wear their hair quite long, caught up with combs or headbands, and woven or braided in various elaborate styles. Cloud giants are fond of fine clothing and ornamentation. Their garments are usually made from fine, soft fabrics like cotton or silk, usually white or dyed in various pastel hues like sky blue, light gray, or different sunset or sunrise colors (rose, violet, pale yellow, etc.). They typically wear several pieces of jewelry, particularly necklaces, torcs, arm-rings, bracelets, finger-rings, earrings, and headbands or diadems (sometimes all of the above). Female cloud giants also have jeweled combs for their hair. Large broaches and cloak-clasps are worn by both sexes, usually richly jeweled or enameled. Silver is the cloud giants' favorite material for jewelry, although platinum and white gold are also common.

Combat and Warfare

Cloud giants are careful fighters and tacticians. They disdain the savagery and battle-lust of lesser giants in favor for cool detachment and strategy (even evil cloud giants). Unlike most giants, cloud giants are not quick to enter a fight. They prefer negotiation when possible and will accept a foe's surrender under most circumstances, allowing them to dictate terms. For good and neutral cloud giants, this usually means agreements to leave the giants’ and particular areas alone. Evil cloud giants often take surrendered enemies as slaves for their cloud islands or force "treaties" upon them with terms that heavily favor the giants.

Weapons Cloud giants use a variety of weapons and are proficient in the use of both melee and ranged weaponry. They generally make their own weapons, although they also trade with storm giant craftsmen. Evil cloud giants may trade with fire giant smiths as well. Few humanoid communities produce weapons large enough for a cloud giant, and few cloud giants would trade with the little folk anyway. The most common cloud giant melee weapons are the morningstar, mace, and greatsword, all scaled for the giants' use (making them Gargantuan weapons). The morningstar and mace are more common since they're made partially from wood, sometimes entire small tree trunks, whereas greatswords are forged entirely from metal and therefore cost much more to produce. Cloud giants prefer weapons of fine quality and craftsmanship, and their weapons are often

decorated with silver and gemstones. Cloud giant spellcasters enchant various weapons, giving them enhancement bonuses and abilities like frost, shock, and thundering. The preferred missile weapon of cloud giants is a simple rock, which they can hurl great distances (a range increment of 140 feet, with a maximum range of 700 feet). This allows cloud giants to bombard opponents out of range of many missile weapons and spells. A cloud giant expecting battle will often gather a pile of rocks suitable for throwing and some cloud giants carry magical hurling rocks that expand in size when thrown. Other cloud giant missile weapons tend to be hurled as well, including Huge javelins (2d6 damage) and Gargantuan spears (2d8 damage), carried in bundles of four to six. Some cloud giants use Gargantuan mighty composite bows as well (2d8 damage), although they are much more expensive to make, and therefore less common. Magical missile weapons tend to be fewer among cloud giants, since they are expensive and time-consuming to make compared to melee weapons.

Spell-like Abilities

Cloud giants have the innate ability to control clouds and mist. They can cast obscuring mist three times per day and a larger fog cloud once per day. Three times per day they can also levitate themselves and up to an additional 2,000 pounds of material (not enough to carry another cloud giant, but sufficient for their equipment or for a number of smaller creatures). Cloud giants frequently use their magical abilities to give them an edge in combat.

Strategy An individual cloud giant will quickly size up a combat situation and adopt a superior tactic position. They prefer to take the high ground above their enemies or else use their levitation ability to move up out of reach of melee attacks (and most missile weapons). Then the giant will strike at enemies using ranged attacks like thrown rocks, missile weapons, or spells. If that is not enough to destroy or drive off the enemy, then the giant may choose to enter melee combat after softening the opposition up with ranged attacks. Cloud giants tend to strike first against foes with the strongest ranged attacks (such as spellcasters or siege engines), then the strongest melee fighters. A favorite tactic is to cast obscuring mist before entering melee combat, making it more difficult to see and hit the giant. In full-scale battles, cloud giants fight in well-organized units, favoring similar tactics. They take and hold the high ground or else attack from the air using abilities like levitate, fly, and cloud chariot. They rain rocks and other missile attacks down upon opponents, usually concentrating their assault on particular strategic points to cripple the opposition's ability to fight. Groups of cloud giants may blanket a battlefield with obscuring mist or fog cloud, allowing them to close with an enemy without being spotted until it's too late and the battle is joined. They do the same to conceal their aerial forces until the assault begins.

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Cloud Giants Cloud giants generally see the storm giant lifestyle and culture of contemplation as an ideal to aspire toward (indeed, many cloud giants believe that it's the sort of life they lead, since they are "peers" of the storm giants). Unfortunately, many cloud giants are forced to work far more than they would like in order to maintain themselves and their families. The cloud-dwelling giants still maintain themselves quite well through silver mining, but some cloud islands have been entirely mined out, forcing those giants to sell off or trade other valuables or find other means of supporting themselves. Ground-dwelling cloud giants have to make do with agriculture, hunting, trade, and (in the case of evil giants) raiding.

Art and Culture Cloud giant culture has largely stagnated over the centuries. There have been no significant innovations as far back as any living cloud giant can recall. This suits the cloud giants just fine, since as far as they are concerned, their culture was "perfected" long ago. Why change, when everything works so well?

Society

Although they maintain that their society is infinitely more sophisticated than those of humanoids, the truth is that cloud giants have a deeply divided culture that is in the process of decline and has been throughout most of recorded history. Once, cloud giants did have a vastly advanced culture based on their magical prowess, creating fantastic cloud islands, and building great castles upon them. They cultivated magical gardens to supply their basic needs and literally rose above most mundane matters. The knowledge to create cloud islands is all but lost, however, and the majority of cloud giants live on the ground in pale imitations of the splendor that their ancestors knew. Only a handful still dwell on the remaining cloud islands, in castles and estates that grow more ramshackle over time, with the cloud giants less and less able to repair and maintain them. Modern cloud giant society is largely based around denying what is happening and maintaining the pretense that their culture is still superior to all others, and will remain so throughout time. The cloud-dwelling giants fancy themselves the nobility of their kind, although their claims are often based on nothing more than ancient lineage, and not the fealty of any actual subjects. The truth is that most cloud giants prefer a measure of solitude, and live in extended families or clans, but do not usually create larger communities.

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This stagnation shows up in cloud giant art. The finest creations of the cloud giants are old ones, made by giants long ago and passed down through the generations. Modern cloud giants follow the same styles, giving their art an antique, dated look to it. Most humans (and other humanoids) see cloud giant work as resembling examples of their own ancient cultures. Of course some creatures, like Elves and dragons, find the unchanging nature of cloud giant artistry pleasant and comforting, especially when compared to the rapid change of more short-lived races. Cloud giants cultivate an appreciation of fine things. Even the most humble ground-dwelling cloud giant is often a connoisseur of things like wine, jewelry, and statuary. The higher the cloud giant's status, the greater their appreciation for fine arts and crafts. Modern cloud giants often become collectors of particular treasures, ranging from casks of fine wine to antique weapons, jewels, or paintings. Old things have great value for cloud giants because they hearken back to that ideal time when their culture was at its height and allow the giants to ignore the fact that there's rarely anything new for them to be interested in. Music is an important art form for cloud giants, and most of them learn to play at least one instrument, usually a stringed or wind instrument. Cloud giants of higher status are typically more practiced musicians and musical or dance performances are one of the few occasions that bring cloud giants together. Like everything else, their music tends to follow old, established patterns and styles, involving songs written long ago. Newer compositions are increasingly rare and disdained as too "daring."

Relations with Others Good cloud giants maintain a sense of noblesse oblige with regard to "lesser" creatures, but they do not care to be bothered with many visitors. Those who do find their way to the home of a good cloud giant will usually be given shelter and food, perhaps even a small gift, before being sent on their

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Cloud Giants way. Such guests are well advised to mind their manners and not comment on the state of the giant's home or belongings, or they may be summarily ejected. Neutral giants are even more inclined toward solitude and often have guard beasts to frighten away or discourage visitors. Evil cloud giants have taken to raiding and thievery to maintain themselves in the lofty lifestyle they are accustomed to, claiming it is their rightful due to "tax" travelers and those living near their domains, although they usually collect their "payments" by force (or at least the threat of force).

built by their ancestors long ago as trading, supply, and lookout posts. These places originally served cloud giants visiting from their cloud islands or as places for grounddwellers to come and petition the cloud giants for audiences (or even be ferried up to one of the cloud islands). Now they're prestigious dwellings. As the number of cloud giants living in the mountains has grown, other castles have been built, but they tend to be cruder and simpler than the old structures, some of which have been added on to or expanded by later owners.

There are few creatures that cloud giants look upon as equals. Among giant-kind, only storm giants have the cloud giants' respect. They are considered "peers" of equal status, although in truth most cloud giants know enough to defer to their storm giant brethren. The storm giants are, for the most part, bemused by this idea. Cloud giants respect the ancient culture of the Elves, although they usually have little if any contact with them.

Cloud giants prefer very high terrain. Ideally their mountain homes are up among the clouds, allowing them at least the illusion that they still dwell in the sky. The mountains also give cloud giants an ample supply of rocks they can hurl down on intruders (those willing to brave the dangerous terrain in the first place).

Their dislike of Dwarves has grow over the centuries, as the cloud giants have moved into the mountains in increasing numbers, only to find them already inhabited (or "infested" as some would say) with Dwarven communities. Most cloud giants manage to get along with Dwarves when they must, since the giants usually inhabit the highest reaches of the mountains, while the Dwarves prefer the deep underground. But evil giants (and even some neutral ones) have been known to attack Dwarven communities for encroaching on what they see as their territory, and evil cloud giants know that Dwarves often have hoards of valuables to plunder. Their inability to reach them in the depths of the Dwarven warrens frustrates them to no end, of course.

The ideal dwelling place for cloud giants is on a cloud island. These are magical creations, clouds given substance so they can support inhabitants, castles, and even fantastic gardens. According to giant legend, the cloud islands were made by some of the first giants using powerful magic (possibly with the aid of dragons – the tales differ) and all cloud giants lived on them.

Cloud Islands

The secret of their making has long since been lost, and more and more cloud islands have deteriorated, eventually

Cloud giants wisely respect dragons of all kinds, but maintain particularly good relations with silver dragons. Giant legends suggest that they once lived in harmony with dragons, and even cooperated in matters such as warfare, but such alliances are now rare at best. Silver dragons are well inclined toward good cloud giants. Blue dragons have been known to cultivate evil cloud giants as their servants and guardians, with the evil giants benefiting from the dragon's protection. Cloud giants are also known to raise and train various sorts of creatures as both pets and guardians of their homes. Cloud-dwellers are particularly fond of pet griffins and giant eagles. They're used as hunting animals as well as watchbeasts, raised for their beauty as well as their usefulness. Both are too small for cloud giants to use as riding beasts, however. Mountain-dwelling giants sometimes raise these creatures as well as dire bears, lions, or wolves.

Environment Cloud giants have a natural inclination to live as high above other creatures as possible. Once that meant living on floating cloud islands, but for most cloud giants that is no longer possible and they dwell in the high mountains instead.

Mountains Cloud giants seek out high, isolated mountain peaks to live on. Actually, they don't usually have to seek them out. Most mountain-dwelling cloud giants live in castles and fortresses

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Cloud Giants breaking up into mist (sending structures plummeting to Earth). There aren't nearly enough left for all the remaining giants. Storm giants claim many of them, with the remainder in the hands of elite cloud giants. Sometimes another creature or creatures claim a cloud island, but unless they are exceedingly powerful (such as a dragon), they are inevitably driven out once word of the occupation reaches the nearest cloud or storm giants. Cloud giants in particular have been aggressively reclaiming any "lost" cloud islands over the last generation or two. Cloud islands vary in size, but are usually between five hundred and a thousand or so feet in diameter. They are surrounded by mist to a depth of three or four feet, but the interior of the island is as solid as packed earth or soft stone, capable of supporting the weight of creatures as large as dragons or the massive castles the giants once built upon them. Seen from below, cloud islands look exactly like natural clouds, although a Spot or Wilderness Lore check (DC 25) reveals that the cloud doesn't alter shape significantly over time, and remains separate from other clouds, rather than combining with them. Cloud islands could once be magically directed to move through the air under their own power. Some still can be using a crystalline orb found in the island's castle or fortress. A creature touches the orb and makes a Wisdom check (DC 25) to direct the cloud island at a speed of 50. The skill of using the steering orbs is fast becoming a lost art among giants. The orbs of many cloud islands are lost, damaged, or simply no longer function (or their inhabitants have forgotten that they serve a purpose other than decoration). When they are not under direction, cloud islands tend to drift slowly on the wind. Some giants use massive anchor chains to hold cloud islands in place, while others are magically anchored so they always remain over the same place, regardless of the prevailing winds. Climbing up an anchor chain is often one of the only ways ground dwellers can reach a cloud island (other than being able to fly or levitate).

Silver Mining

Cloud islands often have veins of silver running through them. Some believe this is connected to the involvement of silver dragons in their creation, while others believe that the silver is a part of process that created the islands, or a side effect of it. Regardless of its origin, cloud giants often mine the silver from the islands and sell or trade it for goods that they need. Cloud giant craftsmen also shape cloud silver into jewelry and other items, either for their own use or for trade with other creatures. Some extremely rare cloud islands even have veins of other silvery metals, notably platinum and mithral. Some giant scholars have speculated that mining cloud islands may be dangerous and lead to the destruction of the islands that remain. If the silver veins are integral in some way to the process that created the islands, then removing the silver may cause them to break up. In fact, that may be the cause of the dissolution of some cloud islands. Storm giants generally do not mine metals from cloud islands under their control, but most cloud giants ignore these warnings in the face of pressures to secure their own livelihood.

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Arcanis Connection Cloud Giants There are but few places these comely giants can be found on Onara, and lucky is the being that happens to spot one - usually by the cloud giant's will alone. Those rare places that cloud giants do frequent are typical of their aesthetic preference - beatific natural environments at high elevations, which are shrouded in gossamer cloudy mists. Cloud giants are said to frequent the southern cliffs of the Altherian Plateau, and ancient tales from the city of Khafre' reported trade and much interaction between themselves and cloud giant citadels on silvery cloud islands. So too with Kio legends of lofty Yhriwhon, and stories of evil cloud giants accepting tribute as if they were divine upon Mount Djuar in Uggur. A few cloud giants still visit these places, or if they are evil, raid villages and passing ships nearby. Sometimes cloud giants can also be found among the cloudy forested peaks of Pajharo, but only when conditions and temperature are perfect, the air filled with wispy moonlit brume. Some cloud giants make visits to the arboreal Halls of Osalian among all the elorii nations on etheric misty evenings, or send befriended aerial creatures as liaisons for trade from their cloud islands, offering purest cloud-silver for exquisite elven crafts. In the Coryani Empire, there is but one place to spy these giants. Deep within the Corlathian Mountains is a winding narrow path that leads to a pure white marble temple with gardens of unearthly beauty. Legend has it that if a beautiful maiden plays a lovely harp tune or sings well on certain cool nights, cloud giants will appear to listen quietly and offer vessels of purest silver for her performance. The legend also says that if the performance is poor, the giant's wrath will be aroused, and they will bring ruin upon the maiden and her native village.

Cloud Giant Characters

Cloud giants often pursue one or more character classes during their long lives. All cloud giants have some basic training in combat and survival, along with various routine skills, so they might not choose to take up a character class until later in life. Cloud giant fighters are quite common, since martial prowess is respected among them. Cloud giant rangers are becoming more common since they are well suited to the mountainous wilderness where more and more of the giants are making their homes. Their skills are respected, but their vocation is sometimes seen as questionable, since it tends to remind cloud giants how far they have sunk from their once lofty place in the world. If rangers are questionable, then cloud giant barbarians are practically unthinkable, since that would bring them down to the level of savages like hill giants, something no cloud giant would ever do. Paladins are likewise rare among cloud giants, since they tend to lack the burning devotion and faith needed to take up the vocation.

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Cloud Giants Clerics are fairly common, particularly among groups of mountain-dwelling cloud giants. Good clerics advocate traditional values and looking to the good of the community (and, to a lesser degree, of giant-kind). Neutral clerics are a bit more pragmatic but still uphold the ideals of cloud giant superiority, while evil clerics often agitate for raids against low-land communities and "lesser" creatures, arrogantly proclaiming the cloud giants’ "right" to their goods and wealth. Druids, like rangers, are becoming more common among cloud giants, but are seen as "primitives" who have abandoned traditional culture to live in isolation in the wilderness. These giant druids tend to be fierce defenders of the windswept mountains, with creatures like giant eagles and wolves as their allies. There are some cloud giant bards, honored for their musical ability and lore. They are often keepers of the old legends and stories about the time when giant civilization was at its peak. They either try to fire the spirits of their people with tales of past glories, or (in some cases) lull gullible cloud giants into believing they are still superior (knowing there can be considerable rewards in telling an audience what they want to hear). Cloud giant rouges, on the other hand, are practically a contradiction in terms. Cloud giants consider themselves above such things to begin with, plus they’re hardly inconspicuous or well suited to the kind of stealth and deception that is a rogue’s calling. They’re also not given to

the kind of rigid discipline or training that goes into becoming a monk, so those arts are unknown among cloud giants, although there are some stories that suggest there were once giant monks (or giants with abilities like those of monks of other races). Sorcerers are by far the most common arcane spellcasters among cloud giants. The potential for sorcery is strong among giants, and seems to become stronger the more "exalted" the giant race. Naturally, cloud giants consider themselves among the finest sorcerers of all giants, along with their storm giant brethren. Cloud giant sorcerers usually attribute their power to the elemental energies the giants were first formed from, giving them power over the primal forces of the world. Although wizards are more common among cloud giants than the lesser giant races, they’re still fairly rare. Cloud giant wizards tend to be reclusive, even more so than sorcerers, devoting themselves to the study of the arcane arts.

Cloud Giant NPCs

Below are some typical cloud giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of cloud giants that adventurers are likely to encounter.

Typical Cloud Giant Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 18d8+102 (178 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft. AC: 21 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural) Attacks: Gargantuan morningstar +22/+17/+12 melee; or rock +12/+7/+2 ranged Damage: Gargantuan morningstar 4d6+18; or rock 2d8+12 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Rock catching, scent Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +16, Jump +16, Listen +10, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items. Alignment: Usually neutral good or neutral evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): A cloud giant can hurl rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Spell-like Abilities (Sp): Cloud giants that dwell on cloud islands can use the following as the spells cast by a 15th-level sorcerer: 3/day—levitate (self plus 2,000 pounds) and obscuring mist; 1/day—fog cloud. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A cloud giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar

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Cloud Giants shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Scent (Ex): Cloud giants can detect creatures by scent alone. A giant can detect creatures within 30 feet by sense of smell. The range doubles downwind and is halved upwind. Strong scents can be detected at double the normal range. They can also track by scent by making a Wisdom check (DC 10, +2 for each hour since the trail was made).

Cloud Giant 1st-level Fighter Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 18d8+102, plus 1d10+6 (194 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft. AC: 25 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Gargantuan morningstar +24/+19/+14 melee; or rock +13/+8/+3 ranged Damage: Gargantuan morningstar 4d6+18; or rock 2d8+12 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Rock catching, scent Saves: Fort +18, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +16, Craft (Weapons) +5, Handle Animal +5, Jump +20, Listen +10, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Weapon Focus (morningstar) Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items. Alignment: Usually neutral good or neutral evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spell-like Abilities (Sp): As above. Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Scent (Ex): As above

Cloud Giant 4th level Cleric Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 18d8+102, plus 4d8+24 (218 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft. AC: 25 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural, +4 chain shirt) Attacks: Gargantuan morningstar +25/+20/+15 melee; or rock +15/+10/+5 ranged Damage: Gargantuan morningstar 4d6+18; or rock 2d8+12 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft.

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Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spell-like abilities, spells Special Qualities: Rock catching, scent, turn or rebuke undead Saves: Fort +20, Ref +7, Will +10 Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +16, Concentration +9, Heal +9, Jump +16, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Listen +10, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Casting, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items. Alignment: Usually neutral good or neutral evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spell-like Abilities (Sp): As above. Divine Spells Per Day (5/4/3): Typically prepared spells include: 0—detect magic, guidance (x2), mending, resistance; 1st—command, shield of faith, summon monster I; 2nd—endurance, speak with animals. Good clerics also have protection from evil and bull's strength (good and strength domains). Evil clerics also have protection from good and death knell (evil and death domains). Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Scent (Ex): As above Turn or Rebuke Undead (Su): The cloud giant cleric can turn undead (if good) or rebuke them (if evil) up to four times per day. The cleric rolls 1d20+1 for the turning check and 2d6+5 for turning damage.

Cloud Giant 7th-level Sorcerer Huge Giant (Air) Hit Dice: 18d8+102, plus 7d4+42 (239 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft. AC: 21 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural) Attacks: Gargantuan morningstar +25/+20/+15 melee; or rock +15/+10/+5 ranged Damage: Gargantuan morningstar 4d6+18; or rock 2d8+12 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spell-like abilities, spells Special Qualities: Rock catching, scent Saves: Fort +18, Ref +8, Will +11 Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 13 Skills: Alchemy +13, Climb +16, Concentration +13, Jump +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +13, Listen +10, Scry +13, Spellcraft +13, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Brew Potion, Cleave, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Great Cleave, Power Attack Challenge Rating: 18

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Storm Giants Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items. Alignment: Usually neutral good or neutral evil Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): As above. Spell-like Abilities (Sp): As above. Arcane Spells Per Day (6/6/6/4): Spells known; 0— arcane mark, detect magic, light, open/close, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1st—alarm, reduce, sleep, true strike, unseen servant; 2nd—arcane lock, glitterdust, summon monster II; 3rd—dispel magic, lightning bolt. Special Qualities Rock catching (Ex): As above. Scent (Ex): As above Familiar: Eagle, Medium-sized magical beast, HD 2; hp 20; Init +1; Spd 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC 16 (touch 14, flat-footed 15); Atk +3 melee (1d4+2 claws), +1 melee (1d6+1 bite); SQ granted abilities; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6/+14 in daylight; Multiattack.

Storm Giants

The largest and most powerful giants, storm giants are also fortunately the kindest and most compassionate of their kind. They are majestic beings of great pride, grace, and dignity. They do have passions and tempers equal to their stature, however. Storm giants can be quick to anger and terrible in their rage. Certainly their giant brethren have learned to give storm giants the respect they are due and avoid becoming targets of their ire.

Physical Description

soft slippers as footgear, often going barefoot. Storm giants swimming or living underwater may favor even less clothing, no more than a simple loincloth or kilt, or sometimes nothing at all. Like cloud giants, storm giants like to wear fine jewelry of all kinds. Arm and ankle bands are common, in gold or silver, carved and decorated with gems. Many storm giants wear circlets or diadems of precious metal, usually set with a stone in front. Emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and pearls are among their favorites. Necklaces, rings, earrings, and other such jewelry are also common among both male and female storm giants.

Combat and Warfare Although generally peaceful, storm giants are both skilled and fearsome warriors. They generally avoid combat unless they are enraged or forced into it. Then they throw themselves into battle with a fierce abandon, combining size, strength, and savagery with skill, cunning, and a martial spirit. War, like most things, is an art form to storm giants, and they seek to master it like they do all their pursuits.

Weapons

Storm giants wield a variety of weapons and train regularly in their use. Their most common weapon is the giant greatsword, a massive, double-edged blade fully fifteen feet long, capable of cleaving many foes in two with a single blow. Young storm giants are trained how to use a sword and maintain their training throughout most of their long lives. Swordsmanship is considered a worthy topic of study, making swords favored over cruder weapons like the clubs and axes of other giants. Still storm giants can and do study with other melee weapons. For ranged combat, storm giants have two preferred weapons. The first is the mighty composite longbow, designed to take full advantage of their massive strength. Its body is typically crafted from laminated pieces of wood, horn, and ivory, often reinforced with steel, with a heavygauge string. The arrows fired from it are like short spears, tipped with leaf-shaped metal heads. A storm giant's bow can launch an arrow a prodigious distance with great accuracy.

Storm giants grow to be around 21 feet tall, weighing about 12,000 pounds. Females are slightly smaller and lighter and both sexes are usually very fit and muscular, with attractive features (by human standards, at least). Storm giants have skin tones of milky pale, pearly gray, light green, and violet. Pale and gray skinned storm giants often have tints of the other four colors. Pale-skinned storm giants tend toward light-colored hair with metallic highlights: golden blond, silvery white or, occasionally, coppery red. Their eyes are watery blue or gray. Gray-skinned storm giants tend toward dark hair and deep gray, midnight blue, or black eyes. Greenand violet-skinned giants usually have hair and eyes of the same hue, but darker, although silvery hair and eyes are also known. Male storm giants are typically bearded, while females often wear their hair quite long (down past their shoulders and often reaching their waists or even ankles).

The other primary ranged weapon for storm giants is the javelin, recalling the thunderbolt that is their birthright. These light spears are designed for throwing and giants can hurl them great distances with enough force to drive them right through a target. Spear throwing is another popular pastime for giants, and storm giant children often play spearthrowing games and sports.

Storm giants dress fairly simply, in a belted tunic or toga made of rich fabric, either white or dyed in ranges of blue, gray, green, and purple. Storm giant clothing is often worked with gold or silver thread and fine embroidery. They tend to prefer their clothing free flowing, and wear only sandals or

Storm giant weapons may be enchanted, most often with qualities like shock, shocking burst, and thundering, although frost, brilliant energy, and chaotic qualities are also fairly common. Storm giants typically enchant their own weapons, making magical weapons less common for them than they are for smaller creatures with more weapon-crafters.

Although they are perfectly capable of hurling rocks like other giants, storm giants tend to disdain such crude weapons unless there is nothing else at hand they can use. Even unarmed, a storm giant is hardly without weapons given their magical powers.

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Storm Giants

Spell-like Abilities Storm giants have the ability to command the weather. Twice per day, they can use control weather as a 20th-level druid. Once per day, a storm giant can call lightning from the clouds as a 15th-level druid and use chain lightning as a 15th-level sorcerer. They can also levitate twice per day as a 20th-level sorcerer. These powers are often tied to the giant's emotional state. A storm giant's anger is nearly always accompanied by a gathering of dark clouds that cover the sky. A storm giant's rage manifests itself in roiling black clouds, crashes of thunder, flashes of lightning, and a downpour of rain, sleet, or even hail. When storm giants are happy and content, the sky is clear and the waves are calm (although that can change in an instant).

Strategy

Storm giants have two primary strategies in battle. First, they simply wade into melee combat, greatsword in hand, and lay about them with blows capable of splitting trees and smashing down stone walls. They rely on their great strength and mighty weapons to win the battle, and their confidence is usually well founded. Otherwise, a storm giant is most likely to levitate up above enemies, using control weather to create a fierce storm, then raining lightning bolts down upon them using call lightning. They often strike first with chain lightning, aiming it at the most powerful foe, and hitting up to fifteen others with the secondary bolts. The giant may also mix in ranged weapon attacks (like arrows or javelins) and spells, if capable of casting them.

Solitary beings, storm giants rarely fight en masse. Even a small group of storm giants is a force to be reckoned with, capable of smashing fortifications, saturating a battlefield with lightning, and raising terrible storms that can do great damage in and of themselves. There are legends of storm giants riding into battle on the backs of bronze and silver dragons, a sight that would strike fear into the heart of any foe. Thankfully, such things are seen only once in a matter of centuries.

Society Storm giant society is based around individuality, solitude, contemplation, and personal achievement. For the most part, storm giants are not terribly social, even with their own kind. They live in isolation, either singly or in mated pairs, possibly with children. Even when storm giants live together they tend to give each other a great deal of personal space and time. This has likely led to the many stories of how storm giants do not care for visitors to their distant mountaintop or undersea homes, and may fly into a rage when confronted by particularly hostile or bothersome strangers.

Storm giants believe strongly in individual freedom and responsibility. They have no villages, towns, or cities of their own. They also have no ruling class, although it might be more accurate to say that they have no commoners

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Storm Giants among them. Every storm giant is king or queen of his or her own personal domain and storm giants treat each other as royal peers. They're each free to do as they please, but each expected to handle their own affairs and be responsible for their own actions as well. This is one of the reasons why few have ever seen a group of storm giants doing anything; getting them to agree on a single course of action is difficult, to say the least!

Finally, storm giants consider nearly any pursuit toward excellence an art form, whether it is writing philosophy or mastering swordsmanship. Displays of these and other skills are appreciated for their artistry and cleverness.

