Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Giant, Bosk
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Bogs, marshes
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Plants
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: M, Qx 10
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (evil)
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 18
HIT DICE: 14+3
THACO: 7
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d8+8 or by weapon 1d12+8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spit
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (19' tall)
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE:
Infant: -4 HD 2,000
Juvenile: -2 HD 3,000
Adult: 5,000
Bosk giants are selfish, greedy, and territorial. They are quick to attack any creature that encroaches upon what they consider their land-even if those creatures appear more powerful and deadly.
Bosk giants make decisions quickly, never dwelling upon problems or situations. Considered stupid by their relatives the swamp giants, bosk giants have never been known to analyze a predicament or spend any amount of time thinking about anything.
Despite that, the giants seem to possess a natural cunning that is terrible and ruthless.
Bosk giants are the tallest giants on Chislev. Their features are handsome, almost as if they were sculpted by a fine craftsman, and their skin is thick, giving them a natural armor class of 4. They are muscular and have amazingly broad shoulders, and their long athletic legs carry them quickly over the terrain. The most striking features of bosk giants are their skin and hair. Their skin is green, ranging in color from a pale olive to almost black, and their green hair grows in clumps like grass. They wear little clothing, usually animal hides sewn together. Their coloration makes it easy for them to blend in with their surroundings. They gain a bonus of +3 to surprise, and in return they have a -3 to be surprised.
Combat: Unlike other giants, bosks do not hurl weapons. They simply charge into melee, swinging.either their great fists or large clubs fashioned from tree limbs. The more intelligent of the giants shave the limbs so they have sharp points and deliver an additional 2 points of damage. They have no combat strategy.
The giants have a special attack. Bosks can swallow great amounts of swamp water, which they can spit at their targets in a stream 12' long by 6" wide. The fetid water is combined with the gastric juices of the giant, causing Id8 points of damage. Further, all those struck by bosk spit must save vs. paralyzation or be dazed for 1 d6 rounds. Bosk giants who have swallowed swamp water can spit twice before needing to fill up again.
Habitat/Society: Bosks live in simple villages of crudely constructed huts made of rotted trees. Most of the villages are located in a bog-with standing water everywhere. Each village has a loose form of government. The strongest giant is the leader and his orders, which tend to be few, are followed without question.
When encountered in their lair, there are 4d4+10 giants, and half of these are adults. The remainder are infants and juveniles. An infant has 10 HD and has only a +4 damage bonus. A juvenile at 12 HD has a +6 damage bonus. If a village is threatened, infants and juveniles fight side by side with their parents.
Ecology: Bosk giants live where there is heat, vegetation, and lots of water. They prefer fetid water, as they enjoy its taste and smell, but they settle for pure water if nothing else is available.
Bosk giants eat only plants, preferring sodden roots and overripe fruits. Nuts are a delicacy and a potential bribe. The giants have been known to raid nearby human tribes for fun, to acquire human servants, and to keep other human tribes in fear of them.
Lycanthrope, Giant Werebear (Polarwere)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN Arctic lands
FREQUENCY Very rare
ORGANIZATION Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE Nocturnal
DIET Carnivorous
INTELLIGENCE Low to average (5-10)
TREASURE Z
ALIGNMENT Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING 1
ARMOR CLASS 1
MOVEMENT 12
HIT DICE 14
THAC0 6
NO. ATTACKS 3
DAMAGE/ ATTACK 3-13/3-13/2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS Crush for 3-30; hug Large- or Huge-sized creatures for 4-16
SPECIAL DEFENSES Hit only by silver or +1 or better weapons; impervious to cold.
MAGIC RESISTANCE Nil
SIZE H (21')
MORALE Very Steady (13-14)
XP VALUE 8,400
Giant werebears are frost giants born with the ability to change into giant polar bears. Unlike their good-aligned lycanthrope cousins, polarweres are bitter, selfish creatures who care only for their next meal and a warm lair in which to sleep.
