Kibosh The Amphitheater Amphitheater Profile: Typical gnome construction Profile: Typical gnome construction Profile: Waterwheel Profile: Waterwheel Plan View: Waterwheel Plan View: Waterwheel Waterwheel Waterwheel Master Glumears Glumears Maester Maester Bronzestone Bronzestone Master Glittersky Glittersky Maester Maester Opus Public Hall Community Community Hall One square equals 25 feet One square equals 25 feet Kibosh The Amphitheater Profile: Typical gnome construction Profile: Waterwheel Plan View: Waterwheel Waterwheel Maester Glumears Maester Bronzestone Maester Glittersky Maester Opus Public Hall Community Hall One square equals 25 feet Granary 51CHAPTER 2 GNOMES The town itself follows very little in the way of orderly city planning. Each major family dwelling and workshop is built within a hill, and most of the internal space of the hill is devoted to living and working areas. Farther below ground are the public facilities, with passageways branching out from them in all directions. The Amphitheater: No gnome town is complete without a place to stage performances, speeches, and other public celebrations. The amphitheater serves these functions and more, and it is considered the heart of every gnome community. The arts are a social endeavor as much as a personal one, and as a result, gnome communities with a heavy artistic presence are among the most closely knit anywhere. Typically, the amphitheater hosts at least one event per week, whether a recital, an exhibition, a public dance, or a town meeting. Gnome amphitheaters are wonders of engineering, just as most gnome constructions are. They are built so that those in the farthest row from the stage can hear as well as the closest. The acoustics are so good that no performer need ever raise her voice to be heard, and the softest note of a flute will carry easily even to the most remote listener. Maester Glumears: Maester Glumears earned his cap nearly two hundred years ago for his inventive genius. The chief inventor and gadgeteer in town, Glumears has no shortage of individuals ready and able to purchase his wares. He often puts his journeymen to work teaching apprentices and researching his ideas. He then takes the work his apprentices have achieved and puts their ideas together, creating the fi nished product. Once a prototype is complete, both his journeymen and the lesser maesters in his workshop are given the task of fi lling orders for a given design while he moves on to his next project. He is absentminded and gruff, but he still manages to give everyone time for their own projects, so those who work with him generally don’t mind his ways. His workshop specializes in alchemical and mechanical items. Maester Bronzestone: Maester Jennerus Bronzestone is a master lapidary, goldsmith, and silversmith. He teaches how to cast metal, how to cut and set gemstones, and other secrets of jewelcrafting. His workshop is the smallest of the four maesteries in Kibosh, with only four apprentices and two journeymen on staff. He recently reopened the workshop here after the previous maester, Goldhone, passed away. The work he does is very much in demand, and his journeymen spend much of their time perfecting their own designs with a minimum of guidance from him. He teaches his apprentices personally, a rare occurrence in this day and age. The work that comes out of this workshop is first-rate and fetches a rare price, enough so that the town council is pressing him to increase his production. He has thus far refused their entreaties, however, preferring to concentrate on his art rather than his coffers. Maester Glittersky: The link between magic and gnomes is an old one. It is only natural that magic fuels much of their daily life and art, and still more natural that a number of gnomes decide to take up the study more formally. Maester Irella Glittersky has been the local expert in the magical arts for some years. Her family has lived in Kibosh for generations, and it was only natural that she 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 51 6/14/04, 7:57:43 AM
52CHAPTER 2 GNOMES should take over the maestery when it became available. She teaches all forms of magic but has a marked preference for illusions. Her workshop is the source of most of the minor magic items the community uses in daily life, and her apprentices provide all the illusory decoration for every dance or special event held in town. Maester Opus: Buleybar Opus was the youngest music maester ever to earn his cap in the town’s memory. He runs a bustling school that focuses on performance over theory, and he has trained some of the fi nest bards to set foot in the surface world. He relies on his journeymen to work with the younger students, but they are also expected to create their own original works. He trains in vocal as well as instrumental music, both composition and performance, and has even allowed some study of oratory in the past few decades. He is harsh in his methods, but once a student has earned her cap, no hearth will turn away her song. Public Hall: The public hall is the first (and possibly only) place any outsider might visit, with its own entrance to the surface that is not connected to any other tunnel, opening far away from the rest of the town. The public hall is most often used for community legal matters, and it is also where any diplomatic dealings with other towns or races take place. Community Hall: Where the public hall is the home of external affairs, the community hall is the home of most of the gnomes’ internal dealings. It is held in common by all the local families, and it is where many personal disputes are settled or large family celebrations held. CREATING GNOME CHARACTERS When you create a gnome character, consider spending a few skill points on Hide, Listen, and Craft (alchemy), even if they’re cross-class skills for you. As a gnome, you get racial or size bonuses to these skills, and Hide and Listen in particular are valuable in many adventures. Also give yourself a Charisma score of at least 10 if you possibly can. The spell-like abilities of dancing lights, prestidigitation, and ghost sound aren’t terribly powerful, but they lead to smart play when characters use them to distract or confuse their foes. SPECIAL GNOME OPTIONS As a gnome character, you also qualify for some gnome-specifi c feats and prestige classes unavailable to PCs of other races, all described in Chapters 5 and 6 of this book. Feats: Burrow Friend, Earth Fist (also available to dwarves and goliaths), Gnome Foe Killer, Natural Trickster, Piercing Sight, Trivial Knowledge. Prestige Classes: Blade bravo, divine prankster, shadowcraft mage. GNOMES AS CHARACTERS Gnomes have a natural knack for being bards and illusionists. Still, they’re clever and resourceful enough to excel in many classes. Bard: This is the favored class for gnomes, so it’s an obvious choice. When you select spells, give extra consideration to spells from the illusion school, because as a gnome you get a +1 bonus on save DCs against illusion spells you cast. For alternative options for the gnome bard, see the gnome racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. Barbarian: Traditional gnome culture has no place for barbarians, but barbarians are often from far-off lands anyway. The notion of a gnome barbarian is hard for some to reconcile, but the gnome’s racial bonus to Constitution allows such a character to rage longer than those of most other races. Small races such as gnomes particularly prize the barbarian’s fast movement ability. Cleric: Most gnome clerics worship Garl Glittergold, who offers access to the Trickery domain. That domain gives his clerics Hide as a class skill and offers high-level illusion spells that combine well with gnomes’ racial bonus on illusion spell save DCs. Druid: Because gnomes can speak with burrowing animals, many gnome druids choose badgers or wolverines (normal or dire versions, depending on level) as their animal companions. Fighter: The gnomes’ Strength penalty makes the fi ghter class a tough choice, but it’s ameliorated somewhat by the gnomes’ Constitution bonus and racial bonuses on attack rolls and Armor Class against specific monsters. Select weapons unaffected by low Strength, such as crossbows, at low levels, and obtain weapons that deal automatic extra damage, such as those with the fl aming or wounding special ability, when you attain high levels. Monk: This class is another tough choice due to the gnomes’ Strength penalty, which is exacerbated by the race’s Small size and lower unarmed attack damage. But the fast movement of a monk is a godsend to a gnome, and the monk’s other supernatural abilities combine well with a gnome’s racial abilities to make an elusive prankster. Paladin: One way to avoid the slow speed of a gnome is to use the special mount of a paladin. As with the fi ghter, a gnome paladin must still deal with the liability of his low Strength score. Ranger: The racial benefi ts that gnomes receive when fighting giants, kobolds, and goblinoids can combine with a ranger’s favored enemy class feature to make a true giant-slayer. For alternative options for the gnome ranger, see the gnome racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. Rogue: You hide well, you listen well, you’ve got the skill points to be a great alchemist—and you’ve got spell-like abilities perfect for distracting guards. Sorcerer: Obviously, gnome sorcerers want to choose as many spells from the illusion school as possible, because they get a racial bonus on their saving throw DCs. Wizard: As with the sorcerer, gnome wizards almost certainly want to specialize in the illusion school to get as much use out of their racial bonus as possible. For alternative options for the gnome illusionist, see the gnome racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 52 6/14/04, 7:57:47 AM
53 Illus. by C. Lukacs Illus. by C. Lukacs ountain-dwelling nomads, the goliaths are a reclusive, tribal race more at home scaling a sheer cliff than walking the streets of a city. This chapter provides all the necessary details for adding this race to any D&D campaign. A DAY IN THE LIFE For Keothi Softspeaker Thunukalathi, the day begins with the low drones of the dawncallers—musically gifted goliaths who watch over the tribe’s camp at night, then awaken everyone in the morning with songs that exhort and inspire. Keothi’s family dresses and then gathers together for a brief meal of goat’s milk, berries, and smoked fish from a mountain stream. The tribe isn’t moving the camp today, so everyone gathers near the central fi re pit for the day’s work. The tribal chief chooses ten “captains” for that day, assigning four to the hunt, two to berry- and rootgathering, two to food preparation, one to care for infants, and one to tend to the tribe’s small herd of mountain goats. The chief looks Keothi’s way as he chooses captains but doesn’t call his name. “Perhaps tomorrow I’ll be captain for the fi rst time,” thinks Keothi. One by one, the captains select tribe members for their teams. Because Keothi is adept at archery, he is chosen for a hunting team. Keothi is happy, because he’d rather hunt than dig up roots all day. Had the tribe been moving the camp that day, most of the members would have been assigned to “travel teams” charged with carrying the tribe’s tents on their backs, and Keothi might not have been picked for a hunting team. Once all the teams are fi lled, the goliaths chant a prayer to Kavaki the Ram-Lord, then rush off to their appointed tasks. Along with four other goliaths, Keothi begins to scour the ridges and valleys of the mountains for an elk herd whose tracks have been spotted nearby. But the elk prove elusive that morning, and Keothi’s band of hunters begins to get nervous. It will be embarrassing if they return to camp in the evening empty-handed, especially if other hunting teams have had better luck. By midday, any elk are bedded down in the brush, making fi nding them almost impossible. The hunting team amuses itself by wrestling each other in a hastily drawn circle in the dirt (Keothi wins one match and loses two) and challenging each other to feats of archery (Keothi comes within an arrow-width of beating even the captain, and he handily defeats everyone else). When the sun is low in the mountain sky, it’s time to hunt again. Keothi and the captain wait at the bottom of a river gully while the rest of the team 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 53 6/14/04, 7:57:53 AM
54CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS beats the bushes above them. This trick works, sending more than a dozen elk rushing past Keothi. Two fall to his arrows, and Keothi’s captain also fells an elk. Amid much laughter, the goliaths butcher the elk quickly, then stagger back to camp, carrying as much meat and elk-hide as they can. They are the last of the four hunting teams to return to camp. A late hunting party often arrives empty-handed, so another hunting team is already celebrating their two-elk bounty when a weary Keothi places his team’s third elk carcass at the chief’s feet. The chief declares Keothi’s team to have won the hunt that day, amid cheers from the entire tribe. When the captain reports that Keothi felled two of the elk himself, the chief says, “Beginning tonight, you are no longer Softspeaker. You are now Keothi Steadyhand Thunukalathi.” Grinning from ear to ear, Keothi enjoys the spoils of victory—fi rst in line when the roasted haunch of elk is ready. After an evening spent hearing campfire tales of brave climbers and cunning hunters, Keothi returns to the family tent for sleep. “Perhaps tomorrow I’ll down three elk,” Keothi thinks as he drifts off to sleep. DESCRIPTION Unlike the previous two chapters, which covered races previously described in the Player’s Handbook, this chapter gives a full description of goliaths, their racial traits, and all other information necessary for creating goliath characters. OVERVIEW Goliaths are massive creatures unafraid of throwing their weight around in a fi ght. Highly competitive, these strong nomads can prove to be powerful allies and welcome additions to any adventuring party. Personality: Goliaths are known for their almost foolhardy daring. In their mountain homes, they leap from precipice to precipice, heedless of the fatal consequences of a misstep. They place great stock in clan and family; life in the mountains teaches even the youngest goliath to rely completely on his fellows for a hand across a crevasse. Because most goliaths are hunter-gatherers, they tend to be inquisitive, always curious about whether better hunting lies over the next ridge or a good water source can be found in the next canyon. Goliaths are completely unsympathetic toward tribe members who can’t contribute to the well-being of the tribe anymore—an attitude reinforced by social structures. Old, sick, and otherwise infi rm goliaths are exiled from their clans, never to return. Physical Description: A typical goliath is larger than the largest half-orc. Most stand between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Unlike with most other races, there is no appreciable difference in height or weight between male and female goliaths. Goliaths have gray skin, mottled with dark and light patches that goliath shamans say hint at a particular goliath’s fate. Lithoderms—coin-sized bone-and-skin growths as hard as pebbles—speckle their arms, shoulders, and torso. Their skulls have a jutting eyebrow ridge, wide jaw, and occasional lithoderms as well. Female goliaths have dark hair on their heads, grown to great length and always kept braided. Male goliaths generally have hair only on their limbs. Goliaths’ eyes are a brilliant blue or green, and they often seem to glow a little from underneath their furrowed brows. Because their skin mottling has cultural significance, goliaths generally dress as lightly as possible, displaying their skin patterns for all to see. For the same reason, few goliaths would willingly get a tattoo—to draw on one’s skin is tantamount to trying to rewrite one’s fate. Goliaths instead decorate themselves with jewelry, often sporting ear, nose, or brow rings. A goliath’s lithoderms are also common places to embed a gem or two, since they have few nerve endings and stand out on the goliath’s body already. Relations: When encountered in the mountains, goliaths are outwardly friendly to anyone who doesn’t threaten the tribe and can keep up with them as they climb from peak to peak. Humans who brave the mountains—rangers and druids, most often—can often earn a tasty meal by helping a team of goliath hunters. Goliaths hold dwarves in particularly high regard, wishing their tribes had the dwarven aptitude for weapon crafting. Some of the bravest goliaths climb down into the Illus. by J. Jarvis Goliaths believe they can see their futures in the natural mottling of their skin 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 54 6/14/04, 7:57:57 AM
55CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS tunnels and natural caverns under a mountain, seeking a dwarf community to trade with. The smaller-than-human races are regarded as curiosities, but many a nimble-climbing gnome or halfl ing has earned respect by beating a goliath in a race up a cliff. Goliaths view the extended life span of an elf as vaguely frightening, fi nding it hard to imagine a person who could have known one’s great-great grandfather. A goliath tribe’s attitude toward any nearby giants varies widely. Some tribes eagerly trade with giants; the giants’ weapons aren’t up to dwarven standards, but they are made in larger sizes (which goliaths greatly prefer). However, giants have a bad habit of trying to turn goliaths into their slaves, using them for menial tasks they’re too big or too lazy to do themselves. Confl ict inevitably ensues, and soon either the giants are dead, the goliaths have fl ed, or the goliaths are chained up as slaves to a giant-lord. Goliaths tend to hold goblinoids and orcs (including halforcs) at arm’s length, noting that the “downlanders” they trade with regard such races as troublemakers. But because goblinoids rarely stray into the high mountains, they are usually someone else’s trouble, so goliaths don’t bear them any actual malice. Alignment: Goliaths have a slight tendency toward chaotic alignments, which is refl ected in their wanderlust and the small, mobile communities in which they live. Still, each goliath tribe has one or more adjudicators that settle disputes within the clan, and such goliaths are generally lawful. Goliaths have a slight preference for good over evil, since among the high mountain peaks, survival becomes much easier when one aids a fellow goliath without insisting on recompense. Goliath Lands: Because they don’t support large-scale agriculture or extensive settlements, the mountain ranges where goliaths live are home to few other intelligent races. Most tribes of goliaths wander from peak to peak, tending their goat fl ocks and foraging for alpine roots and tubers. Typically, a tribe sets up a temporary village in an alpine meadow and remains there for a month or two, then moves on when the season changes or better hunting can be found elsewhere. Larger tribes tend to follow a similar trail from year to year, retreating to lower elevations in midwinter and when they need to trade, then ascending to the highest peaks once the snow melts. Some goliaths live at lower altitudes among humans or other races, most often because their tribe exiled them after a crime, dispute, or injury. Many a folk tale features a forlorn goliath working as a farmhand after a failed courtship in the mountains. Religion: Kavaki the Ram-Lord is the primary deity of the goliaths (see the Religion section later in this chapter). As the Chief of All Chiefs, he watches over the goliaths and their mountain homes. His clerics say that Kavaki created the goliaths when he found a bush bearing gems in place of fruit growing atop the highest mountain peak in the world. When Kavaki plucked gems from the bush, those gems became the fi rst tribe of goliaths. Kavaki instructs his followers to seek out the hidden bounty of the mountains and keep the tribe safe from harm. Language: For millennia, the goliaths have had only a spoken tongue, Gol-Kaa, which has only thirteen phonetic elements: a, e, g, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, u, th, and v. Recently, the goliaths have picked up the alphabet of the Dwarven language, though the concept of a written language hasn’t spread to all the tribes yet. Those tribes that have learned the Dwarven alphabet are busily transcribing the goliaths’ vast oral tradition into carvings, cave paintings, and even books. Names: Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, a nickname or honorifi c assigned by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name. The birth name tends to be short—often only a syllable or two—but the clan names often have fi ve syllables or more and always end in a vowel. The honorifi c isn’t a traditional name so much as it is a descriptive nickname, often a two-part sobriquet. The honorifi c can change at the whim of the tribal chief, whether because a particular goliath did something useful for the tribe (earning an honorifi c such as “Highclimber” or “Nighthunter”) or as punishment for failure (a middle name such as “Latesleeper” or “Wanderslost”). Goliaths who have been exiled from their tribe generally carry a middle name that refl ects their status, such as “Solitary” or “Kinless.” Some specifi c roles within the tribe, such as lorekeeper or shaman (described in the Society and Culture section later in this chapter), have honorifi cs attached to them as well. When introducing themselves for the fi rst time, goliaths always use the fi rst name/honorifi c/family name construction, translating the honorifi c into the listener’s language if possible. Thereafter, they refer to themselves and each other by the honorifi c alone. Goliaths traveling among other races sometimes assign honorifi cs to their comrades rather than use their given names. Male Names: Aukan, Eglath, Gauthak, Ilikan, Keothi, Lo-Kag, Maveith, Meavoi, Thotham, Vimak. Female Names: Gae-Al, Kuori, Manneo, Nalla, Orilo, Paavu, Pethani, Thalai, Uthal, Vaunea. Honorifics: Bearkiller, Dawncaller (see Chapter 5 for details on this prestige class), Fearless, Flintfi nder, Horncarver, Keeneye, Lonehunter, Longleaper, Rootsmasher, Skywatcher, Steadyhand, Threadtwister, Twice-Orphaned, Twistedlimb, Wordpainter. Family Names: Anakalathai, Elanithino, Gathakanathi, Kalagiano, Katho-Olavi, Kolae-Gileana, Ogolakanu, Thuliaga, Thunukalathi, Vaimei-Laga. Adventurers: Traditionally, the only goliaths to become adventurers are those exiled (voluntarily or other wise) from the goliath tribes high in the mountains. However, since some goliath tribes spend more time with “downlanders,” especially the dwarves, it’s becoming more common for a tribe to send a particularly competent goliath on a mission that aids the tribe or goliaths in general. Once they descend from their mountain homes, most goliaths find the lowlands fascinating, although they are generally on their guard against “downland tricksters.” The same wanderlust that keeps goliath tribes moving often keeps a lone goliath among humans for far longer than he originally intended. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 55 6/14/04, 7:58:01 AM
56CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS GOLIATH RACIAL TRAITS • +4 Strength, –2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution: Goliaths are massively muscled, but their bulk sometimes gets in the way when they’re trying to be nimble. • Goliath base land speed is 30 feet. • Medium: As Medium creatures, goliaths have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. However, see the powerful build ability description below for more details. • Monstrous Humanoid: As monstrous humanoids, goliaths are profi cient with all simple weapons, but they have no profi ciency with any armor or shield. • Powerful Build: The physical stature of a goliath lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a goliath is subject to a size modifi er or special size modifi er for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the goliath is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A goliath is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A goliath can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefi ts of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category. • Mountain Movement: Because goliaths practically live on the ledges and cliffs of the most forbidding mountains, they are particularly adept at negotiating mountain hazards. Goliaths can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. A goliath can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half his speed as a move action) without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. • Acclimated: Goliaths are automatically acclimated to life at high altitude. They don’t take the penalties for altitude described in the Mountain Travel section on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Unlike other denizens of the mountains, goliaths don’t lose their acclimation to high altitude even if they spend a long time at a lower elevation. • +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks: When speaking to one another, goliaths tend to augment their verbal communication with subtle body language. They are likewise able to “read” the unintentional body language of others. • Automatic Languages: Common and Gol-Kaa. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Giant, Gnoll, Terran. • Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass goliath’s barbarian class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty (see the XP for Multiclass Characters section, page 60 of the Player’s Handbook). The tribal life of the goliaths produces many barbarians. • Level adjustment +1. PSYCHOLOGY Goliaths’ love of competition shapes a signifi cant part of their worldview. A goliath instinctively keeps score about anything that’s a challenge, and casually mentions how he’s doing compared to his comrades and rivals. “That’s the third time I’ve fed you a potion when you were about to die,” a goliath might say, or, “It’s frustrating—my enemies have drawn fi rst blood four times in a row today.” Those unfamiliar with goliath culture often fi nd the need to keep score annoying, arrogant, or self-centered, but they’re placing more weight on such utterances than the goliaths themselves are. To a goliath, scorekeeping is as natural as breathing, and it isn’t meant to belittle or demean anyone. While goliaths obviously love competing with and against each other, they face a more implacable foe. It’s invisible to even a close friend, but a goliath is always competing against himself. If a goliath slays a dragon, he won’t be satisfi ed with another dragon battle unless it’s against a larger, older dragon. When a goliath doesn’t measure up to his former achievements, he frequently becomes morose and withdrawn. Goliaths rarely speak of this inner struggle, and in fact many couldn’t articulate why they feel the way they do. But to a greater or lesser degree, all older goliaths are haunted by their need to compete against their younger selves. Illus. by W. O’Connor Goliaths travel underground to acquire dwarf-made weapons and gear 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 56 6/14/04, 7:58:09 AM
57CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Because tribes rely on the utmost effort of each member to survive in the forbidding mountains, goliaths are almost incapable of holding a grudge if they lose a fair competition. Goliaths compete as teams more often than they do as individuals, and an oft-repeated goliath maxim is “Today’s rival is tomorrow’s teammate.” Cheating in a competition— which for goliath covers most life activities—is so severely frowned upon that few goliaths will risk the social consequences of being caught. Many can’t conceive of cheating, instead redoubling their efforts or fi nding another game or sport to try. Competition drives another mind-set common among goliaths: the notion that “everyone gets a turn.” Just as most goliath competitions are open to all, goliaths expect that everyone should have the chance to compete for power, prestige, and other goals. Goliaths who visit areas of lower elevation are often puzzled by the plight of serfs. “Why does the lord not give them the chance to become knights?” a goliath traveler might ask. Anyone in a situation that affords no hope of advancement will earn pity—and possibly more tangible assistance—from a goliath. Competition among goliaths has a darker side as well. The convivial attitude among goliaths extends only to the able-bodied and the very young, who are nurtured for their potential. A goliath who can’t keep up with the rest of the tribe, either literally or in terms of production, is carried for only a few days before the tribe begins to shun the weak goliath. Sometimes the tribe will deny a weak goliath food and shelter, but it’s far more likely that the weak goliath will refuse food and shelter until he has proven his worth to the tribe or until he walks away in shame. Another noteworthy aspect of goliath culture is that while tribes do a thorough job teaching the principles of friendly competition and fair play to their youngsters, not every tribe has exactly the same notion of fair play. A goliath who leaves one tribe and joins another is often torn between his upbringing and the unspoken precepts of his new tribe. This struggle often drives a goliath into exile if he is unable to reconcile his new tribe’s rules of fair play with the ones he grew up with. Roleplaying Application: If you’re playing a goliath character, consider keeping a tally of the monsters he defeats and track events such as “most damage dealt in a single blow” or “biggest wound I survived.” Your character’s desire to outshine his previous accomplishments probably infl uences what adventures he undertakes as he goes up in level. Consider carefully what your character regards as fair play, especially with regard to situations that come with some frequency in the D&D game, such as the dilemma of a helpless foe or the notion of breaking the law to achieve a greater good. GOLIATH LIFE No two goliath tribes are alike. However, as with any race, tribes share enough common traits to make it possible to defi ne a unique goliath culture. Your character, of course, can either embrace that culture or stand apart from it. LEISURE Sports and games are central to goliath life. Because they are hunter-gatherers, goliaths don’t have a lot of time for elaborate games that require extensive equipment. Competitions tend to be impromptu affairs that require little preparation, such as a foot race to the tree and back or a game of “keep away” played with a stuffed backpack. Each tribe has its own games, but some (especially those described below) are widespread across goliath culture. Cliff-Climb: Among the simplest of goliath games, a cliff-climb is simply a race to the top of a suffi ciently tall cliff. There are only two unusual wrinkles: The race is sometimes to the top of the cliff and back to the ground, in which case a daring or foolish racer can sometimes win by intentionally falling to the fi nish line. Goliaths sometimes race in a best-of-three format, with the winner of each race having to accept a backpack full of rocks (and thus a penalty for being encumbered) as a handicap on future climbs. Participating in a Cliff-Climb: Goliaths generally pick cliffs with Climb DCs of 15 or 20. Racers always use accelerated climbing (which bestows a –5 penalty on Climb checks made by nongoliaths). A goliath backpack full of rocks usually weighs 70 pounds, enough to give the average goliath a –3 check penalty due to encumbrance and reduce his speed from 30 feet to 20 feet. If winning a cliff-climb matters in the context of the ongoing adventure, the winning character earns experience as if it were an encounter of an EL equal to the cliff’s height in feet divided by 20. Stubborn Root: This game is similar to the “king of the mountain” game played by children at lower altitudes. One goliath, known in the parlance of the game as the root, stations himself at a high point—often on a ridge or peak but sometimes atop a boulder or simply on a marked patch of ground. Then the other players (usually three to six) try to bull rush the root away from the high point or grapple the root and drag him away. Whoever does so is the new root, and the process repeats itself until all goliaths are tired out or everyone fails in multiple attempts to move the root. No specifi c number of consecutive failed attempts results in a winner; the goliaths’ sense of fair play determines when a particular root has won the game. It’s considered bad form to gang up on a root (using the aid another action or similar tactics) until everyone has failed to move the root singly, and it’s always bad form to attack the root outright. For his part, the root is obligated to forego the attack of opportunity that precedes the bull rush attempt, unless his opponents are ganging up on him, in which case the root can attack with nonlethal force. Participating in Stubborn Root: PCs who win at stubborn root have overcome a challenge equal to the CRs of the two toughest opponents, as long as the game of stubborn root somehow has a bearing on the ongoing adventure. Wrestling: Goliath wrestling matches start in a 20-footradius circle marked on fl at ground, the center of which is clearly marked to indicate where matches will begin. To win a match, a wrestler must pin his opponent, then drag his pinned foe outside the circle while still maintaining the 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 57 6/14/04, 7:58:12 AM
A game of goatball 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 58 6/14/04, 7:58:14 AM
59CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS pin. Matches last for an indeterminate number of 1-minute rounds, with a referee counting out loud so the wrestlers know when their time is up. At the end of each round, the wrestlers break their clinch and have a few moments to rest before returning to the center of the circle. Participating in Wrestling: Goliath wrestling matches follow the grappling rules outlined on page 156 of the Player’s Handbook, except that making an attack of opportunity against an opponent who’s trying to start a grapple is considered cheating. Damaging an opponent in a wrestling match is considered cheating unless both wrestlers agree before the match begins to allow nonlethal attacks. Defeating a foe in a wrestling match important to the adventure earns experience just as any other combat would. Goat-Ball: This team game uses a furry, misshapen ball made out of stuffed goat-hide—the more lopsided and lumpy the ball, the better. Goat-ball requires a dozen to two dozen platforms (usually boulders, logs, and tree stumps) raised above the ground in a random pattern. Two teams of four clamber onto adjacent platforms, and a referee runs out to place the goat-ball on a platform somewhere roughly equidistant from the two teams. The teams then leap from platform to platform, each trying to be the fi rst to reach the ball. Whichever team reaches the ball fi rst is on offense. When a team is on offense, it tries to complete three consecutive passes involving teammates on four different platforms (in other words, you can’t just pass it back and forth three times; you have to leap from platform to platform). If the team on offense completes three passes, whoever has the ball can try to hit an opponent with the thrown ball. The team on defense tries to intercept the ball and push its opponents off the platforms. A player who falls off a platform (either because he missed a jump or because an opponent pushed him off) or gets hit by a ball is “out” and can’t participate until possession changes and the two teams trade offensive and defensive roles. Whenever the ball hits the ground (including when the player holding the ball touches the ground), possession changes—unless the ball hits the ground after a successful throw at an opponent, in which case the offense keeps the ball. A team wins if all its opponents have been knocked out of the game at the same time. Participating in Goat-Ball: The jumping and bull rush aspects of goat-ball use the usual D&D rules. Throwing a ball at an opponent is a ranged touch attack, and every nongoliath player takes a –4 penalty for nonproficiency because it’s almost impossible to get used to the misshapen goat-ball. Throwing a ball to an ally is likewise a ranged attack, except that Dexterity bonuses and penalties are reversed when calculating the target’s AC (in other words, it’s easier to throw the ball to a dexterous target, and harder to get a clumsy teammate to catch it). To attempt an interception, you must be within 5 feet of the ball’s path and get a better result on your ranged attack roll than the thrower got on his ranged attack roll. Also, because the players aren’t fi ghting, they can share the same platform (and often the same square) without penalty. Winning a game of goat-ball is a challenge equal to the combined CRs of the losing team members, as long as success in the game is somehow relevant to the larger adventure. Drink-and-Tell: A decidedly nonathletic contest, the game of drink-and-tell involves participants and spectators alike sitting in a circle. One participant produces a massive fl agon of specially brewed mead, drinks from it, and then tells a tale. Depending on how entertaining the tale is, he’ll either hear cheers from the rest of the circle (meaning the participant is still in the game) or jeers (meaning the participant is now out of the competition but remains a spectator). Then the fl agon is passed clockwise around the circle; spectators merely pass it to their left, but participants drink from it and offer a tale of their own. The fl agon keeps going around the circle until it’s either empty or only one participant remains. If drink-and-tell ends with an empty fl agon, everyone who hasn’t been knocked out can claim a shared victory. Participating in Drink-and-Tell: It generally takes a successful DC 15 Perform (comedy) or Perform (oratory) check to earn the cheers of the circle. Unfortunately, the mead brewed for drink-and-tell, though tasty, is known to slur speech more than most alcohol, making success in later rounds more diffi cult. Drink-and-tell mead is technically an ingested poison (DC 14 Fort save; 1d3 Cha/1d3 Cha), although it only induces drowsiness and reduces speech to a slurred gibberish. It isn’t otherwise dangerous. ARTS AND CRAFTS Goliaths are inherently competitive, but most understand that art can’t always be measured and doesn’t have a “winner.” Goliaths decorate their weapons, tents, and what little clothing they wear with abstract designs, many featuring jagged, parallel lines and symbols that have astronomical signifi cance (tracings of constellations, moon-and-sun designs, and so on). A few goliath painters practice representational art, but even they intentionally favor stick-fi gure designs that capture the essence of the subject, not its literal reality. “I could look at a running warrior anytime I like,” reasons the goliath artist. “Why would I try to reproduce his every feature on the cave wall?” For a goliath artist, the whole purpose of art is to be decorative and show the viewer something he can’t see in the real world. Goliath tribes have an extensive oral tradition of stories, myths, legends, and songs. Almost every tribe has one or more dawncallers (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes), an honorifi c given to bards who act as sentries and lorekeepers for the tribe. What free time isn’t spent engaged in games and sports is spent listening to tales around the campfi re— although they’re mostly tales of games and sports, of course. Within the last decade or two, some tribes have started using the Dwarven alphabet to phonetically spell out words in the goliath language of Gol-Kaa. The fi rst goliath scribes are enthusiastic, so it’s not uncommon to fi nd a mountain cave where an entire goliath epic has been painted on the walls, ceiling, and fl oor. Goliath crafts are hampered by the paucity of raw materials above the tree line. As nomads, they don’t mine metals Illus. by T. Baxa 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 59 6/14/04, 7:58:30 AM
60CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS or grow crops, so smithing and cloth weaving are almost unheard of. Many goliaths excel at fl intknapping, the craft of making arrowheads, knives, spear points, and other tools from fl int found near riverbeds. Goliaths are also adept at tanning animal hides and stitching them together into everything from armor to massive tents. Some goliath tribes with a regular migration pattern stay in one place long enough to build kilns there, so they have potters—and ceramic vessels to trade with other tribes. Most goliaths rely on woven baskets to carry things, though, and those with the honorifi c of Threadtwister spend much of their time crafting baskets and hempen rope by hand. Because most goliaths can’t make their own metal goods or jewelry, they tend to hold in high esteem those who can do so. Goliaths are eager to trade their furs and meat for the wonders created by dwarf and gnome artisans. Roleplaying Application: Goliaths are fascinated with anything outside the scope of their nomadic mountain existence, so most goliath PCs will be eager to travel and see things they’ve never seen before. Because oral folklore is so important to goliaths, they often compare their situations to those of legendary heroes. Some sample tales of goliath heroes are found in the History and Folklore section later in this chapter, but you can certainly invent other goliath folklore that your character would know. Because jewelry is rare among goliaths, you’ll most likely gravitate to jewelry when you fi nd treasure. TECHNOLOGY AND MAGIC Goliaths aren’t primitive, but they are nomadic, which puts some signifi cant restraints on the technology they use in daily life. In general, goliaths make for themselves only what they can carry with them—including the tools necessary for the creation to occur. Few goliaths are blacksmiths, for example, because you can’t take a forge with you on a mountain trail. Still, goliaths have a basic understanding of how metallurgy works, and they are canny buyers of metal goods from the races they trade with—mostly dwarves and giants. Because goliaths are subsistence hunter-gatherers, they excel at tanning, leatherwork, flintknapping, and bonecarving. For a goliath tribe to survive a cold mountain winter, it must make use of every resource at its disposal. That means using every part of a game animal, from the sinews to the hide and bones. Without magic, the goliaths’ nomadic lifestyle would leave them on the edge of starvation and social collapse. Goliath spellcasters, especially the omnipresent druids, are instrumental in fi nding food, healing the sick and injured, and warding the camp against the worst of the elements. GOLIATHS AT WAR Goliaths are not generally warlike. When pressed by a formidable foe, they’re more likely to pack up and leave for safer territory than stay and fi ght. Goliaths are defi nitely not cowardly, but they regard each fellow goliath who falls in combat as a teammate lost forever, and they’re acutely aware of how battle losses make life harder for the surviving members of the tribe. Still, war is sometimes the only realistic option. A goliath tribe might be unable to outrun or outfox its enemies, or part of the tribe might be taken captive. Goliaths regard imprisonment and slavery as especially heinous crimes, so in these cases the entire tribe goes to war, treating battle as the most important game of all. With the exception of infants and small children, all goliaths are capable warriors (otherwise they wouldn’t remain with the tribe). A tribe can transform itself into an effective warband by simply handing out weapons and armor, choosing war-captains, and marching out to meet their foes. Goliaths favor leather and hide armors, and Large two-handed weapons that maximize their immense strength. Because goliaths come from a culture of hunters, they’re adept at using camoufl age and terrain to their advantage, and they prefer to fi ght guerrilla-style rather than meet on an agreedupon battlefi eld. The goliath tendency toward competitiveness and fair play expresses itself on the battlefi eld as well. Goliaths are inveterate scorekeepers, tallying the number of foes they’ve vanquished in battle. When they fi ght, goliaths seek to prove their superiority in all facets of warfare. “It’s not enough to win a battle,” thinks a typical goliath. “You should win in a way that shows your opponent what a good soldier you are.” Winning by sheer numbers or through attrition is regarded as no victory at all. When two goliath tribes war against each other, the larger tribe almost always holds back troops so it won’t win through numerical superiority. Goliaths extend principles of fair play to the battlefi eld, but they aren’t foolish enough to believe that their enemies are playing by the same rules (unless the enemies are also goliaths, of course). Striking from ambush is acceptable to most goliaths, because getting into such a favorable position is no easy task. On the other hand, most goliaths regard fi nishing off a fallen foe, taking hostages, and attacking civilians as distasteful or “cheating.” Some goliaths relish the competitive nature of combat so much that if they’re winning too handily, they handicap themselves to restore a semblance of fairness to a fi ght. If a goliath sunders an enemy’s weapon with his fi rst blow, he might voluntarily cast away his own weapon and commence grappling. Goliaths aren’t stupid, however—they only engage in such a “fair play” fi ght if they have a reasonable expectation of winning anyway, or if circ*mstances are such that the loser of the battle is likely to survive. Roleplaying Application: If a fi ght is going particularly well for your goliath character, consider handicapping yourself, or at least mention to the other characters that you’re sorely tempted to do so. Keep track of your kills, and engage your fellow characters in friendly competitions or low-stakes wagers, even as combat swirls around you. SOCIETY AND CULTURE The most pervasive aspect of goliath culture is the sense of congenial competitiveness that permeates almost every action a goliath undertakes. Goliaths are always jockeying for position within their tribes and will turn even the 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 60 6/14/04, 7:58:36 AM
61CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS most mundane task into a race, wager, or other competition. Additionally, the social pressure to be a “good sport” is almost overpowering—cheaters and poor losers fi nd themselves shunned by the tribe. Goliaths compete almost without thinking about it. A team of hunters might fi nd themselves sprinting toward a mountain peak, but none of them announced a race and none of them could say who started running fi rst. Goliath tribes tend to be generous and hospitable to visitors, as long as those visitors don’t pose a threat. In yet another indication of the race’s competitive nature, a goliath tribe will provide as much food and entertainment as possible for a visitor, hoping that tales of the tribe’s excellence will spread. This generous tendency is tempered by the fact that, as huntergatherers, goliath tribes don’t have much in the way of traditional wealth, and only when a hunt goes particularly well do they have a surplus of food. TRIBAL STRUCTURE Between forty and sixty goliaths—three to fi ve extended families—comprise a typical tribe. Most goliaths stay members of the same tribe for life. Tribes that grow too large and unwieldy sometimes split into two or three smaller tribes, and tribes that fall on hard times and become too small to survive on their own might merge with more stable tribes. However, such changes are rare; the lorekeepers of most goliath tribes can trace their tribal history back a dozen generations or more. Most goliaths identify far more strongly with their tribe than they do with their family. Family members generally share a sleeping tent and regard each other as particularly close companions, but the bonds between them aren’t as strong as they would be in a typical human society. The tribe as a whole raises its young, so children don’t form strong parental bonds. Marriages and remarriages are frequent among goliaths, so families tend to be rather fl uid. Key Tribal Members Though tribe members are generally considered equals, several key roles are important to every goliath tribe. Chieftain: The tribal chieftain is the primary authority fi gure for a tribe, but by no means the only source of power within a tribe. The chieftain leads the tribe by acclamation when the former chief steps down (or is forced out). He is responsible for setting the path of the tribe, leading it to food-rich regions, and deciding when to move on once hunting is scarce. Each day, the chieftain selects a number of captains (“kathunae” in GolKaa) and gives each of them a task for the day, such as hunting, gathering raw materials, Illus. by T. Baxa Even giants learn to respect a goliath war party 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 61 6/14/04, 7:58:41 AM
62CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS cooking, or scouting new terrain. Wise chiefs assign at least two captains to each task, because then the two teams compete against one another and get more done. Captain: The chieftain chooses captains each morning after breakfast, and most chieftains give each adult goliath an occasional turn as captain so everyone has leadership experience. Each captain gets a broad outline of the day’s task from the chieftain. Then the captains take turns picking from the adult population of the tribe to form work teams, and the day’s work begins. Captains generally have great discretion in how they accomplish the assigned task— the chieftain, and by extension the tribe, wants results, not a specifi c set of criteria followed to the letter. Most captains relish the competitive aspect of leading a team and outperforming the other teams assigned similar tasks that day. Captains have almost absolute authority when directing their teams, but they’re loath to throw their weight around too much; any resentment they foster might show up in tomorrow’s captain. Skywatcher: Regardless of whether they’re pantheist or animist goliaths (described in the Religion section later in this chapter), most tribes have a druid with the honorifi c of Skywatcher who preaches against the needless slaughter of game and overharvesting of resources such as fi rewood and edible plants. The chieftain often holds the skywatcher out of team selection, letting him roam as he pleases. Sky watchers spend most of their time scouting out new territory, monitoring the hunting and gathering teams, and preparing various seasonal festivals and rituals. Dawncaller: Most goliath tribes have four to six members with the Dawncaller honorific (see the dawncaller prestige class description in Chapter 5). Dawncallers are bards who act as night sentries, patrolling the perimeter of the goliath camp at night and sounding the alarm if danger is nearby. Shortly before dawn, they sing anthems of bravery and virtue to awaken the rest of the tribe. During the day, whatever teams remain in camp pick dawncallers last, then give them light duty so they can sleep during the day and be alert at night. Adjudicator: Adjudicators act as referees for the many games that comprise goliath leisure time, and they also settle disputes among members of the tribe. Unless the matter is particularly urgent, adjudicators hear disputes after the evening meal, listening to each party in the dispute tell his tale. The adjudicator then renders a decision. Any goliath can appeal an adjudicator’s decision to the chieftain, but the chieftain can’t overrule an adjudicator without taking the Adjudicator honorifi c away, so most chiefs are reluctant to do so. If an adjudicator can’t determine who is in the wrong in a particular dispute, he often settles the matter with a contest of some kind—often a contest that relates to the matter at hand. For example, if two goliaths each claim ownership of a particular ram, an adjudicator might award the ram to whichever goliath can carry it farther before collapsing under its weight. Tent-Mother: The position of tent-mother is unusual because it’s the only aspect of goliath society that is genderspecifi c. The tent-mother is responsible for the care of the tribe’s infants and toddlers. She’s selected as a captain almost every morning, and she picks her own assistants. Goliath females have the ability to nurse multiple babies, so the tentmother is often able to Illus. by R. Spencer A goliath child learns the basics of weaving 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 62 6/14/04, 7:58:48 AM
63CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS act as wet nurse for the entire tribe. No child can be picked for a task by a captain until the tent-mother deems him old enough (which often happens around ten years of age and involves an important rite of passage). Goliath folk tales abound of children who chafe under the rule of a tentmother but suffer misfortune when they run away from the tribe and are eventually rescued by a team led by the very same tent-mother. The chieftain chooses the tent-mother and can take the honorifi c away, although this form of punishment rarely occurs. Lamenter: A goliath tribe’s lamenter has a single job: identify when a particular goliath isn’t being a productive member of the tribe. If a goliath is obviously too old or too ill to survive the rigors of mountain life without assistance, the lamenter prepares a long chant or dirge that commemorates the goliath’s achievements throughout life. At the conclusion of the dirge, the entire tribe moans and wails as the old or sick goliath walks away from the camp, never to return. The lamenter does likewise with goliaths who die suddenly or fall in battle, and then buries them under a simple cairn. A good lamenter talks with a goliath perceived as weak before preparing a lament, and sometimes a heart-to-heart talk with a lamenter is suffi cient to get a goliath back on his feet and producing. Lamenters generally consult with the chieftain before preparing a lament and defer to the chieftain’s judgment if it’s more merciful (for example, the tribe is moving to a lower, warmer elevation where an infi rm goliath will be less of a burden). Roleplaying Application: What role did your goliath character play in the tribal hierarchy before he became an adventurer? Goliath tribes are essentially meritocracies, so it’s not inconceivable that even a young goliath could have an important position within the tribe. What were the other members of the tribe (especially the chieftain and your character’s tent-mother) like? Power Struggles Because he’s responsible for bringing the tribe to food and water, a foolish or otherwise ineffective chieftain puts the whole tribe at risk. When a chieftain makes bad decisions or is simply unlucky too often, challengers to his authority might develop. In most tribes, a would-be chieftain can take over a tribe by defeating the existing chieftain at each of three contests. The challenger chooses the fi rst contest, the existing chieftain chooses the second, and the third is a traditional contest. It’s an expected part of the power struggle that chieftain and challenger each choose contests that reward their particular skills and abilities, but a contest that’s obviously impossible for one contestant isn’t a contest at all and will earn a shunning from the tribe (see Shunning later in this chapter). The challenger must win all three contests to become the new chieftain. When that happens, the former chieftain often, but not always, leaves the tribe. For safety reasons, members of the tribe feel strong social pressure against challenging a chieftain in the middle of a crisis or repeatedly challenging a chieftain. If a chieftain voluntarily retires or dies suddenly, a similar set of contests among aspiring chieftains determines the new chieftain. Unlike with a challenge to a sitting chieftain, however, a candidate need only win a plurality of the contests to become the next chieftain. Unlike in many human societies, most goliaths don’t seek power for its own sake, and most regard being chieftain as a grave responsibility, not as something to aspire to. Goliaths love competition, after all, and the chieftain doesn’t get to participate in many of the daily contests and games that make up goliath life. More primitive goliath tribes have only one simple rule for succession: If you beat up the old chieftain, you become the new chieftain. Roleplaying Application: How does your goliath character feel about your current or former chieftain? Does he have interest in leading a tribe himself? If so, does he have a plan to make this happen? Has he ever taken part in a power struggle for chieftain? If so, what was the result? LAWS AND JUSTICE Because goliaths don’t have a written legal code, it’s hard to make generalizations about goliath law. In general, only one law matters: Obey the chieftain, and by extension, the captains he chooses. The system of punishment for goliaths is likewise less structured than it is in many other societies. Because goliaths are nomadic, imprisonment isn’t an option, and fi nes rarely work in a society where many goods are owned jointly by the tribe. Goliaths who disobey the chieftain or are caught stealing, cheating, or committing other crimes are often simply beaten. Goliaths have a healthy respect for pain as a motivator. Their other primary punishment is social: To a greater or lesser degree, the rest of the tribe shuns the criminal. Shunning When a goliath is completely shunned, the rest of the tribe pretends that the criminal doesn’t exist. The criminal isn’t picked for teams, can’t participate in sports and games, and isn’t provided food and shelter by the tribe. For the duration of the shunning (known as “volok-thea” in Gol-Kaa), the goliath must survive on his own. A less severe form of shunning known as “volok-kanu” exists for minor crimes. A criminal suffering a period of half-shunning is treated poorly by the rest of the tribe. The criminal is picked last by captains, given particularly loathsome work assignments, and receives only leftover food and water. These half-shunned goliaths are allowed to participate in contests and games only if their presence is necessary for some reason, and opponents often gang up on the criminal rather than try to win themselves. Goliaths who assist a shunned goliath face shunning themselves, because breaking the solidarity of a shunning is an attack on the very foundation of goliath society. What is remarkable to a nongoliath who witnesses a goliath shunning is how everyone acts in concert without anyone saying, “We’re going to shun Thotham completely 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 63 6/14/04, 7:58:56 AM
64CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS for three days, then half-shun him for four more. ” Goliaths communicate the degree of shunning by slight shifts in their body language, and many contend that they “just know ” how long a shunning should last. Roleplaying Application: Goliaths who sneak off on adventures might face shunning from a disapproving tribe when they return. Rebellious young goliaths often learn the traits of self-suffi ciency and independence —useful in a future career as an adventurer —when they spend a lot of time being shunned for minor infractions. Has your goliath character been shunned by his tribe? If so, for what infraction? How does he feel about this? Even when away from his tribe, does he use shunning to convey his disapproval of others ’ actions? How does he explain this behavior to his companions? Exiles Being exiled from the tribe is both the worst punishment an adjudicator can mete out, and the ultimate fate of all goliaths who don ’t die in battle or mishap. Exiles get a new honori fi c from the chieftain re fl ecting their changed status; then they pack their personal items into a backpack, say goodbye to friends and family, and walk away from the tribe, never to return. If a goliath is exiled due to age or debilitating injury, the lamenter performs a lament as the exile leaves. However, if exile is a punishment handed down by an adjudicator, no lament is performed, and the exiled goliath is shunned until he walks away. Most chiefs and lamenters interpret rather in fl exibly the maxim that every goliath must always contribute to the good of the tribe. Even a goliath who will probably recover from an injury —a goliath with a badly broken leg, for example — is left behind when a tribe moves on. Goliath society is also hardly immune to the petty jealousies and power struggles that make politically Illus. by J. Thomas Exile is the ultimate punishment for a goliath 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 64 6/14/04, 7:58:58 AM
65CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS motivated exiles a reality. Goliaths exiled while young often descend to areas of lower elevation and take up a nomadic, competitive lifestyle: that of the wandering adventurer. While some stubborn goliaths are forced into exile, it’s much more common for a goliath who feels his skills slipping to choose exile voluntarily rather than force the tribe into the awkward position of exiling him. Some goliaths live as solitary hermits for months or years after exile. But without the support and protection of the tribe, all exiles eventually succumb to the rigors and dangers of mountain life. Roleplaying Application: Most goliath PCs are exiles— voluntary or involuntary—from their tribes. Being exiled from the tribe is a natural stepping-stone to becoming a goliath adventurer. Your character is already nomadic; now he just has to make it on his own. Many goliaths who’ve been exiled surround themselves with close friends—creating a makeshift “tribe” out of their fellow adventurers. Is your goliath character an exile? If so, what was the reason for his exile? How does he feel about his former tribe? How does this exile affect his interactions with other goliaths? NATURE WORSHIP For millennia, goliaths have been nature worshipers who relied on druids to attend to their spiritual needs. While deities fi gure prominently in goliath folklore and culture, actual clerics have been exceedingly rare. Recently, however, clerics worshiping the fi ve-member goliath pantheon have been evangelizing among the goliath tribes, and the connection between folklore and daily worship is winning them converts. Goliath druids have responded to this effort with everything from outright hostility to enthusiastic support, but in most cases the arrival of a new religion (while the folklore and rites are old, active worship is new) has ushered in an era of competition for the spiritual lives of each goliath tribe. Goliath druids are just as competitive as any other goliaths, after all. When druids handle a tribe’s religious needs, the tribe’s skywatcher often leads prayers to Kavaki or the mountains themselves. Each equinox and solstice has its own druidic festival, and druidic blessings accompany each birth and death. A portion of each meal is left on a simple stone altar under the open sky as a sacrifice to preserve nature’s bounty. In tribes without clerics, druids are responsible for much of the healing required by the tribe, and high-level rangers often help a little. This obligation takes up more of the druids’ time and energy, so the druids don’t roam as far from camp as they do if the tribe also has clerics. Because they wield great power within such a tribe, druids wind up infl uencing the alignment of other tribe members. A tribe with a neutral evil druid, for example, will gradually develop a strong “every tribe for itself” attitude and become particularly ruthless in competitions. A lawful neutral druid often fi nds that his tribe follows a more regular migration pattern and tends to repeatedly choose the same captains for the same tasks. PANTHEISTIC RELIGION Pantheist goliath clerics show reverence for the fi ve deities that comprise the goliath pantheon as a unit, but they pick one deity as their favorite. A cleric chooses from among one deity’s domains and wears that deity’s holy symbol. Still, those clerics are comfortable leading rites and prayers to any of the fi ve deities, and clerics of the different deities display no animosity (and, unusual for goliaths, no competition) toward one another. A goliath cleric appeals to Kavaki for protective magic, Theleya for healing, and Vanua for a curse, for example. With the DM’s permission, a character can instead worship the goliath pantheon as a single unit. Worshiping a pantheon in this fashion allows a cleric to pick from any of the deities’ offered domains, rather than picking one deity as a favorite. The details of following this pattern of worship are described more fully in Complete Divine. A sixth goliath deity, Kuliak, is venerated strictly for burial rites and necromancy spells. Outside these contexts, the goliaths do not generally speak of her. KAVAKI, THE RAM-LORD Greater Deity (Neutral) Kavaki is the creator and guardian of the goliaths, guiding them safely from alpine meadow to snowy mountain peak and back again. He bids his followers to honor goliath heritage, to compete fi ercely, and to act for the good of the tribe in all things. Cave paintings often depict him as a massively muscled goliath with curled ram horns emerging from his head. Portfolio: Goliaths, competition. Domains: Protection, Strength, Travel, War. Cleric Training: Because Kavaki is the chief of all chieftains, clerics of the goliath pantheon learn about him from their tribal chieftain. Every morning, the chieftain offers a prayer to Kavaki, often adding a brief homily or tale of Kavaki protecting the goliath people. Quests: Whenever the welfare of one or more goliath tribes is at stake, Kavaki wants a cleric there. Kavaki’s agents often send brave goliaths to rescue tribes captured by giants or otherwise endangered. Prayers: Worshipers of Kavaki often use comparisons to venerate their deity or make a rhetorical point. For example, a prayer of praise might begin “Kavaki, you are taller than the mountains and more constant than the stars themselves.” Shrines: A simple wooden shrine to Kavaki stands within sight of the main campfire in a goliath camp. A ram skull often rests atop it. The goliaths design shrines to Kavaki to be portable when disassembled, but particularly good mountain campsites have more permanent, stationary shrines. Rites: Kavaki is called upon in rites that honor a new chieftain, bestow a new honorifi c on a goliath, or bless a new campsite. The most common rites involving Kavaki are the ceremonies after particularly important games or competitions. Speaking on behalf of Kavaki, the ceremony leader 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 65 6/14/04, 7:59:04 AM
66CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS compares the victors favorably to their opponents and exhorts all to strive even harder next time. Herald and Allies: The herald of Kavaki is a titan with 20 Hit Dice that looks like a ram-headed goliath. His allies are hound archons, leonal guardinals, and hound archon heroes. (See the Deity Description Format sidebar on page 17 for further information about heralds and allies.) Favored Weapon: Greatclub. KULIAK, THE DEAD GODDESS Demigod (Neutral) When they speak of her at all, clerics of the goliath pantheon say that Kuliak was once the deity of mountain springs, but the other deities spurned her when she overslept and forgot to lead the goliath tribes to water. Now Kuliak is venerated only when a goliath dies. Additionally, exiled goliaths fi nd comfort in Kuliak’s tale, and many worship her rather than the rest of the goliath pantheon. Kuliak looks like a rail-thin, starving goliath. Portfolio: The dead, exiles. Domains: Death, Magic, Travel, Water. Cleric Training: Except as part of a burial rite, it’s considered bad luck for nonexiled goliaths to even mention Kuliak’s name. Clerics of the goliath pantheon memorize the words to the rite and try not to think about Kuliak after that. But unlike the other deities that comprise the goliath pantheon, Kuliak is served by exiled goliath clerics who worship her and her alone. Because they are so widely scattered, her clerics have few specifi c teachings to impart and are eager for lore about their goddess. Quests: The dead occupy relatively little of Kuliak’s attention, so she acts as a shepherd for the goliath exiles. If exiles are endangered, her followers spare no effort to rescue them and keep them safe. Prayers: Kuliak’s prayers are often sung, and even if spoken they have a singsong quality. They have no regularity in meter or theme, because worshiping Kuliak is such an individual pursuit. Shrines: Kuliak has no formal shrines, but her worshipers sometimes gather at the graves of goliaths who died particularly heroic deaths. Rites: As a counterpoint to the shunning that precedes most decisions to exile a tribe member, Kuliak offers a brief “rite of welcoming,” in which someone is embraced three times when he or she enters a home or joins a group. Herald and Allies: Kuliak’s herald is an 18th-level goliath ghost barbarian. Her allies are Medium, Large, and Huge water elementals. Favored Weapon: Morningstar. MANETHAK, THE WISE HUNTER Intermediate Deity (Neutral) His clerics say that Manethak guides goliaths to the best game, although he teaches that “Each goliath must throw the spear himself.” Manethak’s followers contend that the search for game is the most important part of the hunt, and that the best hunter is the one who knows the most about his prey. When the hunt is over, Manethak’s followers are the fi rst to share what they’ve Illus. by D. Crabapple Holy symbol of Kavaki Holy symbol of Kuliak 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 66 6/14/04, 7:59:09 AM
67CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS learned around the campfi re. Manethak looks like an elderly goliath, but he is always depicted hunting, leaping, or performing some other action that leaves no doubt he’s still spry. Portfolio: Hunting, lore. Domains: Animal, Knowledge, Luck. Cleric Training: Many goliath hunters pray to Manethak, of course, but goliaths who take care to explain to others what they’ve learned on the hunt—the nuances of an elk’s tracks or the feeding patterns of a cave bear—have taken Manethak’s lessons to heart. Thus young clerics of the goliath pantheon practice aptitude as both hunters and teachers. Quests: When a particularly dangerous monster threatens goliaths, Manethak often arranges for a hunting quest to slay it. Manethak is also eager to hunt down lost lore of the goliaths and artifacts of bygone ages. Prayers: Prayers to Manethak take the form of a request or goal, followed by the means to achieve it. For example, a prayer said before butchering a carcass begins “May Manethak bless this animal for the good of the tribe. May he bless it as we separate fl esh from bone, hide from meat.” Shrines: A fl at rock where game is butchered serves as Manethak’s shrine. Because food preparation is a messy job, the shrine usually isn’t decorated. Rites: Manethak’s most well-known rite is the “ritual of the hunt,” which concludes with the hunters briefl y mimicking the movements and actions of their prey. Herald and Allies: Manethak’s herald is an old silver dragon with 28 Hit Dice. His allies are barghests, greater barghests, and elder arrowhawks. Favored Weapon: Spear. NAKI-UTHAI, THE BRAVE CLIMBER Lesser Deity (Neutral) Whenever goliaths reach a summit, pass, or high point safely, they offer thanks to NakiUthai, paragon of bravery and deity of climbing. Naki-Uthai urges his followers to push themselves to the limit and fear no great height or narrow ledge. Naki-Uthai is also known for having arms that hang down to the ground—all the better for reaching high handholds. Goliaths consider it heretical to depict Naki-Uthai descending rather than ascending. Portfolio: Mountains, climbing, bravery. Domains: Earth, Strength, Sun. Cleric Training: Would-be clerics of the goliath pantheon learn about Naki-Uthai during an extended climbing expedition. As they scale sheer cliffs and inch their way along narrow ledges, the goliaths are expected to pray to Naki-Uthai and meditate on the value of bravery. Quests: When something wonderful is rumored to lie just beyond the mountains or at the top of a particular peak, Naki-Uthai is the fi rst to encourage an expedition there. Finding new lands for a goliath tribe and slaying a dragon that lairs on a mountain summit are typical quests associated with Naki-Uthai. Prayers: NakiUthai’s prayers are often in verse. Frequently, the fi rst line or two is whispered, with each successive line delivered at greater volume until the prayer ends with a shout. Shrines: By tradition, the first goliath to climb a mountain then builds a cairn or other marker that claims the peak Illus. by D. Crabapple Holy symbol of Manethak Holy symbol of Naki-Uthai 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 67 6/14/04, 7:59:22 AM
68CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS for Naki-Uthai. Fierce mountain weather often destroys these shrines, so goliaths who reach a peak and don’t fi nd a shrine often make a pile of rocks just to be sure Naki-Uthai is represented on the mountain. Rites: Naki-Uthai has ceremonies for starting a journey and reaching a mountain peak—and by extension, any geographical goal. He also has a call-and-response liturgy known as the “exhortation of bravery” that almost every goliath knows by heart. Herald and Allies: Naki-Uthai’s herald is a 7th-level storm giant barbarian. His allies are Medium, Large, and Huge earth elementals. Favored Weapon: Heavy pick. THELEYA, THE FERTILE ONE Intermediate Deity (Neutral) The goliath deity of fertility and growth, Theleya is given credit whenever a healthy baby is born or a particularly rich patch of berries is found. Theleya’s clerics are often a tribe’s best healers, midwives, and tent-mothers. Theleya is generally depicted as a pregnant goliath holding a gourd-rattle full of seeds. Portfolio: Fertility, growth. Domains: Healing, Magic, Plant. Cleric Training: Tent-mothers are particularly fond of Theleya, so they pass along much of her lore to clerics in training. A goliath who takes ranks in the Heal, Profession (herbalist), or Knowledge (nature) skill probably learned about these skills in the context of Theleya’s teachings. Quests: Anything that endangers the fragile ecosystem that the goliaths rely on is of paramount concern to Theleya. She often bids adventurers to halt large-scale mining, overharvesting of timber, and the encroachment of civilization into goliath migration paths. Prayers: Prayers to Theleya involve more rhythmic breathing than complete sentences. After several cleansing breaths, someone praying might simply say, “Intercede . . .” or “Bless . . .” Shrines: The tent-mother often keeps a small shrine to Theleya—often a wood-and-hide box full of seeds and dried berries. Rites: Theleya probably has as many rites as the rest of the goliath pantheon put together. Her ceremonies honor the birth of a new goliath, bless each meal before it’s consumed, and mark the passing of the seasons. Herald and Allies: Thelaya’s herald is a 20th-level goliath cleric. Her allies are bralani eladrins, couatls, and planetars. Favored Weapon: Sickle. VANUA, THE HARBINGER OF WOE Lesser Deity (Neutral) It is said that Vanua is behind every avalanche, hidden crevasse, and sudden winter storm. Vanua is also responsible for countless pranks against deity and mortal alike. Stories of Vanua’s schemes are common in goliath folklore. While Vanua has a cruel, capricious streak, he’s not evil. His clerics contend that only through misfortune and hardship will the goliath people grow stronger. Vanua appears as a pale white goliath with fiery eyes. Portfolio: Natural disasters, misfortune. Domains: Destruction, Fire, Trickery. Cleric Training: Almost every goliath child is warned that if he doesn’t behave, Vanua will steal him away or make the rock beneath his feet crumble when he’s climbing. Vanua is so embedded in goliath folklore that little formal training is necessary to understand his role in the pantheon. Quests: Vanua likes nothing better than to separate the weak from the strong, so his agents sometimes set up schemes that put goliaths in harm’s way or create divisions within a healthy tribe. Prayers: Vanua’s prayers include a number of riddles and question-and-answer fl ourishes, such as “Who is the fl utter in the elder’s heart? Vanua!” Shrines: Vanua’s shrine is the goliath camp’s main campfi re. Sacrifi ces are simply thrown in the fi re to burn. Rites: Vanua has few rites, other than some brief ceremonies intended to bring misfortune to a spurned lover or other rival. Illus. by D. Crabapple Holy symbol of Theleya 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 68 6/14/04, 7:59:28 AM
69CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Herald and Allies: Vanua’s herald is an efreeti with 30 Hit Dice. His allies are Medium, Large, and Huge fi re elementals. Favored Weapon: Heavy fl ail. HISTORY AND FOLKLORE Because they rarely travel beyond their mountain migrations, goliaths have had little influence on the events of the wider world—thus far. Nonetheless, when goliaths tell tales of their own history, they are as full of great heroes, perfi dious villains, and epic struggles as the histories of other races. The following events and people are central to the goliaths’ oral tradition. Every goliath who grew up in a goliath tribe has heard them, but these stories are almost unheard of in the outside world. Each bit of goliath history detailed below has an associated adventure hook that describes a possible way for the event to be worked into an ongoing campaign. The Path into Icydark Decades ago, a well-organized band of frost giants under the leadership of Jarl Raurekk roamed the mountains, hiring every able-bodied goliath they could find to build an ice fortress called Haladath. The giants promised the goliaths payment in gold, armor, and weapons. But when Haladath was ready, Raurekk’s soldiers shackled the goliaths together and began marching them north through the mountains to a land where night conquered day. Many goliaths died along the way due to starvation, the bitter cold, or the cruelty of their captors. Some were forced to eat the corpses of the fallen to survive. None returned from the frozen north. Ever since, many goliath tribes honor their memory with a mournful chant to Kavaki delivered while the tribe faces north and weeps. No one knows why Raurekk marched the goliaths north, nor their ultimate destination. A few goliath escapees and frost giant deserters told tales of the harrowing journey, but they didn’t know the answers to several perplexing questions: Why did Raurekk build a fortress he never used? What led him into the darkness of the northern mountains? Why did he betray and imprison the goliaths? Adventure Hook: The descendants and relatives of the missing goliaths want adventurers willing to walk the Path into Icydark and return their family members to them. Unfortunately, such an endeavor involves more than simply forming an expedition to the north. A cabal of undead controls Haladath now, and the few survivors of the Path into Icydark are widely scattered among goliath tribes and frost giant steadings. The mountains of the far north feature an array of hazards both natural and malevolent that have so far kept anyone from mounting a serious rescue effort. Mualio Lonehunter Perhaps the most famous goliath of all is Mualio Lonehunter, a goliath ranger with a peerless gift for stalking the most elusive game. For centuries, goliaths have told tales of Mualio Illus. by D. Crabapple & J. Jarvis Holy symbol of Vanua Mualio Lonehunter is a legend among the goliath tribes 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 69 6/14/04, 7:59:33 AM
70CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Lonehunter around the campfi re. One tale describes how starving goliaths were about to succumb to hunger when Mualio crept into their camp with a gutted elk over each shoulder. Mualio’s gift would have remained anonymous if not for a goliath toddler who peeked out from her tent at the right moment. Other stories speak of Mualio fighting the dark elves with his dwarf allies deep underground, visiting the cities of the humans, or searching unceasingly for an albino dire elk said to possess great intelligence and a measure of magic power. Some say Mualio is a demigod and a child of Kavaki himself, while others say he wears a crown made of antlers that keeps him forever young. Adventure Hook: The characters meet an older goliath with powerful magic weapons and consummate stealth and tracking prowess. He reveals the secret that has ruled his life: He is the twenty-third goliath to call himself Mualio Lonehunter—each previous holder of the name chose a successor when he grewtoo old to hunt well. Now, the current Mualio isn’t strong enough to continue his wanderings on behalf of the goliath people. He offers the antlered crown (a powerful magic item, though it doesn’t actually bestow immortality) to a highlevel goliath PC, but makes him swear an oath to protect a particular goliath tribe against the machinations of an evil wizard. Vimak’s Expedition Vimak Seesfar, a renowned goliath hunter and tribal chieftain, spent an entire spring in the great tent-city of ThellaLu (described later in this chapter) recruiting the bravest and strongest goliaths he could fi nd for a journey “beyond the mountains to the golden fi elds of Kathalae.” Whenever someone would win a race, a wrestling match, or a game of goat-ball, Vimak would be there with a sheaf of ancient parchments and a gleam in his eye. Almost every goliath jumped at the chance to join his expedition (for the prestige, if nothing else). On the fi rst day of summer three years ago, Vimak’s expedition left Thella-Lu amid much fanfare. Vimak jealously guarded the parchments detailing his journey, so no one knew exactly where he was going. Some said he was heading west beyond the mountains to an unknown part of the continent. Still others speculated that Vimak’s destination lay beyond the Material Plane itself, perhaps in some untroubled part of Ysgard, Elysium, or Celestia. No one has heard from Vimak’s expedition since, although unscrupulous goliaths have been known to sell fake copies of Vimak’s papers to the curious. The expedition is due to return this year, and the anticipation in Thella-Lu is palpable. Adventure Hook: Kalakina Palehands, a badly wounded survivor from Vimak’s expedition, limps into Thella-Lu and describes a game-rich land where diamonds litter the valley fl oor and each mountain peak has an ancient, empty city built from ivory and emerald. She says that just as a team hand-picked by Vimak was leaving to tell all goliaths of the discovery, heavily armed creatures with black and red carapaces fell from the sky and made war against Vimak’s explorers. Kalakina escaped the invaders—or perhaps former residents of the land beyond the mountains—then survived many perils along the route to Thella-Lu. Despite her wounds, Kalakina sketched a map to the Land Beyond the Mountains. However, before she could detail the hazards of the journey, she disappeared before the very eyes of Thella-Lu’s healer clerics. The Broken Pact War The origin of the violent feud between the Thaliak and Gonimalaka tribes is a matter of controversy, but goliaths on both sides agree that the feud will end only when one tribe and its allies defeat the last of their bitter foes. Occasionally the Broken Pact War settles down to the point where Thaliak-affiliated tribes are merely rivals of Gonimalaka tribes, but bloodshed soon erupts again. Many goliath tribes now spurn both Thaliaks and Gonimalakas because they don’t want to be drawn into the war. Neither Thaliaknor Gonimalaka-affi liated tribes are welcome in Thella-Lu for the same reason. One of the most famous battles between the Thaliaks and Gonimalakas is the Ridge of Shirts, so named because a Gonimalaka-allied war party numbering nearly a thousand braved the spears of five hundred Thaliaks determined to hold a particular ridge. Because the day was so hot, goliaths on both sides stripped to their shirts, making it difficult to tell friend from foe. When night fell, it is said that only four Thaliaks and ten Gonimalakas had escaped death or grievous injury, and that lowland rivers ran red for a week. Only the fact that an unusual number of Thaliak and Gonimalaka females were pregnant at the time kept the tribes—and the Broken Pact War—from fading into history. Adventure Hook: Even now, malevolent ghosts from both tribes haunt the Ridge of Shirts—not even death could end their bitter hate. Weapons and armor, including some powerful examples of dwarven craftsmanship, are strewn across the ridge. So far the ghosts have kept away those who would scour the battlefi eld for war trophies. Also, a goliath sorcerer who briefl y visited the site contends that the Ridge of Shirts is now a portal that transports visitors to the Outer Plane of Ysgard. Kunikithi Town While almost all goliaths are mountain hunter-gatherers, the Kunikithi tribe settled permanently in the lowlands, keeping a promise to forever till the family farm of a human adventurer who befriended the tribe a generation ago. To keep this promise, the tribe built a typical village next to the farm—in goliath scale. From the doorways to the furniture, everything in Kunikithi Town is uncomfortably big for humans, elves, and dwarves. Gnomes and halfl ings seem to mind it less, since they’re accustomed to clambering onto tall barstools and reaching up to grab door handles anyway. After a diffi cult (and by some accounts humorous) transition, the Kunikithis have adapted to agricultural life rather 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 70 6/14/04, 7:59:41 AM
71CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS well. Each Kunikithi youth is sent back up into the mountains to join a tribe for a year; the Kunikithi “mayor chieftain” says the sojourn reminds the young of their alpine heritage. Adolescent Kunikithis generally hate it, although some fi nd the nomadic life so appealing that they never return to Kunikithi Town. Adventure Hook: The PCs visit this strange town where every villager and every structure is unaccountably large, and thus they learn about the goliaths. A reluctant Kunikithi youth might need an escort into the mountains, or a nearby town might not be understanding and accepting of their large neighbors, mistaking them for ogres or hill giants. Schism of the Spirit For centuries, druids have been the spiritual leaders of the goliaths, preaching the divine power of nature but still paying homage to Kavaki and the rest of the goliath pantheon. Goliath clerics were few and far between during this time, but in recent years those ranks have swelled. The clerics have been winning entire tribes over to their doctrine, which places much more emphasis on the goliath pantheon and less emphasis on nature worship. Goliath druids realize their primacy in spiritual affairs is under challenge, so they’re less than welcoming to visiting goliath cleric evangelists. Only rarely does a druid–cleric rivalry break out into an actual fi ght, but both sides do their utmost to win the hearts and minds of each goliath tribe. Plus, if one side can defeat the other in a fair competition or otherwise discredit their doctrine, so much the better. The more conservative druids listen to the teachings of Imikaula Moonshadow, a high-level druid who claims that many of the clerics don’t truly worship Kavaki. Authagua Ramhorn is the de facto leader of the more militant clerics; she contends that the druids have kept too much divine wisdom and power for themselves. Adventure Hook: Goliath clerics seeking adherents among the tribes of the Aman-Kaa Valley are going missing, and their comrades place the blame squarely at the feet of the druids. As an unaffi liated group, the PCs are asked by one of the tribal chiefs to solve the mystery, rescue the clerics, and bring the culprits to justice. Representatives of Imikaula and Authagua—or the leaders themselves, in a high-level adventure—complicate the PCs’ investigations with their meddling. Dwarflost Ask goliaths why they all live in the mountains, and they quickly point out that not all goliaths do. Interestingly, every goliath proves the point with the same example: a set of tribes known as the Dwarfl ost. Brought near starvation by a high-mountain drought that drove away game and eliminated vegetation, the tribes followed a mountain spring to its source—an underground river. To their surprise, the tribes found that life was possible under the mountains as well as atop them. During that dry summer, they learned to forage for cavern mushrooms, hunt subterranean creatures, and make their way among the vast network of caves they found. As the seasons passed, they spent less and less time aboveground, eventually establishing an alliance with a nearby clan of dwarves. The dwarfl ost tribes maintain much of the traditional goliath way of life, but their pale skin and hunchback torsos mark them as different than alpine goliaths. Adventure Hook: A powerful earthquake has closed the cave complex that connects the dwarflost tribes to the surface. While the dwarflost tribes can survive indefinitely underground, several influential tribes of surface-dwelling goliaths want the PCs to find a new pathway to them and reestablish contact. Their chieftains won’t say why the dwarflost are so important, and rumors ascribe varying motivations for the mission. Some say the dwarflost were tiring of life underground, and the chiefs want to rescue them. Others say the dwarflost have a powerful goliath artifact in their possession, and yet others claim that a prophecy says that a dwarflost must marry into a surface-dwelling tribe to avert certain doom. Uthanikalai Among the goliaths, the story of the Uthanikalai tribe is often told as a cautionary tale about how jealousy can destroy tribal unity. As recently as twenty years ago, the Uthanikalais were regarded as the most powerful and prosperous goliath tribe. Members of the tribe were often among the winners in the games of Thella-Lu, and other tribes looked with envy on the Uthanikalais’ riches (acquired through canny trading with the dwarves), prowess at hunting, and peerless ability to always predict where game and forage would be plentiful. But today the Uthanikalais are no more, torn apart by the enmity of the tribal chief’s two daughters, Kaelao and Anamoaka. Some say the two were rivals from birth, while others say a particularly handsome hunter from another tribe wooed both females, setting them against each other. Whatever the reason, Kaelao’s and Anamoaka’s schemes against each other escalated until the entire tribe was rent asunder. At first, the sisters’ attacks were petty: Kaelao disparaged Anamoaka’s ability to hunt, while Anamoaka wondered aloud about Kaelao’s preoccupation with honey mead. Then Anamoaka’s daughter was found dead in the infant tent one morning, and Kaelao’s husband fell to his death during a cliff-race. The two sisters began to enlist other members of the Uthanikalai tribe in their private war, and soon half the tribe was plotting the ruin of the other half. The tribe’s clerics and druids dropped their own rivalry to try to avert the infi ghting, but the Uthanikalais had descended too far into a spiral of betrayal and revenge. One night, almost all the Uthanikalais died immediately after a great summer solstice feast. Clerics assigned to build a cairn over the entire campsite reported that the feast pot contained traces of at least four different poisons. Adventure Hook: Kaelao and Anamoaka survived the poison feast, and today they both lead smaller tribes that are largely distrusted by any goliath who knows their 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 71 6/14/04, 7:59:43 AM
72CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS history. The prospect of a new Uthanikalai tribe exists; an adolescent goliath named Nanekath has come forth, claiming both Kaelao and Anamoaka as grandmothers (the result of a dalliance in Thella-Lu where neither paramour knew the other’s heritage). Nanekath can claim his birthright by joining either tribe, somehow uniting them, or forming a new tribe from outcast goliaths—a tribe that recalls the past glories of the Uthanikalais of old. LANGUAGE The goliath language, Gol-Kaa, is structurally similar to modern-day English. Nouns don’t have genders, there are three main tenses (past, present, and future), and modifi ers such as adjectives and adverbs usually precede the words they modify. But unlike English, Gol-Kaa doesn’t have articles; whether you’re talking about “the wolf” or “a wolf” is made apparent through context. Goliaths speak Gol-Kaa in the active voice (“Kulagath climbed the mountain”) almost exclusively. Using the passive voice (“the mountain was climbed by Kulagath”) is grammatically torturous, so most goliaths don’t bother. Because Gol-Kaa is entirely phonetic, spelling out GolKaa words with the Dwarven alphabet is easy—the language has no exceptions or unusual spellings. But because Gol-Kaa has only thirteen sounds, it has a limited supply of possible syllables. Thus, individual words tend to be rather long. GOL-KAA PHRASEBOOK The following Gol-Kaa phrases might come up at the gaming table with some regularity. Depending on your style of play, you can use the actual Gol-Kaa words or their English translations when you’re playing a goliath PC. Aulak thala kaua gamala. Literally translated as “Hunt the herd one animal at a time,” this is a common goliath proverb urging caution, patience, and proper planning. Kavalio . . . This is a shortened, corrupted form of Kavaki kae lilio . . . , which means, “May Kavaki grant that. . . .” It means “I hope that . . .” or “Please” in a formal setting. Gath. This word has no meaning by itself, but it adds emphasis to whatever word precedes it. If kea namala means “I’m bleeding,” then kea namala gath means “I’m bleeding profusely.” Gol ilakae kathana kulia. The literal translation is “Make sure your spear shaft is straight,” but more broadly it means “Mind your own business, not mine.” Kuli gumatha goli kanakath. “My shoulder is at your back.” This is a common promise of teamwork and an exhortation to greater deeds. Gol maula kae. “You have exceeded me” is the word-forword translation, but the expression is more commonly used to indicate concession to the victor in a contest, or as a particularly polite apology. Goli lenamaka nae. Translated as “Keep your antlers up,” this is a warning to be alert and perceptive. Kuli ananaka kulae aulaka. “My heart is in my head.” Originating with the sensation of feeling a blood-rush in the temples when a goliath is excited, this exclamation indicates excitement and anticipation. Lothakal lanae lulakamana. Literally, this means “an elk in a berry-bush,” but the goliaths use the expression to describe something that’s exceptionally lucky or too good to be true. The idiom is based on goliath folklore about an elk with its antlers caught in the thorny vines of a blackberry bush, thus simultaneously providing meat and fruit for the evening feast. Elieka kukanath mali kothek, naulae kukanath mali anemakua. “Fast goats provide drink, slow goats provide food.” This is an exhortation to hurry, based on the goliaths’ relationship with the mountain goats in their care. Many goliaths tame a small number of goats for their milk, but end up eating those goats that can’t keep up (or even those that can, when game is scarce). Kuthalam gailek, naua namamek thanea. “Respect the width, but don’t fear the height.” A goliath afraid of heights wouldn’t last long as a mountain nomad, of course, but goliaths are appropriately careful when they’re walking along a narrow cliff ledge. The proverb points out that the distance to the ground doesn’t matter nearly as much as the width of the ledge you’re balancing on. Kauma nau emaka nauth. Literally, this means “The mountain doesn’t climb itself.” It reminds one to work hard, especially when beginning a new or diffi cult task. Thaaval. Roughly translated as “rotten carcass,” this is an all-purpose goliath curse. A rotten carcass is useless to a goliath, so this term is used to describe reactions ranging from disgust to exasperation to ridicule. The goliaths’ use of the word thaaval is analogous to how humans use various synonyms for excrement. GOLIATH NAMES Goliaths have three names: a short fi rst name, an honorifi c or nickname, and a long family name. Tribe members call each other by their middle names most of the time, using the fi rst name in somewhat more formal settings and when identifying a goliath to someone outside the tribe. For example, a visitor to a goliath encampment would be introduced to the chieftain, Nakelath. That visitor wouldn’t hear the tribe members call the chieftain Nakelath, but probably Swiftclimber instead. The family name is reserved for ceremonial situations and other times when one’s heritage is signifi cant. Random Name Generation: Because the goliath language consists of thirteen phonetic sounds, constructing goliath names is relatively easy. First names have 1d3+1 syllables, while last names have 1d4+3 syllables. Make sure the last name ends in a vowel—keep adding syllables until it does. Table 3–1 has two columns. Use the fi rst column unless the previous syllable in the word ended in a consonant. If it did end in a consonant, use the second column. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 72 6/14/04, 7:59:45 AM
73CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Table 3–1: Gol-Kaa Syllables To randomly determine a character’s middle name, roll on Table 3–2. Then, roll twice on the indicated table. Reroll if you get a result that doesn’t make sense or if you dislike the result. Table 3–2: Goliath Honorific Sets d% Set 01–20 Table 3–3: Goliath Honorific Set 1 21–40 Table 3–4: Goliath Honorifi c Set 2 41–60 Table 3–5: Goliath Honorific Set 3 61–80 Table 3–6: Goliath Honorifi c Set 4 81–100 Table 3–7: Goliath Honorific Set 5 Table 3–3: Goliath Honorific Set 1 d% Roll 1 Roll 2 01–10 Elk Friend 11–18 Deer Killer 19–26 Goat Caller 27–36 Ram Hunter 37–44 Falcon Stalker 45–52 Boar Gutter 53–60 Badger Tamer 61–68 Wolf Tracker 69–76 Marmot Chaser 77–84 Pika Trapper 85–92 Sparrow Singer 93–100 Bear Herder Table 3–4: Goliath Honorific Set 2 d% Roll 1 Roll 2 01–09 Steady Climber 10–19 Swift Leaper 20–28 Quick Wrestler 29–37 Strong Fighter 38–46 Brave Slayer 47–55 Clever Healer 56–64 Silent Guard 65–73 Hidden Runner 74–82 Dark Strider 83–91 Tall Scouter 92–100 Long Packer Table 3–5: Goliath Honorific Set 3 d% Roll 1 Roll 2 01–08 Peak Master 09–16 Summit Champion 17–23 Valley Teacher 24–30 River Watcher 31–38 Avalanche Finder 39–46 Cliff Student 47–54 Cloud Mapper 55–62 Sky Father 63–69 Snow Mother 70–76 Meadow Child 77–84 Trail Elder 85–92 Path Seeker 93–100 Vista Striver Table 3–6: Goliath Honorific Set 4 d% Roll 1 Roll 2 01–09 Horn Weaver 10–18 Antler Carver 19–26 Thread Maker 27–34 Skin Finder 35–43 Skull Sharpener 44–51 Bone Breaker 52–59 Fur Gleaner 60–67 Paint Sorter 68–75 Arrow Builder 76–84 Spear Blesser 85–92 Club Shiner 93–100 Tent Bearer d% Syllable Alternative 01 a’a ai 02 ae ae 03 ag ai 04 ai al 05 ak a 06 al a 07 am a 08 an a 09 ath ae 10 au a 11 ea am 12 eg al 13 eth am 14 ga an 15 gak ath 16 gal aa 17 gam aa 18 gan ath 19 gau an 20 go av 21 goa av 22 gol av 23 gua ath 24 guv ag 25 ia e 26 ik e 27 il e 28 im e 29 in ea 30 ka ea 31 kae eth 32 kak el 33 kam en 34 kan em 35 kath en 36 kau eo 37 kav eth 38 ke ea 39 kea el 40 kel eo 41 ki eth 42 kua em 43 kul ek 44 la ev 45 lak ia 46 lath io 47 lav ia 48 le ev 49 lea i 50 li i d% Syllable Alternative 51 lo i 52 loa i 53 lu i 54 ma io 55 mae il 56 mak ith 57 mal o 58 man ith 59 math o 60 mav o 61 mea im 62 mel o 63 moa iak 64 mu o 65 mua in 66 na oa 67 nae oa 68 nak om 69 nam on 70 nan on 71 ne o’o 72 nea o’o 73 ni om 74 nil ok 75 noa ok 76 nu ol 77 oa oth 78 oak oo 79 oam oo 80 ok oth 81 ol ov 82 om oth 83 on ov 84 oth ol 85 ov ov 86 tha u 87 thak u 88 thal u 89 thau u 90 thea u 91 ua ua 92 uk ua 93 ul ui 94 um ui 95 un uth 96 uth ua 97 va uth 98 vae uv 99 vath uv 100 vo uu 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 73 6/14/04, 7:59:47 AM
74CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Table 3–7: Goliath Honorific Set 5 d% Roll 1 Roll 2 01–08 Slow Hand 09–16 Sure Arm 17–24 Crafty Ear 25–33 Keen Eye 34–42 Death Fist 43–50 Twisted Leg 51–59 Scar Face 60–67 Pale Foot 68–75 Mottle Grasp 76–83 Fast Fingers 84–92 Steel Grip 93–100 Flint Mind EXAMPLE TRIBE: THE KATHAALS The Kathaals are a typical goliath tribe, content to spend their winters in the alpine meadows, then summering at higher elevations to avoid the heat and follow the game. While they don’t follow the same path year after year, the Kathaals have fallen into a reliable pattern. Still, a number of challenges threaten the comfortable rule of chieftain Akala Fishstringer Kulie-Kamana—not the least of which is Akala’s advancing age. At any given time, the Kathaal tribe numbers between eighty and ninety goliaths. Of these, about ten are infants and toddlers; the rest spend their days hunting, foraging, and crafting new clothing and gear for the tribe. The average age of the tribe members is twenty-four, and at the age of fi ftyfi ve, Akala is by far the oldest member. KATHAAL MIGRATION PATTERN The Kathaal tribe maintains a stationary camp for two to four weeks, then spends anywhere from a few days to two weeks traveling. Their annual loop takes them across nearly a thousand miles of rugged mountain terrain, so it’s not an easy life. Many goliath tribes live on the cusp of starvation. Luckily, the Kathaals are adept at maintaining their nomadic lifestyle, and they retain a stockpile of three to seven days’ food on hand at any given time. January: The Kathaals spend the coldest part of winter in low-elevation foothills. Their favorite place to camp is in a box canyon that opens in the direction of the prevailing winds. This choice of location keeps their campsite frigid and uncomfortable, but the winds disperse the smoke from their campfires, keeping them well hidden from the goblinoid tribes and meddlesome human bandits that also hole up in the hills. This is the toughest month for fi nding food; the Kathaals subsist on dried meat and root mash, with only occasional fresh game. Characters who meet the Kathaals at this point will fi nd them extremely cautious toward interlopers. Once the PCs have gained the Kathaals’ trust, however, the goliaths happily trade goods or services for food. Adventure Hook: The Kathaals, near starvation, attempt to waylay the PCs and take their food. They pull their punches to avoid killing PCs, unless the PCs kill one of them first. February: With the fi rst rains, the Kathaals move to a series of camps just above the tree line or within the forest itself if the higher elevations experienced heavy snow fall earlier that winter. When the alpine forests get signifi cant moisture, the goliaths enjoy a special bounty: mushrooms. Seemingly overnight, a half-dozen varieties of edible mush rooms sprout in the forest, and the Kathaals do their best to pick the woods clean. Although they are at home in the mountains, the goliath hunters and foragers are also competent at woodcraft, so PCs in the woods might fi nd themselves surprised by a team of Kathaal mushroompickers or deer-hunters. The omnipresent cold rain can lead to a dreary existence for goliaths cooped up in the forest, so the Kathaals will be particularly welcoming to strangers who promise entertainment, as long as they pose no obvious danger. Adventure Hook: PCs wandering the forest come to the Kathaal campsite around suppertime and are invited to play drink-and-tell with the bored, morose goliaths. If they do well, the goliaths provide information about the forest’s dangers and maybe even a guide. March: As soon as the snow melts from key passes in the foothills, a halfl ing trade caravan visits the Kathaals at a camp called Mirror Lake. The halfl ings trade metal tools, luxury items, and arrowheads for mushrooms the Kathaals have gathered, as well as examples of artisanship that talented goliaths have been working on all winter, such as embroidered blankets, fur coats, and intricate wooden carvings. Characters who meet the Kathaals at Mirror Lake fi nd them anxious for word of the halfl ings and increasingly worried if they think they are lingering at the lake too long. The lake isn’t an easy place to defend from a nearby tribe of ogres. Last year, it was the site of a major battle that ended in the death of eight goliath warriors. Adventure Hook: The PCs arrive at Mirror Lake just as the ogres attack, and they must choose sides—or a nervous combatant will choose sides for them. April: The herds of elk, deer, and mountain goats are on the move to higher ground, and so are the Kathaals. The tribe rarely stays in the same place for more than two days, although the amount of snow left on the trail can place a limit on their progress. This is one of the better hunting times for the tribe, so fresh meat is plentiful—a refreshing change from the winter fare of dried meat, day after day. The Kathaals often spend a few weeks tracing the Leviak River to its source, trapping spawning salmon in nets and hunting the occasional bear. The Kathaals preserve any extra food by smoking it, because they know they can trade it next month. Because almost half the days this month are spent traveling, it’s more likely that PCs encounter either an advance scouting party or the entire tribe moving en masse. Adventure Hook: Characters fording the Leviak River accidentally frighten the fi sh away from a goliath net. They have to talk or fi ght their way past angry goliaths who don’t want to go back to camp empty-handed. May: The Kathaals’ migration path takes them near an egress point to a cave complex ruled by the Brightdagger 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 74 6/14/04, 7:59:49 AM
Kathaal Mirror Lake Camp Kathaal Mirror Lake Camp Food preparation preparation area Chief Akala's tent Chief Akala's tent Children's tent Children's tent Rocks for goat-ball Rocks for goat-ball Thuliana Thuliana Skywatcher's tent Skywatcher's tent Kothi Silentbear's Kothi Silentbear's tent Ethavio Ethavio Flamespeaker's Flamespeaker's tent One Square Equals 5 feet One Square Equals 5 feet Ulia Dawncaller's Ulia Dawncaller's tent Kathaal Mirror Lake Camp Food preparation area Chief Akala's tent Children's tent Rocks for goat-ball Thuliana Skywatcher's tent Kothi Silentbear's tent Ethavio Flamespeaker's tent One square equals 5 feet Ulia Dawncaller's tent 75CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS clan of dwarves. Akala makes it a point to visit the dwarves near the end of the month to trade meat and fi sh for weapons, armor, and other metal goods. The tribe is happy to visit the Brightdaggers for two reasons: Every goliath is pleased to have a sharp new axe, and they are all glad to be rid of the overstuffed packs of food that Akala insisted they carry with them to trade with the dwarves. This month fi nds the Kathaals quite welcoming of visitors who offer trade, although the goliaths can afford to be cagey bargainers because they know they can look forward to trading with the dwarves. Adventure Hook: Traveling underground, the characters encounter a very nervous band of torch-bearing goliaths, heavily laden with meat and fi sh. The goliaths don’t know it, but they took a wrong turn on their way to the Brightdagger clan. June: The Kathaal tribe spends most of the month in the Five Lakes Basin, a valley accessible only after a treacherous climb. The fruitful hunting and foraging makes the climb worth it. Many goliath tribes know about the Five Lakes Basin, so the Kathaals sometimes share a campsite with an allied tribe or fi nd themselves fi ghting a rival tribe over a particularly good hunting area or water source. If encountered this month, the Kathaals are generally friendly, but alert to anyone who poaches on “their” territory and eager to defend it from interlopers. Adventure Hook: The PCs come across a pitched battle between a Kathaal hunting team and a team from a rival tribe. The Kathaals are defending a brace of gutted elk hanging from a tree. July: When Akala thinks Five Lakes Basin is growing too crowded, the Kathaal tribe climbs out to a series of high alpine meadows. This month marks the peak growth of many berries and edible roots, but the available game is widely dispersed. Thus, the Kathaal diet is mostly vegetarian at this stage. The Kathaals range higher than most goliath tribes, so they don’t face competition for foraging. The tribe has a fair amount of leisure time this month, since food is plentiful and the weather is mild. The Kathaals are startled by any PCs they encounter this month, because so few people, goliath or not, climb this high. Adventure Hook: The characters must contend with an avalanche (see page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) accidentally started by a goliath cliff-race far above them. From the PCs’ perspective, the avalanche might not look like an accident. August: After a tricky series of descents from the high country, the Kathaal tribe comes to the great goliath tentcity of Thella-Lu (described later in this chapter). They spend two to four weeks there engaging in sport, religious celebration, and interaction with the other tribes. Akala spends most of his time conferring with other chieftains about game migrations, and the hunting reports he hears determine how long the tribe remains in the city. Once the tribe bids farewell to Thella-Lu for another year, it continues its slow descent from the mountains. Adventure Hook: When the PCs arrive in Thella-Lu, they’re offered a hot meal among the Kathaals in exchange for a detailed description of the fl ora and fauna they’ve encountered on their travels. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 75 6/14/04, 7:59:53 AM
76CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS September: The autumn season begins with as much hunting as Akala can manage, because the month ends with another trading visit to the Brightdagger clan. The nature of the weather determines how successful the hunting is, and thus how long the tribe tarries among the dwarves. Even if the hunting has been poor, Akala makes at least a brief visit to the Brightdaggers to offer some token trades. Whether encountered before or after the Brightdagger visit, the tribe tends to be hospitable in September; everyone knows that a long winter is coming, so any diversion is welcome. Adventure Hook: The characters encounter a contingent of Kathaals on their way to visit the Brightdaggers. The PCs are invited to travel along and meet the dwarf clan. October: This month marks the best hunting of the year, because the herd animals are rutting and easier to approach. The tribe focuses on getting as much hunting and skinning done as possible this month, in preparation for the long winter. If hunting is particularly good, Akala either sends a contingent back uphill to trade one last time with the Brightdaggers, or he sends food downhill to be buried in caches for winter. How the Kathaals react to strangers this month depends on how the hunting is going. They react poorly to anything that threatens their ability to hunt, but PCs who can help bring back game are quickly befriended. Adventure Hook: The PCs come across a team of goliath hunters brandishing weapons in their general direction. If the characters don’t attack right away, they notice the brown bear behind them—the goliaths’ true target. November: The snows fall in earnest this month, so the descent from the high country becomes a race to stay ahead of the high-elevation blizzards. Akala relies heavily on advice from Thuliana, the tribe’s skywatcher, to avoid getting the whole tribe foundered in heavy snow. The tribe tends to be inhospitable this month, since they have a pace to keep and they’re trying to eke every last morsel of food out of their environment. Adventure Hook: A heavy snowfall has left a column of the Kathaal tribe unable to outrun a rampaging pair of remorhazes. If the PCs defeat the remorhazes, Akala and the rest of the tribe are exceedingly grateful. December: As part of a promise Akala made years ago to his now-deceased uncle, the Kathaal tribe sends a war party east as soon as they reach lower elevations. They stealthily march to a rift valley held by a frost giant jarl who imprisoned an entire tribe of goliaths years ago (see the History and Folklore section earlier in this chapter). Each year, the Kathaals raid the frost giants’ fortress, then retreat into the snowy foothills before the giants can retaliate. Sending a war party this year is one of Akala’s most controversial decisions, because last year a frost giant tracker followed the raiders back to the Kathaal camp. She was slain only at the cost of nine tribe members, and many Kathaals worry that the frost giants will be waiting for the raiders this year. The tribe will be grateful to PCs who want to accompany them on this raid. Adventure Hook: The PCs encounter the raiders on their way to the rift valley. The tribe is somewhat depleted of capable warriors, so the goliaths might offer the PCs all the treasure they can grab if they join the raiders. IMPORTANT KATHAAL MEMBERS The following NPCs are important members of the Kathaal tribe. Akala Fishstringer Kulie-Kamana Akala is getting old, and he knows it. But he still believes that he’s the best hope of the Kathaal tribe’s surviving (and, indeed, thriving) for another year. Unlike most goliaths, Akala fi nds that he’s getting bolder with each advancing year. His wife, Ithikea Charmweaver, tells him he’s being reckless because he wants to die in combat or by accident, rather than suffering the gradual decline of old age and exile. Akala says she’s half right: He knows his time as chieftain is running out, and he wants to make sure the tribe is in the best possible shape before he walks away from the campfi re one last time. Akala also knows that the tribe has no clear successor to his position, so he’s starting to eye potential candidates. Akala earned his honorifi c when the tribe fi rst found the path along the Leviak River. Young Akala proved adept at net fi shing and brought back a string of salmon so heavy he could barely carry it. Akala Fishstringer Kulie-Kamana: Male goliath barbarian 12; CR 13; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 12d12+24; hp 107; Init –1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 10, fl atfooted 19; Base Atk +12; Grp +20; Atk +18 melee (3d6+7/ 19–20/×3, Large +1 greataxe); Full Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (3d6+7/19–20/×3, Large +1 greataxe); SA greater mountain rage 4/day; SQ fast movement, fortifi cation, goliath traits, illiteracy, racial substitution levels (barbarian 1st, 5th, 7th), skin of stone, trap sense +4, uncanny dodge; AL CG; SV Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +10; Str 18, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 16. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +6, Intimidate +11, Jump +8, Listen +8, Sense Motive +9, Survival +12; Cleave, Iron Will, Improved Critical (greataxe), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greataxe). Greater Mountain Rage (Ex): Four times per day, Akala can enter a greater mountain rage that lasts for 8 rounds. The following changes are in effect as long as he rages: Large monstrous humanoid; hp 131; AC 16, touch 7, fl at-footed 16; Grp +23; Atk +20 melee (3d6+11/19–20/×3, Large +1 greataxe); Full Atk +20/+15/+10 melee (3d6+11/19–20/×3, Large +1 greataxe); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SV Fort +15, Will +13; Str 24, Con 20; Climb +11, Jump +11. Akala can still wield only Large weapons. At the end of his rage, Akala is fatigued for the duration of the encounter. Fortifi cation (Ex): Akala’s tough hide negates critical hits or sneak attacks that successfully hit him 25% of the time. Damage is instead rolled normally. Goliath Traits (Ex): Akala’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Akala can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 76 6/14/04, 7:59:57 AM
77CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Akala is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Skin of Stone (Ex): Akala has damage reduction 4/ adamantine. Trap Sense (Ex): Against attacks by traps, Akala gets a +4 bonus on Refl ex saves and a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Akala can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even when caught flat-footed. Possessions: +3 breastplate, Large +1 greataxe, amulet of natural armor +1, circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, 2 potions of cure serious wounds, 143 pp. Thuliana Skywatcher Avaelakumatha In many tribes, the skywatcher druid is a rival to the chieftain, subtly or overtly questioning the choices the chieftain makes. This is not the case among the Kathaal tribe. Thuliana harbors a secret love for Akala and helps him however she can. Thuliana knows she can never take Akala from Ithikea’s tent, but she can’t help hoping that something might bring Akala into her arms. Thuliana doesn’t challenge Akala’s rule, but she is a conservative druid. She engineered the shunning and eventual exile of a young pantheist cleric last year, an act that no one knows about but that causes her much guilt. Thuliana Skywatcher Avaelakumatha: Female goliath druid 9; CR 10; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 9d8+18; hp 63; Init –1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +6; Grp +14; Atk +8 melee (1d8+1/18–20, Large masterwork scimitar); Full Atk +8/ +3 melee (1d8+1/18–20, Large masterwork scimitar); SA —; SQ earth companion, elemental bond, goliath traits, link with companion, nature sense, racial substitution levels (druid 1st, 6th), resist nature’s lure, share spells, trackless step, venom immunity, wild empathy +13 (+9 magical beasts), wild shape 3/day (Small, Medium, or Large animal), woodland stride; AL NG; SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Concentration +11, Diplomacy +11, Handle Animal +8, Jump –7, Knowledge (nature) +13, Listen +11, Ride +1, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +7, Spot +11, Survival +13 (+15 in aboveground natural environments); Alertness, Natural Spell, Negotiator, Track. Earth Companion (Ex): Thuliana has a wolf with the earth subtype as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies Thuliana on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Darkscouter: Wolf animal companion; CR —; Medium magical beast (earth); HD 6d8+18 plus 3; hp 48; Init +2; Spd 50 ft., burrow 10 ft.; AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +4; Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3, bite); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+3, bite); SA earth mastery, trip; SQ bonus tricks, damage reduction 5/ magic, devotion, evasion, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Hide +4, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +5, Survival +1 (+5 when tracking by scent); Alertness, Toughness, TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite). Earth Mastery: Darkscouter gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the companion takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls. Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+3 check modifi er) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf. Bonus Tricks: This wolf is capable of learning three tricks in addition to any that Thuliana might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the Player’s Handbook). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Thuliana selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed. Devotion (Ex): Darkscouter has a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. Evasion (Ex): If Darkscouter is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Scent (Ex): Can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Elemental Bond (Ex): When casting a summon nature’s ally spell to summon a creature with the earth subtype, Thuliana may treat the spell as if it were the next-higher-level version of that spell. Thuliana can’t summon air, fi re, or water creatures. Goliath Traits (Ex): Thuliana’s physical stature lets her function in many ways as if she were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Thuliana can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. She can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Thuliana is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Link with Companion (Ex): Thuliana can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, with a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks made while dealing with that animal. Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Thuliana gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey. Share Spells (Ex): Thuliana may have any spell she casts on herself also affect her animal companion if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. She may also cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 77 6/14/04, 8:00:02 AM
78CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Trackless Step (Ex): Thuliana leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. Venom Immunity (Ex): Thuliana is immune to all poisons. Wild Shape (Su): Thuliana can change into a Small, Medium, or Large animal and back again three times per day, as per the polymorph spell. This ability lasts for 9 hours or until she changes back. Woodland Stride (Ex): Thuliana can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at her normal speed and without damage or other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion still affect Thuliana. Druid Spells Prepared (6/5/5/4/2/1; save DC 14 + spell level): 0—detect magic (2), detect poison, know direction, light, read magic; 1st—cure light wounds, entangle, longstrider, obscuring mist, speak with animals; 2nd—animal messenger, barkskin, delay poison, hold animal, tree shape; 3rd—cure moderate wounds, plant growth, speak with plants, stone shape; 4th—control water, cure serious wounds; 5th—commune with nature. Possessions: +1 hide armor, +1 light wooden shield, Large masterwork scimitar, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, 2 potions of cure serious wounds, scroll of reincarnate, scroll of wall of fi re, 80 pp, 3 gp. Kothi Silentbear Vathakanama Kothi is the tribe’s best hunter and warrior. He would be next in line to be chieftain if he didn’t express his disdain for leadership loudly and frequently. Akala occasionally picks him as captain of a hunting team, but the whole tribe knows they’ll have to endure a day of grumbling afterward. Kothi is also one of the tribe’s most enthusiastic athletes, eager to engage in a cliff-race, wrestling match, or game of goat-ball. He’s a good sport once the contest is over, but during a game or race he often taunts and jests with his opponents. Kothi’s honorifi c is actually a tribal in-joke. He might be as strong as a bear, but he’s hardly silent when he has an opinion to share. Kothi Silentbear Vathakanama: Male goliath ranger 8; CR 9; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 8d8+16; hp 55; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +8; Grp +17; Atk +14 melee (2d6+6/19–20, Large +1 longsword); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (2d6+6/19–20, Large +1 longsword) and +12/+7 melee (1d8+2/×3 Large masterwork handaxe); SA favored enemy giants +2, favored enemy magical beasts +4, improved combat style (two-weapon combat); SQ animal companion, goliath traits, link with companion, share spells, swift tracker, wild empathy +9 (+5 magical beasts), woodland stride; AL CN; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 20, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Climb +15, Hide +13, Jump +15, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (nature) +8, Listen +9, Move Silently +9, Search +7, Sense Motive +4, Spot +16, Survival +14 (+16 to avoid getting lost, in aboveground natural environments, or when following tracks); Alertness, EnduranceB, Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, Iron Will, Stealthy, TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB. Favored Enemy (Ex): Kothi gains the indicated bonus on his Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against this type of creature. He gets the same bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type. Animal Companion (Ex): Kothi has an eagle as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies Kothi on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Trailwatcher: Eagle animal companion; CR —; Small magical beast; HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init +3; Spd 10 ft., fl y 80 ft. (average); AC 17, touch 14, fl at-footed 14; Base Atk +2; Grp –2; Atk +6 melee (1d4, talon); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4, 2 talons) and +1 melee (1d4, bite); SA —; SQ bonus tricks, evasion, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 11, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot +16; Alertness, Weapon Finesse. Bonus Tricks: Trailwatcher is capable of learning two tricks in addition to any that Kothi might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the Player’s Handbook). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Kothi selects these bonus trick, and once selected, they can’t be changed. Evasion (Ex): If Trailwatcher is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Goliath Traits (Ex): Kothi’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Kothi can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Kothi is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Link with Companion (Ex): Kothi can handle his animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, with a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks made while dealing with that animal. Share Spells (Ex): Kothi may have any spell he casts on himself also affect his animal companion if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. The master may also cast a spell with a target of “You” on his animal companion. Swift Tracker (Ex): Kothi can track at normal speed without taking the usual –5 penalty, or can track at double speed at only a –10 penalty. Woodland Stride (Ex): Kothi can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at his normal speed and without damage or other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion still affect Kothi. Ranger Spells Prepared (2/1; save DC 12 + spell level): 1st—entangle, longstrider; 2nd—barkskin. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 78 6/14/04, 8:00:04 AM
79CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Possessions: +1 chain shirt, Large +1 longsword, masterwork handaxe, eyes of the eagle, cloak of elvenkind, wand of cure light wounds (19 charges), potion of bear’s endurance, 1 pp, 9 gp. Ulia Dawnsinger Vathakanama With her diligent patrols and clever perimeter traps, Ulia has probably saved tribe members’ lives more than any other Kathaal. In a typical week, she fends off three attacks from wild animals, goblinoids, or marauding monsters—often without even waking up the rest of her tribe. Ulia often takes younger warriors under her tutelage, teaching them the fi ner points of stealth and warcraft. She was greatly disheartened last winter when many of her pupils didn’t come back from the frost giant raid. She is watching Akala closely for signs of weakness, because she still holds a grudge over the many burial cairns she helped build that winter. Ulia is Kothi’s brother and one of his biggest rivals on the sporting pitch. She generally bites her tongue rather than respond to Kothi’s taunts. Ulia Dawncaller Vathakanama: Female goliath rogue 3/bard 3/dawncaller 5; CR 12; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 1d6+3 plus 2d8+6 plus 3d6+9 plus 5d8+15; hp 81; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 22, touch 14, fl at-footed 19; Base Atk +9; Grp +14; Atk +11 melee (2d6+1/19–20, Large masterwork longsword) or +15 ranged (1d8+1/×3, Large masterwork composite shortbow); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (2d6+1/19–20, Large masterwork longsword) or +15/+10 ranged (1d8+1/×3, Large masterwork composite shortbow); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ bardic knowledge 4, bardic music 8/day (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage +2, inspire stamina), darkvision 60 ft., goliath traits, mettle of mountains, racial substitution levels (rogue 2nd, 3rd), trapfi nding, wild sense +1; AL CN; SV Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Appraise +1 (+3 for traps), Climb +9, Craft (trapmaking) +9, Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +10, Hide +11, Jump +9, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (nature) +8 (+9 in aboveground natural environments), Listen +10, Move Silently +11, Perform (sing) +16, Search +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, Survival +8 (+10 to keep from getting lost or for avoiding hazards, or +11 in aboveground natural environments); Alertness, Point Blank Shot, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (shortbow). Sneak Attack (Ex): +2d6 points of damage against fl atfooted opponents within 30 feet, or against targets Ulia is fl anking. Creatures that do not have a discernible anatomy or that are immune to extra damage from critical hits are immune to sneak attacks. Countersong (Su): Ulia can counter magical effects that depend on sound by making a Perform check for each round of countersong. Any creature within 30 feet of her who is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use her Perform check result in place of his or her saving throw, if desired. Countersong lasts for 10 rounds. Fascinate (Sp): Ulia can cause up to three creatures within 90 feet that can see and hear her to become fascinated with her (sit quietly, –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks). Ulia’s Perform check result is the DC for the opponent’s Will save. Any obvious threat breaks the effect. Fascination lasts for 8 rounds. Goliath Traits (Ex): Ulia’s physical stature lets her function in many ways as if she were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Ulia can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. She can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Ulia is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Inspire Competence (Su): An ally within 30 feet who can see and hear Ulia gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks for as long as he or she can hear the music. Inspire competence lasts for up to 20 rounds. Inspire Courage (Su): Allies (including Ulia herself) who can hear Ulia receive a +1 morale bonus on saves against charm and fear effects, and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. The effect lasts for 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear Ulia. Inspire Stamina (Su): Ulia can sing to refresh her tired allies. While she sings and for 8 minutes thereafter, Ulia and allies within 30 feet who can hear her song can ignore all negative effects of fatigue or exhaustion. Mettle of Mountains (Ex): If Ulia is exposed to any effect that normally allows her to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, she takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Trapfi nding: Ulia can fi nd, disarm, or bypass traps with a DC higher than 20. She can use the Search skill to fi nd, and the Disable Device skill to disarm, magic traps (DC 25 + the level of the spell used to create it). If her Disable Device result exceeds the trap’s DC by 10 or more, she discovers how to bypass the trap without triggering or disarming it. Bard Spells Known (3/2; save DC 12 + spell level): 0—detect magic, know direction, lullaby, message, read magic, summon instrument; 1st—cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, feather fall. Possessions: +1 mithral shirt, +1 mithral buckler, Large masterwork composite shortbow (+1 Str bonus), Large masterwork longsword, gloves of Dexterity +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, lesser bracers of archery, ring of protection +1, wand of cure light wounds (42 charges), potion of fl y, 79 pp. Ethavio Flamespeaker Anakathami Ethavio is the Kathaal tribe’s only wizard—and, because he’s the only one with parchment, its default scribe and historian as well. Ethavio learned wizardry from the halfl ings. He spent a year traveling with a halfl ing trade caravan when a severe stomach fl u forced the Kathaal tribe to leave him behind. He rejoined the tribe two years ago, after waiting for the tribe to return to Mirror Lake in the spring. He is one of Akala’s favorites, and the tribe leader regards Ethavio’s return as a good omen for following the same migration pattern every year. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 79 6/14/04, 8:00:06 AM
80CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS While the tribe welcomed him back with open arms, Ethavio is still a bit distant from the other Kathaals. Being left behind, though necessary, was painful, and few of his tribe have any interest in the arcane arts. Ethavio has been performing cantrips for the tribe’s children whenever he can, hoping to lure one of them into becoming an apprentice. Ethavio Flamespeaker Anakathami: Male goliath transmuter 6; CR 7; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 6d4+18; hp 34; Init –1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 9, fl at-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grp +8; Atk +4 melee (1d8+1, Large quarterstaff); Full Atk +4 melee (1d8+1, Large quarterstaff); SA —; SQ goliath traits; AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +7; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Concentration +7, Craft (armorsmithing) +8, Craft (weaponsmithing) +8, Decipher Script +8, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Profession (scribe) +3, Sense Motive +3, Spellcraft +15; Brew Potion, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous ItemB, Scribe ScrollB, Spell Focus (transmutation). Goliath Traits (Ex): Ethavio’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Ethavio can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Ethavio is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Wizard Spells Prepared (5/5/5/4; save DC 14 + spell level, 15 + spell level for transmutation spells): 0—detect magic (2), mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1st—animate rope*, comprehend languages, mage armor, magic missile (2); 2nd—alter self*, detect thoughts, pyrotechnics*, web, whispering wind*; 3rd—dispel magic, fi reball, fl y*, tongues. *These spells belong to the school of transmutation, which is this character’s specialty. Prohibited schools: illusion and necromancy. Spellbook: 0—all except ghost sound, disrupt undead, touch of fatigue; 1st—animate rope, comprehend languages, feather fall, grease, identify, mage armor, magic missile; 2nd—alter self, detect thoughts, pyrotechnics, web, whispering wind; 3rd—dispel magic, fi reball, fl y, tongues. Possessions: Large quarterstaff, headband of intellect +2, bracers of armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, potion of bear’s endurance, potion of cure moderate wounds, scroll of locate creature. Keothi Steadyhand Thunukalathi Keothi is a rising star among the Kathaal tribe, demonstrating great prowess as a bow hunter and scout. Although he hunts often, he rarely takes part in battles against intelligent foes. He hopes to be picked for the frost giant raid in the winter, and he secretly wishes the ogres would attack Mirror Lake so he could rain arrows down on them as they approach. Keothi Steadyhand Thunukalathi: Male goliath ranger 2/fi ghter 1; CR 4; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 2d8+6 plus 1d10+3; hp 27; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 11, fl at-footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +10; Atk +7 melee (2d6+5/×3, Large masterwork longspear) or +6 ranged (2d6+3/×3, Large masterwork composite longbow); Full Atk +7 melee (2d6+5/×3, Large masterwork longspear) or +4/+4 ranged (2d6+3/×3, Large masterwork composite longbow); SA favored enemy magical beasts +2; SQ goliath traits, wild empathy +1 (–3 magical beasts); AL CG; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Jump +7, Knowledge (nature) +4, Sense Motive +3, Spot +5, Survival +5; Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid ShotB, TrackB, Weapon Focus (longbow)B. Favored Enemy (Ex): Keothi gains the indicated bonus on his Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against this type of creature. He gets the same bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type. Goliath Traits (Ex): Keothi’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Keothi can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Keothi is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Possessions: +1 chain shirt, Large masterwork longspear, Large masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str bonus), 50 Large arrows, potion of cure moderate wounds. OTHER TRIBE MEMBERS The Kathaal tribe also includes the following NPCs. Barbarian: Barbarian 1 (15), barbarian 2 (10), barbarian 4 (5). Bard: Bard 4 (3). Cleric: None. Druid: Druid 4 (2). Fighter: Fighter 5 (1). Monk: Monk 3 (1). Paladin: None. Ranger: Ranger 4 (5). Rogue: Rogue 2 (3), rogue 6 (1). Sorcerer: Sorcerer 4 (1). Wizard: None. Adept: Adept 2 (2). Expert: Expert 1 (5), expert 4 (5). Warrior: Warrior 1 (15). Multiclass (1 of each): Barbarian 3/bard 3/dawncaller 1; barbarian 4/sorcerer 1; barbarian 2/druid 1; barbarian 2/fi ghter 2; barbarian 4/rogue 2. THELLA-LU Although they are a nomadic people, the goliaths do have a major city—of sorts. Thella Lu is a sprawling tent city located in the center of the Plain of Standing Stones, an unusually large alpine meadow known for its mild weather. At any one time, more than a hundred different 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 80 6/14/04, 8:00:08 AM
Thella-lu Thella-lu Cliffs (for climbing races) Cliffs (for climbing races) To Mount To Mount Kalithini Kalithini One square equals 100 feet One square equals 100 feet Field of Cairns Field of Cairns Trading Trading post Wrestling Wrestling arena Amphitheater Amphitheater Manethak's Manethak's shrine Kuliak's Kuliak's shrine Naki-Uthai's Naki-Uthai's shrine Grand Amphitheater Grand Amphitheater Goat-ball Goat-ball field Goat-ball Goat-ball field Kavaki's Kavaki's shrine Trading Trading post Amphitheater Amphitheater Trading Trading post Wrestling Wrestling arena Vanua's Vanua's shrine Theleya's Theleya's shrine Amphitheater Amphitheater Typical cluster of tents Typical cluster of tents Thella-lu Cliffs (for climbing races) To Mount Kalithini One square equals 100 feet Field of Cairns Trading post Wrestling arena Amphitheater Manethak's shrine Kuliak's shrine Naki-Uthai's shrine Grand Amphitheater Goat-ball field Goat-ball field Kavaki's shrine Trading post Amphitheater Trading post Wrestling arena Vanua's shrine Theleya's shrine Amphitheater Typical cluster of tents 81CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS goliath tribes gather here to trade, socialize, and compete in the most competitive goliath sporting events. ThellaLu is equal parts sporting event, armed camp, and neverending party. Few goliaths tarry in Thella-Lu for long; most remain only for a month or two. The city’s population changes completely every season, and because Thella-Lu is a tent city, entire neighborhoods literally get up and walk away overnight when tribes leave. A visitor who marvels at the spectacle of so many goliaths gathered in one place is doubly surprised when a second visit to Thella-Lu reveals that none of those same tribes are still there. Because the weather on the Plain of Standing Stones is mild (nearby peaks leave Thella-Lu in a “rain shadow” and block a frigid north wind), Thella-Lu’s total population doesn’t change much with the passing seasons. A hundred tribes gathered in the same place have an outsized impact on the ecology of the plain, so game is scarce near the city. The highest authority in Thella-Lu is the Menethun, an order of high-level stonespeaker guardians (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes for more information). The Menethun regard Thella-Lu as the best way to minister to the entire goliath people. Because they couldn’t possibly visit every goliath tribe, they wish to create a place so hospitable that every goliath tribe comes to visit them. Goliath tribes mostly come to Thella-Lu to trade with each other. Those with connections to the dwarves of the underground or the humanoid races of lower elevations often have weapons and armor to trade with those who have had unusually productive foraging seasons. Halfl ing and human trade caravans sometimes brave the mountain passes to reach Thella-Lu, and dwarf trading missions aren’t uncommon. Giants are likewise welcome, although they are watched closely and usually assigned a protective escort. In general, Thella-Lu is a small city with a 15,000 gp limit, but the price ceiling goes up to 40,000 gp for Large weapons and magic items with druid spells as prerequisites. Additionally, the goliaths will buy Large weapons from PCs for 75% of their market price, rather than the usual 50%. While the chieftains trade with one another, the rest of the tribe takes part in the 24-hour festival that is life in Thella-Lu. Singing, drinking, and dancing are common around the clock. Many of the goliaths in the city at any given time have been out in the wilderness for a year or more, and they throw themselves into “civilization” with a frenzy. Performers are always in demand. Thella-Lu counts as a prosperous city for the purpose of Perform checks, and successful performers there earn twice the standard amount (see page 79 of the Player’s Handbook). During the day, sporting events dominate the agenda for many of Thella-Lu’s residents. Unlike the impromptu games played at goliath camps everywhere, Thella-Lu’s competitions are well organized and often witnessed by hundreds of carousing spectators. Over time, Thella-Lu’s temporary residents have built amphitheaters for many of their favorite events. Characters wishing to participate in goliath games must fi rst demonstrate their prowess to a stonespeaker, who then directs the athlete to a venue appropriate for his abilities. Characters who win events at one venue are often invited to play a game the next day against more prestigious (and higher-level) opponents. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 81 6/14/04, 8:34:48 AM
82CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS In addition to the usual goliath games, Thella-Lu holds an endurance event known as the Test of Naki-Uthai. A dozen athletes—or sometimes a half-dozen teams of two—leave at 6-hour intervals on a journey around the base of nearby Mount Kalithini. The trail is treacherous, featuring both natural hazards and deadly monsters. Characters can climb higher to reduce the total distance they have to travel, but doing so subjects them to higher altitudes and poorer trails. It typically takes eight days for an accomplished runner to complete the journey. Druids often use their animal companions to surreptitiously monitor athletes to make sure no one cheats by using fl ight magic or mounts, or setting traps for later contestants. Goliaths also travel to Thella-Lu for religious worship. It is said that after Kavaki brought the fi rst goliath tribes down from the mountaintop, he taught them to hunt and forage on the Plain of Standing Stones. Major shrines exist for each deity in the goliath pantheon—even Kuliak, who is otherwise held at arm’s length by goliath worshipers. The stonespeakers who are Thella-Lu’s only permanent residents are responsible for order in the city. Mostly this amounts to maintaining schedules of religious and sporting events. The stonespeakers always deputize one tribe to keep a modicum of peace in the city, breaking up drunken brawls and separating antagonistic tribes. When that tribe leaves, the stonespeakers choose another tribe to take its place, paying well for the tribe’s services. Thella-Lu is the ultimate destination for many goliaths, for west of the city lies a fi eld of cairns where many goliaths, famous or obscure, are buried. Kuliak’s shrine stands in the middle of all the cairns, and clerics stationed there offi ciate at several funerals each day. Thella-Lu (small city): Magical; AL CG; population 11,000 adults (varies widely); 15,000 gp limit (40,000 gp for Large weapons and druid magic items); Mixed (79% goliath, 9% stonespeaker [goliath], 5% human, 3% dwarf, 2% halfl ing, 1% elf, 1% giant). Authority Figures: High Priest Kanekathama, female goliath stonespeaker druid 7/stonespeaker guardian 10; Chieftain Arbiter Elikalani, male goliath stonespeaker druid 14; chieftain of the guard-tribe (identity changes regularly), goliath barbarian 12. Important Characters: Manathua, female cleric 9 (healer in the shrine of Theleya who often casts raise dead for visitors who make a donation); Garlak Warrendelve, male dwarf wizard 4/cleric 7 (longtime resident who often magically enhances goliaths’ weapons); Rulia Appletoss, female gnome bard 7 (proprietor of Rulia’s hospitality tent and brewer of fi ne honey-mead); Kimoku Stoneheart Thalanama, female goliath barbarian 15 (renowned goliath athlete). THE STONESPEAKERS Touched by the divine spirit of stone, stonespeakers are a far-fl ung order of goliath druids, clerics, and other mystics who watch over tribes of goliaths and feral garguns (see page 89). The tribes regard them as holy fi gures, though stonespeakers stand at arm’s length from the daily life of the tribes they guard. When a dispute threatens to tear a Illus. by J. Jarvis The goliath tent-city of Thella-Lu 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 82 6/14/04, 8:35:05 AM
83CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS tribe apart, or the wild game in an area inexplicably disappears, or monsters threaten the very existence of the tribe, a stonespeaker is there to provide guidance and considerable magical aid. Agenda: Stonespeakers travel the mountain regions, helping and advising goliath and feral gargun tribes as they wander. This wandering serves many purposes, allowing the shamans to observe and commune with the natural world, carry news between the tribes, and remain vigilant against the depredations of hostile giants, dragons, and other dangerous creatures. Wise and patient, stonespeakers listen before they speak, and they often fi nd themselves in the role of teacher or mentor to members of other races. Stonespeakers love to wander and explore, and they are patient observers of the natural world. Stonespeakers care deeply about the earth, and they work to teach others how to work stone and treat it with care. Conversely, stonespeakers have no tolerance for the rare individuals who do great damage to the earth with careless magic or irresponsible mining, and they work tirelessly to oppose such individuals, regardless of their race. Structure: Unlike the druids responsible for a mountain tribes’ religious life, stonespeakers are not themselves part of the tribe they watch over. They often wander the mountainous regions, joining a tribe for a short time and then moving on. Older stonespeakers eventually settle permanently within one of these tribes, exchanging wisdom and counsel for the safety of the larger community. Stonespeakers also tend areas sacred to themselves or to any of the other races that they are closely associated with. Powerful stonespeakers sometimes imbue these sites with magic, turning them into rune circles. For more information on rune circles, see page 167. Although a stonespeaker uses spells such as animal messenger to communicate with his brethren, he meets other stonespeakers in person only rarely—often when two wandering tribes pass each other on a mountain path. A stonespeaker is expected to instinctively know what is best for stone, best for the stonespeakers, and best for the tribe he’s watching over (in that order), and to act without needing orders or oversight. Stonespeakers meet four times a year in gatherings known as stonemoots to discuss the welfare of their charges and threats that confront multiple tribes within a region. The goliath tent city of Thella-Lu is host to the most important stonemoot every season, which every stonespeaker is expected to attend if possible. Most of the other stonemoots are held in remote alpine valleys, elaborate mountain cave networks, and other nigh-inaccessible places. These smaller stonemoots are attended by smaller groups of stone speakers, who travel to the one nearest their current location when the time arrives. If giant slavers will be on the move from the icy north come spring, the stonespeakers will formulate a counterplan at their winter stonemoot. If the war between the Thaliak and Gonimalaka goliath tribes threatens to draw mercenaries from the lowlands into the mountains, the stonespeakers will broker a cease-fi re and keep interlopers out. Decisions are made by majority vote after every stonespeaker has had a say and appropriate divination spells have been consulted for guidance. The stonespeakers also work powerful magic at their stonemoots, building and maintaining rune circles and casting spells to keep the mountains healthy. The stonespeakers also make extensive use of divination magic during stonemoots, and many stonespeakers return to their tribes with the words of prophecy on their lips. Finally, the stonemoots are where new members are initiated into the group. Becoming a stonespeaker is a two-step process. First, a prospective member must follow an existing stonespeaker to the stonemoot. Because most stonespeakers are accomplished druids and stonemoots are in exceedingly remote locations, doing this is harder than simply following in a stonespeaker’s footsteps—for starters, stonespeakers nearly all have the trackless step class feature and thus don’t leave footprints. Would-be stonespeakers who reach a stonemoot must next withstand the scrutiny of the existing stone speakers, who test the applicant’s priorities and judgment in a lengthy interrogation. The stonespeakers also demand that the applicant demonstrate his magical prowess; they reject anyone who can’t cast 3rd-level spells or show off abilities of equivalent power. For millennia, stonespeakers have spoken Druidic or the goliath tongue, Gol-Kaa, among themselves. Although Gol-Kaa is their primary language, they have incorporated other phonetic letters from Druidic and Common into their speech. Stonespeakers, like other goliaths, have recently picked up the alphabet of the Dwarven language. Stonespeakers have taken to this new written version of the language much faster than goliaths in general, and they guide and encourage the goliath scribes who are busily transcribing the goliaths’ vast oral tradition. Names: When a new stonespeaker joins the group, he adds “-tor” to his name as a hyphenated suffi x, denoting his devotion to earth and stone. Stonespeaker guardians (see page 127) further modify their names by changing “-tor” to “-ber.” For example, when Arakan, a druid, joins the stonespeakers, he changes his name to Arakan-tor. Later, after entering the stonespeaker guardian prestige class, he changes his name to Arakan-ber. Symbol: The stonespeakers have no symbol that they wear to differentiate themselves from the tribe they travel with, but they use an elaborate sequence of spoken passwords in a combination of Gol-Kaa, Druidic, and invented words to identify each other. If the stonespeakers have a symbol at all, it is the circles of stone they leave scattered across the mountain landscape. Some of these stones merely mark a trail or designate a sacred place, but others form powerful rune circles. Membership: The vast majority of stonespeakers are goliath druids, but members of other spellcasting classes have occasionally developed a strong enough bond with stone to join the group. Recently, a number of clerics of Kavaki joined the stonespeakers—a move refl ective of the confl ict between druids and clerics in goliath society. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 83 6/14/04, 8:35:08 AM
84CHAPTER 3 GOLIATHS Relations: Goliaths and feral garguns almost always offer a stonespeaker aid and shelter, even if they’re on the warpath or starving themselves—so high is the reputation of a stonespeaker. Stonespeakers sometimes travel with goliath traders who visit the dwarves, and they get along well with the clerics of Moradin they meet there. Other races have little contact with stonespeakers, and few members of other races even realize that they are something more than goliath shamans. When they do meet, the stonespeaker’s obvious wisdom and peaceful nature usually keep relations smooth. Benefi ts: Joining the stonespeakers provides two main benefi ts. First, a stonespeaker receives the hospitality of almost any goliath or feral gargun tribe he visits. While the tribes usually have little in the way of possessions, a stonespeaker can usually get a scout, guide, or a few strong sword-arms for whatever mission he’s undertaking. The second benefi t of membership is access to the other stonespeakers and the stonemoots. A stonespeaker has a say in the questions asked during divination spells and can quiz other stonespeakers about the conditions of their tribes and the lands they’ve visited. By traveling to stonemoots and hearing what his brethren have been up to over the course of the last season, a stonespeaker learns about the location and purpose of newly built rune circles hidden in the mountains. CREATING GOLIATH CHARACTERS Goliath characters obey all the rules for characters described in the Player’s Handbook. Because goliaths have better than usual ability score modifi ers and abilities, they have a level adjustment of +1. Thus a 1st-level goliath character works well alongside 2nd-level PCs of races detailed in the Player’s Handbook. When you create a goliath character, remember that you can do more with the Climb and Jump skills than most characters, but you don’t directly have a bonus in those skills (although you probably have a high Strength score). Likewise, you should be alert for chances to exploit the natural size of the goliath by getting Large weapons and considering combat tactics such as grappling and bull rushing. SPECIAL GOLIATH OPTIONS As a goliath character, you qualify for some goliath-specifi c feats and prestige classes unavailable to PCs of other races, all described in Chapters 5 and 6 of this book. Feats: Auspicious Marking, Earth Fist (also available to dwarves and gnomes), Fling Ally, Fling Enemy, Heavy Lithoderms, Improved Rock Hurling, Knockback, Markings of the Blessed, Markings of the Hunter, Markings of the Magi, Markings of the Maker, Markings of the Warrior, Rampaging Bull Rush, Rock Hurling, Steady Mountaineer. Prestige Classes: Dawncaller, goliath liberator, peregrine runner, stonespeaker guardian. GOLIATHS AS CHARACTERS Fundamentally, the class you choose determines more about your character than any other choice you make. While barbarian is the goliaths’ favored class, their nomadic lifestyle relies on teamwork, so goliaths of other classes are common. Barbarian: Goliaths are strong and they can use Large two-handed weapons, so they make excellent barbarians. When a raging barbarian wielding a Large greataxe uses the Power Attack feat, a successful hit deals a prodigious amount of damage. For alternative options for the goliath barbarian, see the goliath racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. Bard: Goliath culture is based on an oral tradition, so bards are relatively common. Many bards are dawncallers, responsible for guarding the tribe’s campsite throughout the night. Cleric: Most goliath clerics worship their pantheon as a whole, praying to the entire pantheon but choosing one as their favorite. They can be of any alignment, although they usually choose their domains from one deity within the pantheon. Druid: The most common spellcasting class among goliaths, druids are present in almost every goliath tribe. The senior druid in a tribe is sometimes called the skywatcher, responsible for weather forecasting and ensuring that the tribe doesn’t take more from the land than it can use. For alternative options for the goliath druid, see the goliath racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. Fighter: Goliaths are suited for melee combat, so many of them take the specialized training that is the hallmark of a fi ghter. The goliaths don’t have standing armies, but many goliath warbands guard the tribes from giants and other mountain monsters. Monk: Goliath monks are rare, but their size and strength makes them effective unarmed fi ghters. Many take the Improved Grapple feat at 1st level because it combines well with their size. Paladin: Goliath paladins are likewise rare, because few goliaths fi nd the trappings of the class—heavy armor and horses—useful in their mountain homes. Ranger: Goliaths regard the hunters in their tribes quite highly, so rangers are common. Many take animals, magical beasts, or giants as their fi rst favored enemy. Rogue: The skill set of a rogue is useful to goliaths who can’t rely on a large civilization to meet their needs. Most goliath rogues focus on stealth and wilderness skills, rather than more urban-oriented skills such as Open Lock and Disable Device. For alternative options for the goliath rogue, see the goliath racial substitution levels in Chapter 6: Character Options. Sorcerer: Other than bards, goliath sorcerers are the primary arcane spellcasters for their tribes. Most focus on the school of transmutation, illusion, or evocation, since those schools offer the greatest number of spells that their divine spellcaster counterparts can’t match. Wizard: In a society where not everyone can read, wizards are often the scribes of their tribes. It’s diffi cult for goliaths to learn the art of wizardry while on the move in a tribe, so most leave goliath society for a time, then return with a spellbook and a measure of arcane power. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 84 6/14/04, 8:35:12 AM
85 Illus. by C. Lukacs Illus. by C. Lukacs n their mountain homes, dwarves, gnomes, and goliaths live in close proximity to both enemies and allies. The races described here all have some connection to the races of stone described in the fi rst three chapters, and they provide interesting variations on the ideas and abilities of those races. USING THIS CHAPTER The races described here are presented as an option for PCs as alternate character races. These races also give the Dungeon Master new options when building foes to confront the characters. A group of goliath barbarians presents a more interesting challenge when backed up by a feral gargun ranger or a stonechild fi ghter. WHERE WERE THEY? In many ongoing campaigns, introducing new races can be diffi cult. Stonechildren can’t simply wander out of the mountains and claim that they have been allies with the dwarves for countless human generations, nor can dream dwarves claim that the earth dream has always been a part of dwarven culture if no other dwarf has ever heard of such a thing. The following suggestions should give players and DMs some ideas for including new races in an existing campaign. Distant Region or Continent: The obvious explanation for a race not being present until now is that some signifi cant geographical barrier exists between the race’s homeland and the main region of the campaign. The race might dwell on the other side of an impassable mountain range, in a land across a vast ocean, or underground. Planar Origins: Many of the new races have ties to different planes or to extraplanar creatures, and any number of powerful magical effects could allow members of the new race access to the Material Plane. Minority Population: The new race has indeed been in the campaign world all along, but its numbers are so small that its members dwell completely within the shelter of a more numerous race, and the majority ultimately overshadows the minority. For example, mountain dwarves might have existed in your campaign world, but to most individuals of other races, their communities are indistinguishable from those of hill dwarves. Recent Offshoot: The new race is actually a newly emerging species, having appeared over the last few generations as a result of huge magical fl uctuations or natural mutation. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 85 6/14/04, 8:35:17 AM
86CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE MONSTER CLASSES Some of the races described in this chapter use the monster class rules detailed in Savage Species. You don’t necessarily need that book to use these classes. Monster classes work just like other classes, with the following exceptions. • When using monster classes to create a character, you can ignore level adjustment. This is replaced by the character’s monster class level. (The level adjustment is, in effect, built into the monster class’s level progression.) • The only way to take a level of a monster class is to be that monster. A feral gargun cannot multiclass as a stonechild, nor can a human fi ghter multiclass to take levels as an astral deva. She must begin taking levels in the monster class at 1st level. • Monster classes do not grant a character skill points or Hit Dice at every level, nor do they grant a feat every three levels. When a level grants skill points, a Hit Die, or a feat, the gain is noted on the class table. • Each monster class has a CR (Challenge Rating) column. This has no meaning for players or PCs and is given only as an aid to DMs who want to adjust monster CRs by regressing existing creatures. • A monster character using a monster class cannot multiclass until she completes the full progression in her monster class. This rule keeps characters from gaining the benefi ts of a monster’s type and then quickly switching to a standard class. • A monster class does not impose an experience penalty for multiclassing, as other classes do. The following tables can help you determine your character’s starting height, weight, and age. Remember that you are also free to simply choose these descriptive elements of your character, but you can roll on the tables below if you wish. An explanation for using these tables can be found on page 109 of the Player’s Handbook. Table 4–1: Random Starting Ages Bard Cleric Barbarian Fighter Druid Rogue Paladin Monk Race Adulthood Sorcerer Ranger Wizard Chaos gnome 30 years +2d6 +4d6 +6d6 Dream dwarf 60 years +4d6 +6d6 +9d6 Feral gargun 14 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d6 Stonechild 60 years +3d6 +5d6 +7d6 Whisper gnome 50 years +3d6 +5d6 +7d6 Table 4–2: Aging Effects Middle Maximum Race Age Old Venerable Age Chaos gnome 75 years 112 years 150 years +3d% Dream dwarf 175 years 263 years 350 years +4d% Feral gargun 35 years 53 years 70 years +2d10 Stonechild 125 years 188 years 250 years +2d% Whisper gnome 113 years 169 years 225 years +3d% Table 4–3: Random Starting Height and Weight Base Height Base Weight Race Height Modifi er Weight Modifi er Chaos gnome, m. 2´ 8˝ +2d4 30 lb. × 1 lb. Chaos gnome, f. 2´ 6˝ +2d4 25 lb. × 1 lb. Dream dwarf, m. 3´ 6˝ +2d4 100 lb. × (2d6) lb. Dream dwarf, f. 3´ 4˝ +2d4 80 lb. × (2d6) lb. Feral gargun, m. 6´ 0˝ +2d12 220 lb. × (2d6) lb. Feral gargun, f. 6´ 0˝ +2d12 220 lb. × (2d6) lb. Stonechild, m. 5´ 4˝ +2d12 200 lb. × (2d6) lb. Stonechild, f. 5´ 2˝ +2d12 180 lb. × (2d6) lb. Whisper gnome, m. 3´ 0˝ +2d4 40 lb. × 1 lb. Whisper gnome, f. 2´ 10˝ +2d4 35 lb. × 1 lb. CHAOS GNOME Infused with the spirit of chaos, these gnomes are energetic, flamboyant, and charismatic. They exude a restless, inspirational energy and seldom rest. They also possess uncanny luck and have great talent as sorcerers. Colorful cousins of standard gnomes, they are adventurous; even the most staid among them is prone to wander. Although commonly referred to as chaos gnomes, these precocious humanoids also call themselves “imago” (singular and plural). Although some fi nd chaos gnomes’ energy and recklessness off-putting, none doubt their power as sorcerers. With their powerful racial ability to bring a touch of chaos to their spellcasting, spellcasting imago often become known as chaos mystics. Personality: Chaos gnomes fi nd probability, chance, and randomness extremely fascinating. Although many individuals of other races consider them slightly mad, chaos gnomes can at times be brilliant, making intuitive leaps to accurate conclusions that might elude the brightest thinkers of other races. They have a great sense of humor, fi nding amusem*nt in many aspects of life. Unlike other gnomes, however, chaos gnomes are seldom tricksters or pranksters. Chaos gnomes have a great love of arcane magic, and they often develop sorcerous talents. Although they appreciate divine magic for its power and utility, they rarely remain devoted to one deity or philosophy long enough to develop signifi cant divine spellcasting abilities. Many fi nd these free-spirited gnomes engaging, and more serious or stoic individuals often form great friendships with chaos gnomes. Chaos gnomes enjoy such relationships as well, fi nding a natural foil for their own chaotic nature in the serious demeanors of their friends. Physical Description: Chaos gnomes stand 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall, much like other gnomes. They have the same slight build and trim appearance that other gnomes favor, but their coloring differs wildly. Chaos gnomes have bright red, blue, green, or violet eyes, and their eyes change in hue and brightness depending on their mood—from bright red when angry or excited to dull green or blue when bored or disappointed. They have similarly bright hair color, ranging from vivid red to blond. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 86 6/14/04, 8:35:20 AM
87OTHER RACES CHAPTER 4 OF STONE Chaos gnomes favor bright colors in their clothing, particularly reds and oranges. They decorate their clothing with seemingly random bead patterns. Relations: Chaos gnomes get along well with members of most races, but they find it especially easy to relate to other gnomes. They are at ease with the free-spirited elves, and they enjoy the halflings’ nomadic lifestyle. Dwarves have a difficult time getting along with chaos gnomes. Dwarves respect other gnomes for their inventiveness and skill with mechanical objects, but chaos gnomes are simply too likely to break rules, laws, or customs for dwarves to tolerate them for long. Perhaps surprisingly, half-orcs get along well with chaos gnomes. The gnomes are seldom concerned with a half-orc’s parentage, so their communities seem particularly accommodating and open to half-orcs who have had difficulty finding acceptance by other races. Alignment: Chaos gnomes, as their name suggests, are naturally inclined toward chaos. Although they are fl ighty even by the standards of other gnomes, they are goodhearted like most of their kindred. Chaos gnomes value freedom, which is the one cause or ideal that can always hold their attention. Chaos Gnome Lands: Chaos gnomes thrive anywhere, and since they are not numerous, they often dwell with or near other gnomes for protection. Chaos gnomes are not the wanderers that halflings are, but neither are their communities as permanent as those of most other races. Typically, a few chaos gnome families decide to settle in a pleasant area and begin building a community. Within a few years, the area will be a small but bustling chaos gnome town. After about a decade, though, the gnomes begin to move on, and within two or three years thereafter, the area is likely devoid of chaos gnome inhabitants. Religion: Chaos gnomes rarely take a serious religious stance—they join a church for as long as it suits their fancy and then move to another when worship grows dull or troublesome. Chaos gnomes are more serious about the worship of Garl Glittergold than of any other deity, but even he cannot hold their attention or devotion for long. Language: Chaos gnomes speak Gnome. They enjoy learning different languages, and they often pull expressions and words from other languages into their own. Names: Chaos gnomes love names, and most have at least a half dozen. A chaos gnome is given a name by her parents, but she usually uses it only for the fi rst ten years or so of her life. By that time, a chaos gnome usually feels ready to pick her own name. This fi rst name choice is as serious a tradition as any that exists in chaos gnome culture, and an individual uses this name for up to six or seven years before changing it again. After this second name change, a chaos gnome chooses a new name whenever she feels so inclined, many times just adopting a word or words that she likes. Male Names: Aidien, Doolian, Chainion, Pellia, Rookinoniak, Zingnoff. Female Names: Gonnynock, Pella, Tarralin, Zernaelian. Family Names: Chebwith, Kalliess, Nornock, Parrington, Smothings. Adventurers: Like their more common kindred, chaos gnomes are curious and impulsive. Most chaos gnomes adventure to see the world. Their nearly insatiable love of new and different sights and experiences drives many chaos gnomes to wander for a good portion of their youth. Older chaos gnomes are even likely to accompany their children on their fi rst signifi cant travels. CHAOS GNOME RACIAL TRAITS • +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength: Chaos gnomes are agile and share the typical gnome toughness. Many fi nd their spontaneity compelling, but they are Small and therefore not as strong as other humanoids. • Small: As a Small creature, a chaos gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character. • Chaos gnome base land speed is 20 feet. • Low-Light Vision: A chaos gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Weapon Familiarity: Chaos gnomes treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons. • Spell Power: A chaos gnome’s effective caster level when casting spells with the chaos descriptor increases by 1. This increase applies when determining level-dependent spell variables and on caster level checks, and it stacks with other spell power abilities, such as from the hierophant prestige class. Illus. by R. Spencer Chaos gnome 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 87 6/14/04, 8:35:27 AM
88CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE • +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type: This bonus represents special training that chaos gnomes undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, it loses its dodge bonus, too. • +2 racial bonus on Listen checks: Chaos gnomes have keen ears. • Luck of Chaos (Ex): Once per day, a chaos gnome can reroll one roll that she has just made before the Dungeon Master declares whether the roll results in success or failure. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. • Immunity to confusion effects. • Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: any. • Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day— entropic shield. A chaos gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—daze, flare, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + chaos gnome’s Cha modifi er + spell level. • Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass chaos gnome’s sorcerer class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point pen alty for multi classing. Many chaos gnomes are multiclass sorcerer/clerics with the Luck domain. • Level adjustment +1. DREAM DWARF Dream dwarves feel the hills slumber beneath them. They see the world as a resting giant of inestimable power, and they are caught in the dreaming. While other dwarves shape metal and stone, dream dwarves contemplate and meditate. Wise and cautious, they understand nature in a way at once similar to and wholly alien to the understanding of druids and shamans of other races. Dream dwarves share a sort of collective subconscious with the world around them, a phenomenon they call the earth dream. The earth dream shapes many aspects of a dream dwarf’s life, and no discussion of dream dwarves can be complete without at least some understanding of the earth dream. The earth dream is a powerful force, and members of other races can occasionally feel its pull and become earth dreamers (see page 110). Personality: Dream dwarves have little of the natural craftsmanship of other dwarves, and they instead spend many hours in somber contemplation of the earth dream. They are inquisitive, and they seek to supplement the information and wisdom they gain from the earth dream with personal experience. To those who don’t know them well, dream dwarves can seem shy or wary, but in truth they are merely reserved; they are more likely to utter one carefully chosen phrase than engage in a prolonged discussion. Physical Description: Dream dwarves stand about 4 feet tall and weigh about 10 to 15 pounds less than a typical dwarf. Their skin color ranges from dark gray to deep brown, and their hair is dark brown or black. They have pale eyes, usually green or blue in color but with the occasional lavender or pale red. Dream dwarves usually decorate their clothing with abstract symbols that represent important personal experiences within the earth dream. Relations: Dream dwarves get along well with other dwarves, who look up to them as shamans and prophets. They also get along well with gnomes, who share their love of the earth, and they even enjoy the company of halfl ings and elves. They are friendly with druids of any race, sharing the class’s love of nature and natural power. Their silent and mystical demeanor can cause humans, halfelves, and half-orcs to think dream dwarves a little strange, but rarely causes signifi cant problems in relationships with members of these races. Alignment: Dream dwarves are most often neutral good. They share a bond with the earth and the earth dream, and this bond helps them see the power and energy inherent in a peaceful life. As a result, most dream dwarves remain kind and good-hearted even through adversity, and they value a balance between law and chaos. Dream Dwarf Lands: Dream dwarves almost always build their homes within or near those of other dwarves, and many members of other races don’t even realize that dream dwarves are a separate subrace. Their homes are often underground, embodying their love of the earth. OccasionDream dwarf Illus. by J. Nelson 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 88 6/14/04, 8:35:31 AM
89OTHER RACES CHAPTER 4 OF STONE ally, dream dwarves form small, secluded monasteries high up on a mountainside in an effort to become closer to the earth dream. Religion: Although dream dwarves pay homage to Moradin and the rest of the dwarf pantheon, their primary deity is the earth itself, as expressed by the collective experience that dream dwarves call the earth dream. Language: Dream dwarves speak Dwarven. Names: Dream dwarves place great significance on their names, believing that even the most common version of a name carries power. Their names are likely to change over time, as they incorporate new syllables or words into their names. Dream dwarves believe that they find these words and syllables within the depths of the earth dream, and they incorporate them into their identities out of reverence and to show that they understand the power of the earth. It is quite likely for a dream dwarf’s name to change or grow longer after he goes through a particularly harrowing or dangerous experience; as such, it’s usually true that an accomplished dream dwarf adventurer has a long, intricate name that recalls his greatest exploits. Male Names: Bren-Iol, Bollinak, Car-Innul, Derinar, Harar, Malanath. Female Names: Allalia, Assanae, Giallin, Kula-Tai, Mala, Shelbath. Clan Names: Brekaran, Esstranak, Penathan, Quwerthena, Skarnath. Adventurers: Dream dwarf adventurers seek the wisdom that comes from personal experience. Some, driven by the earth dream’s urgings, wander to fi nd more of what they’ve seen in the dream. Others seek to escape the dream and their people’s involvement in it, traveling to other lands to be rid of its pull. Most however, travel and adventure to better understand the parts of the earth dream that they can sense, to experience the dream in other places, and to broaden their own understanding of the world. DREAM DWARF RACIAL TRAITS • +2 Constitution, –2 Dexterity: Dream dwarves are as tough as other dwarves (and stronger of personality), but they are a bit clumsy and slow to react. • Medium: As Medium creatures, dream dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Dream dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dream dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations). • Darkvision: Dream dwarves can see in the dark out to 90 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dream dwarves can function just fi ne with no light at all. • Stonecunning: Dream dwarves have the same knack for finding unusual stonework that dwarves do. This ability grants a dream dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised like stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dream dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dream dwarf can use Search to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dream dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dream dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes. • Weapon Familiarity: Dream dwarves treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons. • Stability: Dream dwarves are exceptionally stable on their feet. A dream dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). • +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made with creatures of the earth subtype: Dream dwarves get along well with earth elementals and similar creatures. • Dream Sight (Su): A dream dwarf can see ethereal creatures as easily as she sees material creatures and objects. A dream dwarf can easily distinguish between ethereal creatures and material ones, because ethereal creatures appear translucent and indistinct. • Spell Power: When in contact with the ground, a dream dwarf’s effective caster level when casting divination spells or spells with the earth descriptor increases by 1. This increase applies when determining level-dependent spell variables and on caster level checks. This increase stacks with other spell power abilities, such as from the hierophant prestige class. • Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Terran, Undercommon. • Favored Class: Druid. A multiclass dream dwarf’s druid class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. FERAL GARGUN A small offshoot of the goliath race, feral garguns tear their livelihood out of the frigid northern regions with tooth and claw. Feral garguns derive from goliath and giant parentage. These large, savage humanoids fi ght in quick, furious bursts of energy. In the barren areas of the north, there is little room for mercy, and the feral garguns have had to learn to be aggressive just to survive. Even more than their goliath kindred, feral garguns fi nd cities and the trappings of civilization confusing and intimidating. Although individual feral garguns have found ways to adapt to the cities and villages of other 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 89 6/14/04, 8:35:38 AM
90CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE races, the majority prefers the simple, nomadic lifestyle of the far north. Personality: Fierce, quick-tempered warriors, feral garguns usually assume that the strongest individual is the leader, and they usually settle disagreements with some nonlethal test of strength. Despite this outward ferocity, feral garguns have a deep sense of personal honor and place a great deal of importance on self-reliance. Physical Description: A typical feral gargun is as big as a goliath and larger than the largest half-orc. Most stand between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. As with their goliath kindred, there is no appreciable difference in height or weight between male and female feral garguns. Feral garguns are covered in smooth, thick fur. This fur ranges in color from white to light gray to dark brown. Although their bodies are humanoid in shape, the faces of feral garguns are similar to those of bears, and they have longer, narrower faces than other humanoids. Relations: Most feral garguns have little to no interaction with other humanoid races, so when they do interact, they remain curious and polite, at least by their standards. They get along well with goliaths, who trade the feral garguns metal weapons and armor when they have them to spare. Feral garguns also enjoy the company of halflings, valuing their success at maintaining a nomadic lifestyle. Feral garguns some times see halfl ings as mentor fi gures because of this attitude—a role that most halfl ings fi nd both amusing and appealing. Feral garguns hate giants. Bigger and better equipped than the feral garguns, a tribe of giants can usually drive a group of feral garguns from an area, or worse, capture and enslave them. Feral garguns attack and kill giants whenever they have the opportunity. Alignment: Feral garguns tend toward chaotic alignments, valuing freedom and personal choice very highly. Even the most organized group of feral garguns is really just a collection of self-suffi cient individuals traveling together for safety. Feral Gargun Lands: Feral garguns roam the plains and tundra of the far north, covering huge areas in the search for food, shelter, and tools. Small bands of feral garguns join together once or twice a season to share stories, trade tools and goods, and discuss the dangers of the coming season. Feral gargun lands face constant pressure from groups of giants, orcs, and goblinoids, as well as from powerful individual creatures such as dragons. When such foes appear, the feral garguns meet and decide as a group whether to move on or to fi ght. Religion: Feral garguns pay homage to their own deities, chief among them Galtha, the Mother of Winter. Galtha teaches her people to survive even in the harshest cold and when food is scarces. “When you can thrive where others cannot even eke out an existence,” says the teachings of Galtha, “then survival and success are assured.” Language: Feral garguns speak the goliath language of Gol-Kaa. Gol-Kaa has only recently been put down in written form using the Dwarven alphabet, and no feral gargun tribe has yet warmed to the concept of a written language. Individual feral garguns who have moved away from their homelands and adventured among other races have learned to read and write in other languages, but they remain the exceptional few. Illus. by T. Baxa Feral gargun 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 90 6/14/04, 8:35:40 AM
91OTHER RACES CHAPTER 4 OF STONE Names: All feral garguns remain unnamed until their second birthday. The infant mortality rate is high in the cold northlands, and leaving infants unnamed makes it easier for the tribe to accept the death of a young feral gargun when it occurs. On his or her second birthday, a feral gargun is given two names: a fi rst name, and a last name taken from his mother’s name. The last name translates roughly into “son/daughter of [the mother’s name].” A feral gargun can earn the right to adopt his father’s name by performing some great deed. This deed is never specifi ed beforehand, and only a council of elder feral garguns can make this award. Few feral garguns actually earn their father’s name, and not failing to do so carries no shame or stigma. Male Names: Agam, Agath, Gethik, Gothan, Thokan. Female Names: Evva, Maka, Makin, Prenna, Vulla. Adventurers: Feral gargun adventurers seek to explore the world. They often wish to learn from other races and cultures, seeking to return to their people with treasure, tools, and knowledge that will make life in the northern reaches easier. Some feral garguns leave their tribe hoping to perform some deed great enough for them to earn their father’s name. Because of their size and ferocity, feral gargun barbarians easily fi nd a place in adventuring groups, mercenary squads, or other martial organizations. Feral garguns find the sea fascinating, and the few who learn to make their way as sailors seldom abandon that profession. FERAL GARGUN RACIAL TRAITS • +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Feral garguns are strong, tough, and agile, but they are not as smart or personable as their goliath kindred. • Medium: As Medium creatures, feral garguns have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Feral gargun base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision: Feral garguns can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and feral garguns can function just fi ne with no light at all. • Powerful Build: The physical stature of a feral gargun lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a feral gargun is subject to a size modifi er or special size modifi er for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the feral gargun is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A feral gargun is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A feral gargun can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefi ts of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category. • Racial Hit Dice: A feral gargun begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3. • Racial Skills: A feral gargun’s monstrous humanoid levels give him skill points equal to 5 × (2 + Int modifi er). A feral gargun’s class skills are Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival. • Racial Feats: A feral gargun’s monstrous humanoid levels give him one feat. • Mountain Movement: Because feral garguns practically live on the ledges and cliffs of the most forbidding mountains, they are particularly adept at negotiating mountain hazards. A feral gargun can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half his speed as a move action) without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. • Acclimated: Feral garguns are automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes. They don’t take the penalties for altitude described in the Mountain Travel section on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Unlike other denizens of the mountains, feral garguns don’t lose their acclimation to high altitude even if they spend months or years at lower elevations. • Resistance to Cold 5 (Ex): Feral garguns have adapted to the harsh conditions of their homelands, growing a tough hide and thick fur to protect them from low temperatures. They can ignore the fi rst 5 points of cold damage dealt by any attack, whether mundane or magical. • Natural Armor: A feral gargun’s tough hide and thick fur protect him from harm, giving him a +2 natural armor bonus to AC. Table 4–4: The Feral Gargun Hit Base Attack Fort Ref Will Skill Level Dice Bonus Save Save Save Points CR Special 1st 1d8 +1 +0 +2 +2 (2 + Int mod) × 4 1 Feat, 2 claws 1d4 2nd 1d8 +1 +0 +2 +2 1 +1 natural armor, acclimated, +2 Str, +2 Con 3rd 2d8 +2 +0 +3 +3 (2 + Int mod) 2 Powerful build, 2 claws 1d6 4th 2d8 +2 +0 +3 +3 2 +2 Con, +2 Dex, +2 natural armor Illus. by D. Day 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 91 6/14/04, 8:35:48 AM
92CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE • Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: As a monstrous humanoid, a feral gargun is profi cient with all simple weapons but has no profi ciency with any armor or shield. • Natural Attack: A feral gargun has two claw attacks, each dealing 1d6 points of damage. A feral gargun armed with a weapon sometimes uses the weapon as its primary attack and a claw as a natural secondary attack (provided it has a claw free to make the secondary attack). • Goliath Blood: For all effects related to race, a feral gargun is considered a goliath. Feral garguns, for example, are just as vulnerable to special effects that affect goliaths as their goliath ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are only usable by goliaths. • Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass feral gargun’s barbarian class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty. The rough life of the feral garguns in the wild produces many barbarians. • Level adjustment +2. FERAL GARGUN MONSTER CLASS Monstrous Humanoid If you want to play a feral gargun at 1st level, you can use the feral gargun monster class. To use the monster class, generate your character with the racial traits given below (rather than the normal feral gargun racial traits presented above), and then take levels in the feral gargun monster class as you would levels of other classes. For more information on monster classes, see the Monster Classes section at the beginning of this chapter or Savage Species. Feral garguns sacrifice a few Hit Dice (and therefore base attack bonus, feat, and skill point accrual) in exchange for bonuses to Strength and Constitution, the powerful build ability, and natural armor. Because of these bonuses, a high-level feral gargun barbarian or ranger is a formidable foe. Dungeon Masters can also use the feral gargun monster class to create less powerful feral garguns to use as low-level antagonists or young NPCs for their campaigns. Racial Traits • Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Strength, –2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma. Feral garguns are strong, but they are uncultured and not very smart. • Medium: As Medium creatures, feral garguns have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Speed: Feral gargun base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision: Feral garguns can see in the dark out to 60 feet. • Goliath Blood: For all effects related to race, a feral gargun is considered a goliath. • Mountain Movement: Feral garguns can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. They can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half their speed as a move action) without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. • Resistance to Cold 5 (Ex): Feral garguns have resistance to cold 5. Class Skills The feral gargun’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Class Features All of the following are class features of the feral gargun monster class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: A feral gargun is profi cient with all simple weapons, but has no profi ciency with any armor or shield. Acclimated: Beginning at 2nd level, feral garguns become acclimated to life at high altitude. They don’t take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Unlike other denizens of the mountains, feral garguns don’t lose their acclimation to high altitude even if they spend months or years at lower elevations. Powerful Build: From 3rd level on, feral garguns grow large enough that, although they are Medium creatures, they are treated as Large for many purposes. See the Powerful Build racial trait described above for details. STONECHILD Born of a union of mortal and elemental, a stonechild is a hardy entity grounded in soil and stone and gifted with incredible strength, fortitude, and a keen intellect. Although they are not the outcasts that half-orcs often are, stonechildren are rarely raised among others of their kind. Most stonechildren grow to maturity while living in dwarf or human communities, and those few who stay on the Material Plane often wander alone, taking up the mantle of adventurer. Stonechildren are most comfortable in and under the mountains; because of this preference, they usually end their wandering by settling with a community of dwarves. As they grow older, even the most adventurous stonechildren become more and more likely to seek a way to the Elemental Plane of Earth and surround themselves with others of their kind. Personality: Stonechildren relish challenges and enjoy proving their own strength. They admire those who make their own way in life, and they feel a sense of camaraderie with the earth itself. Even when traveling alone through dangerous areas, stonechildren remain solid and sensible. Stonechildren keep their feelings hidden behind a slow practicality, and when they find someone’s company unpleasant they usually just leave quietly. Stonechildren are stalwart in the face of adversity, whether it takes the form of the physical dangers of combat or the long solitude of life as a wanderer. Physical Description: With rough, gray skin and a stony bulk, a stonechild looks like a powerful human made out 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 92 6/14/04, 8:35:51 AM
93OTHER RACES CHAPTER 4 OF STONE of stone. Stonechildren have tremendous physical strength and fortitude, and can easily overpower most humanoids. Stonechildren do not have hair, and their eyes are limited to shades of gray, black, or the occasional gemlike hue (usually a muted blue or green). Although their tough hide resembles stone, they are outsiders, not elementals. Stonechildren grow nearly 7 feet tall, and they can easily weigh more than 300 pounds. Relations: Tough, reliable, and focused on the utilitarian, stonechildren get along with most races. Stonechildren are closer to dwarves than any other race, and they often settle in dwarf communities for a time. Many humans and dwarves seek to emulate the strength and silence of the stonechildren, but their strength and practicality can seem alien to elves and gnomes. Of the few stonechildren who do not live on the Elemental Plane of Earth, most are wanderers, and as such they enjoy the company of halfl ings. For their part, halflings readily acknowledge the value of having a large, physically powerful stonechild with their troupe. On the other hand, stone children sometimes have a difficult time understanding the elf mind-set. Like stonechildren, elves are close to nature, but elves share none of the stonechildren’s connection to stone and the power of the earth, making them seem fl ighty and unfocused. Alignment: Stonechildren make their own way in life, keeping a balance between following the rules and laws of others and adhering to their own sense of honor. This outlook leads many stonechildren to adopt an attitude of neutrality. Although they make their own choices, stonechildren have a deep love of the earth and a compassion for others. In their own way, stonechildren are workers for the cause of good, quietly protecting others when they can. Stonechild Lands: Stonechildren do not have lands of their own on the Material Plane. Even on the Elemental Plane of Earth, their numbers are sparse, but they occasionally form permanent communities along with elementals and other earth creatures. On the Elemental Plane of Earth, stonechildren build secure dwellings in the sides of great caverns, usually with the help of powerful elementals. Religion: Because they often wander alone, stonechildren do not have any racial religion. Most stone children adopt the religion of their mortal parent or the community in which they grew up, making a wide array of deities the norm for any group of stonechildren. Although Moradin the Soul Forger is primarily seen as the deity of the dwarves, stonechildren also venerate his powers over stone, his solid strength, and his prodigious skills at the forge. More stonechildren revere Moradin than any other single deity, but even his worshipers fall far short of constituting a majority. Language: Stonechildren speak both Terran and Common, but they prefer Terran. They are more intelligent than many humanoids, and they pick up languages readily. Almost all stonechildren learn Dwarven early in their life, and many master other languages as well. Stonechildren do not have a literature of their own, although many individual members of the race have kept records and stories of their travels. Names: Stonechildren share some of the naming conventions that dwarves have, but they are far less rigid about the process. Whereas dwarf names belong to the family and clan, stonechildren bond closely to their names, making them intensely personal things. Stonechildren also do not follow the strict naming traditions of dwarves, and they create new names with each new generation. Some of their typical names derive from the Common names for different types of stone. Male Names: Beltan, Fartach, Ingot, Ored, Slate. Female Names: Berna, Kihild, Merna, Shale, Zeea. Family Names: Angaran, Kar-Gulduk, Pal-Mituk, Raskanik, Rendark. Adventurers: Stonechild adventurers usually travel in search of something they desire. For some, this goal is material wealth; for others, it is a chance to study with famed craftsmen. Some want to seek out more of their kind on the Material Plane, while others search for new ways to test themselves in physical combat. Stonechildren are tough and ready for whatever comes their way, and many stonechildren go off on adventures at least once or twice in their lives. STONECHILD RACIAL TRAITS • +8 Strength, +8 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma. • Size: As Medium creatures, stone children have no special bonuses or penalties due to size. • A stonechild’s base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision: Stonechildren can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and stonechildren can function just fi ne with no light at all. Illus. by B. Williams Stonechild 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 93 6/14/04, 8:35:53 AM
94CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE • Racial Hit Dice: A stonechild begins with two levels of outsider, which provide her with 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +3, and Will +3. • Racial Skills: A stonechild’s outsider levels give her skill points equal to 5 × (8 + Int modifi er). Their class skills are Appraise, Climb, Craft (stoneworking), Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival. • Racial Feats: A stonechild’s outsider levels give her one feat. In addition, stonechildren get Blind-Fight as a bonus feat. • Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As an outsider, a stonechild is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields). • Natural Armor: A stonechild’s tough hide protects her from harm, giving her a +4 natural armor bonus to Armor Class. • Immunity to Acid and Poison: Stonechildren take no damage and suffer no ill effects from acid or poison. • Magic Stone (Sp): Three times per day, a stonechild can use a magic stone effect, as the spell (caster level 3rd). • Automatic Languages: Common and Terran. Bonus Languages: Celestial, Dwarven, Ignan. • Favored Class: Fighter. • Level adjustment +4. STONECHILD MONSTER CLASS Outsider (Earth, Extraplanar) If you want to play a stonechild at 1st level, you can use the stonechild monster class. To use the monster class, generate your character with the racial traits given below (rather than the normal stonechild racial traits presented above), and then take levels in the stonechild monster class as you would levels of other classes. For more information on monster classes, see the Monster Classes section at the beginning of this chapter or Savage Species. Stonechildren sacrifice a few Hit Dice (and therefore base attack bonus, feat, and skill point accrual) in exchange for tremendous bonuses to their Strength, Constitution, and natural armor. Because of these benefits, a high-level stonechild barbarian, fighter, or ranger is a formidable foe. Dungeon Masters can also use the stonechild monster class to create less powerful stonechildren for use as lowlevel antagonists or young NPCs for their campaigns. Racial Traits • Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma. Stonechildren are tough and smart, but they seem strange and alien to other races. • Medium: As Medium creatures, stonechildren have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Speed: Stonechild base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision: Stonechildren can see in the dark out to 60 feet. • Immunity to Acid and Poison: Stonechildren take no damage and suffer no ill effects from acid or poison. Class Skills The stonechild’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (stoneworking) (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Class Features All of the following are class features of the stonechild monster class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: A stonechild is profi cient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields). Magic Stone (Sp): Beginning at 3rd level, stonechildren can use a magic stone effect once per day (caster level 3rd). At 5th level, this ability is usable twice per day, and at 6th level it is usable three times per day. Blind-Fight: Stonechildren get Blind-Fight as a bonus feat at 4th level. WHISPER GNOME Whisper gnomes outwardly resemble common gnomes, but they lack the jovial nature and easy outlook on life that their more common relatives enjoy. Instead, whisper gnomes are creatures of stealth and suspicion. In profession and behavior, they range from dangerous spies to peaceful recluses. Few members of other races can match a whisper gnome’s powers of stealth, and whisper gnome scouts and rangers always stalk any creatures that come within a few miles of their hidden hillside communities. Whisper gnomes reluctantly ally themselves with common gnomes and other races when necessary. They know that they lack the physical strength and numbers to stand completely on their own. Table 4–5: The Stonechild Hit Base Attack Fort Ref Will Skill Level Dice Bonus Save Save Save Points CR Special 1st 1d8 +1 +2 +2 +2 (8 + Int mod) × 4 1 Feat 2nd 1d8 +1 +2 +2 +2 — 1 +2 Str, +2 Con, +1 natural armor 3rd 1d8 +1 +2 +2 +2 — 1 +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 natural armor, magic stone 1/day 4th 2d8 +2 +3 +3 +3 (8 + Int mod) 2 Blind-Fight 5th 2d8 +2 +3 +3 +3 — 3 +2 Str, +2 Con, +3 natural armor, magic stone 2/day 6th 2d8 +2 +3 +3 +3 — 3 +2 Str, +4 natural armor, magic stone 3/day 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 94 6/14/04, 8:35:58 AM
95OTHER RACES CHAPTER 4 OF STONE Personality: Whisper gnomes are quiet, suspicious sorts who fi nd it hard to build lasting relationships with members of other races. Although no other race is openly friendly with these reclusive individuals, no race bears them active malice either. Often, whisper gnomes share information about impending threats when allying themselves with more powerful or numerous humanoid races; in most cases, this arrangement has worked out extremely well for both sides. If the whisper gnomes’ allies fi nd themselves short of a few valuables after the gnomes have left their community, the losses are offset by the whisper gnomes’ valuable scouting and information-gathering abilities. Physical Description: Whisper gnomes are slightly taller than other gnomes, standing between 3-1/2 and 4 feet tall. Whisper gnomes are skinny, almost gaunt creatures, and rarely weigh more than 40 pounds. Their skin ranges in color from light gray to light green, although none of this variation in skin tone is noticeable without careful attention. Whisper gnomes have gray or blue eyes, but again they are rarely bright or striking in intensity. Relations: Many other humanoid races regard whisper gnomes as they would an untrustworthy cousin—they know that whisper gnomes are unlikely to do any lasting harm or steal their most precious items, but at the same time, they deserve to be watched carefully. Dwarves in particular distrust whisper gnomes; these serious and stoic individuals let whisper gnomes into their cities only under the direst of circ*mstances. Elves, humans, and half-elves generally tolerate whisper gnomes. Of all the other races, halfl ings are the most accepting of whisper gnomes, and many whisper gnomes travel for a time with halfl ing caravans. Half-orcs and whisper gnomes get along very well. Whether because the two races are such opposites that they end up respecting the other’s strengths, or because they both often fi nd themselves outcasts from other races, they seem to enjoy each other’s company and approach to life. Halforcs with nowhere else to go occasionally settle in a whisper gnome community. Alignment: Most whisper gnomes are neutral or neutral good. Whisper gnomes favor personal freedom and choice, but at the same time they value an ordered community and respect the rights of others and—to an extent—the property of others. Illus. by W. O’Connor Whisper gnome 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 95 6/14/04, 8:36:07 AM
96CHAPTER 4 OTHER RACES OF STONE Whisper Gnome Lands: Whisper gnomes live in and among the communities of more common gnomes, or they form small, carefully hidden communities of their own. They favor the rolling hills and light woods that other gnomes enjoy, and like their distant cousins, they live underground. Whisper gnomes who want a more active lifestyle settle in human lands and fi nd work as spies, emissaries, or as simple thieves. Religion: Whisper gnomes pay homage to Garl Glittergold, but many also venerate Olidamarra. Whisper gnomes are very open-minded about religion, and they fi nd the single-minded religious devotion of other races strange and confi ning. Most whisper gnomes believe it expedient to pay attention to whatever deity can help them the most in their current situation, and they do not see it as strange to frequently pray to different deities. Language: Whisper gnomes speak Gnome, which uses the Dwarven alphabet. Most whisper gnomes also speak Terran, and they sometimes use that tongue as a sort of semisecret code when in the company of other races. Names: Whisper gnomes consider names as semipermanent aliases at best, and one usually goes by a different name in each nongnome community he or she visits. When among other gnomes (of any kind), whisper gnomes usually stick to the names given to them by their parents. Whisper gnome family names are similar to, but not exactly like, the clan names of common gnomes. Male Names: Alth, Fash, Threan. Female Names: Bella, Freith, Geim, Mala, Nan. Family Names: Bermin, Daergel, Falath, Shrenan. Adventurers: Whisper gnome adventurers travel to test themselves. They seek not only to try out their powers of speed and stealth against the physical strength of larger creatures, but also to test their own moral limits. Many adventuresome whisper gnomes know that they are capable of stealing from humans and other creatures that can’t hope to compete with their powers of stealth, and they seek some rationale for why they shouldn’t take advantage of this superiority. WHISPER GNOME RACIAL TRAITS • +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, –2 Strength, –2 Charisma: Whisper gnomes are agile and tough, but they are Small and therefore not as strong as larger humanoids. Their quiet nature also leads to a lack of personal presence. • Small: As a Small creature, a whisper gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character. • Whisper gnome base land speed is 30 feet, despite their size. • Low-Light Vision: A whisper gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Darkvision: Whisper gnomes can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and whisper gnomes can function just fi ne with no light at all. • Weapon Familiarity: Whisper gnomes treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons. • +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids (including goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears): Like their more common cousins, whisper gnomes battle these creatures frequently and practice special techniques for fighting them. • +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls, and hill giants): This bonus represents special training that whisper gnomes undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught fl atfooted, it loses its dodge bonus, too. The Monster Manual has information on which creatures are of the giant type. • +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks: Whisper gnomes have an uncanny knack for stealth. • +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks: Whisper gnomes have keen eyes and ears. • Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—silence (must be centered on whisper gnome’s body). A whisper gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—ghost sound, mage hand, message. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + whisper gnome’s Cha modifi er + spell level. • Favored Class: Rogue. The best multiclass choices for whisper gnome rogues are fi ghter, ranger, and cleric. A fair number of whisper gnome wizards and sorcerers become arcane tricksters. • Racial Feats: The Extra Silence and Silencing Strike feats can be taken by whisper gnome characters (see Chapter 6: Character Options). Illus. by S. Roller 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 96 6/14/04, 8:36:12 AM
97 Illus. by C. Lukacs Illus. by C. Lukacs ost of the prestige classes described here are designed for the races featured in this book, but others are appropriate for any race. One class, the stoneblessed, provides a way for other characters to gain access to some of the spells, feats, and game elements otherwise exclusive to the races of stone. BATTLESMITH A battlesmith is a skilled dwarf armorer and weaponsmith who uses her experience in battle, as well as her masterful weaponsmithing and armorsmithing abilities, to create deadly items for her kinsmen to wield in defense of their homes. While typically only spellcasters can craft magic items, dwarven ingenuity has found a number of ways to make skill serve where nondwarves must rely on magic. Aside from her incredible skill crafting items of war, a battlesmith is equally capable of raining down death and destruction in combat. After all, no one knows her creations—or how to most effectively use them—better than the battlesmith herself, and she did not live to retire from the front lines by being anything less than the best. Fighters and paladins are well served by becoming battlesmiths. Spellcasters are less likely to fi nd benefi t in the profession, since they typically fi nd little time to continue their more traditional mystical studies while working in the heat of the forge. That said, a number of clerics of Moradin take up the mantle of the battlesmith. NPC battlesmiths are often veterans attached to dwarf military units. They repair damaged weapons and armor, inspire the younger dwarves in the unit, and take the fi ght to the enemy as well as any dwarf warrior. Adaptation: While this prestige class obviously plays off the dwarf’s love of weapon- and armorsmithing, it’s suitable for nondwarves with a similar cultural connection to the smithy and the forge. In such cases, you can replace the racial entry requirement with a similar cultural requirement. This isn’t a prestige class intended to represent a master weaponsmith. It’s intended to showcase a smith who has a mystical union with the tools of war she creates. Hit Die: d10. Requirements To qualify to become a battlesmith, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria. Race: Dwarf. Base Attack Bonus: +5. Skills: Craft (armorsmithing) or Craft (weaponsmithing) 10 ranks. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 97 6/14/04, 8:36:18 AM
98CHAPTER 5 PRESTIGE CLASSES Feats: Armor Profi ciency (heavy), Endurance, Weapon Focus (warhammer). Special: The character must have created a dwarvencraft weapon (see page 159) and used it in battle. Class Skills The battlesmith’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), and Knowledge (religion) (Int). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifi er. Class Features All of the following are class features of the battlesmith prestige class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Battlesmiths gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. One with the Hammer (Ex): A battlesmith’s long hours at the forge grant her a special bond with a hammer. When wielding a warhammer that she has crafted herself, a battlesmith adds her Wisdom bonus as a bonus to the damage dealt by the weapon. Secrets of the Forge (Ex): A battlesmith learns some of the great dwarven secrets of forging weapons and armor. A battlesmith receives Craft Magic Arms and Armor as a bonus feat, regardless of her caster level. Multiply the battle smith’s class level by 3 to determine her effective caster level for the purpose of creating magic arms and armor (this benefi t stacks with any other caster levels the battlesmith might have). For example, a 7th-level fi ghter/1st-level battlesmith would be treated as a 3rd-level caster for the purpose of creating magic arms and armor. A 7th-level cleric/1stlevel battlesmith would be treated as a 10th-level caster for that purpose. The battlesmith must still meet any other prerequisites for the item’s creation. This stipulation might mean that she needs the assistance of other characters to complete the creation of an item. Flesh of My Flesh (Ex): No armor fi ts so well as that created by a battlesmith for her own use. When wearing heavy armor that she has crafted herself, a battlesmith of 2nd level or higher gains a +1 sacred bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level. Forged in Fire (Ex): At 3rd level, a battlesmith becomes inured to the effects of fatigue and exhaustion, and can ignore their effects for a number of hours equal to her class level. At the end of this time, if the condition remains, the battlesmith succumbs to the effects. Tempered in Blood (Ex): Once per day, a 5th-level battlesmith can attempt to resist the damage from a single blow. The battlesmith can attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) when struck and damaged by a melee attack with a weapon or natural attack (but not by a spell or other effect). If the save succeeds, the battlesmith takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes normal damage. The battlesmith must be aware of the attack and able to react to it to use this ability. If she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. SAMPLE BATTLESMITH Lucana Silverson the Battlesmith: Female dwarf cleric 7 of Moradin/battlesmith 2; CR 9; Medium humanoid; HD 7d8+21 plus 2d10+6; hp 73; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 25, touch 11, fl at-footed 25; Base Atk +7; Grp +11; Atk +13 melee 8 (1d8+7/×3, +1 warhammer); Atk +13/+8 melee (1d8+7/×3, +1 warhammer); SA one with the hammer, turn undead 1/day (+0, 2d6+5, 7th); SQ darkvision 60 ft., dwarf traits, fl esh of my fl esh; AL LN; SV Fort +12* (+14 against poison), Ref +2*, Will +8*; Str 18, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Appraise +1 (+3 stone or metal related, +5 armor or weapon related), Concentration +12, Craft (armorsmithing) +12 (+14 stone or metal), Craft (weaponsmithing) +12 (+14 stone or metal), Jump –8, Knowledge (religion) +6; Endurance, Weapon Profi ciency (warhammer), Weapon Focus (warhammer), Craft Magic Arms and ArmorB, Craft Wondrous Item. One with the Hammer (Ex): Lucana can add her Wisdom bonus as a bonus to damage dealt with a warhammer she made. Table 5–1: The Battlesmith Base Attack Fort Ref Will Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st +1 +2 +0 +0 One with the hammer, secrets of the forge 2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Flesh of my fl esh +1 3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Forged in fire 4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Flesh of my fl esh +2 5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Tempered in blood Illus. by S. Belladin Lucana Silverson, a battlesmith 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 98 6/14/04, 8:36:24 AM
99CHAPTER 5 CLASSES PRESTIGE Dwarf Traits: Dwarves have stonecunning, which grants them a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of it can make a Search check as if actively searching. When standing on the ground, dwarves are exceptionally stable and have a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped. They have a +1 racial bonus on attacks against orcs and goblinoids. Dwarves have a +4 racial bonus to Armor Class against giants. *Dwarves have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. Flesh of My Flesh (Ex): Lucana gains a +1 sacred bonus to AC when she wears armor she has crafted. Cleric Spells Prepared (6/6/5/3/2; save DC 12 + spell level): 0—detect magic (2), detect poison, guidance, light, resistance; 1st—bless, divine favor (2), magic stone*, obscuring mist, shield of faith; 2nd—aid, bear’s endurance, hold person (2), shield other*; 3rd—dispel magic, magic vestment, protection from energy*; 4th—divine power, spell immunity*. *Domain Spell. Domains: Earth (turn air creatures or rebuke earth creatures 1/day), Protection (protective ward grants +7 resistance bonus on next save, 1/day). Possessions: +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 dwarvencraft* warhammer, gauntlets of ogre power, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, scroll of cure moderate wounds, 2 platinum rings (50 gp each), 5 pp, 8 gp. *New item type described in Chapter 7. BLADE BRAVO Younger gnomes consider it fashionable to engage in rapier duels for honor and glory. These duels are typically fought more for sport than anger, and after a few drubbings, most youths tire of the game and move on to less dangerous pursuits. A few, however, possess a real talent for fencing and develop a love of the blade and battle. They become addicted to the rush of combat and devote themselves to studying its many strategies. Their obsession transforms the sport, elevating the sometimes inelegant cut and thrust of battle into an art form that can leave observers breathless and opponents bloody. These blade bravos also specialize in techniques to battle creatures larger than they are—a necessity for any gnome interested in pursuing the arts of war. Not surprisingly, gnome fi ghters and rogues of all types fi nd themselves drawn to the life of the blade bravo. Even spellcasters sometimes adopt the study of the rapier for a time, although few are willing to leave their spells behind entirely for a simple blade. PCs minding their own business in a gnome community might run afoul of an NPC blade bravo looking to prove herself. Such characters often incite duels against visitors because they get a home crowd advantage, and whether they win or lose, their foe isn’t likely to stick around and cause trouble. Adaptation: This prestige class bears some similarity to the duelist prestige class presented on page 185 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, but some of the blade bravo’s class features work best for Small PCs. A straightforward change would involve broadening the racial requirement to allow halfl ings and perhaps some Small or smaller fey into this prestige class. Hit Die: d8. Requirements To qualify to become a blade bravo, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria. Race: Gnome. Base Attack Bonus: +5. Skills: Bluff 4 ranks. Feats: Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier). Class Skills The blade bravo’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifi er. Class Features All of the following are class features of the blade bravo prestige class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Blade bravos gain no profi ciency with any weapon. They do gain profi ciency with light armor. Flourish (Ex): A blade bravo learns to fi ght with style and fl air. While many might discount their swirls and poses as cheap theatrics, in truth they act as a formidable weapon. By diverting her foe’s eye with these fl ourishes, a blade bravo can more easily feint, preventing her opponent from fully defending himself against her next attack. A blade bravo can add her class level to her Bluff checks when feinting in combat. This benefi t only applies when the blade bravo wears light armor or no armor. Goad: A blade bravo gains Goad (see page 140) as a bonus feat. If the blade bravo has at least 5 ranks in Bluff, the save DC to avoid the feat’s effect increases by 2. Illus. by B. Williams Uli Quindal, a blade bravo 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 99 6/14/04, 8:36:29 AM
100CHAPTER 5 PRESTIGE CLASSES Mobile Fighting (Ex): If a blade bravo of 2nd level or higher moves at least 5 feet, she gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC until her next turn. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught fl at-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too. This benefi t only applies when the blade bravo wears light armor or no armor. Bonus Feats: Beginning at 3rd level, a blade bravo receives a bonus dueling or combat-oriented feat, which must be selected from the list below. She receives additional bonus feats at 6th and 9th level. Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Refl exes, Dodge, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Spring Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Whirlwind Attack. Melee Sneak Attack (Ex): If a blade bravo can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, the blade bravo’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the blade bravo fl anks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 points at 4th level, and it increases to 2d6 points at 8th level. Should the blade bravo score a critical hit with a melee sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. (See Table 8–5: Attack Roll Modifi ers and Table 8–6: Armor Class Modifi ers, page 151 of the Player’s Handbook, for combat situations in which the blade bravo fl anks an opponent or the opponent loses his Dexterity bonus to AC.) Unlike normal sneak attacks, a blade bravo’s melee sneak attack damage applies only to melee attacks. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet and the blade bravo has the sneak attack ability from another class. In this case, she deals the sneak attack damage from that other class but does not add the melee sneak attack damage gained from the blade bravo class. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a blade bravo can make a melee sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because she must make optional use of her weapon to execute a sneak attack. (See Nonlethal Damage, page 146 of the Player’s Handbook.) A blade bravo can sneak attack only living creatures that have a discernible anatomy—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to extra damage from critical hits is not vulnerable to melee sneak attacks. The blade bravo must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A blade bravo cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment (see page 152 of the Player’s Handbook) or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. If a blade bravo gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses on damage stack as long as the target is in melee with the blade bravo. Size Advantage (Ex): By 5th level, a blade bravo starts focusing on fi ghting larger opponents. A blade bravo gains a +2 dodge bonus to her AC per size category of difference between her and her foe. For instance, a blade bravo facing a hobgoblin (a Medium creature) would gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC, but when facing a cloud giant (a Huge creature) she would gain a +6 dodge bonus to AC. The bonus applies only against attacks from that foe. This ability only functions when the blade bravo wears light armor or no armor. Small but Deadly (Ex): From 7th level on, a blade bravo gains a +4 bonus on rolls made to confi rm critical hits with melee weapons, but only against creatures larger than she. Lethal Riposte (Ex): A 10th-level blade bravo is a lethal combatant with few equals; she fi nds herself in few situations that she cannot turn to her advantage. Any opponent who attacks and misses the blade bravo with a melee attack provokes an attack of opportunity from the blade bravo. Furthermore, the opponent cannot apply his Dexterity bonus to AC against this attack. The blade bravo can use this ability only once per round, regardless of the number of attacks of opportunity she is normally allowed. This benefi t only applies when the blade bravo wears light armor or no armor. Table 5–2: The Blade Bravo Base Attack Fort Ref Will Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Flourish, Goad 2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Mobile fi ghting 3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Bonus feat 4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Melee sneak attack +1d6 5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Size advantage 6th +6 +2 +5 +2 Bonus feat 7th +7 +2 +5 +2 Small but deadly 8th +8 +2 +6 +2 Melee sneak attack +2d6 9th +9 +3 +6 +3 Bonus feat 10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Lethal riposte SAMPLE BLADE BRAVO Uli Quindal the Blade Bravo: Female gnome fighter 5/blade bravo 4; CR 9; Small humanoid; HD 5d10+10 plus 4d8+8; hp 68; Init +8; Spd 20 ft.; AC 22, touch 16, fl at-footed 18; Base Atk +9; Grp +6; Atk +16 melee (1d4+4/15–20, +1 rapier); Full Atk +16/+11 melee (1d4+4/15–20, +1 rapier); SA fl ourish, melee sneak attack +1d6, spell-like abilities; SQ gnome traits, low-light vision, mobile fi ghting; AL CN; SV Fort +8*, Ref +10*, Will +5*; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Balance +9, Bluff +11, Disguise –1 (+1 to act in character), Escape Artist +10, Jump +0, Listen +2, Tumble +10, Use Rope +4 (+6 involving bindings); Combat ExpertiseB, DodgeB, GoadB, Iron Will, Improved Critical (rapier), Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)B, Weapon Specialization (rapier)B. Flourish (Ex): Uli can add her blade bravo level (+4) to a Bluff check when feinting in combat. 620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 100 6/14/04, 8:36:34 AM