Contemplation is the primary occupation of storm giants. They use their solitude to spend time considering philosophical matters about the nature of life and the world around them. They have a tremendous appreciation for natural beauty and can spend considerable time watching a sunset, sunrise, cloud formation, storm, or other natural phenomenon with rapt attention. They study the great philosophical works of the past (from both giant authors and those of other races) and storm giant meetings nearly always involve the sharing of various insights they have acquired. Polite and thoughtful visitors can win a storm giant over and may find that, once they start talking about a subject, storm giants can go on and on about it. Their patience is considerable, as befits creatures that live for hundreds of years.

Storm giants tend to be reclusive by nature, having little to do with the world outside the boundaries of their immediate homes unless they must. They willingly entertain guests, but are angered by unwanted visitors. Only those who are close friends or especially brave visit a storm giant’s home unannounced. Storm giants value their privacy, and will take steps to protect it including having guardian beasts patrolling the area around their home to keep intruders at bay. They’re likely to confront any such intruders in a rage, so any aggressive action will provoke a similar response from the storm giant. Calm, rational thinking and proper etiquette will usually calm an angry storm giant enough to reason with them.

Not that storm giants are solely ascetic contemplatives. On the contrary, they are also strong believers in personal achievement and betterment. Storm giants spend some of their time with the daily chores of life: gardening, cooking, cleaning, and so forth. The rest of their time, they often devote to artistic pursuits and personal improvement (which are much the same thing to a storm giant).

Art and Culture Art in many ways is storm giant culture, since storm giants generally only gather in order to share their artistic work or insights with each other. Love of beautiful things and pursuit of art are the few things that bring storm giants together. The art form storm giants’ favor most is music, all kinds of music, using a variety of instruments. The most common storm giant instruments are the harp or lyre, the pipes (either flute or pan pipe), and percussion instruments like drums, which make sounds pleasingly like thunder. Chanting and singing are also common, sometimes accompanied by a musician, but often performed solo.

a storm giant will even gift a non-giant with some of their handiwork, a rare honor.

Relations with Others

Despite their desire for solitude and their legendary tempers, storm giants are generally kind, decent, noble creatures. Beings of good will respect them, while evil creatures fear and shun them. Storm giants have few peers, usually just among their own kind and sometimes among powerful creatures like silver and bronze dragons. Storm giants have been known to aid good humanoids in need from time to time, but generally remain aloof from them. It’s exceedingly rare for a storm giant to become friends with one of the "little people," but they are tried and true friends to those select few that they favor. Most other creatures tend to leave storm giants alone. The isolation of their homes makes this fairly easy – not too many creatures are likely to stumble onto a cloud island or into a deep underwater grotto. Those that know of a storm giant living nearby usually steer well clear of the area, or learn to after the first terrible storm and shower of lightning bolts. Storm giants do little trading with outsiders, and when they do they generally prefer to visit settlements disguised as smaller humanoids rather than permitting outsiders to come into their homes.

Environment

Related to music are drama and dance. Storm giants study and create complex dance steps and movements. Their dramas often include music and dance as part of the performance. Pageantry and ceremony are common in storm giant gatherings, and forms of improvisational theatre are considered art forms among storm giants.

Storm giants are capable of living in some of the most unusual climes. In addition to mountaintop fortresses and floating cloud islands like their cloud giant brethren, storm giants also live deep underwater.

Storm giant crafts focus on creating beautiful objects. Things like metalwork and sculpture are the most common. Giant smiths forge fine weapons that are beautifully detailed, etched, chased with precious metals, and set with gems. Storm giant jewelers create fine items out of silver, gold, platinum, and other metals. Statues are carved from stone, cast in metal or sometimes even sculpted from mist or ice, kept perpetually frozen by magic. These things are traded or, more often, given as gifts to friends and family as tokens of esteem. On occasion,

The highest mountain peaks are home to some storm giants. Usually these are places where the top of the mountain reaches up among the clouds, creating a kind of "island" in a vast sea of mist. In fact, some of the clouds surrounding the mountain’s peak may actually be cloud islands, which are also a part of the storm giant’s home. The mountaintop keep or manor may only be a sort of "gatehouse" to the giant’s true castle, intended to serve as a decoy for both unwanted visitors and potential attackers.

Mountains

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Storm Giants

Cloud Islands A great many storm giants make their homes on floating cloud islands, the same as those inhabited by cloud giants. A cloud island is typically the domain of a single giant, or possibly a small family, but rarely ever more than that. Storm giant islands are more likely to be under the control of their owner, allowing the giant to move the island wherever desired, or keep it "anchored" in a particular spot, such as near a mountain peak. Storm giants tend to be better at maintaining their cloud island homes, which are magnificent palaces and castles with high archways, vaulted ceilings, and walls made from massive blocks of stone (often marble or granite). They often maintain small (by giant standards) orchards or garden plots, even vineyards for giants that pursue the art of winemaking.

Underwater Storm giants are also known to live underwater, usually salt water, but sometimes beneath a large body of fresh water. Storm giants rarely live beneath rivers, except for very large ones, preferring lakes, seas, and oceans. As powerful swimmers able to remain underwater indefinitely, their homes are often quite far from shore. They construct castles of stone and coral, often surrounded by fantastic gardens of kelp, seaweed, and other underwater plants. Some storm giants take up residence in undersea grottos or caves. Underwater storm giants subsist off kelp, fish, and other food they hunt or harvest (often catching entire schools of fish in

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great nets and eating them whole). Whale and giant squid are often considered delicacies among storm giants. Storm giants dwelling underwater sometimes form alliances with tribes of merfolk living nearby, trading with them and cooperating for their mutual protection.

Arcanis Connection Storm Giants These giants frequent many of the places on Onara that cloud giants do, but they harder still to find, for they crave solitude and isolation above all other things. A few exceptions exist, such as the torrential regions of Ulfila and Moratavia, and rightly so, for here reside the Children of Hurrian the Storm Lord, the val'Tensen. It is said that the truly worthy priests of Hurrian belonging to this Valinoric line may speak with certain storm giants during massive thunderstorms, and documented proofs exist to back this claim, both in the Coryani Empire and in Milandir. The other exceptions are aquatic regions, such as the turbulent and misty seas of the Milguldihar Straits near Altheria, off the torrid coast of Ymandragore, where it is said storm giants sometimes create whirlpools to destroy Ymandrake ships, and also within the narrow choppy turbulence of the Sea of Coryan. The Skohir of the Hinterlands

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Storm Giants venerate storm giants and tell tales from their ancient northern homeland, spinning many heady yarns about the august glory and might of legendary storm giant sea kings and warriors of old. Sea faring storm giants are often armed with gargantuan tridents or harpoons instead of swords, and often carry massive nets as well. They also have hardened breastplates made of giant crustacean shells in place of metal. When these beings are at peace, they visit many coasts in secret, or dwell amongst the abundant reefs of the Pirate Isles and the southern Sea of Yarris, residing in mammoth aquatic caverns decorated with wrecked ships and lost treasures from the surface. Another locale they are known to frequent is the reef-shrine to Yarris off the coast of provincial Salantis in the Coryani Empire, or rarely, Naeraanth, but whether the val'Osson occupants are the reason for this particular choice is unknown. Sometimes sea dwelling storm giants fashion gargantuan coral structures and citadels on lone islands far out to sea, or else they are completely submerged astride majestic kelp forests or watery canyons. Large aquatic beasts trained or befriended by storm giants often guard their home while they are away and they make strong alliances with any tritons and merfolk living nearby.

Storm Giant Characters

In their pursuit of excellence and personal development, many storm giants choose to take up a particular character class, or even several, over the course of their lives. The particular class or classes depend on the giant’s own interests, since storm giants are largely free to do as they please with their time. Spellcasting classes are common for storm giants, particularly cleric and sorcerer. Storm giant clerics devote themselves to the higher celestial and elemental powers, while storm giant sorcerers tap into the magic inherent in their nature and learn to manipulate it at will. Storm giant druids and wizards are fairly rare, although they are known. Wizards are by far the more common of the two. Storm giant wizards often spend considerable time studying ancient lore, seeking to rediscover some of the glories of the past.

Martial skills are also respected among storm giants. Fighter is a common class choice for them, since it allows them to master their weapons and tactical skills. There are some storm giant rangers, often with truly exotic favored enemies and understanding of varied terrain (like underwater environments). Storm giant paladins are quite rare, as are storm giant monks. The discipline and dedication necessary for these callings are rarely found in the more chaotic storm giant nature. Bard is a popular class for storm giants because it combines artistry, lore, and magic, three of their significant interests. Storm giant bards usually play the harp or the pipes, although some also play drums or other percussion instruments. They are respected for their lore and insight. Storm giant rouges are a rarity, since storm giants rarely rely on stealth or subterfuge in anything.

Storm Giant NPCs Below are some typical storm giant statistics GMs can use for the sorts of storm giants that adventurers are likely to encounter.

Typical Storm Giant Huge Giant (Electricity) Hit Dice: 19d8+114 (199 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. (breastplate); base 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 27 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural, +5 breastplate) Attacks: Gargantuan greatsword +26/+21/+16 melee; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow (+14) +14/+9/+4 ranged Damage: Gargantuan greatsword 4d6+21; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow 2d8+14 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Electricity immunity, rock catching, freedom of movement, water breathing Saves: Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +9 Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +12, Jump +12, Perform (chant, dance, drama, harp, recorder) +7, Spot +8 Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items Alignment: Often chaotic good Special Attacks Spell-like Abilities (Sp): Once per day, storm giants can call lightning as a 15th-level druid and use chain lightning as a 15th-level sorcerer. Twice per day, a storm giant can control weather as a 20th-level druid and levitate as a 20th-level sorcerer. The DC is 12 + spell level. Special Qualities Electricity Immunity (Ex): Storm giants are immune to all electrical damage. Freedom of Movement (Su): Storm giants continuously have freedom of movement as a spell. Rock Catching (Ex): A storm giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Water Breathing (Ex): Storm giants can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use their spelllike abilities while submerged.

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Storm Giants Storm Giant 1st-level Fighter Huge Giant (Electricity) Hit Dice: 19d8+114, plus 1d10+6 (215 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. (breastplate); base 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 27 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural, +5 breastplate) Attacks: Gargantuan greatsword +28/+23/+18 melee; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow (+14) +15/+10/+5 ranged Damage: Gargantuan greatsword 4d6+21; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow 2d8+14 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Electricity immunity, rock catching, freedom of movement, water breathing Saves: Fort +19, Ref +8, Will +9 Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +12, Craft (weaponsmith) +7, Handle Animal +6, Jump +12, Perform (chant, dance, drama, harp, recorder) +7, Ride +10, Spot +12 Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Sunder, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items Alignment: Often chaotic good Special Attacks Spell-like abilities (Sp): As above. Special Qualities Electricity Immunity (Ex): As above. Freedom of Movement (Su): As above. Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Water Breathing (Ex): As above.

Storm Giant 4th-level Sorcerer Huge Giant (Electricity) Hit Dice: 19d8+114, plus 4d4+24 (233 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. (breastplate); base 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 27 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural, +5 breastplate) Attacks: Gargantuan greatsword +28/+23/+18 melee; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow (+14) +16/+11/+6 ranged Damage: Gargantuan greatsword 4d6+21; or Gargantuan mighty composite longbow 2d8+14 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells Special Qualities: Electricity immunity, rock catching, freedom of movement, water breathing Saves: Fort +18, Ref +9, Will +13

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Celestial Giants Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +5, Jump +12, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Perform (chant, dance, drama, harp, recorder) +8, Spellcraft +10, Spot +8 Feats: Cleave, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Craft Wondrous Item, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 17 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items Alignment: Often chaotic good Special Attacks Spell-like Abilities (Sp): As above. Spells Per Day (6/6/3): 0—arcane mark, dancing light, flare, mage hand, open/close, resistance; 1st— enlarge, shocking grasp, true strike; 2nd—invisibility. Chance of arcane spell failure: 25%. Special Qualities Electricity Immunity (Ex): As above. Freedom of Movement (Su): As above. Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Water Breathing (Ex): As above. Familiar: Viper, Medium-sized magical beast; HD 2; hp 17; Init +3, Spd 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 18 (touch 14, flat-footed 15); Atk +4 melee (1d4-1 and poison, bite); SA poison; SQ scent, granted abilities; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 8, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 2. Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12, Listen +9, Spot +9; Weapon Finesse (bite). Poison (Ex): Bite, Fort save (DC 11); initial and secondary damage 1d6 temporary Constitution.

Storm Giant 7th-level Cleric Huge Giant (Electricity) Hit Dice: 19d8+114, plus 7d8+42 (276 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. (breastplate); base 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 27 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural, +5 breastplate) Attacks: Gargantuan mace +31/+26/+21/+16 melee; or hurled rock +19/+13/+9/+4 ranged Damage: Gargantuan mace 4d6+21; or hurled rock 2d8+14 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells, turn undead Special Qualities: Electricity immunity, rock catching, freedom of movement, water breathing Saves: Fort +22, Ref +10, Will +16

Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +17, Diplomacy +12, Heal +13, Jump +12, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perform (chant, dance, drama, harp, recorder) +12, Spellcraft +13, Spot +8 Feats: Brew Potion, Cleave, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 20 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items Alignment: Often chaotic good Special Attacks Spell-like Abilities (Sp): As above. Spells Per Day (6/5/4/3/2): 0—detect magic, guidance (x2), light, purify food and drink, read magic; 1st— cause fear, comprehend languages, divine favor, obscuring mist, shocking grasp*; 2nd—bull's strength*, endurance, enthrall, sound burst; 3rd—bestow curse, daylight, magic vestment*; 4th—air walk or control water, ice storm* Domains: Storm and Strength Turn Undead: The storm giant cleric can turn undead up to five times per day. The cleric rolls 1d20+2 for the turning check and 2d6+9 for turning damage. Special Qualities Electricity Immunity (Ex): As above. Freedom of Movement (Su): As above. Rock Catching (Ex): As above. Water Breathing (Ex): As above.

Celestial Giants

Although it is without question that these redoubtable beings are indeed giants, they are often thought of more as titans or rare godlet visitants to the inhabitants of the worlds they are encountered upon. Most of the time, celestial giants will make good use of their polymorph ability and walk unnoticed as a comely but standard example of the races they deal with. Many celestial giants are munificent and goodly to other races, though a few have fallen into degradation and hubris, forming cults from these same races, who worship them as divine creatures. Some celestial giants proclaim an ancient history connected with the gods, performing custodial tasks and services in the name of divine powers. Others of their kind repute a stellar origin, claiming they are the architects of a vast network of interplanar gateways that span the length and breadth of the multiverse. Though not much evidence has surfaced to support this outlandish boast, their planar knowledge is in fact well founded, and sparse mythical accounts of an antediluvian interplanar war relate the same details from an entirely different perspective - those of ancient dragon-kind. Celestial giants live for approximately two or three millennia, though it is rumored that many have far surpassed this period.

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Celestial Giants

Physical Description Celestial giants stand 25 feet tall or more, weighing approximately 14,000 pounds. Females typically have the same basic characteristics of the males, though none too few are larger. Both sexes are awe-inspiring physical specimens; symmetrical muscular builds with sublime defining curves and features, which lend an etheric countenance. Celestial giants have skin the tone of milky alabaster that gives them the appearance of living colossal statuary, and hair color ranges from sparkling starry black, deepest midnight blue, or clouded hues of winking grayish chalcedony. This last pigmentation is more frequent in the females, along with rare cases of stringent metallic colors like reddishgold or silver-white that shines like mithril. Eye color is likewise variegated; glowing spinel blue, deep liquid black or pale green and a subtler range of yelloworange hues the color of beryl. Both sexes wear their hair in long luxuriant locks in various styles, sometimes with hints of jeweled embellishments. Males tend to keep well-trimmed and oiled beards. Celestial giants tend to dress much as storm giants do, favoring loose free flowing garments or the occasional worked hide of a gargantuan creature, though most show a decorative preference for batiked or embroidered cosmic motifs. Other jewelry and adornments are sparse amongst the gentler of this race, though the rare depraved or hubristic celestial giant often favors many ornaments. What jewelry they do have tends to be simple but masterfully crafted bands of gold, adamantine, mithril, or some obscure precious planar alloy wrapped around star sapphires or rare extraplanar gems in cunning asymmetrical bands. Celestial Giants with psionic capacity tend to set these ornaments with psicrystals in place of gems and jewels.

Combat and Warfare

Most celestial giants will avoid combat entirely through their innate magical powers, subtle diplomacy, and lastly the outright intimidating fear of what might transpire should their wrath be aroused. However, should they feel the cause is justified, they are cornered by whatever potent being could achieve such an unlikely end, or if they are of the diabolical

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sort, they will approach the situation with thoughtful strategy, magical abilities used offensively, along with bold strokes of legendary action to awe their opponents and break enemy morale. Evil celestial giants tend to use long-reaching strategies and support their strongholds and plans with honed and disciplined armies drawn from the followers within their cults.

Weapons Many celestial giants do not favor the carrying of weapons, instead relying on their Fabricate power to form the necessary weapon in a time of need, which varies from giant to giant. Some 40% do carry force rods, magical telekinetic rods that focus a giant's great strength. A few of these rods also have additional powers typical of standard magical rods. Though celestial giants are familiar with all manner of weapons, they tend to favor the aforementioned methods. Celestial giants in ranged combat tend to use spears and javelins, though boulders or the odd sling or bow are known as well. They can hurl and catch rocks as others do, but unlike storm giants, they view these weapons as any other, merely another elemental portion of their environment to be used as an attack. Celestial giants are excellent crafters and can make magical weapons by use their innate Fabricate power. They rarely do this, unless it is to repair one of their telekinetic rods, some other magic item, and for other types of giants or other worthy beings, like good-aligned human heroes.

Spell-like abilities Celestial giants have powers associated with transmutation. Three times per day, they may use Fabricate as a 20th level sorcerer. Due to the innate understanding these beings have of the elements and transmutation, when they use this power, the raw material used is assumed to be of the best quality, regardless of its condition. They also receive a +10 enchantment bonus to any Craft Checks when used in tandem with this power. Furthermore, the cost for making

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Celestial Giants and repairing items for celestial giants is 1/10th and 1/20th respectively of the cost of the item. Twice per day, celestial giants can polymorph self as a 20th level sorcerer, a power they often use to conceal their identities, or to adapt to the various environments they encounter. They may also become ethereal as the spell Etherealness once per day. Once per week, a celestial giant may call upon the connection he or she has inherently with the elemental fabric of the cosmos, and use a Limited Wish, but any spells generated by this power are restricted to elemental spells, or those from the schools of transmutation and conjuration.

Strategy Celestial giants will avoid most combat situations, but when aroused to do battle, they are fearsome opponents indeed. They favor the notion that they can outwait and harangue an enemy much longer than that enemy and their resources can possibly last. These giants are very patient and in control of their passions, feeling that time is on their side, and when angered they become a shrewd calculating force of nature directed at what, or who, irks them. If they are capable of casting spells, they will use them along the lines of their current stratagem, especially those employed for spying and vital information about their enemy. The first order of celestial giant strategy is typically one of two things, intimidation and cunning diplomacy through their awe-inspiring presence and strength, or defensive stances and displacement. They will become ethereal or use their polymorph ability to harass and confuse the enemy, along with a few well-placed attacks from their telekinetic rods directed at charging fighters in heavy armor, wizards casting spells, or mounted opponents. Usually, these tactics are applied to break up communication, deter movement, blind or stun opponents, or destroy vital equipment in encampments, all to drive the point home that the fight is futile and to break morale.

employ troops of evil warlike humanoids such as other evil giants, ogres, hobgoblins, bugbears, or orcs, who have been well trained by their sinister masters in the bloody arts of organized ambush and punitive warfare. Although it is thankfully rare, it is not unknown for evil celestial giants to exercise their legendary patience in a most malignant way slowly constructing a large army of evil beings in obscurity, and then suddenly fielding it to encompass and dominate an entire land, seemingly out of nowhere.

Society It is rare enough to see a celestial giant and rarer still for two or more to meet one another. Because their life spans are so long, many celestial giants grow accustomed to vast periods of study and travels alone, observing and enjoying the many facets and timeless beauty of cosmic rebirth upon the various worlds and planes they inhabit. In general, theirs is an extroverted and almost stoic philosophy, though they are often moved to study closely the microcosmic events around them, what is best interpreted by other races as downright enjoyment and "play" within the finer details, be this curiousity of a philosophical intent or simply emotive in design. When celestial giants do crave social interaction, they merely "spy" upon a village or city of a given race until they feel they have learned enough, and eventually disguise themselves with their polymorph ability to interact with them. This is most commonly done with other good aligned giants and long-lived races more akin to celestial giants, such

The second order of strategy is of the same type, but taken to a more deadly level. They will use long range or hit-and-run attacks such as their telekinetic rods and fabricate abilities to push enemies off cliffs, destroy hallways, paths, buildings and bridges at the right moment, or use them to make simple but effective traps to ensnare their enemies; covered spiked pits, sabotaging hefty ceiling supports or large trees to crush opponents, etc. They will use their etherealness ability to spy or their rods to snatch key persons such as leaders or potent spell casters. They might also use their polymorph ability to make deals with the enemies of their opponents, (or make enemies for their opponents) or to summon an indigenous creature or army known to defend the area, and other things of this nature. If celestial giants feel that their opponents are a serious threat (or if they are evil celestial giants), this could continue for days and even weeks or more, until the enemy has routed, surrendered, or they are destroyed. Evil celestial giants in particular will make use of their troops coupled with these tactics to distract an enemy while the giant can do the worst damage from some unprotected quarter. They typically

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Celestial Giants as elves, but others are inclusive and not necessarily humanoid in shape, provided communication is not a major barrier. However, when celestial giants do happen upon each other, or seek one another out, it tends to be in small groups of two or three. This is usually only done for some major cosmic event or to mate, which is rare in and of itself due to celestial giants long life spans. Celestial giants tend to act cohesively and collaboratively amongst one another. If the identity or lair of a celestial giant is known to others and visited, they may avoid initial contact and survey the visitor to be sure of that being’s true intent. Once a cordial relation is assumed, they will reveal themselves (whether disguised or not depends on the situation) and are excellent hosts to many races.

Celestial giants have no rank or social class among them, since they have adapted to lives spent apart from one another for uncounted centuries. Although some giants, or other creatures, may be venerated and respected for their merit, wisdom, or particular skills, there is no ruler among them but themselves. They do recognize the customs and trappings of other races, and will act in accordance with customs when among these beings. Celestial giants have no territory per se, some seeing this as an obsolete concept given their powers, even amongst other races, though they recognize and respect this perspective. Celestial giants spend much of their time in rumination, study, and experimentation throughout the course of their travels. Though much of this experimentation and the insightful knowledge reaped from such devotional scientific tests are vast, much of it is beyond the ability of most races to comprehend or apply with any practicality. However, some of this elevated lore is indeed useful, and some seek out the celestial giants as great sages. Planar knowledge, alien races and the location of other worlds, properties regarding transmutation and alchemy or magic, are but a few of the topics whose facts are craved by other sages, bards, and farranging explorers alike.

Art and Culture What unique culture celestial giants can claim is shown in their great capacity to store knowledge, or in the structures and affectations made by their potent transmogrifying powers and craft. They do not carry sacks, instead making use of star chests; huge chests or packs that can hold ten times their volume, and shrink or enlarge upon command. They are also adjustable to make fold out shelves, holders, and other convenient surfaces and sub-containers. Despite these wondrous attributes, star chests are nearly identical to portable holes in every other way. Celestial giants often do not make large permanent dwellings to shelter them from the elements, preferring instead to weather its effects and enjoy the feel of nature on their skin. Anything they do have that can be damaged by the elements can usually be repaired quite easily with their fabricate power. Objects tend to be less than subdued and masterfully rendered but not gaudy. They are decorated and shaped much like the jewelry these beings wear, strange asymmetrical knot work or undulating organic patterns and shapes, as well as materials or hues artfully arranged to offset one another, which lend a sublime

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calculated beauty to the crafted object. Sometimes even utilitarian items are worked with great care - set with gemstones, miniature fossils, or vivid alien shells. Though they may be nothing more than simple tools, they are works of art in and of themselves despite their function. When celestial giants do fashion permanent structures, it is often for two reasons. The first is to store large quantities of objects gathered for research and study, or as storage for things too numerous to carry in their star chests during a protracted stay in a given area. The next is for the use of another being or beings in some way, or if the giant is masquerading as another (usually smaller) race for lengthy periods to allay suspicion. These dwellings often receive the same artistic attention that objects do. Statuary or bas-relief is common in or near these structures. Natural subjects or abstract organic shapes are favored to offset the roaming geometric patterns typical of celestial giant craft. Celestial giants perform by singing and chanting when alone or among others to express their emotions during festive times. These chants range from pleasing ambient music to disturbing clashing pieces. Though many are pleasing to other races and have an eloquent structure, some are too abstract, unsettling, or downright alien to be enjoyed. The one craft mastered by celestial giants by far is their penchant for knowledge; both in learning new lore and its accumulation and cataloguing of many varied subjects. Much of this work is transcribed onto durable metal plates beaten wafer thin and bound into beautifully etched codices on many subjects. Some are more cunning in design; small metallic spheres set with many rune-covered studs, an adjustable glass-steel lens, and a pivoting central hub. Within the sphere, tiny glass-steel platelets are set in tandem with the proper stud after the hub is turned. When the proper configuration is set and the stud depressed, a powerful magical light shines through the glass-steel lens, which may be focused up or down to accommodate the size of the viewer, whereupon the writing on the platelets becomes as large as a readable book. Many dozens of volumes can be stored in a projection sphere, and magical works as well as mundane are not unknown, though rare. These objects may be opened and the platelets switched, a task requiring a bit of skill and patience.

Relations Celestial giants tend to be loners and reclusive introverts, but they may "come out of their shells" when their curiosity is aroused, or when they do actually crave social interaction. Some beings may have interacted with celestial giants and not even be aware due to the giant's polymorph ability. Other cases are even more obscure; a celestial giant aiding others by simply doing a favor, such as repairing a damaged road or shattering a structure unobserved, whereupon they will simply move on unthanked, satisfied that the finished work itself is enough to please them. These acts are often interpreted as divine intervention of some sort, and those who do make the connection between a celestial giant in the area and the good deed have furthered the godly repute of this race.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Celestial Giants Celestial giants are for the most part munificent and wise beings, and will act accordingly towards anyone they venture across. This attitude is not because they are stronger, but because they perceive all living creatures as worthy of respect and equal veneration, each a minute echo in the grand and beautiful splendor of the cosmos.

Environment Celestial giants do not favor any particular terrain or climate as a race, though each may have a personal preference. They have adapted and survived in every known habitat on many worlds and planes, but overall theirs is a place of seclusion. If there were any guiding rule to where one might find a celestial giant, it would be in a large and unrequited natural environment. Although celestial giants do not claim a sense of territoriality, they do claim personal space, which might seem like territorial dispute to smaller beings. A celestial giant will generally remain hidden and avoid confrontation, but some may act as druids in a place they choose to live.

Arcanis Connection Celestial Giants The celestial giants - what few are left, if any, upon Arcanis, stand in contrast with the celestial giants of other worlds for two reasons. The first is that they were far more numerous and social than are others of their kind. The second is that they were full of hubris and had sinister designs for self-appointed divinity. There is an ancient legend that tells of the former might of the celestial giants, and the origins of dwarves upon Onara. Hundreds of years ago, during the golden reign of the human First Imperium, celestial giants walked among the far-flung northern lands, reigning over an empire, and all of giant-kind through subjugation, great magical workings, and masterfully crafted artifacts of massive power. Many of these artifacts, such as the potent World Gates, were so powerful that it took many celestial giants working in unison to craft them. Only the mighty ancient dragons of Arcanis stood to defy them successfully, fighting a war over many centuries, and it said, possibly for millennia, and even on other worlds and planes. More and more, giants were preyed upon as lambs by dragon-kind, and for a time, it seemed as if they would extinguish the great race of celestial giants from the face of Arcanis forever. It is said that Illiir, Emperor of the Gods, saw the devastated ruin that was the First Imperium of Man, and to keep humanity safe, He struck a bargain with the celestials. They would safeguard humanity from now on, and in return the Gods would send the Valinor to destroy their ancient enemy - dragons. The war that raged was lost by dragon-kind, for one cannot stand against the Gods and win. For a time the celestials did guide what was left of the vast human empire, but eventually, they slipped

back into their ancient ways and enslaved humanity, making them venerate the celestials as Gods. Illiir cursed them for their hubris and in His wrath took away that which was most dear to them, their power, stature and the love of the stars. Thus was the race of dwarves born upon Arcanis. It is said that some celestial giants yet survive in other places on Arcanis, the others that took no part in betraying Illiir. These have never been seen, and it is not known where they might live…perhaps beyond the Wall of the Gods, or another land beyond the sea, or yet other worlds and planes. There is yet another legend amongst dragon kind, from a draconian oracle of centuries past, which lies now in the great treasure vault of the Temple of Althares within the First City. The legend relates that the oracle spoke a prophecy; when the stars are right, these mighty beings will return to Onara, seeking a horrible vengeance on all who have wronged them and their kind.