In giant form, the polarwere looks like a frost giant, albeit an especially broad-shouldered, hairy one. The polarwere rarely assumes this form, as frost giants are tribal and stand-offish. In ursine form, the polarwere resembles a giant polar bear, 10 feet tall at the shoulder and 20 feet tall when rearing on its hind legs.
Combat: Polarweres do not like combat and rarely attack unprovoked. When they fight-usually to feed-it is in bear form. Should a polarwere desire to fight in giant form, it usually wields weapons common to frost giants (throwing stones and battle-axes). In bear form, the polarwere attacks with two swiping claws and a devastating bite. Creatures of size medium or smaller hit by the polarwere's claws must also roll a successful Dexterity check or be knocked down; creatures of size medium or smaller bitten by the polarwere's bite must roll a Dexterity check at a -2 penalty or be snatched up in its jaws and crushed between its teeth every round thereafter for 3-30 points of damage. This attack requires saving throws vs. crushing blow for equipment and clothing. Unlike most lycanthropes, polarweres do not pass on their affliction to injured creatures unless the creature is a frost giant; frost giants suffer the normal 1% per hit point of damage chance of contracting the disease.
Polarweres share the typicallycanthropic immunities to normal weapons (in bear form only) and can be harmed only by silver or +1 or better magical weapons. Polarweres cannot summon normal bears like their smaller lycanthropic cousins, but they do share the werebear's ability to heal at three times the normal human rate. Polarweres are impervious to all forms of cold. They revert to bear form at death.
Habitat/Society: Polarweres mingle briefly with the tribal societies of frost giants. Indeed, some have lived among frost giant tribes for years, but normally they are solitary. They prefer to find huge caves hidden in arctic mountain ranges, far from even frost giant settlements; they are happiest when the only other living things they see are the ones they are about to eat. mating occurs on a haphazard basis, and only one young is ever produced from such an encounter. Females care for the young only until they can fend for themselves, at which time they either leave or are turned out by the mother.
Adventurers encountering polarweres can never be sure what to expect; the bear's reaction often depends on whether or not it is hungry, and whether or not the PCs look appetizing, but normally an unprovoked polarwere will not attack. A polarwere is extremely protective of its lair, however, and will chase invaders several miles across the arctic wastes if it catches them inside or nearby.
Ecology: Polarweres are at the top of their food chain. Their only natural enemies are the frost giants, who covet the huge pelts a dead polarwere provides, but a hungry polarwere will attack a frost giant if it is hungry enough. The land a polarwere hunts tend to be even more devoid of life than arctic areas normally are, as it takes a lot to fill a 21'-long bear; for this reason, polarwere territories tend to be many miles in radius, often taking the polarwere several days to roam them.
Horag
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any hills and mountains
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low (7)
TREASURE: M, Q
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 6 (4)
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 8+3
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d12 (or by weapon +6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: +3 to hit
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: Large (12')
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE: 2,000
The horag is a very rare crossbreed that arises from a union between an exceptionally large ogre and a relatively small hill giant. They associate with either hill giants or ogres, acting as somewhat more effective tacticians for the former and thundering damage-soaking behemoths for the latter.
A horag takes features from both of its parents, resembling a typical ogre in most cases but with a greater height, long arms, and stooped shoulders of a hill giant. Most horags weigh in at about 1,000 pounds, and almost 90% of them are male. A horag speaks ogre or hill giant, depending upon which group it was raised with. They live for about 100 years (only slightly longer than an ogre) and cannot use clerical or priestly magic. A horag's natural AC is 6, although the skins and piecemeal armor that most of them wear reduces this to AC 4.
Combat: A horag either uses its great fist to inflict incredible crushing wounds (ldl2 damage) or uses ogrelike weapons such as huge swords or clubs (which inflict weapon damage +6 for Strength). They affect disdain for missile weapons, preferring instead to close with prey and destroy it with their bare hands or hand-held weapons. However, when a horag is advising a group of hill giants it will recommend that the giants strike with thrown rocks before moving in for melee; the truth is that horags are not quite strong enough to use boulders as an effective missile attack and hide this shortcoming by ferocity in melee.
