Time for the Giant Emperor, the legendary and now-vacant office at the top of the giant hierarchy. Should a giant be so blessed by the giant deities that the office is resurrected, it would be an event of world-shaking importance.
(Hopefully, Elemental Aura isn't too confusing and I was clear on how it works; if not, don't hesitate to ask! And the elemental auras and the 1/day spells represent each giant subtype if it wasn't clear)
By the way, even having reached the pinnacle of the giant elites, I may still yet do the giant paragons mentioned in the descriptive texts. They were the paragons of each giant subtype, and such forms could even be used by the giant dieties as avatars or aspects.
The Giant Emperor
Long ago, in the heyday of Ostoria, the giants of the world were united as a single nation. From the lowliest giant-kin and hill giants to the noblest of storm giants, they acted (for the most part) with singular purpose: to maintain themselves as the most powerful nation on the planet and to keep others, especially the dragons, from challenging their rule. And at the head of this hierarchy, at the very peak of giant society, ruled the mighty giant emperor.
A Titan Among Giants. Known by many titles, such as “The Titan” and “Annam's Chosen”, the giant emperor was among the most powerful mortal creatures to have ever existed. His (or Her) Titanic Majesty ruled from the vast throne-room within the palace in the long-lost capital of Ostoria. From there, the emperor dictated his or her commands, dispensed justice, and oversaw the smooth running of both the empire and the Ordning. Like Annam the All-Father himself, the emperor acted with strictest neutrality and impartiality, with the only overriding principle being the maintenance of giant power. Thus, as long as his subjects strove towards that goal and kept the precepts of the Ordning, the emperor ruled justly and wisely, without tyranny and with no more harshness than was necessary. In return, the giant populace idolized their emperor, with a fervor only slightly less than that towards the gods themselves. But, as the both the emperor and Annam would gently remind the giants of Ostoria when this adulation threatened to slip over the line to worship, the giant emperor was no god, but sill a mortal like themselves, albeit one of great power.
Ascending the Throne. Election to this mighty office was no simple affair; the rules for doing so were a complex web of political maneuvering and attempts to discern the will of Annam himself. Many emperors attempted to have some input on the selection of their successor, either by asserting a hereditary right or grooming and/or adopting a favorite as their choice as heir. While such wishes were taken into account by the electors, they were never considered to be definitive, and subsequently the results were almost never so straightforward. So, upon an emperor's death or abdication, the giant paragons, the six giants who represented the epitome of their subtype and formed an advisory council for the emperor, gathered in the throne-room around the Scepter of Annam, an artifact that could only be wielded by the emperor (or, in such an interregnum, moved, with exceptionally strict regulations, by the High Priest of Annam). After much deliberation, including divinations and auguries to determine the opinions of the gods themselves, the six would vote until a simple majority was reached. Once that was done, the candidate would attempt to take up the Scepter, and, if found worthy, would immediately transform from their previous giant type into the singular awe-inspiring form of the emperor. Those not judged worthy, or indeed any creature that dared attempt to use the sacred artifact without being validly elected, would be at best grievously hurt, if not outright reduced to a pile of smoking ashes.
Imperial Majesty. Upon picking up the Scepter of Annam and found to be worthy, the new giant emperor would undergo a startling change. Suddenly, he or she no longer resembled the giant type they had been previously (usually, but not always, a storm giant), but would, instead, take on the unique form of the giant emperor. The emperor would now even dwarf other giants, at 40 feet or more in height, and their skin would take on the hardness and look of gold-veined stone (what stone exactly was varied – marble was common, but other forms like malachite or obsidian were certainly not unheard of). The Scepter granted many other powers as well, such as both an elemental aura and spellcasting that in many ways represented all the giant subtypes. Finally, the new emperor exuded an almost supernatural aura of majesty, such that almost all who viewed him or her were so overawed that any thoughts of harming or disobeying the emperor fled their minds.
Note on the Scepter of Annam.
The Scepter of Annam is an artifact created by the giant gods themselves and gifted to the giant emperor as a symbol of their approval of the emperor's rule. Its powers are not fully known, but it is known to have granted the one attuned to it nearly all the powers displayed by the emperor: spellcasting, the elemental aura, the commanding presence, and the legendary and magic resistances. Should the Scepter be attuned by someone besides the emperor (as happened when an emperor willingly abdicated), the emperor would immediately lose these powers and revert back to his or her original giant form. Although this would at first seem to to be serious flaw, in reality, outside of abdications, this would only happen to those who had lost the confidence of Annam; otherwise attempting to attune the artifact would simply result in serious injury or death from the wrath of the All-Father for such impiousness. And, in the end, this is what caused the end of the office of emperor – as time went by and Ostoria fell more and more into ruin and in-fighting, it became harder and harder to find an exemplar who was worthy of the office. Eventually, none at all were to be found, and Annam turned his back on giantkind, refusing to be involved in the affairs of the mortal world (including the blessing of a new emperor) until such time as he deemed the giants to be worthy again. Thus the office of giant emperor remains unfilled, and the Scepter of Annam is lost, likely buried deep in the undiscovered ruins of Ostoria. Should, however, a giant perform some deed so great that Annam, finally involving himself in the concerns of mortals once more, proclaims that giant deserving of taking up the Scepter, the long-vacant office of giant emperor may once again be filled. And such an event would (especially for the smaller folk) shake the foundations of the world.
