Stone Giant
Stone giants speak their own language, as well as those of hill giants, cloud giants, and storm giants. In addition, 50% of the giants also speak the common language of man.
Stone giants prefer to dwell in deep caves high on rocky, storm-swept mountains. They normally live in the company of their relatives, though such a clans usually include no more than 10 giants. Clans of giants do locate their lairs near each other, however, for a sense of community and protection. A mountain range commonly has 2-8 clans lairing there. Stone giants are crude artists, painting scenes of their lives on the walls of their lairs and on tanned hide scrolls. Some giants are fond of music and play stone flutes and drums. Others make simple jewelry, fashioning painted stone beads into necklaces. If eight or more giants are encountered in a clan’s lair, one quarter will be female, one quarter male, and the remainder offspring. To determine a Giants’s maturity, roll 1d4. A roll of 4 indicates an infant with no combat ability and hit points of an ogre; rolls of 1-3 indicate older progeny with hit dice, damage, and attack rolls equal to those of a hill giant. One in 20 stone giants develop special abilities related to their environment. These Giants elders are able to stone shape, stone tell, and transmute rock to mud (or mud to rock) once per day as if they were 5th level mages. One in 10 of these exceptional giants can also cast spells as if he were a 3rd level wizard. Their spells can be determined randomly or chosen to fit a specific encounter as desired. Frequently these giants are able to rise to positions of power and are considered the leaders of several clans. Stone giants are usually found in mountain ranges in temperate and sub-tropical areas. Stone giants are fond of cave bears and 75% of their lairs will have 1-8 of them as guards. The few stone giants living in cold areas use polar bears as guards. Stone giants are playful, especially at night. They are fond of rock throwing contests and other games that test their might. Tribes of giants will often gather to toss rocks at each other, the losing side being the giants who are hit more often.
Stone giants are omnivorous, but they will eat only fresh food. They cook and eat their meat quickly after it has been killed. They use the skins of the animals for blankets and trade what they do not need with nearby human communities in exchange for bolts of cloth or herd animals which they use for food. Many stone Giants bands keep giant goats in and near their lairs so they will have a continuous supply of milk, cheese, and butter.
Stone giants are lean, but muscular. Their hard, hairless flesh is smooth and gray, making it easy for them to blend in with their mountainous surroundings. Their gaunt facial features and deep, sunken black eyes make them seem perpetually grim. The typical stone Giants is 18’ tall and weighs 9,000 pounds because of its dense flesh. Females are a little shorter and lighter. The giants’ natural Armor Class is 0. They do not wear armor to augment that, preferring to wear stone-colored garments. Stone giants can live to be 800 years old. Stone giants, like several other Giants races, carry some of their belongings with them. They leave their more valuable items in their lairs, however. A typical stone Giants’s bag will contain 2-24 (2d12) throwing rocks, a portion of the Giants’s wealth, and 1-8 additional common items.
Stone giants move slowly and quietly among the mountains and within their rocky cave homes, blending with the terrain so well that they can easily waylay foes or go unnoticed. Brooding and contemplative, stone giants can rest in thought for years, sitting like statues. With weapons and thrown stones, they are expert hunters. When roused to anger, a stone Giants is able to move its bulk with precision and quickness. Particularly at night and during thunderstorms, stone giants play by throwing rocks at each other— the losing side is the one hit more often. During such contests, the giants seldom watch out for unexpected passersby. Such heedless "games" give stone giants a rougher reputation than they might deserve.
Stone giants are artistic and craft-oriented, especially with stone. Runecarvers use arcane lore to craft runes of ancient magic upon surfaces. With these spells set in stone, they smite foes. The art o f rune magic might have originated with ancient stone giants, although dwarf artificers surely disagree.
When stone giants are forced into melee combat, they use large clubs chiseled out of stone which do 2-12 (2d6) +8 points of damage; double normal (man-sized) club damage plus the Giants’s strength bonus.
Hardened Threat: The Stone Giantr may chose an enemy. Any time that enemy shifts or moves into the threat range of the ginat, the Giants may make an attack of opprtunity.
Staggering Sweep: The target is pushed 2 squares after a successful hit. The Stone Giants may shift with the target.
Rune of Stony Sleep (Shaman): If target is successfully hit by an ally and the target fails a save vs. spell, the target is immobilized and an area of affect is established 20 ft. by 20 ft. Anyone within the area must save vs. spell at -2 or be slowed for d6 rds.
Grasping Stone (Shaman): Any slowed creature hit by any ally stone Giants saves vs. spell or becomes immobilized.
Slipstone Distortion: Any enemy within 2 squares of the stone Giants must make a Dexterity check every round or become prone.
Avalanche Stomp: Area of effect2 0 ft. x 20 ft. By stomping his foot, the stone Giants creates fissure that entrap his opponent. Each target in the area of effect must roll a bend bars/lift gates or be grabbed. The target may continue to attempt a BB/LG to escape, but each failure costs 1 pt. of fatigue.
Special Advantages
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Special Disadvantages
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