Habitat/Society: Most horags will be found with either ogres or hill giants-their immediate relatives. Those that live away from their blood kin tend to be loners, and prefer medium-sized open caves in hilly areas. These caves will often be partially blocked by loose rubble and large stones, as the horag will take pains to conceal and protect its lair. As there are so few of their kind, most horags end up mating with ogres or hill giants, the offspring being a somewhat odd-looking but essentially normal member of the other parent's race.
Ecology: Horag are much like their giantish parents--omnivorous but preferring meat, occasionally raiding humanoid settlements or trading with another humanoid race. They have even been known to hire on as mercenaries to evil armies, although in those cases they only truly feel comfortable if ogres or half-ogres are present.
Ogre, Stonecrown
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Mountains, hills
FREQUENCY: Common
ORGANIZATION: Tribe or company
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Common low (8-10), Leader/Captain average (11-12)
TREASURE: C, Y
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 2-20
ARMOR CLASS: Common 5, Leader/Captain 3
MOVEMENT: 9, Cl 6
HIT DICE: Common 4+3, Leader 5+4, Captain 6+6
THACO: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (2 in battle-rage)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Common 2d6, Leader 2d8, Captain 2d10 (or by weapon +6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Battle-rage
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: Large (9'+)
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE: Common 420, Leader 975, Captain 1,400
Stonecrown ogres run to fat, not surprising considering how much of their time they spend eating. They are crude but powerful, and take a simple joy in killing and destruction. Their rank odor is composed of equal parts grease, filth-ridden garments, and unbathed foulness mixing into a stench like powerful sour milk.
When bored, the creatures and fond of ornamenting themselves with earrings, nose-rings, and other piercings; Stonecorwn ogres find these attractive, and sometimes compliment other creatures that share their tastes. They speak their own language, and leaders and mercenaries often speak the goblin, orog, or common tongues.
Combat: In mass combat, Stonecrown ogres form club-, axe-, or mace-wielding forces that are effective through brute strength. Despite their simple combat style, their enormous strength gives them a +7 damage bonus with any weapon they use. With arduous training, Stonecrown ogres can keep remarkable discipline in battle, until the battle-rage strikes them. The battle-rage is blood frenzy triggered when the ogre's blood is first shed. This frenzy allows them to attack twice each round.
Units of Stonecrown ogres that have worked and trained together for long periods can control their battle frenzy, raging only when they deem it appropriate. The sight of an entire company of ogres going into battle-rage at once has routed more than one army. Alone or in the wilds, Stonecrown ogres are voracious hunters with little discipline and no great cunning. They can climb sheer stone faces through force of willpower alone, often reaching a mountaintop with bloodied hands.
Stonecrown ogre leaders always have maximum hit points and superior armor, generally a form of chain. Mercenary captains have superior armor and often carry Stonecrown arbalests, a type of rock-hurling heavy crossbow. The 10 lb. stones that these arbalests hurl can crack skulls and breastplates; their range is 30/60/120, and their damage is 1d10/2d6, plus an equipment saving throw vs. crushing blow for shields and armor.
Giant, Swamp
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Swamps, tropical forests
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: D
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 4 or 0
MOVEMENt: 12
HIT DICE: 15+5
THACO: 5
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d8+9/1d8+9 or by weapon 2d6+9
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hurl spears (1d10+9), spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (16' tall)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE:
Infant: -5 HD 2,000
Juvenile: -2 HD 6,000
Adult: 9,000-10,000
Shaman: 10,000-11,000
Swamp giants are believed to have evolved ages ago from bask giants. These smaller, stockier giants are more intelligent than the nearby bask and have learned the rudiments of civilization.
Swamp giants have green skin and hair like the bask, and therefore are quickly mistaken for their slow-witted cous. ins. However, there are differences. Swamp giants tend to wear their hair long, usually braided and festooned with ornaments collected from battle. Further, they have facial hair, which most of them keep trimmed.