Celestial giant characters Given that celestial giants accumulate knowledge of all types in many varied ways, it is only fitting that some pursue this interest in specialized professions. They may even be multiclassed due to their protracted life spans. Sorcerers, wizards, and even priests are a viable option to celestial giants, as their inherent magical powers, sage-like tendencies, and connection to the cosmos can be honed or broadened in these classes. Many favor transmutation and conjuration spells or those spells that deal with travel and divination, but any combination of choices is possible. Those celestial giants that have awakened psionic powers can become psions, usually shapers, though any choice is possible. Psychic warriors are less common than fighters. Fighters are rare, as celestial giants tend to avoid direct combat, but it is not unheard of, particularly for evil celestial giants. Strangely, rangers are more common than fighters due to their inherent interaction with natural environments. A celestial giant ranger might choose alien terrains and environments to safeguard, and sinister extraplanar or leviathan creatures as their favored enemy. Paladins are the rarest of the fighting classes, and regimented disciplines of the monk are unknown completely. Bard is a possible choice as are various expert classes, sage, lore master, and other professions known to crave and seek out knowledge, and to put that knowledge to practical or artistic use. Celestial giant bards tend to use their voices for chanting, singing, or performing along with their erudite empirical knowledge and extroverted observations to create oratory epics and verse with multi-racial or universal themes. Many instruments such as harps and wind instruments strike their fancy as well. Some evil celestial giants will take up the profession of rogue, using their polymorph and fabricate powers to spy, dupe others or make forgeries of magic items and great works of art, or otherwise cause mischief and consternation.

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Celestial Giants

Celestial giant NPCs Below are some typical celestial giant profiles GMs can use for the sort that adventurers are likely to encounter.

Typical Celestial Giant Huge Giant (Elemental (All)) Hit Dice: 19d8+133 (209 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 23 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +23 natural) Attacks: Force Rod +29/+22/+17 melee. or Force Rod (+14) +14/+9/+4 ranged Damage: Force Rod 4d6+22. Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Rock catching, freedom of movement, Polymorph Self, Fabricate, Etherealness, Limited Wish. SR 25 Saves: Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +9 Abilities: Str 40, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 17 Skills: Climb +23, Concentration +20, Craft (Any 1) +16, Jump +23, Spot +16, Knowledge (The Planes) +17, Knowledge (Astrogeography) +17, Knowledge (Any 1) +17, Diplomacy +16, Sense Motive +16 Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 19 Treasure: Standard coins, double good; standard items Alignment: Often neutral good Advancement: As Class Special Attacks Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will a Celestial Giant may utilize Telekinesis cast at 20th level. Three times per day, a celestial giant may use Fabricate as a 20th level sorcerer. Twice per day, celestial giants can polymorph self as a 20th-level sorcerer and cast Etherealness once per day. Once per week, a celestial giant may call upon the connection he or she has inherently with the elemental fabric of the cosmos, and use a Limited Wish, but any spells generated by this power are restricted to elemental spells, or those from the schools of transmutation and conjuration. Special Qualities Elemental Synchronicity (Ex): Celestial giants have been blessed by all elements and enjoy some measure of immunity to all. Celestial giants are considered to have Elemental Resistance 50 for all elemental damage types Freedom of Movement (Su): Celestial giants continuously have freedom of movement as the spell. Rock catching (Ex): A Celestial giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to

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catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Water Breathing (Ex): Celestial giants can breathe underwater indefinitely

Convonol 10th level Celestial Giant Psion: Shaper Hit Dice: 10d4+70+19d8+133 (299 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 27 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +23 natural, +4 Inertial Armor) Attacks: Force Rod +34/+27/+22 melee. or Force Rod (+14) +19/+14/+9 ranged Damage: Force Rod 4d6+22. Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Rock catching, freedom of Movement, Polymorph Self, Fabricate, Etherealness, Limited Wish, Psi Powers SR 25 Saves: Fort +20, Ref +11, Will +16 Abilities: Str 40, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 17 Skills: Climb +23, Concentration +33, Craft (Weaponsmith) +29, Craft (Armorsmith) +15, Diplomacy +16, Jump +23, Listen +11, Knowledge (The Planes) +18, Knowledge (Astrogeography) +18, Knowledge (Any 1) +15, Knowledge (Psionics) +15, Psicraft +15, Sense Motive +15, Spot +21 Feats: Quicken Power, Craft Universal Item, Craft Psionic Weapons and Armor, Inertial Armor, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Psi Attack Modes: Psychic Crush, Mind Blast, Ego Whip, Mind Thrust Psi Defense Modes: Empty Mind, Thought shield Mental Barrier, Intellect Fortress, Tower of Iron will Psi Power Points: 52 Psi Powers Known: 0 Detect Psionics, Know Direction, My Light, Elfsight, Lesser Natural Armor, Talons, Finger of Fire, 1st Combat Precognition, Control Object, Call Weaponry, Grease, 2nd Darkvision, Invisibility, Astral Construct 2, 3rd Claws of the Vampire, Schism, Create food and water 4th Inertial Barrier, Wall of Ectoplasm 5th Astral Construct V Challenge Rating: 29 Treasure: Convonol has collected quite a large array of items over his travels among them are his bracers of armor +6, Boots of Skate &

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Celestial Giants Speed, Book of Infinite Spells, 2 rings of elemental command (Fire & Ice), Several Projection Sphere, as well as numerous other magical items from minor to medium power. Alignment: Lawful good Advancement: As Class Conovol dwells in a massive smithy atop a far-flung plateau sequestered within a nearly impenetrable ring of misty mountains. It is here that he studies the psychic laws of transmutation, and those of gemology and smithcraft to forge psionic artifacts of legendary beauty and power. Within the hoary smithy is a great hall filled with many strange extraplanar materials, and treatises, tomes, and projection spheres, all of them dealing with the disciplines of the mind, erudite lore on materials for varied crafts, or philosophy concerning transformative nature, alchemy and magic. Clans of nearby dwarves have made a long-lived alliance with this venerated being, trading necessary metals, crystals and gems in return for smithing lore and masterful objects of inestimable worth. It is said that daring heroes of high repute have approached this giant for the service of his craft, repaying him by dangerous quests and deeds of high and goodly renown that might take years to complete, or perhaps take them to other worlds and planes

Sola 12th level Sorcerers / 4th level fighter Celestial Giant Hit Dice: 12d4+84+4d10+48+19d8+133 (385 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 34 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +23 natural, +8 Brest Plate, +2 Force Shield) Attacks: Neatherfall (melee) +43/+43/+38/+33/+28/+23/+18 Sola’s Stormbow (Ranged) +34/+29/+23/+19/+13/+9 Note: Add +5 if using arrows +5 Damage: Neatherfall 2d8+4d6+26. Sola’s Stormbow 1d10+1d6+9 Note: Can also use +5 Arrows Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Rock catching, freedom of movement, Polymorph Self, Fabricate, Etherealness, Limited Wish. SR 25 Sorcerers Powers Spell Fail Chance: 5% Spells per day: 8/8/8/7/7/6/4 Spells known: 0- Light, Dancing Lights, Daze, Flare, Open/Close, Read Magic, Detect Magic,Disrupt Undead, Mending 1Magic Missile, Shield, Jump, Burning Hands, Expeditious Retreat 2- Web, See Invisibility, Bull’s Strength, Cat’s

Grace, Scare 3- Fireball, Lighting Bolt, Tongues, Haste 4- Stoneskin, Fire Shield, Scrying 5- Prying Eyes, Teleport 6- Monster Summoning VI Saves: Fort +25, Ref +14, Will +18 Abilities: Str 40, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 26* Skills: Climb +23, Concentration +34, Craft (Weaponsmith) +30, Craft (Siege weapons) +16, Jump +24, Spot +16, Knowledge (The Planes) +17, Knowledge (Astrogeography) +17, Knowledge (arcane) +19, Knowledge (Combat and Tactics) +17, Diplomacy +16, Sense Motive +16, Scry +19, Spellcraft +19, Swim +23 Feats: Monstrous Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Monstrous Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Expertise, Whirlwind Attack, Weapon Focus: Huge Great Sword, Weapon Specialization: Huge Great Sword, Aggressive Negotiations, Fling Anything, Knock back Treasure: Cloak of Charisma +5, Mithral Breastplate +3 of Arcane Casting, Force Shield, Boots of Speed, "Neatherfall", "Sola’s Stormbow" , Vest of Minor Displacement, Ring Spell Storing (6 spell levels), and 30 large arrows +5 Alignment: Neutral Evil Advancement: As Class Sola’s Special Magical Items Neatherfall is a great sword +4 of speed, with all the additional properties of a force rod. Upon any successful hit Neatherfall’s force damage is added to the base weapon damage. Sola’s Stormbow is a Huge Mighty Composite Longbow +3 of Force (+6 Strength Bonus Maximum) created from the fused spinal cord of a storm giant. Sola’s Familiar: Dire Wolverine Large Animal Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (175 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft., climb 10 ft. AC: 16 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural) Attacks: 2 claws +34 melee, bite +29 melee Damage: Claw 1d6+6, bite 1d8+3 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Rage Special Qualities: Scent, Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, Touch, Speak with master, Speak with animals of its type Saves: Fort +23, Ref +15, Will +19 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +14, Listen +9, Spot +8

The Iron Warlord This cruel and twisted giant has used her innate powers for the cause of evil, coming to this world as a warlord to subjugate the lands beneath her flapping

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Giant-Kin pennant, marked with symbols of death, unnatural arcane powers, and bloody slaughter. She has constructed a great rounded fortress within a massive foreboding canyon, secretly plotting, raiding, and awaiting the day when she can unleash her full fury upon the world. The dark stone fort is formed of interlocking rings, a tangled maze of lofty gates, spiked towers, and looming battlements. These lesser posts are stocked with cunning traps, cadres of welltrained orcs, evil armored giants, pike wielding trolls and a menagerie of other foul magical creatures, including the warlord's familiar, a giant snarling wolverine. Some have heard tales of the so-called Iron Warlord, and even dared to spy upon the black citadel, and some have not returned at all. The raids from this place go unnoticed in more civilized lands, for now…but it is only a matter of time.

Giant-Kin

Scholars sometimes make the distinction between what they call "true giants" and "giant-kin." The former are, of course, members of one of the six races described in depth at the beginning of this chapter, while the latter are other smaller giant-like creatures with whom true giants sometimes ally. Both groups share a number of characteristics, including Large size (usually at least eight feet in height), great strength, and darkvision with a range of at least 60 feet.

What distinguishes giant-kin from their mightier cousins is their unrelenting evil and cruelty. While many giants, indeed the majority of them, are evil beings, not all of them are. Whereas stone, cloud, and storm giants do not always have the best interests of smaller beings at heart, they are not generally malicious (with a the notable exception of evil cloud giants). The same cannot be said of ettins, ogres, and trolls, all of whom show a remarkable capacity for villainy. In most cases, too, giant-kin are quite unintelligent, closer to hill giants in their intellectual capacity than to the more impressive fire or even frost giants. This low intelligence colors the behavior of giant-kin as well. These creatures typically engage in simple violent activities designed to create maximum carnage and suffering. Unsurprisingly, they are far less effective in their war on good than giants, who nevertheless use many of them as foot soldiers in their own machinations.

How are they related?

The precise relationship between true giants and giant-kin is one best determined by the GM in his own campaign. Many giants look on their lesser kin as "little brothers" at best or "distant cousins" at worst. Giants generally see in the giantkin some reflection of their own race, even if they pity or disparage them as somehow deficient compared to themselves. The giant-kin, in turn, view giants as simply more powerful versions of themselves, something to which

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they can aspire if they are successful or gain sufficient power. However, these views do not answer the simple question: how are true giants and giant-kin related? The exact answer depends on the GM’s portrayal of giants in his game, but here are several options: Giant-kin are "less evolved" versions of true giants. Alternately, true giants may simply be more powerful or evolved versions of giant-kin.Giant-kin are cursed members of the true giant races, which brought law from their gods. Giant-kin are different races entirely, who simply share certain physical similarities to true giants, as well as a cultural affinity for these more powerful creatures. Any of these answers is acceptable, provided that the GM considers the consequences of accepting it. In the end, the most important consideration is whether an answer fits with a GM’s interpretation of giants and the role they play in the campaign world.

Ettins

Standing 13 feet tall and weighing over 2,500 pounds, these two-headed creatures could easily pass for true giants. Indeed, they are taller than all but the greatest of their lofty kin. Their strength and capacity for evil is equally on par with the worst that hill, frost, and even fire giants have to offer. Where they differ is in their dull-wittedness and limited ability to grasp a picture bigger than the gratification of their immediate desires. In some respects, ettins are little more than very strong and destructive animals – ravenous, foultempered, and utterly devoid of any real understanding of the future. Ettins live extremely primitively. They lack most of what outsiders would consider "culture." Even hill giants have a more sophisticated society than ettins. That, too, is an important reason ettins do not compare favorably with true giants. They lack complex organizational structures. Many, if not most, ettins live solitary existences, hunting and raiding as they need to survive. Mated pairs stay together only long enough to raise their young to self-sufficiency, which is typically eight to ten months after birth. Beyond that, the parents generally have very little to do with one another or their offspring and are as likely to kill one another should they meet again as work together toward a common goal. Colonies are the largest social structure these giant-kin seem capable of. Composed of three to five ettins (possibly related by blood, but there is no assurance of this), one of which is a powerful and charismatic leader. Colonies also contain orcs or goblins as servants or warriors, as well as brown bears kept as guard animals. Colonies arise spontaneously when an ettin grows strong enough to attract the attention of his fellows as someone worth following. Of course, such strength is just as likely to arouse jealousy and suspicion, which is why colonies are relatively rare. Many are destroyed before they establish themselves, thanks to the fear and recrimination that characterizes ettin psychology. Even when colonies are established, they rarely outlive the deaths of their founders. Colonies are profoundly ephemeral things that come and go, as do the ettins who make them up.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant-Kin This is what prevents ettins from being classed among the true giants more than anything else. True giants look upon ettins with pity, seeing in them a debased form of their own existence. Ettins have no history or legends or ideals or longterm goals. They live in the moment and do whatever strikes their fancy, even if that leads to their destruction or the destruction of their colonies. Cruel and stupid, ettins are an example of degeneration at work – at least if the wilder claims of giants’ former lofty estate are to be believed.

Cyclopes Although these creatures are much like ogres in temperament and customs, particularly in their regard to giant superiority, they tend to show slightly more intelligence regarding strategy and the world around them. Cyclopes stand approximately ten to twelve feet in height, weighing a hefty 700 to 800 pounds. Their physical appearance, including hair, and facial features are similar to hill giants - apish brutes clothed in tattered skins and hefting crude battered weapons. These traits are made worse by a telltale trait, a lone feral eye. However, this is a disguise not unnoticed by cyclopes, and those who assume they can easily be dupe these beings often find out too late that they are faced off against creatures possessed of a vicious animal cunning and two-faced savage trickery. Like ogres, cyclopes are selfish and ruthlessly evil, understanding when to hold out for better rewards later, when to bleed resources dry, and when to cut and run. They often bully and extort other humanoid races for food and loot, or form short-lived raiding parties with weaker cyclopes, ogres, and lesser humanoids such as orcs pressed forcefully into service. Many cyclopes will use simple traps such as covered pits and pushed boulders to ambush the unwary. Cyclopes can speak the language of giants, and often portions of orcish and the ogre tongue, though they have no language of their own. They also have oral tales and legends, which often entail being accursed for some transgression against the gods to explain their current degenerated state as a race. Combined with their physically unique appearance, this gives cyclopes a prideful sense of racial identity apart from other giant-kin, and even giants themselves. Ironically, this racial pride is countered by their chaotic independent natures, and thankfully they cannot organize themselves into villages and large war bands for extended periods of time. There are two things that set cyclopes distinctly apart from other giant-kin. The first is a singular eye, which beyond the obvious physical differentiation, gives them poor depth perception and prohibits their ability to use missile weapons as effectively as other races. Some cyclopes have compensated for this handicap in a most adaptive way, taking on a symbiotic arrangement with a lesser humanoid "spotter." This diminutive crony is usually a runt ogre or large orc who lives a parasitic life in the cyclopes' shadow - trading their keen eyes and skill with missiles in return for protection and portions of food or booty. The other trait is that cyclopes cannot breed with any other race, in fact a fair portion of these beings are often sterile. This has led lore masters and sages to surmise that the cyclopes are a dying race, a theory supported by their infrequent appearance in many lands over many generations.

Typical Cyclops Large Giant (Water) Hit Dice: 13d8+65 (124 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. AC: 26 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural, +3 Hide Armor, +2 Huge Shield) Attacks: Greatclub +18/+13 melee.; or Rock +12/+7 ranged Damage: Greatclub 1d12+8 , Rock 2d6 +8 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Rock Throwing Special Qualities: Rock catching, No Depth Perception. Darkvision 60 ft Saves: Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +5 Abilities: Str 26, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Spot +3* Feats: Cleave, Power Attack Climate/Terrain: Any temperate hills, mountains, aquatic and underground Organization: Solitary, Mated Pair (1-2), or Gang (12 plus 1-4 orcs, goblins or ogre spotters) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often Chaotic Evil Advancement: By character class Special Attacks Rock Throwing (Ex): Adult giants are accomplished rock throwers and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. A giant of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to 5 range increments. The size of the range increment varies with the giant’s variety. A Huge giant can hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium-size objects). Special Qualities Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size can catch Small, Medium-size, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium-size one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC increases by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack No Depth Perception (Ex): A Cyclops single eye makes it hard for the creature to judge distances to a target. As a consequence, A Cyclops may only throw rocks five range increments instead of ten, and receives a -2 bonus to all its ranged attack rolls. Combat Cyclops tend to favor ambushes or other favorable conditions to overpower their enemies. They prefer meele combat, and often rely on a spotters to provide them with missle fire as they engage the ememy in meele. Skills: * Cyclops receive -2 to all spot checks over 60 feet.

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Giant-Kin Special Not all Cyclopes appear to be terrestrial in nature. For centuries sailors have spun tales of large oneeyed giants living on remote oceanic islands. These Cyclopes breathe water and are sometimes seen walking across the ocean floor. They have the same statistics as a typical Cyclops except that they possess the special quality of Water Breathing Water Breathing (Ex): Cyclopes with this quality can breathe underwater indefinitely

All of these facts suggest that ogre magi are in fact a different race than ordinary ogres. Yet, ogres – and giants – insist that this suggestion is untrue. Ogre magi seem to arise spontaneously from among the population of ordinary ogres. Traditionally, ogres have claimed that the magi are gifts from the gods and a sign of their favor. Families with ogre magi in their bloodline are widely revered and treated as both celebrities and as leaders. Giants, in turn, point to ogre magi as proof that even as debased a giant race as the ogres still show signs of the magical blood that is their birthright. Blood disciples in particular take pleasure in the existence of ogre magi and often use them as trusted servants or bodyguards.

Ogres

For their part, ogre magi are content to use their spell-like abilities to lord it over ordinary ogres. These creatures are much more intelligent than their peers – and even some giants. They obsess over material obsessions, which they use as a marker of their victories over opponents, and undertake plans whose conclusions may take weeks, months, or even years. It is little wonder ordinary ogres see the magi as godlike beings, having more in common with true giants than with themselves. In some sense, the ogres are right.

Ogres are just as stupid and cruel as ettins, but lack their large size. A typical ogre stands only nine to ten feet tall and weighs between 300 and 350 pounds. Yet, they are generally better regarded by true giants than are ettins. The first reason for this is simple: ogres recognize giants as their superiors. More accurately, ogres share one of the most fundamental aspects of giant psychology – they equate strength with greatness. Consequently, ogres, who are themselves quite strong, see in true giants something worthy of admiration and emulation. Ogres willingly and enthusiastically serve giants, even the relatively unimpressive ones like hill giants. The second reason is that ogres and true giants have had so long an association with one another that ogres, despite their limited intellects, have acquired something of the giants’ sense of planning and strategy. This is not to suggest that ogres are grand strategists or master planners; they are not. However, these concepts are not alien to them. Ogres often hold back on their raids for reasons other than weakness or fear. They cultivate settlements for maximum rapine later, as well as keep captives for uses other than food. This makes ogres, though less powerful, far more like true giants than are ettins. Ogres also possess powerfully self-interested cunning. They often employ trickery and subterfuge when dealing with others, including giants. Ogres have been known to set up tolls and extort payments from passers by. They also engage in limited trade with lesser humanoid species. Admittedly, the "trade" is often very one-sided and predicated upon the threat of ogre violence if their demands are not met. Yet, even this simple form of economic activity places them far beyond ettins in the grand scheme of things.

Unlike ettins, most evil giants see value in trolls. Their ferociousness in combat, in addition to their ability to regenerate damage and lost body parts, makes them extremely attractive as servants and bodyguards. The fact that trolls are hardy creatures that can survive in almost any known climate only reinforces their utility. Evil giants as diverse as hill, frost, and fire giants have been known to use trolls and there are reports of cloud giants doing the same.

Ogre Magi Ogre magi are a special case. In many respects, they are very similar to ordinary ogres, at least in general size and shape. However, they tend to be heftier, weighing almost double that of ordinary ogres, and their skin and hair coloration is decidedly different. Whereas ordinary ogres have yellow or brown skin, covered with lumpy mats of fur, ogre magi have light green or light blue skin. Their hair is usually dark and less wiry and coarse. Ogre magi also possess jet-black teeth and claws and show a much greater interest in wearing clothing than others of their kind. Indeed, ogre magi frequently wear light armor and wield swords and bows rather than simple clubs.

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Trolls Trolls occupy a place very similar to ettins in the realm of the giant-kin. That is to say, they are cruel and stupid and generally poorly regarded by true giants. Trolls, too, show feral, animalistic tendencies with very little in the way of society or culture. If anything, trolls lack even the rudimentary society that ettins possess. Most trolls lead solitary lives and troll gangs usually number no more than four individuals. Mated pairs of trolls are almost never seen, giving rise to the belief that trolls reproduce asexually, but this belief is unfounded. Like ettins, trolls mate but spend only a short time together, typically only six months, after which time a young troll is considered capable of fending for itself.

There can be no question, though, that trolls are limited in any other capacity. They survive by taking what they want from others and their appetites are renowned as insatiable. Trolls relish the flesh of almost any creature, but they seem to take particular delight in the flesh of intelligent creatures, especially Dwarves. Trolls’ enjoyment of Dwarf flesh seems to have little to do with any particular hatred for them, or any historical animosity between the two races (although Dwarves are adept at slaying trolls, just like any other giant race). Rather, trolls simply enjoy the taste of Dwarf. This has not stopped more than one loremaster from postulating all manner of strange theories about this practice, the most reasonable of which is that it is simply further proof that, whatever other differences exist, trolls are indeed related to giants.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant-Kin

Half-Giants

Relations with Others

The world is a large and magical place. Many unusual things can and do happen, none more unusual than the crossbreeding of humans and giants. Precisely how such unions occur is unclear. Many barbarian tribal warriors boast of having giant blood flowing in their veins and tales of bedding giant maidens are the stuff of legend in more than one barbaric culture. Much as ogre magi arise from the population of normal ogres, so too may half-giants emerge from populations of normal humans – a throwback to when giant blood was stronger. There are also legends of great magical experiments conducted by hoary wizards or diabolical outsiders, seeking to create a master race of powerful warriors to serve as his minions. The truth of all these stories is suspect, but there can be no denying that halfgiants exist in the world. Though rare, they generally hail from tribal societies living on the edges of civilization. Their strength is greater than that of most other humanoids – as is their lack of intellect and common sense.

Half-giants tend to share their giants’ ancestral hatred of Dwarves, although this may be ameliorated if they grew up in a tribe that interacted regularly with Dwarves. Of course, most Dwarves look with suspicion on half-giants, for similar reasons, so the cycle of antipathy often continues nevertheless. In general, a half-giant’s relations with most other species is colored by two things: their size and their accomplishments. Instinctively, half-giants look on races smaller than themselves as worth only of derision and pity. Consequently, halflings and gnomes fare even worse in their estimation than even Dwarves – quite the distinction! Elves and half-elves fare only slightly better, while humans and half-orcs are generally not dismissed solely on the basis of their size.

Personality Half-giants share a great many traits with their giant forebears. Unfortunately, these traits are not virtues. Halfgiants exult in their great strength and believe it to be the best – if not only – way to resolve most difficulties. They see their immense size as proof of their superiority and often adopt overweening, ar rogant manners that do not endear them to others, especially "lesser" races who see half-giants as pompous blowhards. Because they rarely appear in civilized lands, half-giants tend to take a dim view of civilization in general. They see it as a testament to weakness and as leading to the corruption and degradation of those who partake in it. Consequently, they scoff at most elements of high culture, as well as those who practice it. Instead, half-giants enjoy primal pastimes and physical activities. It is here that they surpass others in almost every way, a fact that gives half-giants great pleasure and reinforces their already inflated opinion of their own importance.

Physical Description Half-giants are much taller than humans and quite a bit heavier. Both male and female members of this race typically stand between 10 and 12 feet tall and weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds. Depending on the exact nature of their heritage (whether hill or storm or stone giant, for example), their features range from quite humanlike to almost bestial. In general, half-giants look like powerfully built, over-sized humans with very little body fat and incredible strength. Their skin color runs the gamut, as does their hair color. Facial features tend to be somewhat unattractive with sloping foreheads and pronounced jaws filled with sharp teeth. Like half-orcs, there appears to be something in the commingling of human and giant blood that produces more a monstrous appearance than one might otherwise expect. Half-giants mature more slowly than humans and age noticeably slower. Most half-giants mature at around 30 years of age and can expect to live 150 years or more.

At the same time, half-giants are not so narrow-minded as to overlook accomplishments. Half-giants admire those whose actions speak louder than their words. Though they tend to be loudmouthed braggarts themselves, half-giants believe it is important to back up their boasts with action. To do otherwise is the height of dishonesty and reflects badly on one’s character. Consequently, other races that do the same, including Dwarves and other diminutive races, can earn their grudging respect and even admiration. Most halfgiants would rather admire an accomplished Dwarf who means what he says than another half-giant who talks big and never follows through.

Alignment

Half-giants can, like their giant forebears, be of almost any alignment but, in practice, most tend to be chaotic in nature. This is because the humans with whom they live are usually uncivilized barbarians, who are chaotically aligned themselves. The rare half-giant who is raised by his giant parent probably takes after his or her alignment. Most halfgiants tend toward evil or neutrality as well. There are exceptions, of course, particularly those who come from cloud or storm giant stock. Nevertheless, most half-giants have a well deserved reputation as unpredictable and selfinterested, meaning that lawful and/or good-aligned members of the race are rare to non-existent.

Half-Giant Lands Half-giants have no lands of their own. They usually live among barbaric humans since they are most likely to accept them. Half-giants are also occasionally found among their giant relatives. More often than not, these half-giants are more evilly aligned than their human-raised cousins.

Religion Half-giants tend to be more superstitious and religious than their giant parent. This is partially due to the cultural influence of humans, who are more likely to pay heed to religion. It is also a function of their "half-nature," being neither in one world nor another. Unlike giants, half-giants’ arrogance and self-satisfaction stems only from their physical prowess and not from a deep conviction about their incipient divinity.

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Friends and Foes Consequently, they are devoted, if not fervent, followers of gods devoted to war, strength, chaos, and evil. Other possible deities abound depending on the circumstances of the half-giant’s life.

Language Half-giants speak Common if raised among humans or Giant if raised among their own kind. Giant is an ancient language whose modern form uses Dwarven script, a fact that throws further light on the strange relationship between the two races. Ancient Giant, the primordial language of their species, used its own alphabet, which giant lore claims is the basis for much of the world’s magic.

Names Half-giants use a variety of different names depending on their upbringing. Human-raised half-giants use human names, preferably ones with a barbaric or frightening cast to them. Those raised among giants have giant-derived names. Half-giants, like Dwarves ironically enough, often use a number of different surnames throughout their lives. In reality, these surnames are more like epithets that speak of their prowess in battle or accomplishments in tests of strength, like "Kinslayer" or "Blood-reaver." These epithets are usually self-acclaimed, although some half-giants accept those bestowed upon them by others.