The Giant Emperor
Gargantuan giant, neutral
Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 420 (24d20 + 168)
Speed 50 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR 30 (+10) DEX 16 (+3) CON 24 (+7) INT 20 (+5) WIS 22 (+6) CHA 29 (+9)
Saving Throws Str +18, Con +15, Wis +14, Cha +17
Skills Athletics +18, History +13, Insight +13, Perception +14, Persuasion +17
Damage Vulnerabilities See Elemental Aura
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks, and all but two of: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, and radiant (see Elemental Aura)
Damage Immunities See Elemental Aura
Senses passive Perception 24
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 27 (105,000 XP)
Elemental Aura. The giant is surrounded by an elemental aura, which normally grants it resistance to the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, and radiant. The aura shifts each round, at the start of the giant's turn, causing one type of resistance to strengthen to an immunity until the start of the giant's next turn, but at the cost of that type subsequently becoming a vulnerability when the immunity ends, with this vulnerability lasting until the start of the giant's turn in the round following that. A creature that touches the giant or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 21 (6d6) damage of the type that the giant is currently immune to. At the start of combat, roll 1d6 to see which damage type is currently the immunity and which is the vulnerability; roll again for the vulnerability type if it matches the immunity type (the immunity and vulnerability can never be of the same damage type). At the start of each of the giant's turns, roll 1d6 again to see what the new immunity type is; roll again if it is the same as the immunity from the previous round (and thus the current vulnerability).
1. Acid
2. Force
3. Cold
4. Fire
5. Necrotic or Radiant (50% chance for either)
6. Lightning
Innate Spellcasting. The giant's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 25). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, light
3/day each: command, control weather, water breathing
1/day each: cone of cold, cloudkill, fireball, lightning bolt, stinking cloud, stoneskin
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the giant fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The giant has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The giant's weapon attacks are magical.
Spellcasting. The giant is a 20th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit with spell attacks). The giant has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, resistance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bless, cure wounds, protection from evil and good, sanctuary, shield of faith
2nd level (3 slots): augury, hold person, silence, zone of truth
3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, dispel magic, sending, tongues
4th level (3 slots): banishment, divination, freedom of movement
5th level (3 slots): commune, flame strike, scrying
6th level (2 slots): heal, true seeing
7th level (2 slots): divine word, plane shift
8th level (1 slot): earthquake
9th level (1 slot): mass heal
Actions
Multiattack. The giant can use its Commanding Presence. It then makes three attacks with the Scepter of Annam, in any combination of melee or elemental ray attacks.
Scepter of Annam (melee). Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 31 (3d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) elemental damage (the type of damage being the active elemental aura immunity).
Scepter of Annam (elemental ray). Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 49 (14d6) elemental damage (the type of damage being the active elemental aura immunity).
Aura-Infused Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) elemental damage (the type of damage being the active elemental aura immunity).
Commanding Presence. Each creature of the giant's choice that is within 120 feet of the giant and aware of it must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed for 1 minute. Giants have disadvantage on the saving throw. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the giant's Commanding Presence for the next 24 hours. Charmed creatures act in a friendly manner towards the giant and are amenable towards its commands, but won't do anything that would be harmful towards themselves or those they perceive as allies.
Legendary Actions
The giant can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The giant regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The giant makes one melee or ray attack with the Scepter of Annam.
Bolster. The giant bolsters all nonhostile giants within 120 feet of it until the end of its next turn. Bolstered creatures can’t be charmed or frightened, and they gain advantage on ability checks and saving throws until the end of the giant’s next turn.
Stomp (costs two actions). The giant stomps one of its feet at a point on the ground within 10 feet of it. Any creatures within 20 feet of the point must make a DC 26 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone Any creature in a 5-foot-radius, 10-foot-high cylinder centered on this point must succeed on a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) elemental aura damage (the type of damage being the active elemental aura immunity) and fall prone. Until the giant uses its Stomp again or moves, the creature is restrained, and is subject to the giant's elemental aura damage at the start of each of its (the restrained creature's) turn. While restrained in this way, the creature (or another creature within 5 feet of it) can use its action to make a DC 26 Strength check. On a success, the creature relocates to an unoccupied space of its choice within 5 feet of the giant and is no longer restrained.