A swamp giant's natural armor class is 4. However, many of the adult males wear the skin of young green dragons. This skin, cured in a manner known only to these giants, lowers their armor class to 0. Their coloration gives them a +3 chance to surprise opponents and a -3 chance to be surprised. Giants in green dragon armor have a +2 surprise bonus and -2 AC bonus. All swamp giants regenerate 5 hit points of damage per round.
Combat: Swamp giants fight only when they believe their territory is in danger. They prefer to reason with a foe first (with the exception of dragons). They often choose a leader when going into battle and follow his directions. They prefer to circle their quarry, using their coloration to blend into the foliage.
They begin their assaults with spells. Because swamp giants are so tuned to their environment, from birth they are able to cast entangle three times a day and plant growth once a day. A favorite tactic is to trap prey in a tangle of vegetation, then slaughter it with a volley of spears. Each giant can throw two spears per round.
Habitat/Society: Swamp giants prefer to live in trees, in simple homes constructed of wood and reeds. Of course, the trees they choose for homes are immense, usually at least 10 to 20 feet in diameter and 100 feet or more tall. They generally live peaceful lives, staying to themselves and interacting with the bask only when their cousins wish to trade. The swamp giants are known for crafting wooden bowls, dishes, and other objects that the bask covet.
When more than four swamp giants are encountered, they are a mated pair and infants or juveniles.
When encountered in their lair, there are 4d4 + 6 giants, one half of these adults. The remainder are infants and juveniles. An infant has 10 HD and has only a +5 damage bonus. A juvenile at 13 HD has a +7 damage bonus. If a village is threatened, the adults protect the infants and juveniles.
For every 10 giants encountered, there is a 30% chance one is a shaman, a giant who is the equivalent of a 1st-6th level druid. These shamans are respected in swamp giant communities and are often sought as advisors by the village leader.
All the villages recognize a king. He is considered the strongest and wisest of the swamp giants and other giants look to him to appoint village leaders.
Ecology: Swamp giants live off the land, hunting and foraging for food. Many of them grow a large, ricelike crop. They do not keep animals for food. Their favorite meat is the flesh of young green dragons. In turn, older green dragons like to hunt the swamp giants.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Bogs, marshes
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Plants
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: M, Qx 10
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (evil)
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 18
HIT DICE: 14+3
THACO: 7
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d8+8 or by weapon 1d12+8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spit
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (19' tall)
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE:
Infant: -4 HD 2,000
Juvenile: -2 HD 3,000
Adult: 5,000
Bosk giants are selfish, greedy, and territorial. They are quick to attack any creature that encroaches upon what they consider their land-even if those creatures appear more powerful and deadly.
Bosk giants make decisions quickly, never dwelling upon problems or situations. Considered stupid by their relatives the swamp giants, bosk giants have never been known to analyze a predicament or spend any amount of time thinking about anything.
Despite that, the giants seem to possess a natural cunning that is terrible and ruthless.
Bosk giants are the tallest giants on Chislev. Their features are handsome, almost as if they were sculpted by a fine craftsman, and their skin is thick, giving them a natural armor class of 4. They are muscular and have amazingly broad shoulders, and their long athletic legs carry them quickly over the terrain. The most striking features of bosk giants are their skin and hair. Their skin is green, ranging in color from a pale olive to almost black, and their green hair grows in clumps like grass. They wear little clothing, usually animal hides sewn together. Their coloration makes it easy for them to blend in with their surroundings. They gain a bonus of +3 to surprise, and in return they have a -3 to be surprised.
Combat: Unlike other giants, bosks do not hurl weapons. They simply charge into melee, swinging.either their great fists or large clubs fashioned from tree limbs. The more intelligent of the giants shave the limbs so they have sharp points and deliver an additional 2 points of damage. They have no combat strategy.
The giants have a special attack. Bosks can swallow great amounts of swamp water, which they can spit at their targets in a stream 12' long by 6" wide. The fetid water is combined with the gastric juices of the giant, causing Id8 points of damage. Further, all those struck by bosk spit must save vs. paralyzation or be dazed for 1 d6 rounds. Bosk giants who have swallowed swamp water can spit twice before needing to fill up again.