Adventurers

Half-giants derive much of their self-worth from overcoming obstacles and defeating challenges – the bigger and more difficult, the better, from their perspective. Unsurprisingly, half-giants make natural adventurers. Few of these large beings enjoy lives of quiet solitude, preferring the rough and tumble excitement that only adventurous wandering can bring. Their size limits their ability to work as tomb robbers or dungeon delvers, but half-giants excel at wilderness exploration and trailblazing, not to mention working as mercenaries and bodyguards.

Racial Traits • +8 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Dex, -4 Intelligence, -4 Wisdom, -4 Charisma: Half-giants are well known as strong but stupid and lacking in common sense. • Large: As Large creatures, half-giants receive a -1 size penalty to Armor Class, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, and a -4 size penalty on Hide checks. They must use Large weapons and their lifting and carrying limits are double those of Medium-size creatures. Similarly, half-giants have an increased reach of 10 feet in melee combat. • Half-giant base speed is 40 feet. • Darkvision: Half-giants (and giants) can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-giants can function just fine with no light at all. • Giant Blood: For all special abilities and effects, a half-giant is considered a giant. For example, half-giants can use

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special giant weapons or magic items with racially specific giant powers. • Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Goblin, Infernal, and Orcish. Some half-giants also know Dwarven in order to better understand their enemies. • Favored Class: Barbarian. A multi-class half-giant’s barbarian class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty. • Level Adjustment: +4. Half-giants are much more powerful than the other races. A half-giant may be played without any class levels as the equivalent of a fourth level character.

Half-giant Variants

The half-giant character race introduced in this chapter is a broadly based amalgam that does not take into account the variations between the different giant races and how they might interact after mingling with human blood. The assumption here is that the specific race of the giant parent does not matter, since the birth is necessarily unpredictable in its final results. However, some GMs may wish to create more specific halfgiant races, such as half-hill giants and half-storm giants. Doing so is perfectly reasonable if the campaign deals extensively with giants and the differences between the various sub-types is important. In such cases, the GM is advised to look at the discussion in Core Rulebook II about creating new races and using monsters as player characters for guidance. In most campaigns, though, this level of detail is unnecessary. Moreover, half-giants as described here already have +4 LA, making them unlikely candidates for player characters in many campaigns. A more specific half-storm giant will certainly require an even higher level adjustment, placing it well outside the reach of most players’ options. GMs are advised only to include as much detail in their games as they need, especially when it comes to introducing new races for use as player characters.

Friends and Foes

Giants, by their very nature, bestride the world like colossuses. They cannot help but have an impact – for good and for ill – wherever they go. Consequently, giants tend to collect foes more easily than friends. The presence of a giant in an area is usually bad news for smaller species that also happen to be there. More often than not, the default assumption is that giants are enemies rather than allies. This is both unfortunate and unfair. For one thing, not all giants are evil or even harmful to an environment. The presence of both cloud and storm giants, for example, can be positive boons for a region. For another, many giants, even evil ones, are so caught up in their own affairs as to care little for those of smaller species. Fire giants, for example, have much more interest in their

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Friends and Foes irrationally to real or perceived slights. Hill and frost giants are renowned for their enraged rampages in pursuit of those who offend them. Other giants are more sedate and operate according to the well-worn dictum, "revenge is a dish best served cold." Giant plots for vengeance can take many months or years to reach fruition because their life spans give them the that luxury. At least one Dwarven enclave has been destroyed decades later by a giant tribe who remembered and plotted their downfall after an incident that few of the Dwarves remembered, let alone considered important.

Dwarves If there is one race that might be called the giants’ ancestral enemy, it is the Dwarves. For reasons almost too numerous to mention, giants and Dwarves view one another with a combination of suspicion, antipathy, and outright hatred. For as long as any can remember, giants and Dwarves have warred, giving and taking no quarter. This eons-long war is, of course, truer of Dwarves and evil giants than it is of giants in general. The good and neutral aligned giants, while not always on the best of terms, generally avoid one another, which is probably for the best for both parties. The war between evil giants and Dwarves is an important element of many fantasy settings and is deeply embedded in the concept of who and what Dwarves are. Their racial dodge bonus against giants, for example, is an excellent illustration of how significant this is to the understanding of Dwarves as a race.

scheme to reclaim their lost divinity than in subjugating large swaths of territory (even if they do sometimes take captives and raid their enemies). Moreover, giants can be very valuable allies. Their great size, strength, and (sometimes) knowledge make them worth having in one’s corner. Giants of all sorts are remarkably loyal to those whom they call friends. Finding a way to ally with a giant or giant tribe is difficult, but the rewards for successfully doing so are immense. It is worth noting that every true giant race (and many giant-kin) recognizes the value of allies. For all their strength and power, giants are not all-powerful. Their size, for example, limits their ability to do certain things, such as enter confined areas. They need other creatures to act as their hands and eyes on occasion. Those with whom they work can expect comparatively good treatment and a share of their successes. Of course, giants of all sorts can be just as implacable as foes, perhaps even more so. Giants do not enjoy failing. They see it as a challenge to their inherent superiority, as well as a constant reminder that other races can and do matter in the grand scheme of things. Even good-aligned giants often look unkindly upon "meddlers" who stand in the way of their plans, even inadvertently. Only truly chaotic giants respond

The origin of the feud between the two races is unclear, thereby providing GMs with the opportunity to tailor it to suit the needs of their campaign. The simplest and most widespread explanation is that Dwarves and giants share many of the same traits and habitats. Dwarves like to live in hills and mountains and take great interest in mining and excavation. Many giant races, especially the evil ones, do the same, inevitably leading to conflict. Of course, there is no reason that the explanation need be as simple as that. GMs are encouraged to come up with other options. A few examples are: • The feud stems from an ancient incident in the past in which the giants (or the Dwarves) betrayed the other in some particularly unpleasant fashion. Perhaps the two races were once allied with one another and enjoyed amicable relations up to that point. Then, the betrayal occurred and forever soured relations between the two species. • The feud is the earthly manifestation of a divine battle between the gods of the giants and the gods of the Dwarves. Each side acts as the earthly agents of their deities and fights for reasons of faith and devotion. This option only defers the question to a higher plane. The GM still needs to understand why it is the case that the two groups of gods fight with one another ceaselessly. Perhaps it is because of a disagreement at creation over whose followers should take which parts of the world or something similar.

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Friends and Foes • The feud is the result of a horrible event in the past, in which the original race of giants disobeyed the gods and was punished. Before this time, the giants were the favored of the gods and given great responsibilities in the world. By shirking these responsibilities, they were cursed forever and cast down, many of the giants becoming Dwarves. This transformation forever scarred the Dwarves and they attempt to make amends by warring with their evil cousins in an effort to reclaim the favor of heaven. A more elaborate version of this possibility is described in Codex Arcanis and forms an important part of that setting’s background. Other variations are possible as well. In the end, what is most important is that the GM at least gives some thought to the question of why giants and Dwarves hate one another. The intensity of ill will between the two races is so great that it is inconceivable that it has no explanation. If the war between giants and Dwarves plays a central role in the campaign, a solid explanation is even more essential. More information on Dwarves, the society and culture, can be found in Hammer & Helm: A Guidebook to Dwarves from Green Ronin publishing.

Elves

Another race that comes into conflict with giants are the Elves. The conflict between these two races is not nearly as extensive or as intense as that between giants and Dwarves. Yet, there is a conflict. Its origin is much more obvious. As large and rapacious creatures, giants upset the delicate balance of nature. Most evil giants (and even some good ones) have no place in nature and could care less about finding an appropriate way to interact with it. The world belongs to them to do with as they please – or so say the giants. The Elves, unsurprisingly, take a very different perspective on the matter. Some view giants as inherently unnatural. To them, they are either holdovers from a bygone time of chaos or else they are magical beasts without a proper niche. Either way, giants are dangerous and destructive. If they could be contained and prevented from doing any significant harm, most Elves would be quite content to allow giants to exist, provided they posed no immediate and specific threat. Containment is thus the preferred policy of the Elves. Through the use of magic and trickery, the Elves try to keep giants away from the most delicate and undefended elements of nature. Unlike the Dwarves, the Elves prefer subtlety and subterfuge to direct confrontation. Make no mistake though: the Elves are quite capable of confronting giants directly. Though they lack the talent for giant slaying that is a hallmark of the Dwarven people, there is no question that the Elves can hold their own when they necessary. Indeed, many of the greatest victories against the giants have come with the assistance of the Elves, whose combination of deceptiveness and detachment often gives them a fresh perspective that even Dwarves cannot overlook, much as they might wish it.

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Humans As is usually the case, there are few conflicts in the world in which humanity is not involved, at least peripherally. This is as true of the war against the giants as any other war. Humanity occupies the side of both the Dwarves and the Elves. Whereas the Dwarves are filled with an implacable, fiery hatred and the Elves view the entire matter with detached distaste, humans have no particular quarrel with the giants. They dislike giants only to the extent that they interfere with their day-to-day existence. In this respect, there is some similarity with the position of the Elves, a fact in which many Elves take pride, claiming that humanity learned this detachment under their tutelage. However, humanity’s indifference has very little to do with Elven example and a great deal more to do with its desire to avoid becoming entangled in conflicts it can avoid. This isn’t to say that humanity is a cowardly race – far from it. In fact, history records that humanity is one of the most warlike and ferocious of all races, once it is roused to act. In general, though, humans would rather tend to their own affairs and avoid inciting the wrath of creatures larger and more powerful than themselves. Giants clearly fit this description, which is why humans are not renowned as giant-slayers the way that Dwarves or (to a lesser extent) Elves are. Yet, human beings can be roused from their complacency. One of the primary reasons that humans will engage in warfare against giants is the latter’s tendency to interfere with the conduct of trade. Many evil (and even some good) giants have an unpleasant habit of establishing toll roads and other obstacles in the way of lawful commerce. Human beings cannot stand such impositions and often will go to war to eliminate them. Humans also dislike the humanoid creatures that frequently follow in the wake of a giant attack. Humans poorly regard Orcs and other goblinoids; they are seen as pests and a threat to the general welfare. If a giant’s presence is the reason for an upswing in the number of humanoids in an area, humans will do what they must to eliminate that reason, even if it means going to war with a giant or whole tribe of giants. If nothing else, humans are feisty and not easily dissuaded. Once they have made their mind up to do something, not even the thought of facing a band of armored giants three times their size can stop them.

Giant Beasts As noted elsewhere in this chapter, most giants keep and use guard animals of various sorts. Many of these are giant versions of ordinary animals. The giants breed these animals for their own use and maintain a large enough population of them to ensure a continued supply. A number of giant animals are described in Core Rulebook III. However, from time to time, the GM may wish to enliven his campaign with the introduction of a new variety of giant beast. To create a new giant beast, he can use the guidelines below.

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Friends and Foes Size Increases A size increase affects a creature’s ability scores, AC, attack bonuses, and damage ratings as indicated on the following tables. Old Size*

New Size

Str

Dex

Con

Armor Attack

---------

--------

---

---

---

-----

Fine

Diminutive

Same -2

Same Same

Diminutive

Tiny

+2

-2

Same Same

-2

Tiny

Small

+4

-2

Same Same

-1

Small

Medium-size

+4

-2

+2

Same

-1

Medium-size Large

+8

-2

+4

+2

-1

Large

Huge

+8

-2

+4

+3

-1

Huge

Gargantuan

+8

Same +4

+4

-2

Gargantuan

Colossal

+8

Same +4

+5

-4

------4

*Repeat the adjustment if the creature moves up more than one size. For example, if a creature advances from Mediumsize to Huge-size, it gains +16 Strength, -2 Dexterity, and -2 to attack bonus and Armor Class. Old Damage (Each)*

New Damage

------------------

----------

1d2

1d3

1d3

1d4

1d4

1d6

1d6

1d8

1d8 or 1d10

2d6

1d12

2d8

*Repeat the adjustment if the creature moves up more than one size category.

Goblinoids and Orcs Giants are exemplars of strength. They do not hesitate to use their strength to their advantage in all manner of activities including social interactions. This has given giants a welldeserved reputation as bullies and braggarts. While most civilized races do not view such traits as praiseworthy, the same cannot be said of goblinoids or orcs, both of which aspire to the heights of intimidation that giants possess (no pun intended). It should thus come as no surprise that goblinoids and orcs admire, respect, and fear giants. Giants are the ultimate expression of these humanoids’ worldview: might makes right. Giants clearly possess a surfeit of might which means that, to orcish and goblinoid eyes, they also possess a surfeit of right. Therefore, it only makes sense to serve giants in any capacity they can. To the humanoid mind, service should be rewarded with a share of the spoils and the promise of also one day sharing in the power that the leader possesses. Giants thus represent a possibility for advancement and enrichment

of which there are few other examples in the world. To serve a giant is, in effect, to serve god. It’s little wonder then that orcs and goblinoids regularly offer their services as minions and bodyguards to giants. Why giants would accept such service is another matter entirely. Leaving aside the question of the humanoids’ skill or lack thereof, there is little question that orcs and goblinoids can often be an active detriment to a giant’s plans. Few things can rouse humanity from its self-absorption than word of a large orcish army in the employ of a hill giant. Dwarves hate Goblinoids with almost as great a passion as giants. Elves feel much the same way, seeing them as a cancer on the body of Mother Nature and fit only for destruction. Even so, humanoids provide a giant with a steady stream of followers to gratify his immense ego. One should not discount the pleasure a giant takes in lording it over lesser creatures. There is a profound psychological need on the part of many giants to feel important and superior to other beings. In addition, the doglike devotion of orcs and goblinoids can often make up for the drawbacks. An army composed of loyal, unquestioning idiots who hang on your every word out of the hope (that need not be fulfilled) that you will one day give them a piece of your pie has its uses, even if it is only as arrow-fodder. Consequently, many giants continue to cultivate positive relationships with evil humanoids.

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Game Mechanics

Dragons If giants have a rival in the world, it is dragons. Dragons alone are as inherently magical, physically powerful, and ancient. Likewise, dragons alone can challenge giants on their home turf and regularly expect to come out on top. Indeed, dragons treat giants as worthy opponents, against whom they measure their own skills and prowess. A dragon that is capable of taking on and defeating a giant or giants is one to be reckoned with. For their part, giants view dragons as serious impediments to their own plans. For one thing, dragons are among the few other creatures that can lay claim to divinity on earth. Although dragons as a rule do not believe themselves to be gods, many lesser beings treat them as such. This infuriates many giants, who see dragons as stealing their own rightful place as objects of lesser beings’ worship. That most dragons could care less about such misguided adoration only infuriates giants even more. For another, dragons are longer lived even than giants. They can see an even bigger picture – including flaws in the giants’ own elaborate plans. Sometimes, dragons will use this insight to defeat giants or simply to mock them, as if they enjoyed pointing out that giants were not nearly as clever or as farsighted as many of them believe themselves to be. Like the relationship with Dwarves, GMs are advised to consider carefully the role of dragons and giants in a campaign. If the two kinds of creatures frequently interact violently, the GM should understand why this is the case, even if the player characters (or anyone else in the setting for that matter) do not. Perhaps the feud is the result of a falling out in the distant past. Perhaps giants enjoy eating dragon eggs for breakfast. Perhaps dragons withhold knowledge from the giants, knowledge they need to begin their ascension to true godhood. Whatever the explanation for the continued antipathy, it should be one capable of sustaining a millennialong war between giants and dragons. It should be suitably epic and serve to highlight that even giants have creatures they fear and revile.

Game Mechanics

There is, of course, more to using giants and their kin in a campaign than knowing information about their society, culture, religion, and so forth. Those details are important – vital even – when creating and sustaining a fantasy world that players and GMs alike can believe in and take an active interest in developing. At the same time, games, even fantasy games, require rules and guidelines to make the flow of play run more smoothly and enjoyably for everyone involved. This chapter provides those rules and guidelines. Within, you’ll find plenty of information on how to represent giants of all types, including wholly original creations, as well as those that defy stereotypes. Through the use of new feats and prestige classes alone, giants become much more diverse than they might appear on first glance. Even cynical players who believe they have seen it all and know everything there is to know about these immense creatures will be surprised when they encounter a giant blood disciple or find

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themselves under fire from a giant catapult. These are but a handful of examples of what is contained in this chapter. As always, the GM has the final word. If any of the rules or guidelines offered here run counter to his own sense of what is appropriate for his campaign, by all means disallow or modify them. What are presented here are simply suggestions and the GM is the final arbiter of whether any of this information should be used in a campaign.

Creating Your Own Giants The giant races described in this book are by no means the only possible ones. You can and should feel free to create your own giants to suit the needs of your campaign setting and to challenge the particular interests and abilities of your player characters. This section looks at some guidelines for creating your own giants.

Setting Considerations

The first thing to consider is what sort of giant (or giants) do you want for your campaign and how do they fit into the setting? Each of the giants in this book occupies a particular niche in the world. Using them as examples, consider where your new giants fit into things. The first consideration is that giants generally need a lot of territory to sustain them. They eat many times the amount that a smaller creature does, so food must be plentiful, either through hunting and gathering, cultivation, raiding, or some combination of these. For this reason, giants are rarely found in groups much larger than two or three dozen, and a giant settlement takes up a considerable amount of space. With the giants in this book, generally the larger they are, the more likely they are to inhabit distant and isolated places. For example, hill and stone giants tend to live closest to other creatures and habitations in rugged hills and mountains. Frost giants inhabit arctic regions while fire giants live in hot, arid places. Cloud and storm giants may not even live on the ground at all, dwelling on floating cloud islands or (in the case of storm giants) deep underwater. Consider whether or not your new giants live in similarly isolated places or if they are closer to human (and humanoid) civilization; if the latter, then there may be conflicts between the giants and other creatures (or the giants may be potential allies). You should also consider how numerous the giants are. Again, in this book, the larger and more powerful the giants, the rarer they become. Even hill giants aren’t terribly commonplace creatures, while storm giants are true rarities. Part of this is simply natural balance: giants take up a lot of space, so there tends to be fewer of them. Part is a matter of game and setting balance. If creatures like fire giants were even half as numerous as, say, Elves or Dwarves, fire giants would likely rule large areas of the world with their superior strength. Of course, if that’s what you want in your campaign, then it makes perfect sense to have giants be more common. Finally, think about the things that make your giants unique and interesting. Give them particular qualities that stand out. Hill giants are stupid, powerful brutes. Stone giants are stoic and grim, but usually not evil. Frost giants are violent raiders

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Game Mechanics while fire giants are militaristic conquerors. Cloud giants are lofty and arrogant, while storm giants are isolationist and noble, but given to fits of anger. What are the qualities that define your giants?

Mechanical Considerations "Giant" is a type of creature with certain inherent qualities and abilities. Giants are humanoid creatures, usually of at least Large size. They are proficient with all simple weapons, and some giant races are also proficient with some or all martial weapons. Giants have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Giants have the following basic attributes: Hit Dice: d8 Attack Bonus: Total HD x 3/4 (as cleric) Good Saving Throw: Fortitude Skill Points: 6 + Int mod, +1 per additional hit die Feats: 1 per 4 hit dice Giants, like most humanoid races, generally have a base set of statistics and advance by taking levels in a character class. The classes available depend on the giant’s attributes and ability scores (giants with Int or Wis below 10, for example, are completely ineffective as spellcasters).

Modifying Existing Giants The easiest way to create new types of giants is to modify the existing giants described in this book, changing just a few small things to make them fit a different role in your campaign. If you change enough and are subtle in your descriptions, your players won’t even know that the "new" giants you’ve created are really just giants they know of with some modifications! Here are some examples of the ways you can modify giants: • Adapt the giants to a new environment. For example, you can have hill giants that breathe water (and perhaps have greenish skin and webbed hands and feet). You can create dark-skinned stone giants that dwell in deep underground caverns. "Forest giants" might be stone giants that live in heavily wooded areas or jungles with green or brown skin and hair like leaves. Their elders have spell-like abilities such as wood shape and tree stride rather than those given for stone giants. "Desert giants" might be fire giants that live out in the desert and thrive on the hot sun. • Change the giants’ alignment. Although frost and fire giants are typically evil, they don’t have to be. Likewise, while cloud and storm giants are often good, they might be evil. Change the players’ expectations around. Perhaps giants tend to become more evil the larger and more powerful they are. Hill giants are actually kindly and good simpletons while storm giants are monstrously evil plotters. • Give the giants character classes. Perhaps a giant or band of giants the characters encounter have taken up a particular class or classes. In addition to the typical giant characters described in this book, consider some unusual or offbeat types. What about an unusually intelligent hill giant sorcerer, a stone giant monk, a frost giant assassin, a fire giant paladin, a cloud giant ranger,

or a storm giant psionic? Mix and match different classes to come up with some unusual giants, and don’t forget about prestige classes! • Give existing giants some special attacks, qualities, or spelllike abilities, such as: a hill giant that regenerates, a blind stone giant with blindsight, a fire giant with a flaming breath weapon, and so forth. • Make some giants bigger and others smaller. Do you want fire and frost giants to be Huge and cloud and storm giants to be Large? Go ahead and change them, making the appropriate adjustments to their hit dice, attacks, and related abilities. Or you can make some giants even larger – Gargantuan or even Colossal! Many of the modifications suggested here may change a giant’s Challenge Rating. Be sure to take any new abilities into account when determining the Challenge Rating of a new giant before pitting it against a group of player characters.

Applying Templates Another means of creating new giant creatures to challenge your players with is to apply various templates to the existing giant types. You can easily have ten times the number of giants – or more! Some templates may require some adjustment to make them useful for giants. Consider using any of the following templates for giants in your campaign: • Celestial Creature: Celestial giants are a common element of myth and legend and can feature in a campaign. Perhaps celestial giants are descended from or related to titans (the original celestial giants). • Fiendish Creature: Fiendish evil giants make powerful foes; a fiendish frost or fire giant can be particularly powerful, gaining fire and cold resistance to compensate for its normal weakness to those types of attacks. A fiendish cloud or storm giant is truly powerful, a potentially deadly surprise. • Ghost: Giants can become ghosts like other corporeal creatures do, and a giant’s ghost haunting a ruined steading, cavern, or cloud island (perhaps following its death at the hands of other brave adventurers) is suitable for a spooky fantasy-horror adventure. • Half-Celestial: Half-celestial giants may be either blessed leaders of their communities or outcasts from evil giant communities. A half-celestial hill or stone giant might be a powerful and wise tribal leader, while a half-celestial frost or fire giant is likely to be a lonely crusader against evil. • Half-Dragon: Many giants (particularly frost, fire, cloud and storm giants) live and work closely with various types of dragons, so it’s quite possible for half-dragon crossbreeds to spring up amongst them. A half-dragon frost or fire giant makes an effective and powerful leader and arch-villain for a campaign. A half-dragon cloud or storm giant is a fearsome creature. Even the good half-dragons/half-giants are likely to be feared for their power (and perhaps their legendary tempers). • Half-Fiend: A half-fiend/half-giant might result in another powerful leader figure for frost and fire giants. A half-

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Game Mechanics fiend/half hill giant could be surprisingly cunning in addition to possessing various supernatural and spell-like abilities. • Lich: Although the lich template is normally only applied to humanoid creatures (which exclude giants), GMs can use it to create giant liches, if they so desire. However, since a lich must be at least an 11th-level sorcerer or wizard, a giant lich will be a very powerful creature, with 11 class levels, +2 CR from the lich template, and CR of at least 7 for being a giant. A cloud giant lich would be a CR 24 creature! Giant liches tend to be best suited for epic-level campaigns. • Lycanthrope: Lycanthrope is another template that is normally only applied to humanoid creatures, but could be applied to giants, allowing for the creation of things like frost giant werewolves. Use the template’s normal ability score adjustments, but change the size category of the were-form to match the giant’s normal size category (or one size larger or smaller for different-sized lycanthrope forms). So, for example, a frost giant (a Large creature) would transform into a Large werewolf (or a Huge werebear).

Giant Examples

Here are a few samples of variant giants you can use in your own campaign or as examples for creating new giants of your own.

Cloud Giant Ghost Huge Undead (Air, Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 18d12+102 (214 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect) AC: 12 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +3 deflection); or 21 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural) Attacks: Incorporeal touch +12 melee (or Gargantuan morningstar +22/+17/+12 melee); or rock +12/+7/+2 ranged Damage: Incorporeal touch corruption 1d4 (1d4+12 vs. ethereal); Gargantuan morningstar 4d6+18; or rock 2d8+12 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Manifestation, corrupting touch, horrific appearance, telekinesis, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Undead, incorporeal, +4 turn resistance, rejuvenation, scent Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con —, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 17 Skills: Climb +16, Hide +4, Jump +16, Listen +18, Search +9, Spot +18 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: None Alignment: Neutral evil Special Attacks Manifestation (Su): As ethereal creatures, ghosts cannot be affected by anything in the material world. When it manifests, the ghost becomes visible but remains incorporeal. It can strike with its touch attack or a ghost touch weapon. Corrupting Touch (Su): The ghost can hit living targets with its incorporeal attack, doing 1d4 points of damage (1d4+12 against ethereal opponents). Horrific Appearance (Su): Any living creature within 60 feet that views the ghost must make a Fortitude save (DC 21) or immediately suffer 1d4 points of permanent Strength, 1d4 points of permanent Dexterity, and1d4 points of permanent Constitution drain. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by the ghost’s horrific appearance for one day. Telekinesis (Su): The ghost can use telekinesis once per round as a free action, as cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. Spell-like abilities (Sp): Cloud giants that dwell on cloud islands can use the following as the spells cast by a 15th-level sorcerer: 3/day—levitate (self plus 2,000 pounds) and obscuring mist; 1/day—fog cloud. Special Qualities Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage. Incorporeal: Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage

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Game Mechanics from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. Always moves silently. Turn Resistance (Ex): The ghost has +4 turn resistance. Rejuvenation (Su): If destroyed, the ghost will automatically reform itself in 2d4 days. Scent (Ex): Cloud giants can detect creatures by scent alone. A giant can detect creatures within 30 feet by sense of smell. The range doubles downwind and is halved upwind. Strong scents can be detected at double the normal range. They can also track by scent by making a Wisdom check (DC 10, +2 for each hour since the trail was made). Notes This ghost haunts an abandoned castle on a cloud island that drifts aimlessly through the sky. The inhabitants — cruel cloud giant raiders — were slain by brave heroes, but one of the cloud giants swore vengeance and returned to haunt the ruins. The ghost kills or drives off anyone who comes to the cloud island. A group of cloud giants might want to reclaim the island, but they might first hire some adventurers to deal with the island’s sole remaining occupant.

Half-Red Dragon/Half-Fire Giant Large Dragon (Fire) Hit Dice: 15d10+90 (173 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. (chainmail), base 40 ft.; fly 40 ft. (average) AC: 25 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +12 natural, +5 chainmail) Attacks: Bite +24/+19/+14 melee, claw +24/+19/+14 melee, Huge greatsword +24/+19/+14 melee; or rock +10/+5/+0 ranged Damage: Bite 1d8+14, claw 1d6+14, Huge greatsword 2d8+14; or rock 2d6+14 and 2d6 fire Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Breath weapon, rock throwing Special Qualities: Immunities, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, rock catching, fire subtype Saves: Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 39, Dex 9, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Spot +7 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Sunder Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Lawful evil

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Game Mechanics Special Attacks Breath Weapon (Su): A cone of fire 30 ft. long that does 6d10 damage. A Reflex save (DC 19) reduces damage to half. Rock Throwing (Ex): A giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 60 pounds (Small objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Immunities: Immune to sleep, paralysis, and fire damage. Rock Catching (Ex): A giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Notes This offspring of a young red dragon and a fire giant is now a formidable power in her tribe. It is virtually certain that the king will ask her to marry him and pass the power of her blood on to their children, but some say the king should be careful, since his new bride may be more ambitious than he suspects. A widowed queen mother could rule quite well until her children were old enough to take the throne under her firm guidance. Such a situation could spell trouble for the nearby towns and settlements if the fire giants decide that their new queen requires tribute to satisfy her greed.