Habitat/Society: Bosks live in simple villages of crudely constructed huts made of rotted trees. Most of the villages are located in a bog-with standing water everywhere. Each village has a loose form of government. The strongest giant is the leader and his orders, which tend to be few, are followed without question.
When encountered in their lair, there are 4d4+10 giants, and half of these are adults. The remainder are infants and juveniles. An infant has 10 HD and has only a +4 damage bonus. A juvenile at 12 HD has a +6 damage bonus. If a village is threatened, infants and juveniles fight side by side with their parents.
Ecology: Bosk giants live where there is heat, vegetation, and lots of water. They prefer fetid water, as they enjoy its taste and smell, but they settle for pure water if nothing else is available.
Bosk giants eat only plants, preferring sodden roots and overripe fruits. Nuts are a delicacy and a potential bribe. The giants have been known to raid nearby human tribes for fun, to acquire human servants, and to keep other human tribes in fear of them.
Lycanthrope, Giant Werebear (Polarwere)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN Arctic lands
FREQUENCY Very rare
ORGANIZATION Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE Nocturnal
DIET Carnivorous
INTELLIGENCE Low to average (5-10)
TREASURE Z
ALIGNMENT Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING 1
ARMOR CLASS 1
MOVEMENT 12
HIT DICE 14
THAC0 6
NO. ATTACKS 3
DAMAGE/ ATTACK 3-13/3-13/2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS Crush for 3-30; hug Large- or Huge-sized creatures for 4-16
SPECIAL DEFENSES Hit only by silver or +1 or better weapons; impervious to cold.
MAGIC RESISTANCE Nil
SIZE H (21')
MORALE Very Steady (13-14)
XP VALUE 8,400
Giant werebears are frost giants born with the ability to change into giant polar bears. Unlike their good-aligned lycanthrope cousins, polarweres are bitter, selfish creatures who care only for their next meal and a warm lair in which to sleep.
In giant form, the polarwere looks like a frost giant, albeit an especially broad-shouldered, hairy one. The polarwere rarely assumes this form, as frost giants are tribal and stand-offish. In ursine form, the polarwere resembles a giant polar bear, 10 feet tall at the shoulder and 20 feet tall when rearing on its hind legs.
Combat: Polarweres do not like combat and rarely attack unprovoked. When they fight-usually to feed-it is in bear form. Should a polarwere desire to fight in giant form, it usually wields weapons common to frost giants (throwing stones and battle-axes). In bear form, the polarwere attacks with two swiping claws and a devastating bite. Creatures of size medium or smaller hit by the polarwere's claws must also roll a successful Dexterity check or be knocked down; creatures of size medium or smaller bitten by the polarwere's bite must roll a Dexterity check at a -2 penalty or be snatched up in its jaws and crushed between its teeth every round thereafter for 3-30 points of damage. This attack requires saving throws vs. crushing blow for equipment and clothing. Unlike most lycanthropes, polarweres do not pass on their affliction to injured creatures unless the creature is a frost giant; frost giants suffer the normal 1% per hit point of damage chance of contracting the disease.
Polarweres share the typicallycanthropic immunities to normal weapons (in bear form only) and can be harmed only by silver or +1 or better magical weapons. Polarweres cannot summon normal bears like their smaller lycanthropic cousins, but they do share the werebear's ability to heal at three times the normal human rate. Polarweres are impervious to all forms of cold. They revert to bear form at death.
Habitat/Society: Polarweres mingle briefly with the tribal societies of frost giants. Indeed, some have lived among frost giant tribes for years, but normally they are solitary. They prefer to find huge caves hidden in arctic mountain ranges, far from even frost giant settlements; they are happiest when the only other living things they see are the ones they are about to eat. mating occurs on a haphazard basis, and only one young is ever produced from such an encounter. Females care for the young only until they can fend for themselves, at which time they either leave or are turned out by the mother.
Adventurers encountering polarweres can never be sure what to expect; the bear's reaction often depends on whether or not it is hungry, and whether or not the PCs look appetizing, but normally an unprovoked polarwere will not attack. A polarwere is extremely protective of its lair, however, and will chase invaders several miles across the arctic wastes if it catches them inside or nearby.