Frost Giant Werewolf Large Shapechanger Hit Dice: 14d8+70 (133 hp) Initiative: -1 (Dex) in giant form; +5 (+1 Dex, +4 improved initiative) in wolf form. Speed: 40 ft. in giant form; 50 ft. in wolf form. AC: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) in giant form; 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural) in wolf form. Attacks: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee; or rock +9/+4 ranged in giant form; Bite +19 melee in wolf form. Damage: Huge greataxe 2d8+13; or rock 2d6+9 in giant form; bite 1d10+11 in wolf form. Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. in giant form; 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. in wolf form. Special Attacks: Lycanthropic empathy, curse of lycanthropy, rock throwing Special Qualities: rock catching, cold subtype Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 in giant form, Str 31, Dex 13, Con 25, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 in wolf form. Skills: Climb +13, Jump +13, Listen +4, Search +4, Spot +10 in giant form; Hide +5, Listen +6,

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Listen +8, Move Silently +5, Search +8, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +1 in wolf form. Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack; BlindFight, Improved Initiative in wolf-form. Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: None Alignment: Chaotic evil Special Attacks Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex): The werewolf can communicate with wolves and dire wolves, gaining a +4 bonus on checks to influence them. Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid hit by the werewolf’s bite in wolf form must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract lycanthropy, becoming a werewolf as well. Rock Throwing (Ex): In giant or hybrid form, the werewolf can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 60 pounds (Small objects) up to 5 range increments and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks. Special Qualities Alternate Form (Su): The giant werewolf can assume the form of a white-furred dire wolf as though using the polymorph self spell. He can also assume a hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic features. Changing form is a standard action and the lycanthrope regains hit points as if it rested for a day when it changes form. Damage Reduction (Ex): In dire wolf form, the werewolf has damage reduction 15/silver. Immunities: The frost werewolf is immune to cold damage, but suffers double damage from fire. Rock Catching (Ex): In giant or hybrid form, the werewolf can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, it can make a Reflex save as a free action to catch a projectile that would hit it. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium rock, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has a magical bonus to attack, the DC is increased by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack. Notes This terrible frost giant raider troubles the surrounding lands in two forms: the first as the leader of a band of giants that attack with unusual cunning and great savagery, the other as the leader of a pack of dire wolves that devour everything in their path. The werewolf revels in power and bloodlust. It is only a matter of time before he begins to pass on his curse to others in his tribe, then the area may face a plague of giant were-beasts.

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New Skills Check: Answering an easy question (the differences between types of giants) has a DC of 10. Answering a basic question (the types of guard animals frost giants typically keep) has a DC of 15. Answering a very difficult question (such as the origins of the feud between fire giants and red dragon) has a DC of 30. Retry: No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you know something you never learned in the first place. Special: At the GM’s discretion, Dwarves of any class may possess Knowledge (giant lore) as a class skill.

New Feats

Giants and their kin are capable of great things both as a consequence of their raw physical abilities and the ancient magic in their ancestry. Consequently, the GM may wish to simulate some of the more unusual abilities giants may possess through the use of the following new feats.

Aggressive Negotiations [General] Your large size and steely demeanor is intimidating to those who are smaller than you Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater Benefit: You may use your strength modifier instead of your charisma modifier when making intimidation checks against creatures that are smaller than you. The target creature must be at least one size class smaller than you.

New Skills

For the most part, both giants and their opponents require no additional Skills beyond those included in the core rules. The a few notable exception is detailed below.

Knowledge: Astrogeography

(Trained only)

You are knowledgeable of subjects dealing with interstellar travel through magical and psionic means. This includes locations of planets and other celestial bodies upon the prime material plane; inhabitable locales, alien races and customs, as well as the knowledge of how one might travel to such places (planar portals and color pools, spells, psionic powers, summoned creatures, etc.)

Knowledge (Giant Lore) (Int; trained only) This skill represents the specialized study of giants and giantkin including their society, culture, and other unique aspects of their existence.

Avalanche Charge [General] Your charges are almost unstoppable Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater, Strength 20+, Improved Bull Rush, Power attack Benefit: Due to your large size and great strength, you generate unstoppable inertia when charging. If you charge at least 20 feet and attempt an Improved Bull Rush maneuver, you may use double your strength modifier when making opposed strength checks.

Awaken the Blood You possess the ability to draw upon the inherently magical nature of your giant heritage to power your arcane spellcasting abilities more potently. Prerequisite: Str 25+, Giant Blood Benefit: You may use your Strength modifier instead of your Intelligence or Charisma modifier to determine how many bonus spells you receive per level. Note: At the GM’s option, this feat may be limited to

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New Feats Sorcerers only, since the basis of their spellcasting ability is their inherently magical nature. However, the standard presumption is that even giant wizards may benefit from this feat, since it represents his ability to tap into the ancestral store of magic that is within every giant.

Bones for My Bread [General]

Eagle Eye [General] Your height gives you a unique perspective of the world Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to spot checks and also a +1 bonus to initiative when in combat with smaller opponents

Elemental Affinity [metamagic]

This giant has a fearsome reputation as a man-eater. Prerequisites: Giant or other Fearsome Creature Benefits: All intelligent hostile creatures under 4HD must make a Will save (fear) or flee in terror from the sight of this giant; those that succeed suffer a -1 morale penalty to attack rolls. All intelligent hostile creatures from 4HD-6HD must make a Will save (fear) or suffer a -1 morale penalty to attack rolls. Special: Fearsome quality is to be judged by the GM.

Colossal Grip [General] The strength of your hands is legendary; some even say you could squeeze water from a rock. Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater, Strength 25+ Benefit: Your huge hands are formidable weapons in their own right, and escaping their grip is almost impossible. Whenever you make an attack with your fists and hit the defender, you may make a free grapple attempt without drawing an attack of opportunity from your opponent.

Prerequisite: You must have an elemental subtype, such as "Cold’ or "Air" Benefit: You can feel the elemental nature of your heritage flowing through your veins. You may prepare spells with an energy descriptor with a new descriptor that matches your elemental subtype. The spell now does damage according to your elemental subtype, and no longer inflicts the original damage type. The spell remains unchanged in all other ways. A spell altered through this feat uses a spell slot of the same level as the original spell. Example: The Frost Giant Sorcerer Frigga decides to alter the 3rd level spell fireball. Frost giants are of the cold subtype so she converts a fireball spell to do cold damage instead of fire damage. This spell still uses a 3rd level spell slot and has all the exact same properties of the original fireball spell except is inflicts cold instead of fire damage. She effectively now has a "snowball" spell.

Special: Normally when making grapple attempts you draw an attack of opportunity from your opponent.

Special:

Contortionist [General]

Giant Hill Stone Frost Fire Cloud Storm Celestial

You are especially limber and able to squeeze through spaces much smaller than your appearance would suggest. Prerequisite: Dexterity 15+ Benefit: Escape artist is a class skill for you. You gain +5 to all your escape artist checks

Comforting Presence [General] With a kind smile or just a change in your tone of voice you have learned how to have even the meekest of creatures feel at ease in your presence. Prerequisites: Cha 13+, and must be a Fearsome Creature (Giants & Dragons for example) Benefits: Gain a +5 racial bonus to all diplomacy checks when dealing with smaller races that would consider you a threat. Also if you posses an fear type special ability you can grant any number of creatures immunity to your power, but only to your specific powers. Special: Fearsome quality is to be judged by the GM.

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You can change the energy descriptor of a spell to match your elemental subtype.

The following table shows each giant race, it’s elemental subtype and the energy descriptor it converts spells to. Subtype Earth Earth Cold Fire Air Electricity All

Energy descriptor Acid Acid Cold Fire Electricity Electricity Any*

* Upon taking this feat a Celestial Giant may choose any ONE of the four energy descriptors. He may alter the energy descriptor of any spell to this energy type. A Celestial Giant may take this feat multiple times, each time gaining access to a different energy descriptor.

Fling Anything [General] In your hands any sizeable object is a missile weapon Prerequisite: Rock Throwing extraordinary ability, must be of Large size or greater Benefit: You are known by your peers for your ability to improvise. Upon the battlefield any sizeable object, whether stump, wagon wheel or hapless victim, becomes a viable weapon in your hands. You can hurl any object that weighs

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New Feats up to 40 to 50 lbs as a small object or any object between 6080 pounds as a medium object just as if the object was a rock. All ranged attacks with this improvised weapon have a –4 to your attack roll, and the improvised object has a maximum range of 5 range increments. Your improvised weapon inflicts only half the damage of a similarly sized rock. Any poor victim used as a missile takes the same amount of damage as it inflicts. Example: Melcho the beautiful female stone giant, happens to possess the Fling Anything feat. Looking for a handy weapon, she grabs a halfling laying prone on the battlefield. The halfling, weighing 50 lbs, counts as a small projectile. Stone giants normally hurl small stones for 2d8+8 damage with a range increment of 180 feet, and a maximum range of 1800 feet. Melcho can throw the halfling only 900 feet and inflicts 1d8+4 damage. Both her target and the poor halfling would suffer the 1d8+4 damage.

Giant Blood [General] You have some giant blood in your ancestry giving you some giant-like qualities. Benefit: Due to some giant blood somewhere in your distant ancestry, you are one size category larger than your race's normal size category. Thus, a human with giant blood is a Large creature (approximately 8 feet tall). You gain all the benefits and drawbacks of your size, including modifications to Armor Class, attack rolls, encumbrance, and so forth. You can generally lift and carry more, but you're also bigger, bulkier, and generally easier to spot and to hit in combat. You must also have equipment made for someone of your size, which generally costs more. Special: This feat can only be taken at 1st level.

Giant Hill Stone Frost Fire Cloud Storm Celestial

Subtype Earth Earth Cold Fire Air Electricity All

Resistance type Acid Acid Cold Fire Electricity Electricity Any*

This resistance protects the possessor of this feat exactly as if under the permanent effects of the spell, Resist Elements. * A character with Celestial Giant blood chooses any ONE of the four element types; that character then gains resistance to that energy type only.

Greater Monstrous Cleave [General] Your swings cut down objects and foes alike, like a reaper cutting grain Prerequisite: Monstrous Cleave, Strength 25+ Must be must be of large size or greater, Base attack bonus +10 or higher. Benefit: As Monstrous Cleave except there is no limit to the number of times you use it in a round. You can also attack anything within your threat range whether it is a foe or an inanimate object

Hammerblow [General] Your mighty attacks inflict extra damage Prerequisite: Strength 25+, must have a natural reach of 10+ feet, Base attack bonus +6 or higher.

Prerequisite: Must be a giant or have the feat, Giant Blood

Benefit: As a full round action you may make a single attack verses any foe within your threatened area. If you succeed in hitting the target, you inflict an additional 1d8 points of damage.

Benefit: Your skin is incredibly dense and thick, making most attacks no more than minor annoyances. You gain damage reduction of 5/+1.

The force behind your missile attacks drives foes back

Giant’s Resilience [General]

Prerequisite: Knock back, Swat, must be of large size or greater, and have the Rock Throwing extraordinary ability

The blood of giants runs thick in your veins, and you can feel it’s power coursing through your body.

Benefit: Whenever you hit an opponent with an object thrown by your Rock Throwing ability, the opponent must make an opposed strength check. For the purposes of this opposed roll you use one half your strength bonus. If you are successful, the opponent is knocked directly away from the missile 5 feet plus 1 foot for each point by which you exceed your opponent. You may only use this power within one range increment.

Giant Hide [General] Your thick hide protects you from normal blows.

Prerequisite: Giant Blood, Can only be taken upon character creation. Benefit: Your giant heritage is particularly strong, enough to grant to you some of the abilities your larger brethren enjoy. Choose a giant type: Hill, Stone, Frost, Fire, Cloud, or Storm. This type dictates which line of giants you descended from. Because of your strong ancestral affinity, you gain elemental resistance of 5 verses the energy type your predecessor was immune to, as follows:

Improved Swat [General]

Special: Normally when making grapple attempts you draw an attack of opportunity from your opponent.

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New Feats

Improved Pin [General] Your large size and mountains of corded muscle make you a formidable opponent when grappling. Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater, Strength 25+ Benefit: You use your greater size as an advantage when grappling opponents smaller than you are. Whenever you make a successful grapple check against an opponent who is one or more size categories smaller than you, you can pin them with no hindrance to yourself. An opponent so pinned is held immobile and you gain the following benefits: you retain your dexterity bonus and your threatened area as long as your opponent remains pinned. If they break your pin you are considered to be grappling once again. Special: Normally when involved in grapple you lose your dexterity bonus and threatened area to all opponents not involved in grapple.

Improved Rock Catching [General] To you, intercepting huge pieces of stone hurtling in your general direction is second nature.

Prerequisite: Rock Catching Dexterity 15+

extraordinary ability,

Benefit: Whenever you catch a stone using the rock catching special ability, you may immediately, as a free action, throw the stone back at the original thrower if the target is within range. Otherwise the stone can be held for later use or dropped. The is a normal ranged attack at your full bonus.

Like a Rock [General] You are unmovable as a mountain Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater, Strength 25+ Benefit: You have learned how to lower your center of gravity and make it almost impossible for opponents to move you from a location you choose. As a standard action you can plant yourself on the location you are currently occupying. Until you move from that location (take a five foot step or more), you may add double your strength modifier toward any strength checks designed to move you from your location. This includes bull rush, overrun, and grapple attempts.

Lightning Strike [General] The strength of your arm is so great that normal stone cannot withstand the force of your blows. Prerequisite: Rock Catching extraordinary ability, Improved Rock Catching

Prerequisite: Iron Will

Benefit: Years of dodging rocks hurled by your peers have honed your reflexes to a razor’s edge. You may catch a number of rocks each round equal to your dexterity bonus plus one. Each additional rock after the fist increases the subsequent difficulty by 2. Each rock may then be hurled back at the original target or dropped. You must have one free hand to use this feat.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to will saves and a +2 bonus to concentration checks

Special: Without this feat a creature with the Rock Catching special ability may only catch one rock each round.

Indomitable Will [General] Your self confidence and willpower are unmatched by most beings.

Special: This benefit stacks with the one provided by Iron will

Ironguts [General]

Monstrous Cleave [General]

You can eat just about anything, and rarely become ill

Your powerful blows can cut through stone as easily as flesh.

Prerequisite: Great Fortitude, Base Fortitude save of +10, must have an elemental subtype.

Prerequisite: Power attack, Cleave, Strength 25+, must be must be of large size or greater

Benefit: Your elemental nature has granted you partial immunity to some poisons. You are immune to all natural poisons and toxins. You gain a +2 bonus to your fortitude save verses poisons not of a natural origin.

Benefit: You may make cleave attacks verses anything within your threatened range, whether the targets are foes or inanimate objects. This gives you the ability to make a melee attack against an inanimate object within your threatened area. If you succeed in bypassing the target’s hardness, and destroy the object, you get one immediate extra melee attack on another target inside your threatened area. This second attack may be against another inanimate object or any opponent within range. This second attack is with the same weapon as the first attack and at your highest base attack bonus. You may use this ability only once each round.

Knock back [General] The force behind your blows drives creatures back Prerequisite: Must have a natural reach of at least 10 feet, Strength 20+

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Benefit: Whenever you are granted an attack of opportunity due to someone moving inside your threatened area you have a chance to drive them backwards the way they came. If your attack of opportunity is successful, make a modified bull rush attempt verses your opponent. This attack is a free action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity from your opponent. If you succeed, your opponent is pushed back to the limit of your reach and an additional 1 foot per point by which you beat your opponent.

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New Feats

Precise Strike [Fighter, General You're trained in striking smaller targets in melee combat. Benefit: You reduce your attack roll penalties for striking targets smaller than you are in melee combat by 4. This can eliminate the penalty altogether, but it never grants you a bonus. It also has no effect on ranged attacks against smaller opponents.

Pulverize Stone [General]

The strength of your arm is so great that normal stone cannot withstand the force of your blows. Prerequisite: Rock Throwing Shattering Stone, Strength 27+

extraordinary

ability,

Benefit: Whenever you hurl a stone within one range increment, you can cause the missile to literally crumble into dust. The force of impact is so great that the missile itself shatters and fills the immediate area with fine dust and debris. This causes all creatures within 5’ of the point of contact to make a reflex save at Difficulty class 15. Any creature that fails is blinded for 1d3 rounds. This ability stacks with the benefits granted by the feat, Shattering Stone.

Ricochet [General] You can bounce rocks around corners Prerequisite: Rock Throwing extraordinary ability, Point blank shot, Dexterity 16+ Benefit: You can calculate the angles necessary to make rocks ricochet off walls and around corners. Any rock that you throw against a hard surface within one range increment may be directed at any opponent you choose within a 10’ straight line from the point of impact. This requires an attack roll verses the opponents defense value at a –5 penalty. If successful, the rock deflects of the desired surface and strikes the opponent if he is within 10’ of the point of impact. Using this ability it is possible to hit an opponent around a corner or hiding behind cover if there is a suitable surface within 10 feet of the opponent.

Sculpt Runic Item [Item Creation] You can carve runes of power from which you or another spell caster can cast spells. Prerequisite: Caster Level 3rd, Craft: Stonecutting or Metalworking 5 ranks, Must be a giant or dwarf Benefit: Far off on lofty, fog shrouded peaks and deep within the mountains’ centers have dwell the ancient races of dwarves and giants. Both races have come up with their own form of runic magic; an ancient practice of storing spells in permanent runes carved upon unyielding surfaces such as stone or metal. These runes can be activated by the mere touch of any who know their secrets. Much more durable than a scroll or potion, such runic devices have been in use throughout the ages and are preferred in the rough and wild terrain where they are found.

A runic item usually appears as a fist sized piece of stone or a metal rod. You can create a runic item of any spell you know. Carving a runic item takes 1 day per 500 gp in the item’s base price The base price is equal to the caster level multiplied by the spell level multiplied by 50 gp. To sculpt a runic item you must spend 1/25 of the base price in XP and buy materials equal to one half of the base price. Of course any Runic item which stores a spell with an XP cost or an expensive spell component must have the XP spent and the item paid for at the time of creation, and increases the market price accordingly. The stored spell from a runic item may be released by any spell caster who has access to the spell upon one of his spell lists. A Common runic item has a hardness of 10 and 30 hp, though runic items crafted of rare substances, such as mithril, may be much more durable

Shattering Stone [General] You can hurl stones so that they shatter into pieces. Prerequisite: Rock Throwing – extraordinary ability. Benefit: When hurling rocks within one range increment, you can cause any hurled rock to shatter like a grenade-like missile, doing "splash" damage of 1 hit point per die of damage that the rock normally does to any creature within five feet of where it strikes. This means your hurled rocks do a small amount of damage even if they miss.

Stomp [General] You can make an enhanced attack of opportunity against smaller creatures. Benefit: Whenever a creature two or more size categories smaller than you provokes an attack of opportunity in an area you threaten, you can simply stomp them by stepping on them! So a Large creature with this feat can stomp creatures that are Small or smaller and a Huge creature can stomp Medium-sized creatures as well. The stomp attack is made as a normal unarmed attack that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. It does unarmed damage, plus the creature's Strength bonus, but it does normal rather than subdual damage. In addition, if the attack is successful, the target is knocked prone and the attacker has the option of pinning the target like a normal grapple, except the attacker is still free to take other actions except for movement (moving breaks the pin against the target). If the target attempts to escape the pin normally, include the penalty for being smaller than the attacker.

Swat [General] Your blows are so tremendous that they hurl creatures through the air. Prerequisite: Knock back, Must be of large size or greater. Benefit: Whenever you are granted an attack of opportunity due to the opponent moving into your threatened area, you have a chance to send them reeling from your mighty blows. If your opponent is two or more size classes smaller than you,

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New Feats and you hit with your attack of opportunity, then make an opposed strength check. If you are successful the opponent is hurled through the air directly away from you for 20 feet plus 1 foot by which you exceed the opponents check. Furthermore, if the opponent strikes a hard surface like a floor, stone column or tree, he takes 1d6 point of damage for every 10 feet traveled. Special: A successful tumble check by your opponent can reduce the damage like a fall, and so can a monk’s slow fall capabilities if applicable.

into extra sensory powers. As long as you remain in contact with the earth you gain the tremor sense ability. This allows you to detect all creatures within 60 feet that are also in contact with the earth. The creature must be moving or somehow creating vibrations for you to detect them. Large machines or other mobile objects may also generate vibrations that you can detect, at the Game master’s option.

Blood Gift Feats

Soul of Stone [General] Like the ageless mountains, your life force is everlasting. Prerequisite: Toughness Benefit: You gain a +2 to all saves verses energy draining attacks and verses death effects.

Thunder Stomp [General] You can shake the ground and knock opponents off balance. Prerequisite: Large size or greater; Str 25 or greater. Benefit: By stomping or striking the ground as a full-round action (which does not provoke an attack of opportunity), you can create a minor tremor. It affects an area around you with a radius in feet equal to your Strength bonus (round to the nearest 5-foot increment). So a Str 25 hill giant has a radius of 5-ft. while a Str 39 storm giant has a radius of 15-ft. Any creature within the radius of your thunder stomp must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) or be knocked down. Spellcasters must make concentration checks (DC 20 + spell level) to avoid losing spells they are casting.

Titanic Strides [General] You are good at stepping on opponents smaller than you. Prerequisite: Must be of Large size or greater, Speed 40+ feet Benefit: Your gigantic strides and huge feet have led to the demise of hordes of smaller foes. Whenever you attempt an overrun attack against a foe one or more size classes smaller than you, they may not choose to avoid you. IF you successfully knock down an opponent you may make one free attack against them. This attack is at your highest base attack bonus and uses 1.5 times your strength modifier. You inflict 1d8 + 1.5 times your strength modifier in damage. You also get the +4 bonus to hit due to your targets prone position. Special: Normally when making overrun attempts your opponent may chose to avoid you.

Tremor sense [General]

You can feel the vibrations of other creatures

Prerequisite: Must be a Hill Giant, Stone Giant, or have Giant’s Resilience with the aforementioned Giant types. Benefit: Your strong affinity with the earth has developed

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Highblood [Prime Bloodgift] Your Family has an ancient bond or at some time made a bargain with celestial beings. Their gift now flows through your blood. Prerequisites: Cha 13+, Good Alignment, or celestrial or half-celestrial template Benefits: Celestrial beings can sense your presence and you theirs, gain a +3 racial bonus to diplomacy checks when dealing with Celestial beings or creatures of Good Alignment Special: You can take Highblood only at 1st level. A character can never have more than one prime bloodgift.

Divine Vengeance [Bloodgift] The Celestrial blood that flows through you, with time you have leaned to empower your racial abilities with your divine heritage. Prerequisites: Highblood and must be able to cast spells as a spell like ability Benefits: half of all damage dealt through the use of spell like abilities is considered sanctified damage.

Divine Gift [Bloodgift] The Celestrial blood that flows through you, with time you have leaned to heal through the use of your racial abilities. Prerequisites: Highblood and must be able to cast spells as a spell like ability Benefits: you may spontaneously convert any spell like abilities into healing spells as a cleric

The strong shall defend the meek [Bloodgift] When fighting in the defense of those weaker then you the blood that flows through your vain fills you with the might of the heavens. Prerequisites: Highblood, and Fearsome Creature (Giants & Dragons for example)

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Prestige Classes Benefits: Gain a +2 racial bonus to hit and damage when fighting to defend smaller weaker non-combatants or those who can not protect or defend them selves. Special: Fearsome quality is to be judged by the GM.

Blackblood [Prime Bloodgift] Your Family has an ancient bond or at some time struck a dark bargain with the lords of the infernal planes and now their dark gifts flow through your blood. Prerequisites: Con 13+, Evil Alignment, or Fiendish or halfinfernal Template Benefits: Infernal beings can sense your presence and you theirs, gain a +3 racial bonus to Intimidate checks when dealing with Infernal beings or creatures of evil Alignment Special: You can take blackblood only at 1st level. A character can never have more than one prime bloodgift.

Unholy Wraith [Bloodgift]

The Infernal blood that flows through you, with time you have leaned to empower your racial abilities with your infernal heritage. Prerequisites: Blackblood and must be able to cast spells as a spell like ability Benefits: half of all damage dealt through the use of spell like abilities is considered profane damage.

Unholy Blessings [Bloodgift] With the Infernal blood that flows through you, you have leaned to call upon your dark heritage through the use of your racial abilities. Prerequisites: Blackblood and must be able to cast spells as a spell like ability Benefits: you may spontaneously convert any spell like abilities into negative energy as a cleric.

Taste of Fear [Bloodgift] Others can sense the infernal blood that flows through you, and with that sense comes an overpowering dread that you have quickly learned to take advantage of. Prerequisites: Blackblood Benefits: Once per day you can radiate a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Affected creatures must succeed at a Will save (DC 14) or be affected as though by a fear spell cast by a sorcerer equal to your hit dice. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same characters aura for one day. All extra planer creatures of evil alignment are immune to this affect. You also gain a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate checks; this bonus can not be used on creatures that have made a successful save vs. your fear.

Prestige Classes

Giants are no different than any other race when it comes to inspiring or creating prestige classes. Among giants, there are many different unique organizations and groups; many of which possess their own prestige classes. In addition, there are those who have dedicated their lives to the defeat and destruction of giant races. These too have their own unique powers and abilities. Several of these prestige classes are described below.

Blood Disciple The blood disciple is a peculiar type of arcane spellcaster unique to giant-kind. Also called a "dynamancer" or "strength mage," the disciple resembles a sorcerer in that his power stems from his very being rather than through study and practice. In addition, the class is closely tied to a giant’s elemental or other descriptor, again using this fundamental aspect of a giant’s existence to power his spells and special abilities. Over time and with experience, blood disciples can become exceptionally powerful. Their unique skills and abilities nicely complement a giant’s own advantages, particularly in the area of physical strength, which in part powers the class’s spells. Blood disciples frequently rise to positions of prominence in many giant tribes, sometimes even to the level of chieftain. Of necessity, only arcane spellcasting giants can become blood disciples. The bulk of them are, of course, sorcerers but wizards and even bards are not unheard of, though rare. Multiclass arcane spellcasters also can benefit from the abilities of this class. The combination of fighting and spellcasting is especially effective and deadly. Multiclass divine/arcane spellcasters are uncommon under almost any circumstances and the few that do exist eschew the blood disciple class as incompatible with their greater calling. Nevertheless, exceptions are always possible and these giants undoubtedly number among the most powerful in the world. Hit Die: d8. Requirements To qualify to become an Blood Disciple, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Knowledge (arcana): 6 ranks Knowledge (planes): 4 ranks Spellcraft: 6 ranks Feat: Awaken the Blood Spells: Ability to cast at least three arcane spells with one of the air, earth, cold, electricity, or fire descriptors. At least one of these spells must be 3rd level or higher. Special: The character himself must possess an elemental or energy descriptor of air, earth, cold, electricity, or fire.

Class Skills The Blood Disciple’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge

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Prestige Classes (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

against fire. This ability does not stack with any other such protections including the spell endure elements.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Resistance (Su): At 7th level, the Blood Disciple gains an ability similar to the 2nd-level spell resist elements. This ability functions identically to the spell except that its effects are permanent. This ability replaces Endurance above. Thus, a blood disciple who chose earth as the descriptor for his ability must choose it for Resistance as well. This ability does not stack with any other such protections including the spell resist elements.

Class Features All of the following are class features of the Blood Disciple prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blood Disciples gain no additional proficiency in any weapon or armor.

Immunity (Su): At 10th level, the blood disciple gains total Spells per Day: When a new Blood Disciple level is gained, immunity to damage inflicted by attacks with the descriptor the character gains new spells per day as if he had also he has chosen for the Resistance ability above. gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spells Per day undead, metamagic or item Save Save Save creation feats, hit points 1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Bonus spells +1 level of existing class beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and 2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Spell Focus +1 +1 level of existing class so on) except for an 3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Spell Penetration +1 +1 level of existing class increased effective level of 4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Endurance +1 level of existing class spellcasting. If a character had more than one 5th +2 +2 +2 +4 Spell Focus +2 +1 level of existing class spellcasting class before 6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Spell Penetration +2 +1 level of existing class becoming a Blood Disciple, 7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Resistance +1 level of existing class he must decide to which class he adds the new level 8th +4 +3 +3 +6 Spell Focus +3 +1 level of existing class for purposes of determining 9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Spell Penetration +3 +1 level of existing class spells per day. 10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Immunity +1 level of existing class Bonus Spells (Sp): At 1st level, a Blood Disciple gains the ability to know one additional spell per level to which he has access. However, any bonus spell must be from his chosen element. Rock throwing comes to giants naturally. Even the most inept Spell Focus (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the Blood Disciple among them show at least a rudimentary ability to throw learns to better manipulate spells bearing the same descriptor rocks with some degree of accuracy. Yet, there are many as he possesses; the save DC for any spell possessing that giants for whom throwing rocks is not just an incidental descriptor increases by +1. This bonus increases by one every element of their nature. It is, for want of a better word, a vocation. These giants, called catapults by outsiders and three levels thereafter (5th, 8th). These increases stack with known by a variety of names among the giant tribes those granted by the feat Spell Focus. themselves, are dedicated to development of their rock Spell Penetration (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the Blood throwing abilities to an impressive level. Catapults are not Disciple increases his ability to use spells bearing the same only accurate with their throws but deadly, having learned descriptor as himself. When he casts a spell possessing that how to inflict the maximum amount of damage with their projectiles. descriptor, he gains +1 competence modifier on all caster level checks to overcome a target’s spell resistance. This Stone giants are the most common practitioners of the ability increases by one every three levels thereafter (6th, catapult arts. However, other giants, particularly fire and 9th). These increases stack with those granted by the feat cloud giants, can be numbered among them. Of course, all Spell Penetration. giants are equally capable of becoming catapults provided they meet the entry requirements for the prestige class. Endurance (Su): At 4th level, the Blood Disciple gains an Because they are quite strenuous, only giants who also have ability similar to the 1st-level spell endure elements. This one or more character classes are likely to qualify. Fighting ability is permanent and grants 5 points of protection from classes are the most probable entrants but, with the proper damage caused by one of the other descriptors eligible for selection of feats, it is possible for clerics and rogues to qualify entry into this class. For example, a frost giant possesses the as well. Wizards and sorcerers almost never become catapults and those who do are among the most powerful – and cold descriptor automatically by virtue of his race. When he dangerous – giants in existence. gains 4th level in this class, he may choose to gain protection

TABLE: THE BLOOD DISCIPLE

Catapult

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Prestige Classes Hit Die: d12. Requirements To qualify to become a catapult, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Base Attack Bonus: +20 Spot: 4 ranks Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (rock) Rock Throwing Ability

Class Skills

The catapult’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the catapult prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A catapult gains no weapon or armor proficiencies. All weapon-related abilities of this prestige class apply only to thrown rocks with which the character must already be proficient. Range Bonus (Ex): At 1st level and with each level the catapult gains, the range increments of his rock throwing increase by +20 feet, added after all other multipliers. Therefore, a 10th-level stone giant catapult would have a range increment of 320 feet (120 feet + 200 feet). Improved Aim (Ex): At 2nd level, a catapult can gain a +2 bonus to his attack rolls against a stationary target provided he spends a full round-action aiming. During the time the catapult is aiming, the target may not take any more than a partial move or the bonus is lost. The catapult may not gain any additional benefit by aiming for more than a single round. This ability increases its bonus to +4 at 5th level.

Type Burst (Su): Eventually, a catapult becomes so adept at his craft and so in tune with himself that he can channel his inner energy into his rocks, causing them to burst with destructive energy on impact. At 10th level, a catapult may, once per day, imbue one of his rocks with magical energies deriving from his type. Thus, a fire giant may imbue them with fire, while a storm giant imbues them with electricity, for example. Hill giants lack a type of this sort and so may not gain any benefit from this ability (although few hill giants ever reach this level of proficiency in any event). The magical energies add 3d6 additional damage points to the thrown rock. There is no save versus this additional damage, although creatures immune to damage of the same type (such as red dragons’ immunity to fire) take no damage. In such cases, the catapult has nevertheless expended his store of inner energy for the day and may not use it again until the next day. The same is true of imbued rocks that miss their intended targets. This inner energy does not stack with any other damage bonus, such as the 2d6 additional damage fire giants receive when they heat their rocks before throwing.

TABLE: THE CATAPULT Level BAB 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Improved Rock Critical (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level and again at 6th level, a catapult increases the critical hit damage multiple with a thrown rock. Thus, a rock thrown by a 3rd level catapult does x3 damage on a successful critical hit, while a rock thrown by a 6th level catapult does x4. Far Shot (Ex): At 4th level, a catapult gains the Far Shot feat for free. True Strike (Sp): At 7th level, a catapult may use true strike once per day. Use of this ability is a free action and grants a +20 bonus to the next attack. This bonus will only work with rocks and no other missile weapons. Precise Strike (Ex): At 8th level, the catapult gains the Precise Strike feat for free. Free Attack (Ex): At 9th level, a catapult gains the ability to gain a free attack whenever an ally within line of sight gains an attack of opportunity. This enables the catapult to make one ranged attack against the same foe at his highest base attack bonus as a free action. This ability is usable only once per round.

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10

Fort Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7

Ref Save +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Special Range bonus Improved aim +2 Improved rock critical x3 Far shot Improved aim +4 Improved rock critical x4 True Strike Precise Strike Free Attack Type Burst

Giant-Slayer

The threat posed by giants is known far and wide. Though far stronger and larger than most other terrestrial creatures, giants are not invulnerable. For centuries, Dwarves have shown themselves particularly adept at engaging giants in combat – and defeating them! Some of these Dwarves have so dedicated themselves to the destruction of giants that they have developed techniques and skills that better allow them to do their job. These Dwarves have in turn passed on their secrets to other Dwarves and even other races that share their dedication to the slaying of giants. Naturally, fighting classes of all sorts make excellent giantslayers. Rangers naturally excel at this class and anyone who takes it up usually possesses at least one level as a ranger. Fighters and barbarians also do well as giant-slayers given the large number of combat feats they can use to supplement the prestige class’s abilities. Paladins are by nature dedicated to the destruction of evil and some focus on the particular evil posed by giants.

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Prestige Classes

Class Skills The giant-slayer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (giants) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the giant-slayer prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A giant-slayer is proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons, all types of armor, and shields. Dwarven Dance (Ex): Giant-slayers are adept at dodging the blows of giants while engaged in melee combat with them, using techniques developed by the Dwarves. At 1st level, the giant-slayer gains the Dwarven Dance ability, which allows him to double his Dexterity bonus for the purposes of determining his Armor Class against giants. If he is fighting multiple opponents in the course of a combat, only those opponents that are considered giants (including giant-kin) must roll against his increased AC. All other classes use his normal unmodified AC instead.

Clerics and druids (especially the latter) sometimes become giant-slayers. The lack of magic tends to limit the advancement of both divine and arcane spellcasters in their original classes. Consequently, the giant-slayer is usually not a favored choice for them. Bards likewise have little obvious inclination to become giant-slayers. Rogues, while not as puissant at arms as true fighting classes, can nevertheless be quite adept at combat. In addition, their wide range of skills gives them an edge that other classes lack. Should they take up the mantle of giant-slayer, they can prove to be just as effective, if somewhat differently focused, than their warrior counterparts. Hit Die: d10. Requirements To qualify to become a giant-slayer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Base Attack Bonus: +8 Knowledge (giant lore): 8 ranks Feats: Dodge, Improved Critical, Mobility Favored Enemy: Giants Medium or smaller size

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Giant Slaying (Ex): At 2nd level, a giant-slayer gains a bonus against giants due to his extensive study and training in the proper techniques for defeating them. The giant-slayer gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against giants. Likewise, he gets the same bonus to weapon damage rolls against giants. A giant-slayer also gets the damage bonus with ranged weapons. Every two levels (at 4th, 6th, and 8th), the giant slaying bonus increases by +1. The bonus from this ability stacks with a ranger’s favored enemy bonus. Damage Reduction (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level and increasing every three levels thereafter (6th, 9th), a giantslayer may reduce the amount of damage done by a giant’s successful attack by 5 points. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0. This ability does not stack with any other damage reduction the character may have from another source. Smite Giants (Su): Once per day, a giant slayer of 5th level or higher can attempt to smite giants with one normal melee attack. He adds his Wisdom bonus to his attack roll and inflicts 2 extra points of damage per class level. For example, a 7th-level giant-slayer armed with a greatsword would inflict 1d12+14 points of damage, plus 3 points of damage for giant slaying, plus any additional bonuses for high Strength, or magical effects that normally apply. If the giant-slayer should attempt to smite a creature that is not in fact a giant but only appears to be, the smite has no effect but is nevertheless used up for that day. Hamstring (Ex): At 10th level, a giant-slayer gains the ability to exploit his smaller size to weaken a giant through a special attack. This ability can only be used a number of times per day equal to the giant-slayer’s Wisdom modifier. To

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Prestige Classes succeed, the character must declare in advance that he is using the ability and score a hit in melee combat. If he fails to land a blow, that chance to use Hamstring is wasted, although the giant-slayer may try again on his next attack provided he can use this extraordinary ability any more times that day. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with a missile attack; only melee attacks will do. If a hit is scored, the giant-slayer deals, in addition to his attack’s normal damage, 1d8 points of temporary Strength damage against the giant. The giant cannot save against this damage and it heals at the usual rate per day. Hamstring can only be used against giant and giant-kin and has absolutely no effect against other types of creatures. If the giant-slayer attempts to use it against a non-giant creature, that use is wasted, just as if it would be for a failed attack.

Reavers tend to be of two types: one is a loner who takes it upon himself to hunt down and destroy Dragons, while the other is a giant who rises to a position of power and respect within his tribe by defeating their bitter enemies. Either type is a match for the most skilled of dragons. A Giant’s natural reach often puts a Reaver on even terms with most dragons, not having to put himself in danger to close within striking distance. Combine this with an extensive training in weapons and a deep understanding of their eternal foes, and a Reaver of Wyrms becomes a formidable and deadly opponent to all the draconic forces that wander the world. Warriors and Fighters are usually well suited to become Reavers, but some rogues, sorcerers, and even druids sometimes take up arms to fight their eternal foes. Rangers by and far make up the greatest percentage of Reavers. Their intimate knowledge of woodcraft and animosity toward a racial enemy make great additions to the skills learned by becoming a Reaver of Wyrms.

TABLE: THE GIANT-SLAYER Level BAB 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10

Fort Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7

Ref Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Special

Hit Die: d10.

Dwarven Dance Giant slaying +1 Damage reduction 5/Giant slaying +2 Smite giants Damage reduction 10/Giant slaying +3 Giant slaying +4 Damage reduction 15/Hamstring

Reaver of Wyrms Look to the remote regions of any world. Across the infinite planes of existence, tucked away in the wild regions of many different worlds are the scaled scourges of the untamed world. If you look hard enough, these rugged locales all hold a beast singly more terrifying than any others known. The beasts are known as dragons…The mere mention of the name sends shivers down the spine of the most grizzled war veteran, and causes intelligent men to quail in fear. Wherever they are found, they drive lesser creatures before them. Men run, dwarves take shelter deep inside mountains, elves hide in dim forests, and anything else too slow or stupid to run is devoured by these ravenous winged reptilian horrors. Still, in the wild regions of the worlds, there is one race that stands up to the oppression and devastation wrought by Dragon kind; they are the Giants. With their immense size and strength Giants can be a match for even the oldest of wyrms. Throughout time a war has raged between Giant kind and Dragons. Constantly fighting over the same resources and territory the two races have been embroiled in battle since time undefined. And out of this war a class of Giants has emerged to battle their eternal foe. A group that understand their winged adversaries and trains in the deadly arts to defeat them. These warriors, sometimes known as dragonslayers or Wyrmblighters, are known collectively as Reavers of Wyrms.

Requirements To qualify to become a Reaver of Wyrms, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Alignment: Any Skills: Knowledge (Dragons): 7 ranks, Wilderness Lore: 5 ranks, Spot: 5 ranks Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, Track Base Attack Bonus: +10 Special: The character must be at least large size or greater, and have survived a fight against a dragon.

Class Skills The Reaver of Wyrms’ class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dragons) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Search (Int), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Reaver of Wyrms prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Reaver of Wyrms gain Proficiency in all Simple and Marital Weapons. Reavers of the Wyrm also gain Proficiency in Light, Medium, Heavy Armor, and all shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather are applied to the Skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pockets, and Tumble. Chink in the Armor: (Ex) Some believe all great wyrms are soft underneath, and the Reaver is one to adopt this philosophy. To a Reaver, all Dragons have holes in their apparent impenetrable armor; you just have to know where to look. The Reaver of Wyrms is an expert at spotting and exploiting these weaknesses. Starting at 1st level a Reaver gains a +1 luck bonus to all attacks verses dragons and their Ilk. This bonus increases by +1 for every two levels a Reaver of Wyrms attains.

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Prestige Classes

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Prestige Classes Partial Evasion: A Reaver of Wyrms studies the weapons of his enemies and learns how to avoid them. Whenever a Reaver of Wyrms faces a breath weapon attack from a Dragon or Drake, the Reaver acts as if he had the feat Evasion. This extraordinary ability only functions verses breath attacks, and not for spells and other special attacks forms a dragon may possess. On level 10, a Reaver of Wyrms gains Partial Improved Evasion. Again, the feat Improved Evasion may only be used verses Breath weapons from Dragonkind. Taunt: All dragons are vain creatures. You have learned how to play off their vanity and sense of self-superiority to provoke them into rash and careless acts. As a standard action you may taunt any dragon that can hear you. The Dragon must make a will save equal to 10 + Your Bluff Modifier. If the Dragon fails, it is enraged and attacks you immediately. The dragon gains a +6 circumstance Bonus to strength, but loses its dexterity modifier and cannot cast spells or use powers that require a concentration. The dragon receives a save at the original Difficulty Class at the beginning of each of its turns to attempt to calm down. If successful the Dragon may act normally, if the Dragon fails then he continues to be enraged. This effect is a supernatural ability and automatically wears off after a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Once a dragon makes a save, it is immune to your taunting for the rest of the day. Aim for the Heart: You know where to hit a dragon to make it hurt. Whenever a draconic foe is caught flat-footed or in a situation where it would lose its dexterity modifier you inflict additional damage. On 4th level you inflict an additional 2d6 points of damage on a successful strike. This bonus increases to +4d6 on 8th level. This damage stacks with any sneak attack damage gained through other classes. Know Their Ways: Your single-minded pursuit and sheer devotion have taught you all the tricks of the trade. You have studied dragons’ tactics and you understand how they think. You can now anticipate their maneuvers. You gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC when fighting any Dragon.

Terramancer You can feel the loam pressing its up against your toes. The smell of the earth just after a rain and the rough feel of it as you trod upon the ground calls to your blood and makes it sing. You have always felt at home in both caverns and mountains, and other places where dense unforgiving stone surrounds you. Leaning back against a boulder you take out your chisel and pick up a large smooth river stone. Content, you relax and begin to carve the first lines f power upon the stone…. A Terramancer is a practitioner of earth magics, and the secrets stored deep within the earth. Able to commune with the very rocks around him, and allied with powerful beings from the elemental plane of earth, the Terramancer is unique from the spellcasters of the civilized world. The Terramancer is master of his surroundings, shaping the earth around him to his liking and implanting powerful magics upon the stones themselves. He girds himself in solemn earthen tones and prefers the company of earthen creatures, such as Xorn and Earth Elementals, to the company of his own race. A loner by nature the Terramancer lives between two worlds: his home plane and the elemental plane of earth. This arrangement suits him just fine. Clerics of Earth Deities and Druids make up the majority of Terramancers, their divine powers and affinities making them prime candidates for this prestige class. Stone Giants, with their innate abilities, find this class very appealing. Many Stone Giant tribes have a Terramancer among their ranks or know on one living somewhere in the vicinity. Wizards are known to study the arts of the Terramancer; their vast knowledge of the sciences and planes makes them worthy candidates of the class. Sorcerers Rarely feel the pull in their blood to become Terramancer, but are not unheard of. Terramancers of other classes are virtually unknown. Hit Die: d8. Requirements

TABLE: REAVER OF WYRMS Level BAB

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Special

To qualify to become Terramancer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Skills: Knowledge (geology): 8 ranks. Feat: Sculpt Runic Item Spells: Must have access to the Earth Domain and the ability to channel positive or negative energy

1st

+1

+2

+0

+0

Chink in the Armor +1, Partial Evasion

2nd

+2

+3

+0

+0

Taunt

3rd

+3

+3

+1

+1

Chink in the Armor +2

4th

+4

+4

+1

+1

Aim for the Heart +2d6

5th

+5

+4

+1

+1

Chink in the Armor +3

6th

+6

+5

+2

+2

Know Their Ways

7th

+7

+5

+2

+2

Chink in the Armor +4

The Terramancers class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (geology), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

8th

+8

+6

+2

+2

Aim for the Heart +4d6

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

9th

+9

+6

+3

+3

Chink in the Armor +5

10th

+10

+7

+3

+3

Partial Improved Evasion.

Special: The character must be able to cast Stone shape, and to speak Terran.

Class Skills

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Giant Equipment

Class Features All of the following are class features of the Terramancer prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Terramancer is proficient in all simple weapons and gains the marital weapon proficiency with a warhammer. The Terramancer is proficient in all types of armor and shields. Spells per Day: When a new Terramancer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, hit points beyond those he receives from the prestige class, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Terramancer, he must decide to which class she adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day. Stonewalk (Su): A Terramancer’s affinity with the earth is so strong that the Terramancer can actually momentarily transport himself to the Elemental Plane of Earth. By doing so, the Terramancer is able to cross great distances on his home plane in an instant. If the Terramancer is in contact with a patch of earth or stone at least equal to his Level BAB Fort Ref size, he may use this surface Save Save as a gateway to the elemental plane of earth. As 1st +0 +2 +0 a move equivalent action 2nd +1 +3 +0 the Terramancer may step 3rd +2 +3 +1 through this surface and reappear out of any other 4th +3 +4 +1 suitably sized stone surface 5th +3 +4 +1 within range. At first level 6th +4 +5 +2 the Terramancer may travel up to 20 feet a day in this 7th +5 +5 +2 manner. All 20 feet does not 8th +6 +6 +2 have to be used at once, and 9th +6 +6 +3 the Terramancer may make a number of smaller jumps 10th +7 +7 +3 totaling no more than 20 feet. Every three levels the Terramancer gains an additional 30 feet of Stonwalking ability each day. Except for the range this power functions exactly like a Dimension Door spell.

elemental is identical in all ways to the standard elemental found in Core Rulebook 3, except that it’s alignment matches that of the Terramancer. The elemental cannot be rebuked or banished from the same plane as the Terramancer by any third party. The elemental grows in size as the Terramancer gains levels, increasing one size class for every three levels the Terramancer gains. If the Elemental ally is ever destroyed, or dismissed by the Terramancer the Terramancer must make a fortitude save at difficulty class 15 or suffer all the effects as if he had lost a familiar. If the original Elemental Ally is lost, the Terramancer can summon a new ally of the appropriate size to replace the deceased one. The Terramancer may summon a new Ally only once every 6 months. Rumblings of the Earth: Upon reaching 5th level the Terramancer is able to communicate with the very earth itself. Once per day the Terramancer may cast the spell Stone tell as an 11th level druid. Mastery of the Earth: You can feel the roots of the earth beneath your feet. The energies of the earth flow through you and you can reshape your surroundings to suit you. Once a day you may cast a special Stone shape spell. This is a spell like ability and does not affect the number of spells you can normally cast in one day. Determine your total number of hit dice. Your caster level for purposes of the spell is equivalent to double your total hit dice.

TABLE: THE TERRAMANCER

Earth Subtype (Ex): If the Terramancer does not already have this power, he gains the elemental subtype of earth. This means he is immune to all acid based attacks, but takes double damage from electrical attacks. The Terramancer is considered to be a native outsider on the elemental plane of earth and can breathe, act normally, and is immune to any detrimental effects due to being an outsider on that plane.

Will Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7

Special

Spells Per day

Stonewalk 20ft /day, +1 level of existing class Earth Subtype +1 level of existing class Elemental (medium) +1 level of existing class Stonewalk 50ft /day +1 level of existing class Rumblings of the Earth+1 level of existing class Elemental (large) +1 level of existing class Stonewalk 80ft /day +1 level of existing class Permanent Rune +1 level of existing class Elemental (Huge) +1 level of existing class Stonewalk 110ft /day Mastery of the Earth +1 level of existing class

Giant Equipment

Giants, not surprisingly, use larger than normal weapons and equipment. GMs whose campaigns and adventures heavily involve giants may find themselves in need of non-standard giant equipment. The following section provides an overview of how to create these items and give them appropriate game statistics.

Elemental Ally: Beginning at third level the Terramancer attracts a companion from the elemental plane of earth. This companion takes the form of a medium earth elemental. This

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Giant Religion and Magic

Giant-Sized Weapons and Armor Larger than normal weapons inflict additional damage and are more expensive to create. Consult the following table to modify the damage of the larger weapons used by giants: One Size Smaller

Original Damage

One Size Larger

1

1d2

1d3

1d2

1d3

1d4

1d3

1d4

1d6

1d4

1d6

1d8

1d6

1d8

2d6

1d6

1d10

2d6

1d8

1d12

2d8

For an even larger version of a weapon that does two or more dice of damage, convert each die to the next largest category. For example, a Large longsword does 2d6 damage (up from its original damage of 1d8). A Huge longsword does 2d8 damage (increasing each d6 to a d8).

When a weapon's damage reaches d8, the next size increase drops each die down to the next lowest and doubles the number of dice. For example a Medium-sized morningstar does 1d8 damage. A Large morningstar does 2d6 damage. A Huge morningstar does 2d8 damage (increasing each d6 to a d8) and a Gargantuan morningstar does 4d6 damage (dropping each die back to a d6 and doubling the number of dice). Giant armor functions more or less identically to its smaller counterpart providing the same bonuses to AC, as well as the same Dexterity penalties and chance of arcane spell failure. The primary difference is cost, which is changed according to the details in the following section.

Cost of Giant Equipment To reflect the greater cost of any piece of giant equipment, multiply the cost of the normal item by the giant's size multiplier. So a Large giant pays twice the normal cost to create a suitable masterwork item, a Huge giant four times the normal cost, and so forth.

Giant Religion and Magic

Giants are creatures steeped in magic with an innate understanding of the natural forces of the world and the ability to bend them to their wills. Perhaps once they were as powerful as their myths and legends claim, but even now giants have considerable magical might and they continue to honor the divine elemental forces that brought them into being.

Religion The smaller humanoid races often have a difficult time picturing giants as religious creatures. The hill and stone giants seem too brutish, frost and fire giants too savage, and cloud and storm giants too imperious and arrogant for any of them to worship a higher power. The truth is that giants are strongly religious beings, although not always in the same manner as the smaller races. Giant religion is at the core of their beliefs about themselves and the world around them and is a driving force of giant culture and society.

In the Beginning At the dawn of the world were the elemental forces: fire and ice, stone and wind. These forces came together in a cataclysmic clash. Fire turned ice into clouds of steam. The steam cooled and rained down upon the rock, creating mud, which was dried by the winds and the heat of the fire pouring down upon it. The struggle between the elements slowly settled and created a place that was balanced between them, a place where they met and intermingled and something new arose. From the misty vale where the elements met came the first giants, the children of the Elements. These giants were titanic beings of great power and wisdom. They shaped the elements to their wills, expanding and refining the world, creating majestic mountains, vast seas, and fantastic islands of mist that floated high above. They built their homes in these places, where they could look down upon the world and admire it. It was a wondrous place and the giants were content. Then one day, the giants noticed something new in the world. They had never really been alone, there had always been other creatures — beasts, spirits, and dragons — but the giants saw something entirely new: creatures that looked like them, but were much smaller in stature and far more numerous. These little races came in many diverse forms, and they quickly began to claim territory throughout the world as their own. Some believe that the downfall of the giants began long before the coming of other races to the face of the world. Stories suggest that the giants grew complacent in their power, then arrogant. They believed their place as some of the first creatures of the world made them important, more important than others were. Whether the degeneration of the giants began before or after the coming of the other humanoid races, it accelerated once they appeared. Some giants made peaceful contact with the newer, smaller creatures, but others fought back against what they saw as an invasion of their world. The first wars between giants and other races began and, despite their power, the giants were overwhelmed. Each defeat made them more and more bitter. The loss of each great citadel or fortress drove them further into the wilderness: the arctic wastes, the desolate deserts and lava flats, and the high mountains. The giants adapted to their terrain, but they also began to lose much of their great stature and power. Some fell entirely into barbarism and inbreeding, creating monsters that were nothing like their ancestors. Only a few giants retained most of their former glory, and they lived far from the lands of humans, Elves, and Dwarves.

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Giant Religion and Magic Modern giants are descended from the first titanic race. As each giant race has degenerated, the giants grow smaller and more barbaric. Storm giants are close to the stature and power of the first giants. The cloud giants like to think that they are as well, but the truth is that they have degenerated. Only a fraction of cloud giants retains their old arcane powers, and most of them now live in crude castles high in the mountains. The frost and fire giants have become fiercely opposed to all other creatures, with the frost giants becoming harsh and barbaric warriors and the fire giants militaristic and grasping. The stone and hill giants have degenerated most, living as primitives in the mountains and foothills. Some stone giant elders have regained a measure of what their race has lost, rediscovering old elemental powers, but they are still only a shadow of what they once were.

Deities Giants originally worshipped the elemental powers that created them. They were in tune with the primal forces of the Elemental Planes. Supposedly, ancient giants commanded power over all of the elements, shaping them to their will through sorcery and divine magic. As the giants degenerated, they lost much of this power, focusing it on adapting to the environments they lived in. Each giant race became more aligned with a particular element, which colors their nature, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Modern giants still revere the elemental powers, particularly the power they consider their patron. So, frost giants worship the power of Ice, fire giants revere Fire, and so forth. Giant tribes often ascribe names and personalities to these elemental forces, but they are just as often seen for what they are, beyond the limits of things like names and appearances, the primal forces that make up the world.

also an element of treachery in its nature. Its beauty can freeze to the bone, and its stillness can become the stillness of death or give way to sudden and unexpected motion. Ice is worshipped as the Cold One, the White Father of the North, and the Frost Maiden. It is primarily revered by evil giants, who both seek to placate it and draw upon its power to destroy their enemies. Domains: Chaos, Cold, Giant, Trickery

Fire Ice’s opposite, fire is even less predictable. It must be harnessed and controlled or else it will consume everything around it. Controlled fire is a powerful weapon and tool. Uncontrolled fire is a ravening destroyer. Like ice, fire is both beautiful and dangerous. Fire is worshipped as the Forge Father, the Dancing Maiden, the Raging Dragon, and the Scarlet Wizard. Good giant clerics worship fire for its warm, light, beauty and usefulness in creating fine things from metalwork to cooking. Evil giant clerics — like most fire giant clerics — worship fire for its usefulness as both a tool and a weapon, and cultivate the destructive fury of fire deep within them. Neutral clerics see fire as neither good nor evil, but usable for either depending on the intent of the wielder. Sometimes fire creates, other times its destroys. Domains: Destruction, Fire, Magic, War

Rock The most basic of the elements, but also the strongest in terms of sheer endurance. Rock is the foundation that the world is built upon. The mountains are the world’s bones. Rock endures above all else. It is strong, patient, and durable. Rock can seem somewhat slow-witted by comparison to the other elements, but that is simply because Rock thinks and ponders at a different pace and its patience is nearly infinite. Rock is worshipped as the Great Father and Mother of the Earth, the Stone-Bones, and the Strong One. Good and neutral giants revere Rock’s patience, endurance, and strength in the face of adversity. Evil giants revere Rock’s brutal power, the raw strength to smash things down, the hurled stone that crushes an enemy, and the stout wall that cannot be broken. Domains: Cavern, Earth, Giant, Healing

Ice Ice is much like Rock, but less predictable and patient. Ice can seem solid and unyielding one moment, then give way into an avalanche, or plunge you into freezing water in the next. Ice can transform into water or steam, then back into its frozen form. Ice is admired for its beauty and stillness, but there is

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Giant Religion and Magic Wind Wind is the loftiest and least predictable of the elemental powers. It is both wise and all seeing, but capricious and capable of bouts of temper that manifest as storms. The winds travel throughout the world, touching upon all things, and it is vital to the existence of life. Wind’s lofty nature can lead to arrogance or disdain for mundane things. Wind is associated with the clarity of a clear sky and the fogginess of an overcast day. Giants worship Wind as the Sky Father, the Storm Lord, the Thunderer, also the Thinker or the Sage. Good and neutral giant clerics see the Wind as a source of wisdom and inspiration, overlooking the whole of the world. Evil giant clerics see the Wind as a source of power, high above all other creatures, and able to rain destruction down upon them. Even good and neutral Wind worshippers are sometimes given to acting impulsively or even irrationally at times. Domains: Air, Cloud, Knowledge, Storm

Elemental Gods in Your Campaign

The exact nature and names of the elemental powers revered by the giants have been deliberately left somewhat vague, to allow GMs to customize them to suit their own campaigns. The elemental powers might dwell on the Elemental Planes and even rule over them (or portions of them). In other campaigns, the elemental powers that giants revere might be actual gods whose portfolio includes that power. For example, the god worshipped by fire giants might be the same god of fire that humans and other races worship (or at least an aspect of the same deity). There’s also the matter of the alignments of the elemental powers. This book assumes that they are truly Neutral, impersonal forces that have good and evil, or lawful and chaotic aspects to them. Thus giant clerics of any alignment can and do revere the elemental powers. Good clerics tend to worship the element’s creative, protective, and nurturing aspects. Evil clerics worship (or seek to placate) the element’s destructive, powerful, uncaring aspects. Neutral clerics see and try to maintain a balance between the two.