Ecology: Polarweres are at the top of their food chain. Their only natural enemies are the frost giants, who covet the huge pelts a dead polarwere provides, but a hungry polarwere will attack a frost giant if it is hungry enough. The land a polarwere hunts tend to be even more devoid of life than arctic areas normally are, as it takes a lot to fill a 21'-long bear; for this reason, polarwere territories tend to be many miles in radius, often taking the polarwere several days to roam them.
Horag
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any hills and mountains
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low (7)
TREASURE: M, Q
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 6 (4)
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 8+3
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d12 (or by weapon +6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: +3 to hit
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: Large (12')
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE: 2,000
The horag is a very rare crossbreed that arises from a union between an exceptionally large ogre and a relatively small hill giant. They associate with either hill giants or ogres, acting as somewhat more effective tacticians for the former and thundering damage-soaking behemoths for the latter.
A horag takes features from both of its parents, resembling a typical ogre in most cases but with a greater height, long arms, and stooped shoulders of a hill giant. Most horags weigh in at about 1,000 pounds, and almost 90% of them are male. A horag speaks ogre or hill giant, depending upon which group it was raised with. They live for about 100 years (only slightly longer than an ogre) and cannot use clerical or priestly magic. A horag's natural AC is 6, although the skins and piecemeal armor that most of them wear reduces this to AC 4.
Combat: A horag either uses its great fist to inflict incredible crushing wounds (ldl2 damage) or uses ogrelike weapons such as huge swords or clubs (which inflict weapon damage +6 for Strength). They affect disdain for missile weapons, preferring instead to close with prey and destroy it with their bare hands or hand-held weapons. However, when a horag is advising a group of hill giants it will recommend that the giants strike with thrown rocks before moving in for melee; the truth is that horags are not quite strong enough to use boulders as an effective missile attack and hide this shortcoming by ferocity in melee.
Habitat/Society: Most horags will be found with either ogres or hill giants-their immediate relatives. Those that live away from their blood kin tend to be loners, and prefer medium-sized open caves in hilly areas. These caves will often be partially blocked by loose rubble and large stones, as the horag will take pains to conceal and protect its lair. As there are so few of their kind, most horags end up mating with ogres or hill giants, the offspring being a somewhat odd-looking but essentially normal member of the other parent's race.
Ecology: Horag are much like their giantish parents--omnivorous but preferring meat, occasionally raiding humanoid settlements or trading with another humanoid race. They have even been known to hire on as mercenaries to evil armies, although in those cases they only truly feel comfortable if ogres or half-ogres are present.
Ogre, Stonecrown
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Mountains, hills
FREQUENCY: Common
ORGANIZATION: Tribe or company
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Common low (8-10), Leader/Captain average (11-12)
TREASURE: C, Y
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 2-20
ARMOR CLASS: Common 5, Leader/Captain 3
MOVEMENT: 9, Cl 6
HIT DICE: Common 4+3, Leader 5+4, Captain 6+6
THACO: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (2 in battle-rage)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Common 2d6, Leader 2d8, Captain 2d10 (or by weapon +6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Battle-rage
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: Large (9'+)
MORALE: Elite (13-14)
XP VALUE: Common 420, Leader 975, Captain 1,400
Stonecrown ogres run to fat, not surprising considering how much of their time they spend eating. They are crude but powerful, and take a simple joy in killing and destruction. Their rank odor is composed of equal parts grease, filth-ridden garments, and unbathed foulness mixing into a stench like powerful sour milk.
When bored, the creatures and fond of ornamenting themselves with earrings, nose-rings, and other piercings; Stonecorwn ogres find these attractive, and sometimes compliment other creatures that share their tastes. They speak their own language, and leaders and mercenaries often speak the goblin, orog, or common tongues.