Worship

Giant worship of the elemental powers is a fairly simple, personal matter. It is usually conducted at small personal or family shrines in the home or just outside of it. These shrines usually contain tokens of the particular element, which may be humble or elaborate depending on the giant. For example, stone giants often have sacred grottos or caverns where they offer worship to the Rock and attune themselves to the element. Sometimes these places are decorated with carvings or cave paintings and others are left unadorned, so as not to alter their natural beauty. Frost giants may keep ice or rock crystals (sometimes carved into statues) in their shrines, or visit ice caves or glaciers as part of their worship. Fire giants keep an eternal flame burning upon their shrines, which is often associated with household hearths or forges. Cloud and storm giants’ shrines are typically open to the sky or have large open windows to let in air.

Organized worship is just a family or community of giants that perform their religious devotions together. Generally the larger the giant community, the more likely there is a cleric that attends to its religious needs. Lesser giants like hill and stone giants nearly always have a tribal cleric, while frost and fire giant bands or communities typically have at least one cleric (often with one or more lower-ranked acolytes or students). Cloud and storm giant clerics may serve communities or they may wander from place to place administering to the spiritual needs of their brethren. A few live in isolation, preferring to worship in solitude and seek a deeper connection to their elemental power. Evil giants are known to offer living sacrifices to the elemental powers, usually in a way associated with that element. Frost giants may freeze victims into blocks of ice, leaving them to decorate the route to their home as a warning to intruders. They also trap victims beneath the surfaces of frozen lakes, offering their death struggles up to the element. Fire giant sacrifices are nearly always burned, often while still alive. Hill giants are rumored to eat living sacrifices as part of a sacred meal, offering a portion to their elemental power.

Giant Clerics Some giants feel called to serve and worship a particular elemental power as clerics. These giants typically look after the spiritual well being of their community and ensure that the power is properly honored and worshipped. Clerics have a fair amount of influence, particularly in evil giant communities where they are feared and respected for their power. Becoming a cleric is often a road to power and influence for evil giants, but the clerics are cautious about who they choose as their students. There may be terrible trials to overcome to prove favor from the elemental power, and teachers keep a close eye on their acolytes for any signs of treachery. Unlike other races, there is little to nothing in the way of a religious hierarchy among giant clerics. The high priest or priestess of a particular community is usually the highest rank a giant cleric can aspire toward. While giant clerics typically recognize their associates from other communities, and even other giant races, their authority in their own community is all that matters. A high priest from an allied community would be welcomed and treated respectfully, but could not expect to command the acolytes of the community, much less its chief cleric. Good and neutral giants respect and defer to wise elder clerics, but this is more of a social convention than any true rank or position on the cleric’s part. Giant clerics work to ensure that their elemental power is properly honored within their own community, but feel no responsibility to proselytize outside of it. If other giants join the community, they become the cleric’s spiritual responsibility, but otherwise they’re on their own. Non-giants are even less of a concern. They’re not expected to worship (or even understand) the elemental powers. Giants have no interest in converting others to their religion, since it is a religion solely reserved for them. They acknowledge the existence of other gods, but believe that their own religion is superior, since the elemental powers are (in their view) the true origin of creation. Good giants respect the religious

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Giant Religion and Magic beliefs of other races, although often with a measure of condescension, and neutral giants typically do so as well. Evil giants have no respect for other religions, but no particular hatred for them, either, unless that religion becomes a threat to them.

Giant Druids

Although clerics are far more common among them, some giants hear the call of nature and choose to become druids, honoring the balance of the elements and living in harmony with the natural world. Druids are most common among the stone giants, since the druidic path suits their neutral view of the world. There are also some cloud and hill giant druids, but druids among the other giant races are comparatively rare. Giant druids tend to live in isolation for the most part with the exception of stone giant druids, which often interact with nearby communities of their kind (though still living apart from them). Giant druids of good alignment are protectors of the wild and often cooperate with other druids and sylvan creatures. Neutral giant druids tend to be isolationists, but don't bother those who leave them in peace. Evil druids see the power of nature as a savage fury and are like storms of destruction that fall upon any creatures that cross their path.

Cavern Domain Granted Power: You have stonecunning like that of a Dwarf, giving you a +2 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework, unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and so forth. You can make a check merely by coming within 10 feet of unusual stonework, and while searching you can find stonework traps like a rogue. You can also intuit depth underground. Characters that already have stonecunning gain a +2 divine bonus to their checks with it.

Cavern Domain Spells 1 Detect Snares and Pits: Reveals natural or primitive traps. 2 Soften Earth and Stone: Turns stone to clay or dirt to sand or mud. 3 Meld into Stone: You and your gear merge with stone. 4 Spike Stones: Creatures in area take 1d8 damage and may be slowed. 5 Transmute Mud to Rock: Transforms two 10-ft. cubes/level. 6 Stone Tell: Talk to natural or worked stone. 7 Earthquake: Intense tremor shakes 5-ft./level radius. 8 Repel Metal or Stone: Pushes away metal and stone. 9 Imprisonment: Entombs subject beneath the earth.

Clerical Domains Some additional domains are available to giant clerics that worship the elemental powers. At the GM’s discretion, these domains may be available to clerics of other races as well (except for the giant domain, which should generally remain the province of giant clerics).

Cloud Domain

Granted Power: You can cast obscuring mist once per day.

Cloud Domain Spells 1 Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you. 2 Fog Cloud: Fog obscures vision. 3 Gaseous Form: Subject becomes insubstantial and can fly slowly. 4 Solid Fog: Blocks vision and slows movement. 5 Cloudkill: Kills 3 HD or less; 4-6 HD save or die. 6 Acid Fog: Fog deals acid damage. 7 Cloud Chariot: Magical flying chariot appears for 1 hour/level. 8 Incendiary Cloud: Cloud deals 4d6 fire damage/round. 9 Elemental Swarm*: Summons 2d4 Large, 1d4 Huge elementals. *Cast as an air spell only.

80

Cold Domain Granted Power: Turn or destroy fire creatures, as a good cleric turns undead. Rebuke or command cold creatures as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Cold Domain Spells 1 Endure Elements: Ignores 5 damage/round from one energy type. 2 Chill Metal: Cold metal damages those who touch it. 3 Sleet Storm: Hampers vision and movement. 4 Wall of Ice: Creates wall with 15 hp +1/level, or hemisphere can trap creatures inside. 5 Cone of Cold: 1d6 cold damage/level. 6 Otiluke's Freezing Sphere: Freezes water or deals cold damage. 7 Control Weather*: Changes weather in local area. 8 Finger of Death: Kills one subject. 9 Elemental Swarm**: Summons 2d4 Large, 1d4 Huge elementals. *Can only create colder weather. **Cast as a water spell only.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Magic

Giant Domain

Giant Spellcasters

Granted Power: You gain the supernatural ability to smite a creature of Medium-size or smaller once per day. This is a single melee attack with a +4 bonus to hit and a damage bonus equal to your cleric level (if you hit). You must declare the smite before making the attack.

There are giants belonging to each of the spellcasting classes, although some are more common than others. Particular types of giants tend toward particular classes and types of spellcasting.

Giant Domain Spells 1 Enlarge: Object or creature grows +10%/level (maximum +50%). 2 Bull's Strength: Subject gains 1d4+1 Str for 1 hr./level. 3 Endurance: Subject gains 1d4+1 Con for 1 hr./level. 4 Shout: Deafens all within cone and deals 2d4 damage. 5 Righteous Might: Your size increases and you gain +4 Str. 6 Tenser's Transformation: You gain combat bonuses. 7 Repulsion: Creatures cannot approach you. 8 Earthquake: Intense tremor shakes 5-ft. radius/level. 9 Iron Body: Your body becomes living iron.

Storm Domain Granted Power: You can predict the natural weather for the next 24 hours with prefect accuracy once per day.

Storm Domain Spells 1 Shocking Grasp: Touch delivers 1d8+1/level electricity. 2 Resist Elements*: Ignores 12 damage/round from one energy type. 3 Call Lightning: Directs lightning bolts (1d10/level) during storms. 4 Ice Storm: Hail deals 5d6 damage in cylinder 40 ft. across. 5 Control Winds: Change wind direction and speed. 6 Control Weather: Changes weather in local area. 7 Chain Lightning: Deals 1d6 damage/level; secondary bolts. 8 Whirlwind: Cyclone inflicts damage and can pick up creatures. 9 Storm of Vengeance: Storm rains acid, lightning, and hail. *Cold and electricity only.

Magic

Like most thinking creatures, giants are capable of learning and using magic, and some giants are highly magical creatures with a natural talent for the spellcasting. Giants use magic for a variety of purposes from warfare and defense to building and daily life.

Clerics are the most common giant spellcasters, found among all types of giants. They serve and worship the giants' gods and draw magical power from them (see the Religion section for details). Giant clerics, much like clerics of other races, tend to the spiritual needs of their communities and seek to further the aims of their patron deities in the world.

Druids are less common than clerics among giants, although their elemental nature gives giants a unique perspective on druidic beliefs. Druids are most often found among stone giants, who share their neutral outlook and reverence for nature, although stone giant druids tend to take mountains and caves as their holy places rather than forest groves or other verdant sites. Powerful animal companions like cave bears or dire animals of various sorts often accompany giant druids. Sorcerers are by far the most common giant arcane spellcasters. Giants are creatures of magic and, generally speaking, the larger the type of giant, the more magical they are and the more potential they have for sorcery. Giant sorcerers tend to tap into sources of raw elemental power and their spellcasting can be quite spectacular. Giant sorcerers are often leaders of their communities or else they create lairs like isolated castles or cloud islands where they can study and master the arcane arts in isolation. Bards are known among most of the civilized races of giants (which is to say all of them but the hill giants). Frost giants are particularly known for their skalds that memorize and recite epic poems and compose songs in honor of the great warriors of their tribes. Cloud and storm giants, with their love of music, also appreciate the bardic arts and may pursue them. A giant of those races with a touch of sorcerous talent may go on to become a bard. Giant wizards are the least common spellcasters, since it is more difficult for giants to write down and pass on arcane knowledge and lore, and to share the vast body of magical lore written down by smaller wizards. Still there are some giant wizards, sometimes with spellbooks as wide as a human's outspread arms, or even larger. Nearly every giant wizard also keeps a fine magnifying glass (along with an enlarge spell) handy for reading tiny scrolls and spellbooks they may acquire.

Spell Parameters

Despite their larger size, giants do not cast "giant-sized" versions of spells. Their spells are exactly like those of smaller casters with the same parameters for range, area of effect, and so forth. Just because a giant is three times the height of a Medium-sized caster, for example, doesn't mean that their spells have three times the range or area! Personal spells affect giant casters normally, since they work regardless of the caster's size. Spells that affect "a creature or creatures" usually do so without regard for the creature's size,

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Magic except where the spell description specifically says otherwise. For example, the magic circle spells emanate 10 feet from the subject they are cast upon. For a giant, this covers a much larger area, but the spell's effect remains the same. Some spells are of increased or limited use of giant-sized casters or function somewhat differently for giants. They include the following: Air walk: Cloud and storm giants often use this spell and may train normally earthbound mounts to use it as well (although cloud and storm giants usually have access to flying mounts). Animal friendship: Since this spell is limited by caster level, giants cannot use it to befriend larger creatures than other casters can. The GM may wish to count the giant's "monster levels" as part of its caster level for the purposes of this spell, allowing the giant to befriend larger and stronger animals from the outset, but should keep in mind that this is a powerful ability. Animal shapes: The allowable sizes based on caster level do not change for giants. Animate dead: Animating giant-sized skeletons or zombies usually requires a higher level caster. Charm person: Since giants are larger than Medium-sized, they are not affected by this spell (although charm monster works on them). Dominate person: This spell likewise doesn't work on giants (but dominate monster does). Enlarge: Giants can use this spell to make normal-sized items and equipment more usable to them. Since enlarge can only increase an item's size up to 50%, it is of limited use to larger giants, but they can still do things like make smaller stones larger for throwing and such. Feather fall: Only high-level giant spellcasters can use this spell on themselves, since most giants easily exceed its weight limitations. For example, a typical cloud giant (5,000 lbs.) needs feather fall as if cast at 17th-level. Giants generally use spells like air walk and fly or their innate levitate abilities. Flame blade: This spell is the same size when cast by a giant and it does the same amount of damage. Giants often call it "flame dagger" because of its relatively small size to them. Heroes' feast: This spell produces a proportionately greater amount of food for giant subjects. Hold person: As larger than Medium-sized creatures, giants are immune to this spell. They are affected by hold monster instead. Iron body: This spell is a fearsome combination with a giant's size and physical power, making most giants equal in strength to an iron golem, if not greater. Magic stone: Giant clerics can cast this spell on up to three large rocks, giving them a +1 enhancement bonus and causing them to inflict an additional 1d6+1 damage against undead creatures. Meld into stone: It's generally more difficult for giants to find blocks of stone large enough to meld into, although mountain-dwelling giants can and do use this spell quite effectively. The GM may wish to allow giant casters to meld

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with more than 100 lbs. of equipment, substituting a medium load for the giant's Strength. Mirror image: A giant caster needs a lot of open space to use this spell effectively, meaning that most giants don't use it at all. Mount: Since it only summons a light horse, this spell is useless to most giants. Passwall: Since the opening created by the spell is only 5 ft. by 8 ft. most giants cannot pass through it. Phantom steed: This spell can create a steed large enough for a giant to ride if the caster wishes. The phantom steed's abilities remain unchanged other than its size and its size modifier does affect its armor class. Phase door: Like passwall this spell creates an opening too small for giants to move through. Polymorph other and polymorph self: Like other casters, giants can assume forms from Diminutive size to one size category larger than their normal size (which can result in some impressive transformations for Huge giants able to polymorph into Gargantuan creatures). Among other things, giants can use these spells to assume Medium-sized forms, like that of a human or other humanoid. Reduce: Giants sometimes find this spell useful in assuming a smaller stature, allowing them to fit into tighter spaces and more easily interact with smaller creatures. Reincarnate: At the GM's discretion, a giant brought back using this spell may reincarnate as a creature of the same size category or smaller, so a Large giant could reincarnate as a Large creature or smaller. Righteous might: Another fearsome spell when used by a giant caster since they gain all the normal benefits including the Strength and size increase. Tree stride: Since this spell requires a tree with a girth equal to the caster's, giants are rarely able to use it. Unseen servant: A giant caster's unseen servant has the same properties as normal, meaning the servant is incapable of some tasks around a giant-sized household. Still, unseen servant is a useful enough spell that some giants still learn it. Wall spells: If the top of a wall spell is uncovered, a giant may be able to jump or even step right over the wall. Assume that a giant can step over any wall with a height less than or equal to half the giant's own automatically. Higher walls require a Jump check to clear.

Spell Components Spells cast by giants require their normal components, just like spells cast by other creatures. In the case of material and focus components, the material(s) needed for the spell may be proportionally larger when a giant casts the spell. This isn't due to any change in the way the magic works; it's more of a practical matter. It's difficult, for example, for a giant cleric to have a holy symbol that's the size of a normal human's and still be able to manipulate it effectively. A giant may also have trouble handling other tiny spell components, like bits of hair or pinches of herbs, salt, or

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant Spells sand. In these cases, the giant spellcaster may use what is the equivalent of an entire handful (or more) of the component for a Medium-sized character. Since a spell's material or focus components are largely symbolic, it doesn't have any effect on the spell whether or not a giant-sized caster uses a larger amount of the component (or a larger component) than the spell normally call for. If the spell component has a monetary cost, there's no need to spend extra unless the caster wants or needs more of the component for practical reasons. The GM decides when this is necessary and can increase the monetary cost of the component(s) proportionately. Giant spellcasters may also come up with substitutes for certain spell components better suited to their environment. For example, a cloud giant spellcaster might use a feather from a griffin or giant eagle as a component for a fly spell rather than a comparatively tiny feather from a normal-sized bird.

Giant Familiars The familiars of Medium-sized spellcasters are normally Tiny magical beasts. Giant spellcasters may have proportionately larger familiars. The familiar's size must be at least two categories less than the master's, so a Large giant can have a Small familiar, while a Huge giant can have a Medium-sized one. A giant can have a smaller familiar, if desired. Certainly Tiny familiars can be useful in some situations. Larger familiars have all the normal familiar abilities based on their master's class level.

Table: Familiars for Large Masters Familiar Dire Rat

Special Master gains +2 modifier on Fortitude saves Dog Master gains a +2 modifier on Sense Motive checks Eagle (Small) — Octopus* Master gains a +2 modifier on grappling checks Wolverine Master gains a +2 modifier on Reflex saves *These familiars are only suitable for masters that live primarily underwater (like some storm giants).

Crocodile Eagle (Medium-size) Leopard

— — Master gains +2 modifier on Move Silently checks Lizard, giant — Owl (Medium-size) Has low-light vision; master gains a +2 modifier on Move Silently checks Porpoise* Master gains a +2 modifier on Reflex saves Shark, medium* — Snake, constrictor — Squid* Master gains a +2 modifier on grappling checks Viper (Medium-size) Poisonous bite Wolf Master gains a +2 modifier on Fortitude saves *These familiars are only suitable for masters that live primarily underwater (like some storm giants).

Giant Spells

Giant spellcasters have developed or discovered a number of unique spells. According to legend, giants were all once powerful spellcasters, but their magical abilities have waned with the passing centuries. Some of these spells may be holdovers from that time, passed down through the generations. There are those giant scholars and sorcerers seeking to rediscover some of their kind's lost heritage and lore. These spells may be learned and used by spellcasters of other races who encounter them, although not all of them will be useful to non-giants. The GM may consider allowing characters to find scrolls or spellbooks containing these spells in a giant's lair (or even carried in a giant's bag), as part of the treasure for overcoming the giant. Friendly giants may also see fit to teach these spells to spellcasters of other races.

Cloud Chariot Conjuration (Creation) Level: 7 Components: V, S

Table: Familiars for Huge Masters Familiar Bear, black Bear, brown Boar Cheetah

Special — — Master gains +2 modifier on Fortitude saves Master gains +2 modifier on Run checks

Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 0 ft. Effect: Creates one cloud chariot Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You call into being a chariot drawn by a pair of horses (or other horse-like creatures if you choose). Both the chariot and its team coalesce out of mist and have a pearly white

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Giant Spells coloration. It comes complete with reins and harness for the team. The creatures that draw the cloud chariot make no sound and normal animals shun and refuse to attack them (other creatures including dire animals may do so). Each creature has AC 20 (-1 size, +6 natural, +5 Dex) and 10 hit points, +1 per caster level. If it loses all its hit points, the creature disappears. A cloud chariot moves at half speed with only one of its team and is incapable of movement if it loses both. In the latter case, the chariot will slowly lower itself and its passengers to the ground. The cloud chariot can fly with a speed of 20 feet per caster level to a maximum of 240 feet. It has a maneuverability rating of average. The chariot can carry the caster and up to one additional Huge creature (or two Large creatures, four Medium-sized ones, or eight Small creatures).

Transmutation

Flesh to Ice

Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes This spell works just like flesh to stone except it transforms the target (and their equipment) into an unmoving statue of ice. The ice melts normally in above-freezing temperatures. The creature suffers any damage or deformity if returned to its normal state. If the ice melts completely, the creature dies. It does not appear alive while in ice form. Only creatures made of flesh are affected by the spell. There is likewise an ice to flesh spell that works exactly like stone to flesh except it affects ice rather than stone. It can restore characters turned into ice by this spell. Material components: A piece of rock crystal.

indicate, inflicting 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum of 15d6) on all creatures within the spell’s area. A successful Reflex saving throw reduces the damage by half. The lava burst sets fire to all combustibles in the affected area and may melt metals like lead, gold, silver, and bronze.

Little Form Transmutation Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V Casting Time: 1 action Range: Personal and touch Target: You or touched willing giant creature Duration: 1 hour/level (D) As polymorph other except you or another willing giant can only assume the form of a Medium-sized humanoid. You may either disguise yourself as an average member of the new form's type (gaining a +10 bonus to your Disguise checks) or maintain your normal features (modifying things like skin, hair, and eye color as you choose). Your carried equipment and items change along with you but retain their normal properties, except as determined by size. For example, a Gargantuan greatsword +3 would become a normal-sized greatsword +3. Giants commonly use this spell to walk unnoticed among humanoids or to enter small humanoid dwellings and similar places when necessary.

Mist Walk Transmutation Level: Clr 3 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Targets: One touched creature/level

Lava Burst Evocation [Fire]

Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, F/DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: Cylinder (10-ft. radius, 40-ft. high) Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes

Transmuted creatures can stand, walk, or sit on clouds, fog, or mist as if it were solid ground. The creatures can move across or along the misty as if it were normal ground. This means they can move along the surface of clouds and even "climb" a plume of steam or a wall of fog (Climb check, DC 15). The spell does not allow creatures to move through empty air, only mist; so a creature walking on a cloud that walks off the edge will fall. A creature under the effects of this spell that falls into a cloud or area of mist stops falling as if they hit solid ground, but takes no damage.

A gout of burning lava erupts from the ground where you

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Giant Spells

Ray of Fire

Shocking Strike

Evocation [Fire]

Transmutation [Electricity]

Level: Sor/Wiz 1

Level: Sor/Wiz 2

Components: V, S

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Range: Touch

Effect: Ray

Target: Metal weapon touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Duration: Until discharged

Saving Throw: None

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

A bright red ray of fire springs forth from your hand. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to hit the target. The subject suffers 1d6 points of fire damage. The ray may also ignite flammable objects and materials.

You imbue a metal weapon (or weapon with a metallic head or tip) with an electrical charge. When the weapon next strikes a target, it delivers a jolt of electricity (1d8 points of additional electrical damage, +1 point per caster level to a maximum of +20). If the weapon is used against an opponent in metallic armor and the attack misses, but would have hit if not for the target's armor bonus, then the weapon strikes the armor and still does its electrical damage (but not its normal weapon damage, which doesn't get through the target's armor).

Resize Transmutation Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S

Thunderbolts

Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Touch

Evocation [Electricity]

Target: Object touched

Level: Sor/Wiz 4

Duration: Instantaneous

Components: V, S, M

Saving Throw: None

Casting Time: 1 action

Spell Resistance: No

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Touch or hold an item intended to be worn or carried and used by a humanoid. When the spell is complete, the item changes size to fit or match the size of a creature specified during the casting. So a tunic or robe made for a halfling could be resized to fit a human, a human-sized sword could become a giant-sized weapon, and so forth. The change to the item's size is permanent unless another use of this spell (or something similar, like polymorph any object) is used to change its size again.

Effect: Ray

The item fits a general size category, but if you specify a particular known subject, the item can be made to fit them perfectly. For example, you can resize a pair of boots or item of clothing so they fit you perfectly. The item's other properties, such as hardness and magical qualities, do not change. A longsword +1 resized to halfling size or giant size is still +1. Resize has no effect on living creatures, nor any non-living object not intended to be worn or carried by a humanoid, such as constructs, undead, doors, structures, furniture, etc.

Duration: Until discharged (D) Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see below) Spell Resistance: Yes When you cast this spell, a spear of lightning appears in your hand. You can hurl this thunderbolt as a ranged touch attack and it does 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum of 10d6). Additionally, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw or be deafened by the thunderous blast for 2d4 rounds. You can hurl one thunderbolt for every four caster levels that you have (two at 8th-level, three at 12th-level, and so forth). Remaining unused thunderbolts count as holding a touch spell. You can hurl one thunderbolt per round. Focus: A piece of amber.

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Giant Spells

Thunder Strike Transmutation [Sonic] Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: Until discharged Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes (object) You imbue yourself or a touched creature with a magical charge. When the creature next strikes a target (unarmed or with a melee weapon), the blow resounds with a clap like thunder that does 1d8 points of additional sonic damage, +1 point per caster level (maximum +20). The target must also make a Fortitude save or be deafened for 2d4 rounds. A successful save means the target is not deafened, but still suffers the additional damage.

Transmutation

Watery Form

Giant Magic Items Giant spellcasters create magic items just like spellcasters of other races do. Generally speaking, the items created by smaller giants (such as hill and stone giants) are crude and primitive, usually made from stone, bone, wood, leather and other natural materials that are easily available and can be worked with simple tools. The items crafted by larger giants are usually better quality. Fire giants are particularly well known for their abilities as smiths (since they take naturally to the heat and flame of the forge) while cloud and storm giants are known for the artistry of their crafts, particularly fine metalwork. Giant spellcasters follow all the normal rules for crafting items and magic items, unless specified otherwise for a particular item.

Weapons and Armor Magical weapons and armor are among the most popular items created and used by giants, particularly the warlike frost and fire giants. Such items are often passed down as family heirlooms or taken as battle trophies from slain enemies.

Giant-sized Magic Items

Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Water 3 Components: S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Willing corporeal creature touched Duration: 2 minutes/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The subject and all his gear become a living, mobile mass of water. The subject gains damage reduction 20/+1. His material armor (including natural armor) becomes ineffective, though the subject's size, Dexterity, deflection bonuses, and armor bonuses from force armor (such as the mage armor spell) remain effective. The subject is immune to critical hits, poison, disease, and suffocation. He can't attack or use spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components while in watery form. The subject loses supernatural abilities while in watery form. If he has a touch spell ready for use, it is discharged harmlessly when the spell takes effect. A creature in watery form can flow along the ground at a speed of 10 and can pass through small cracks and openings (although the smaller the opening, the longer it will take for the creature's entire mass to pass through it). Creatures in watery form can swim at a speed of 30 without having to make Swim checks and they gain a +10 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks while in water. The creature can separate from a larger mass of water (or other liquid) at will.

Naturally, giants create magic items usable by beings of their size. This usually requires additional raw materials, as noted in the section Giant Equipment. This only applies to the material component of the magic item. It does not affect the base cost for the item's enchantment. Although giant-sized items cost the same to enchant as normal-sized ones, they're only fully effective for giants and usually too large and unwieldy for Medium-sized or smaller creatures. The specific effects of larger magic items are described in the sections that follow.

Bane Weapons A bane weapon deals +2d6 points of damage against a particular type of creature. Use the guidelines for selecting a ranger’s favored enemy for choosing the type of creature. Thus a weapon can be a bane for aberrations or undead, but not humanoids or outsiders in general (a particular type must be specified). Giants often choose Dwarf or human as the target for a bane weapon, particularly if they fight them often. A bane weapon bestows one negative level on creatures of its bane that pick it up or attempt to wield it. This negative level remains so long as the bane weapon is held and disappears when it is dropped or put down. The negative level never results in permanent level loss, but cannot be negated while the weapon is in hand. Caster level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy smite or unholy blight; Market price: +2 bonus.

Material component: A few drops of salt water.

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Giant Spells

Iron Ice Iron ice is a magical material made by frost giant craftsmen. They cut blocks of ice from the heart of glaciers and frozen lakes, treating them with special alchemical materials including the fat of certain frost-dwelling creatures. The treatments make the ice as hard and durable as iron and help to keep it from melting. Items made from iron ice are lighter than normal. Metallic armors made from it are one category lighter for the purposes of movement and other modifiers (including whether or not a barbarian can use his fast movement ability while wearing the armor). Spell failure chances for iron ice armor are reduced by 10%, maximum dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3. Other metal items made of iron ice weigh half as much as usual. Iron ice weapons are considered masterwork items. Iron ice has hardness 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. Creatures wearing iron ice armor are considered exposed to extreme cold. They must make Fortitude saving throws (DC 15) every 10 minutes, with a +1 to the DC per previous check. A failed save results in 1d6 points of subdual damage. Characters suffering from subdual damage from the cold are considered fatigued until they recover. Creatures immune to cold (such as frost giants) are unaffected by cold of iron ice. Iron ice items take full damage from fire attacks but no damage from cold attacks.

Throwing Stones Large rocks are one of the preferred missile weapons of giants; so giant spellcasters sometimes create enchanted stones making them more effective weapons. A giant is like a living siege engine, and these stones can be devastating weapons in their hands. Fire Stones: Smaller than normal giant throwing rocks, these stones are usually about a foot in diameter and weigh about 20 pounds. They typically look like dark chunks of coal or lava rock. When a fire stone strikes a solid surface, it explodes in a burst of flames like a fireball in a 20-foot radius spread, doing 5d6 damage to all creatures within that area. A successful Reflex save (DC 14) results in half damage. The fire stone is completely consumed in the blast. Fire stones are favored weapons of fire giants. Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item; fireball; Market price: 750 gp; Cost to make: 375 gp + 30 XP. Giant Thunderstones: These otherwise ordinary-looking stones are usually small, fairly round boulders weighing 40 to 50 pounds. They're treated with the same alchemical process as ordinary thunderstones (although they require more time and materials to make). A giant can hurl one of these stones like an ordinary rock, doing 2d6 damage plus the giant's strength bonus. When the rock strikes its target, it creates a deafening bang like thunder (a sonic attack). Creatures within a 10-foot radius must make Fortitude saves (DC 15) or be deafened. Deaf creatures suffer a -4 penalty on initiative

and a 20% chance to miscast and lose any spell with a verbal component that they try to cast. Caster level: —; Prerequisites: Alchemy skill (DC 25); Market price: 150 gp; Cost to create: 50 gp. Hurling Stones: These enchanted stones are roughly the size and shape of a human's head and can easily be carried in a giant's bag. They have a +1 enchantment, adding to their chance to hit and allowing them to overcome the Damage Resistance of some creatures. When hurled, they increase greatly in size, becoming Medium-size objects weighing around 80 pounds each. A hurling stone inflicts 2d8+1 damage, plus the thrower's Strength bonus. Once they strike a target, hurling stones are no longer magical. Caster level: 8th; Prerequisites: Craft Arms and Armor, enlarge; Market price: 167 gp each; Cost to create: 4,175 gp + 334 XP (for fifty stones), or 84 gp and 7 XP (per stone). Ice Stones: These throwing rocks look like opaque white crystal, weighing about 20 pounds each. When an ice stone strikes a solid object, it bursts in a cloud of freezing particles that steal the heat away from an area 20 feet in radius, doing 5d6 damage to all creatures in that area. A successful Reflex saving throw (DC 14) results in half damage. The ice stone is completely consumed by the burst. Ice stones are favored weapons of the frost giants. Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, cone of cold; Market price: 750 gp; Cost to create: 375 gp + 30 XP.

Potions

Potions made by and for giants actually contain about the same amount of "active" ingredients as a normal potion dose (about an ounce of liquid), but suspended in a larger amount of inactive liquid, such as water or alcohol. A giant-sized potion may be a gallon or more of liquid (suitable for a giant to drink in a single gulp). For smaller creatures to make use of such potions, they must either drink all of the liquid (ensuring that they consume all of the potion's active ingredients) or else they must first distill the potion down, removing the excess liquid. This requires at least four hours work in an alchemist's lab and an Alchemy check (DC 25). A failed check means the potion is spoiled and useless. A successful check renders the potion down to its active ingredients (about an ounce of liquid again). Giants generally carry potions in clay jugs or metal flasks (rarely glass bottles). Potions tend to be less common among the greater giants since they tend to cook or freeze in the possession of fire and frost giants, and are of little use to storm giants that dwell underwater. Human Form: This potion allows a giant to assume a human-like form like a use of the little form spell. The giant's human form has the same features as the giant's normal form, altered solely to make the giant appear human. So, size, skin coloration, and similar features change while overall facial features and such remain largely the same. The giant still gains a +5 bonus to Disguise checks, but may be recognized by those familiar with the giant's normal form. The human form lasts for 5 hours before the giant reverts to normal form.

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Giant Spells up much like a scroll. Cloud and storm giants sometimes scribe scrolls for their own use. They typically use thick parchment made from finely tanned and cured hide.

The lack of materials to produce scrolls also influences the general lack of wizards among giants. Most giant arcane spellcasters are sorcerers, and so have no need of spellbooks or tomes of arcane lore. Only cloud and storm giants have any real number of wizards among them and even then, they are few.

Runestones

One type of "scroll" that giants do create is runestones. A runestone is a smooth, flat stone typically about half the size of a giant’s palm. The surface of the stone is carved with magical runes that represent the formula of a particular spell. A giant spellcaster can use a runestone in exactly the same manner as a scroll; it’s simply made from a much more durable material. Runestones are created in the same way as scrolls, using the Scribe Scroll feat, although the maker must also have Craft (rune carving) to cut the runes into the stone. The DC is 10 + the spell’s level and a failed Craft check means that the stone is not suitable for use as a runestone.

Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, little form; Market price: 750 gp; Cost to make: 375 gp + 30 XP. Oil of Stoneskin: This sparkling mineral oil, when rubbed over the skin, hardens it to the consistency of stone while still allowing the user to move normally. The user gains damage reduction 10/+5 (it ignores the first 10 points of damage from each attack, but a weapon with a +5 enhancement bonus or any magical attack bypasses the reduction). Once a total of 80 points of damage has been prevented, the oil is no longer effective. Caster level: 8th; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, stoneskin; Market price: 2,100 gp; Cost to make: 1,050 gp + 64 XP.

Scrolls Scrolls, as most humanoid spellcasters know them, are rarely seen among giants for a number of reasons. Lesser giant races are often illiterate, or nearly so, and lack suitable materials for creating scrolls. Fire giants make no use of all too-flammable paper or vellum. They sometimes carve giant script into stone or metal, but not to make scrolls. Frost giants likewise don't use paper, although they will sometimes create scrolls by writing on tanned animal hides that can be rolled or bundled

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Runestones are most common among stone, frost, and fire giants, and may be found in the bags of some giant spellcasters. Smaller spellcasters can use runestones just like ordinary scrolls, although they’re a good deal heavier than a scroll and therefore a bit unwieldy for a Medium-sized or smaller character.

Wands, Rods, and Staffs Giant spellcasters create various sorts of wands, rods, and staffs for their use. These items are proportionate to the giant’s size, so a giant wand may be three or more feet long, and a giant rod may be up to six feet long. A giant staff is often made from the trunk of an entire tree, being anywhere between ten and fifteen feet long, some of them a foot or more in diameter. Apart from their greater size (and greater damage for rods and staffs used as weapons), their abilities are the same as other such magic items. Common giant wands store the spells summon monster, shatter, bull’s strength, fireball, lightning bolt, dispel magic, charm monster, polymorph self, wall of ice, wall of fire, wall of stone, or stoneskin. Common giant rods include enemy detection, metal and mineral detection, and thunder and lightning. Common giant staffs include earth and stone, fire, frost, and size alteration.

Races of Legend: Lords of The Peaks

Giant Spells

Force rods These are nearly indestructible 5-foot rods mad of bluish adamantium, often worked and etched with powerful symbols and patterns of cosmic importance. They are fashioned by the celestial giants as tools and weapons. A force rod focuses and directs a giant's inherent strength, converting it into a telekinetic force directly as powerful as that giant's strength. They can be used to lift objects within a range of 100 feet, with the surface affected being roughly the size of a celestial giant's hands (approximately 3-4 feet.) When the telekinetic power is used like a projectile weapon, a force rod has 100-foot range, counts as a ranged touch attack, and does the same damage as a punch from the giant using it. If struck during combat while using the force rod, the giant must make a concentration check or lose any benefit from the rod, including attacks for that round only. Afterward, they may resume the use of the force rod's power. If the force rod is used as a melee weapon, it is equivalent to a greater masterwork great club. Caster level 13th, prerequisites, Craft Wondrous Item (or Celestial Giant) Telekinesis and Limited Wish, Market Price: 182,600 gp

Rings

Giants forge and use rings just like smaller creatures do. A giant’s ring is too large to fit a Medium-sized or smaller humanoid, and such a ring is ineffective if worn in any way other than on a finger (such as strung on a chain or even as a bracelet or the like). The resize spell can make a giant ring fit a smaller wearer. If the GM wishes, certain magical rings may also resize themselves automatically to fit anyone capable of wearing them. This means that giants can acquire magical rings from smaller humanoids and vice versa. Giant Form: A ring of giant form allows the wearer to transform into a giant-sized version of their normal self by speaking the command word. The wearer becomes one size category larger than their normal form and gains a +4 enlargement bonus to Strength. The wearer's equipment also increases in size, which increases the base damage of the character's weapons (see Giant-sized Weapons,) . Characters gain all the benefits and drawbacks of their larger size including modifications to attack rolls and Armor Class.

Caster level: 9th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, righteous might; Market price: 81,000 gp; Cost to create: 40,500 gp + 3,240 XP. Human Form: This ring allows a giant wearer to assume a single human-like form like a use of the little form spell by speaking a command word. The giant's human form has the same features as the giant's normal form, altered solely to make the giant appear human. So, size, skin coloration and similar features change while overall facial features and such remain largely the same. The giant still gains a +5 bonus to Disguise checks, but may be recognized by those familiar with the giant's normal form. Assuming human form or returning to giant form is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, although giants unfamiliar with assuming human form may be somewhat disoriented (as per the polymorph other spell).

Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, little form; Market price: 27,000 gp; Cost to make: 13,500 gp + 1,080 XP.

Rocks: A ring of rocks is an iron band set with a rough-cut piece of stone. Once each round on command, the ring can create a rock suitable for throwing in the wearer’s hand, making it appear from thin air. This will be a Small rock for Large giants and a Medium-sized rock for Huge giants. The ring can only create one rock per round, no matter how many rock-throwing attacks the giant is entitled to. Creating a rock is a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The wearer simply needs to will it to happen. (Hurling the rock provokes an attack of opportunity normally.) Caster level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, magic stone; Market price: 6,000 gp.

Wondrous Items

Giants create and use various wondrous items, usually items that grant them some increased strength or ability to survive (such as boots of the winterlands). Enchanted musical instruments, such as horns of blasting or a lyre of building are particularly common for cloud and storm giants. A maul or mattock of the titans is a valuable item among giants. Bracers of Rock Catching: These metal bracers are designed for a giant wearer. When worn by a giant, the bracers grant an enhancement bonus to the wearer's Reflex saving throws to catch hurled rocks and similar projectiles. All the normal rules for catching rocks apply. Caster level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item; Market price: 250 gp (+1 bracers), 1,000 gp (+2 bracers), 2,250 gp (+3 bracers), 4,000 gp (+4 bracers), 6,250 gp (+5 bracers); Cost to create: 125 gp + 10 XP (+1 bracers), 500 gp + 40 XP (+2 bracers), 1,125 gp + 90 XP (+3 bracers), 2,000 gp + 160 XP (+4 bracers), 3,125 gp + 250 XP (+5 bracers). Horn of Endless Mead: A massive drinking vessel made from the horn of a dire animal or some exotic creature like a gorgon or even a dragon (for a truly rare and precious item). The horn of endless mead is usually carved with runes or scenes of revelry, often chased or decorated with silver and precious gems. At a command from its holder (often written in runes on its surface), the horn fills with a fine quality mead (a fermented honey beverage) and remains full, no matter how much is drunk from it. Mead can be poured from the horn at a rate of about a gallon per round without ever emptying it. When the command word is repeated, the horn stops refilling. These items are often owned by giant jarls and chieftains who sometimes challenge visitors to drinking contests without telling them of the horn's magic. Some horns produce fine ale or wine instead of mead, while a few rare horns can produce two or three different beverages, depending on the command word used. Caster level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, create water; Market value: 8,000 gp (more for horns made of especially rare materials); Cost to create: 4,000 gp + 320 XP.

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Projection sphere The celestial giants made these items long ago to keep safe and transport many volumes worth of lore in a single object. They are sometimes found throughout the planes, or in the rare treasure trove of some powerful being. A projection sphere may hold up to 500 large volumes of writing, and has a hardness as if it were made of 4-inch thick adamantium. Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, plane shift; Market Price: 14,000 gp; Weight: 10lb

Star Chests

Star chests are huge chests of holding fashioned by celestial giant wizards and sorcerers, similar in properties to a portable hole. They can hold ten times their size and weight although they weigh only fifty pounds when full. Many star chests are also equipped with fold out shelves, holders, and similar devices, pulled out from within them or in receded positions along their exterior surface. Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, plane shift; Market Price: 24,000 gp; Weight: 10lb

within or without to power the sphere. A benefit of this effect is that if a dangerous plane bleeds through an open portal, (such as massive heat from the elemental plane of fire) the metal will act as a sponge gaining Elemental Resistance of 1,000. The same applies to destructive spells cast on, within or into the sphere.

Giant Lairs Giant Lair Examples There is truly no such thing as a "typical" giant lair. As should be apparent by now, each giant is an individual with his own way of doing things and looking at the world. Yet, he is also a representative of his race and, as such, shares certain characteristics with all other giants of his kind. The following section provides the rough outlines for two different giant lairs, complete with an overview of its history and a location key with descriptions. The GM can use these lairs as written here, or modify them to suit his needs. Since they provide little in the way of game statistics, they are easily adaptable to the GM’s current wishes. Even if he does not use them at all, they provide a valuable example of how giants might set up their lairs and the number and kinds of inhabitants who might be found there.

Artifacts World gates World gates are magnificent artifacts fashioned long ago by psionic or arcane master smiths among the celestial giants. The art to their construction is lost; those who know the methods to make them function are few, though celestial giants may always instantly recognize and may use a World gate without error. World gates appear to be some sort of spherical mechanical device, made of unblemished bronze, approximately 3' in circumference, with interlocking panels and moving mechanical parts - pivoting rings, inset dials, gears, and lenses. These parts move soundlessly to some unknown rhythm within the sphere, which rotates itself like a globe. The spheres are always floating off the ground, levitating and affixed by some unknown force and unmovable, even by most celestial giants. They are found in remote and forgotten locales throughout the planes; bound guardians such as very powerful elementals or devils often guard these artifacts. When activated, the sphere will grow and open spaces to an inner chamber, which is inscribed with many interstellar and interplanar maps; the chamber thereafter acts as a stable multi-way portal. The spherical chamber will grow in size to accommodate the largest user attempting to pass through the portal; up to six huge creatures simultaneously. Each World gate has similar maps, but not all are exactly the same, and some may have even had their maps damaged by some unknown titanic force. The metal these artifacts are composed of is not bronze at all, but a strange and nearly indestructible planar alloy that harnesses and collects ambient energies of all types from

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Glacier of a Frost Giant Jarl Frost giants can typically be found in one of two primary locations: ice caverns and castles. This example combines these two types into a single one by placing a castle into the side of a mountain and using the ice caverns within to augment the basic castle structure. This design has a number of advantages. The first is that it makes the castle even more defensible, since any would-be invader must move his force up the side of a snowy mountain before even reaching the lair. Even then, he must make his way past the castle’s outer defenses, only to find himself within an icy cavern populated by frost giants and their servants. The great height at which the castle is placed is a truly genuine impediment to moving all but a tiny force of invaders into the structure – exactly the way the jarl likes it. Another advantage is a purely esthetic one. The cliffside castle adds a great deal of flavor and spice to a fantasy campaign. It hits home that frost giants are not merely large human beings. Their desire to build a castle in this fashion says a great deal about their way of looking at the world, as well as the true breadth of their abilities. The GM will find this combination of facts very useful to him, if he wishes to impress upon his players something of the might, grandeur, and alien character of giants. Moreover, a cliffside castle is an impressive sight. Never underestimate the importance of the visual in a fantasy roleplaying game. Even though the players must rely only on the GM’s description to get their own sense of what the world looks like, it is nonetheless a powerful way to transport them

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Giant Lairs to that world. Giant cliffside castles have few antecedents in the real world. They are purely fantastical in nature. By placing one in his game, the GM is telling his players that their characters inhabit a very different world than our own. That can be a great tool for setting moods and introducing the appropriate flavor to a game – results no GM should overlook.

History The frost giant Strumm Greataxe is a powerful example of his kind. A barbaric warrior known for his incredible rages, he delights in destruction and takes pleasure in the suffering of others. He also cannot tolerate failure. Despite his great physical abilities, Strumm has suffered several notable defeats at the hands of the hated lesser races particularly humans and, worse yet, Dwarves. While recently engaged in an extended campaign against the "vermin" (as he calls those smaller than himself), Strumm’s original fortress was destroyed and its defenders killed by a combined force of humans and Dwarves. The Dwarves used their mining abilities to weaken the walls of his previous castle and human siege engineers brought them tumbling down. This defeat convinced Strumm of two things. First, he had been too lenient in his previous applications of giant justice against his foes. He had made a mistake in not launching an all-out war against his opponents, allowing none of them to live to trouble him another day. Second, he had not made his castle as defensible as it could have been. Before, Strumm had opted for a more traditional castle on an icy plane. Though impressive to look upon (part of the reason it was built – like many giants, Strumm has an equally huge ego), the castle proved vulnerable to a frontal assault. Strumm vowed he would never repeat either mistake again, which is why his current home is constructed as it is. Now, he uses his new caste as a secure base from which to launch an all-out war against his enemies.

Location Key with Descriptions

Strumm Greataxe’s ice castle contains the following areas: Cliff Face: The castle is set several hundred feet above the ground into the side of an icy mountain. The cliffside into which it is set is steep, rough, and covered in ice and snow. This makes any attempt to climb extraordinarily difficult. The DC for all Climb checks is 20 in most places, although at the GM’s discretion, particularly difficult areas might have a DC as high as 25, though these should be rare. In addition, the frost giants keep two young white dragons as guardians. These dragons were seized from their parents at birth and view anyone who is not a resident of the castle – including other white dragons – as the enemy. They will attack mercilessly, using their flight ability to get close to anyone on the cliffside, hoping to send them toppling over the edge. If they find themselves faced with opponents more skilled than themselves, they will retreat to the interior of the castle, where they will raise the alarm. Battlements: Frost giants are indifferent rock throwers at

best. Nevertheless, they realize the advantage that rock throwing gives them against lesser enemies. At any given time, at least five frost giant warriors patrol the battlements of the castle, looking both at the sky and the ground below. Should they spot any intruders or unexpected visitors, they are under strict orders to kill them first and ask questions later, if at all. There is a good supply of giant projectiles made from ice and rock that the warriors use to pelt any intruders. They take perverse pleasure in knocking opponents off the cliffside, which almost surely kills anyone who is unfortunate enough to fall to the bottom. If the GM feels particularly cruel, he can increase the number of warriors on the battlements or include a catapult among their number. Gates: The huge gates to the castle are usually kept barred and locked. Because they are scaled to frost giants, there is little point in attempting to pick the lock; no medium-sized or smaller creature is capable of doing it. The only way to enter the castle is to hope the doors are unlocked or to climb over them (DC 15). Interior: The open area beyond the walls of the castle consists of a staging area where a number of frost giant warriors can be found. Typically, there are between five and ten such warriors here at any given time, in addition to the five patrolling the battlements. Unlike those on the battlements, these giants are not always prepared for battle and may simply by wandering about or engaged in social activities. This makes it possible, although unlikely that an invader might be able to catch the giants off-guard. Of course, this also assumes the invaders somehow managed to avoid detection by those on the battlements. The interior area includes a staircase carved from the glacier that enables individuals to climb up to the battlements from the ground floor. The stairs are, of course, scaled for 15-foot tall characters, so most characters require a Climb check (DC 10) to make their way up them without incident. The interior also contains a den of winter wolves, which the frost giants use as guard animals. Unless they are being used to hunt outside the castle, there are thirty winter wolves here most of the time. If they are being used to hunt, there may be as few as twelve. The winter wolves recognize anyone who is not a giant or ogre to be an intruder and they will therefore attack without question. All of the frost giants are sufficiently familiar with the winter wolves to command them if necessary. Main Hall: Depending on how many warriors are in the interior (as well as the battlements), there will be between six and twelve frost giants here at any given time, as well as up to three young giants. The young giants are capable of combat (use the statistics for ogres), but will stay out of melee so long as their older protectors are available to aid them. If they are not, the children will sound the alarm, which will bring most of the castle’s inhabitants into the area to attack anyone who dares to harm them. The Main Hall is filled with a number of giant-sized pieces of crude furniture, which the giants use while in the area. At the far end of the hall is a set of huge thrones carved from ice that are set upon a raised dais of stone. These are the thrones of

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Giant Lairs Strumm Greataxe and his mistress, Belva Backbreaker. They represent the jarl’s inflated opinion of himself and his importance in the world. Strumm sits upon the throne when he holds meetings with the other inhabitants of the castle. On the rare occasions when he has visitors, he receives them here as well. Ogre Chamber: Strumm employs nine ogres as bodyguards and servants within the castle. He also sends them off as emissaries and couriers when he cannot be bothered to send a frost giant warrior. At any given time, no fewer than two of these ogres will be present within this filthy room, although most often, the entire complement of these creatures is there. The ogres are truly impressed with Strumm’s leadership and hold him in quiet awe. They would willingly die for him and obey his orders unquestioningly. They will come from their chamber, ready to attack, at the slightest sound of trouble elsewhere in the castle. White Dragon Lair: This huge cavern is the lair of the two young white dragons. Though currently quite small, the giants hope that they will grow in size over time and have provided a cavern large enough to contain both of them. The cavern is littered with bones and offal, making it an unpleasant location even under the best of circumstances. The cavern also contains the captive pen. If the giants are currently holding any captives, whether other giants or smaller creatures, they are kept here in cages designed for their size. The dragons take pleasure in tormenting the captives, but know enough not to kill or permanently harm them. The giants allow the dragons to do this, because they believe it serves their purposes. Store Room: This room holds the supplies and equipment of the castle. Everything from food to weapons to gold is kept here in large locked chests and inside huge sacks. Adept’s Quarters: This room is home to the castle’s lone adept. Strumm Greataxe is mildly afraid of powerful magic, but he nevertheless recognizes the need for such abilities to overcome his enemies. His current adept, Snorri Skullsplitter, is pleased with his position, but understands that his position is tenuous. First, he cannot become too powerful, lest Strumm view him as a threat to his own throne. Yet, he must also constantly improve his abilities, or else the jarl may decide to replace his services with those of a true cleric or sorcerer. Jarl and Mistress’s Quarters: This room is home to Strumm and Belva. They can be found here together whenever they are not engaged in some important business inside or outside the castle. In addition to their furniture, it contains their personal treasures and equipment. Both are quite paranoid and do not trust the other giants. Consequently, any items they are not using are kept in locked chests or are treated with contact poison to prevent theft. Unless they are elsewhere at the time, they react to any sounds of commotion by rushing out into battle to join the fray.

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Cloud Island of a Giant King Cloud giants inhabit a number of different locales, but their cloud islands are probably the most characteristic – and impressive. Indeed, when other creatures think of cloud giants, and they often do not because of their aloofness, they assume that they all inhabit cloud islands. This is not the case, in fact. Only the most powerful and fortunate of cloud giants possess cloud island lairs. These lairs are fascinating examples of giant magic at work, as well as remnants of ancient times. Their exact origins are unknown. Loremasters and scholars continually debate how and why such things exist. They do not appear to be truly clouds in the sense that other clouds are, since they are solid and substantial. In addition, many contain veins of silver ore within them, which the cloud giants mine. This has led some sages to postulate that the islands are in fact extrusions of the Plane of Elemental Air into the Material Plane. Such hypotheses are attractive, but utterly lacking in any kind of proof. The cloud giants, if they know the truth of the matter, have provided no insights to outsiders.

History The cloud giant Mikki Veendaulaj is something of loner. Except for his wife and two grown sons, he has little interest in interacting with others of his kind or with lesser creatures, whom he considers beneath his notice. Though not actively evil, Mikki is extremely selfish and self-interested. He has very little reason to deal with anyone else and is thoroughly obsessed with his own thoughts and plans. Those plans involve the mining of silver from the cloud island he now possesses. Mikki gained the island quite by accident, having come across it while exploring. The cloud giant in fact considers himself something of an explorer and investigator of matters arcane. He has combed the world for new knowledge, treating genuine wisdom and trivia with equal respect. In the course of his studies, he became convinced that cloud silver held the key to great power, perhaps even the divinity he learned that fire giants believed all giants possessed. For "purely scientific reasons," Mikki felt he needed to investigate this possibility further. Once he possessed his own cloud island, he set to work to mine its silver. Never mind that Mikki had no idea how cloud silver could help him achieve his goals. Never mind that his devotion to this goal is lukewarm at best. These are only incidental matters to him and answers would be forthcoming in time. Right now, what is important is to gather up as much silver as possible and store it in his treasure vault. After additional study and thought, Mikki is sure that he will find the secret contained within cloud silver. His family indulges him in his obsession and aids him when they can. More often than not, they simply ignore him and go about their own business, occasionally using small bits of the cloud silver to trade to others. Mikki has no idea that they have done this and if he ever finds out, he may do whatever it takes to reclaim the silver – even if it means seizing it through violence.

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Location Key with Descriptions

can easily determine which passages are older than others (DC 10), since the veins of ore are obviously played out in certain areas.

Great Hall: The main portion of Mikki’s estate is a huge open room in which a fire pit and a number of benches are found. The giants gather here to eat and socialize when they are in the manor at the same time. Mikki’s two sons also sleep here upon giant bedrolls when they are not working in the mines. The few guests that visit Mikki also sleep here, unless they are important enough, in which case they are given Mikki’s own room, much to the chagrin of his wife, who finds the Great Hall drafty and unpleasant.

Most of the time, Mikki’s two sons can be found here, excavating veins of ore. Mikki himself is often present, supervising their activities. However, he realizes that his boys do not enjoy his constant presence hovering over them, so he often prefers to work in his quarters on the main floor instead. Even so, the cloud giant scholar visits the mine on a regular basis and checks in on the progress of his sons.

The Great Hall also connects to a small room that is used for a variety of purposes. Frequently, Mikki uses it to conduct his experiments into the properties of cloud silver. He also treats it as a storeroom, piling up huge tomes and other odd bits of equipment. At any given time, it is usually cluttered with a variety of chests, sacks, and bags, making it quite difficult for anyone other than Mikki to find anything of use here. Consequently, it is an excellent place for intruders to hide. On more than one occasion, Mikki has discovered unwelcome guests taking up semipermanent residence in the room. Master’s Quarters: This small room is Mikki’s sanctum, where he retires to think and pore over musty old tomes in search of the answers he seeks. The room contains a desk, chair, and bookcases, as well as numerous small tables littered with the detritus of his researches. When not in the mines or asleep, chances are the Mikki can be found here. Even when asleep, it very likely that the giant is here, slumped over his desk after spending far too many hours engrossed in his work. Bedroom: This room is the sleeping quarters of Mikki and his wife. It contains a bed and several tables. In principle, this is where Mikki sleeps. In practice, only his wife ever spends much time sleeping here. Occasionally, she allows her two sons to sleep here as well, since she lacks company and would prefer not to be alone.

Treasure Room: This vault contains the bulk of the cloud silver that Mikki and his sons have extracted over the years, as well as any other treasures that he possesses at the time. Mikki is remarkably un-acquisitive and the vault contains little of interest beyond the cloud silver and a few trinkets that he has gained over the years. Intruders hoping that it contains vast stores of wealth beyond the silver will be greatly disappointed. Nevertheless, two things protect the vault. The first is a secret door that is disguised to look like a rock face. Detecting the secret door successfully requires a Search check (DC 15). The second protection is a large covered pit that opens up to the bottom of the cloud. Anyone who fails to find it with another Search check (DC 20) must make a Reflex save (DC 20) or fall into the pit and tumble, probably to their deaths, thousands of feet to the ground below. Because only Mikki and his family know about these protections, Mikki assumes that no one has ever succeeded in stealing from the vault. His lack of general interest in wealth for its own sake ensures that he checks in on its contents only irregularly. He has not done so in many weeks. In the meantime, his wife and sons have indeed filched silver from the vault. Even as un-acquisitive a giant as he will notice the difference when he checks next. The consequences of this discovery are difficult to predict, but sure to be unpleasant.

Griffon Aviary: Besides mining and poring over ancient texts, one of the few other joys in Mikki’s life are his griffons. The cloud giant keeps 5 adult griffons in the aviary located above his bedroom. He uses the beasts as both guard animals and as messengers. At any given time, at least one of these magical animals is off on an errand for its master. Though he does not travel as much as he used to, Mikki maintains a voluminous correspondence with many scholars throughout the world. Not all of them are other giants. Some are humans, Elves, even Dwarves, and all share his interest in cloud silver and its properties. Almost none share Mikki’s conviction that the secret of cloud silver is in any way connected to unlocking the divinity within, but that’s of little concern to him. Instead, he enjoys the give and take of academic repartee as an end in itself and any insights that come from it are almost incidental. The Mine: The cloud silver mine is accessible by a set of stairs in the Great Hall. The rough-hewn passages of the mine are immense, scaled to the 18-foot height of the cloud giants who work within. The passageways twist and turn in a variety of directions. Characters skilled in Profession (Miner)

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