Combat: In mass combat, Stonecrown ogres form club-, axe-, or mace-wielding forces that are effective through brute strength. Despite their simple combat style, their enormous strength gives them a +7 damage bonus with any weapon they use. With arduous training, Stonecrown ogres can keep remarkable discipline in battle, until the battle-rage strikes them. The battle-rage is blood frenzy triggered when the ogre's blood is first shed. This frenzy allows them to attack twice each round.
Units of Stonecrown ogres that have worked and trained together for long periods can control their battle frenzy, raging only when they deem it appropriate. The sight of an entire company of ogres going into battle-rage at once has routed more than one army. Alone or in the wilds, Stonecrown ogres are voracious hunters with little discipline and no great cunning. They can climb sheer stone faces through force of willpower alone, often reaching a mountaintop with bloodied hands.
Stonecrown ogre leaders always have maximum hit points and superior armor, generally a form of chain. Mercenary captains have superior armor and often carry Stonecrown arbalests, a type of rock-hurling heavy crossbow. The 10 lb. stones that these arbalests hurl can crack skulls and breastplates; their range is 30/60/120, and their damage is 1d10/2d6, plus an equipment saving throw vs. crushing blow for shields and armor.
Giant, Swamp
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Swamps, tropical forests
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: D
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 4 or 0
MOVEMENt: 12
HIT DICE: 15+5
THACO: 5
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d8+9/1d8+9 or by weapon 2d6+9
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hurl spears (1d10+9), spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (16' tall)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE:
Infant: -5 HD 2,000
Juvenile: -2 HD 6,000
Adult: 9,000-10,000
Shaman: 10,000-11,000
Swamp giants are believed to have evolved ages ago from bask giants. These smaller, stockier giants are more intelligent than the nearby bask and have learned the rudiments of civilization.
Swamp giants have green skin and hair like the bask, and therefore are quickly mistaken for their slow-witted cous. ins. However, there are differences. Swamp giants tend to wear their hair long, usually braided and festooned with ornaments collected from battle. Further, they have facial hair, which most of them keep trimmed.
A swamp giant's natural armor class is 4. However, many of the adult males wear the skin of young green dragons. This skin, cured in a manner known only to these giants, lowers their armor class to 0. Their coloration gives them a +3 chance to surprise opponents and a -3 chance to be surprised. Giants in green dragon armor have a +2 surprise bonus and -2 AC bonus. All swamp giants regenerate 5 hit points of damage per round.
Combat: Swamp giants fight only when they believe their territory is in danger. They prefer to reason with a foe first (with the exception of dragons). They often choose a leader when going into battle and follow his directions. They prefer to circle their quarry, using their coloration to blend into the foliage.
They begin their assaults with spells. Because swamp giants are so tuned to their environment, from birth they are able to cast entangle three times a day and plant growth once a day. A favorite tactic is to trap prey in a tangle of vegetation, then slaughter it with a volley of spears. Each giant can throw two spears per round.
Habitat/Society: Swamp giants prefer to live in trees, in simple homes constructed of wood and reeds. Of course, the trees they choose for homes are immense, usually at least 10 to 20 feet in diameter and 100 feet or more tall. They generally live peaceful lives, staying to themselves and interacting with the bask only when their cousins wish to trade. The swamp giants are known for crafting wooden bowls, dishes, and other objects that the bask covet.
When more than four swamp giants are encountered, they are a mated pair and infants or juveniles.
When encountered in their lair, there are 4d4 + 6 giants, one half of these adults. The remainder are infants and juveniles. An infant has 10 HD and has only a +5 damage bonus. A juvenile at 13 HD has a +7 damage bonus. If a village is threatened, the adults protect the infants and juveniles.
For every 10 giants encountered, there is a 30% chance one is a shaman, a giant who is the equivalent of a 1st-6th level druid. These shamans are respected in swamp giant communities and are often sought as advisors by the village leader.
All the villages recognize a king. He is considered the strongest and wisest of the swamp giants and other giants look to him to appoint village leaders.
Ecology: Swamp giants live off the land, hunting and foraging for food. Many of them grow a large, ricelike crop. They do not keep animals for food. Their favorite meat is the flesh of young green dragons. In turn, older green dragons like to hunt the swamp giants.
