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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/stone_giant

Name:
	Stone Giant  (Humanoid)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 1-10
	Climate/Terrain: Subtropical and temperate mountains
	Frequency      : Rare
	Organization   : Tribal
	Activity Cycle : Any
	Diet           : Omnivore

Description:
	Stone giants are lean, but muscular. Their hard, hairless flesh is
	smooth and gray, making it easy for them to blend in with their moun-
	tainous surroundings. Their gaunt facial features and deep, sunken
	black eyes make them seem perpetual grim.

	They typical stone giant is 18' tall and weighs 9000 pounds because of
	its dense flesh. Females are little shorter and lighter. They do not
	wear armour to augment their natural armour class, preferring to wear
	stone-coloured garments. Stone giants can live to be 800 years old.

	Stone giants, like several other giant races, carry some of their be-
	longings with them. They leave their more valuable items in their
	lairs, however. A typical stone giant's bag will contain 2-24 throwing
	rocks, a portion of the giant's wealth, and 1-8 additional common
	items.

	Stone giants speak their own language, as well as those of hill giants,
	and storm giants. In addition, 50% of the giants also
	speak the common tongue of man.

Combat:
	When possible, stone giants fight from a distance. They are able to
	hurl rocks a minimum distance of 3 yards to a maximum distance of 300
	yards. These giants are able to catch stones and similar missiles 90%
	of the time. A favourite tactic of stone giants is to stand nearly
	motionless against rocks, blending in with the background, then moving
	forward to throw rocks, surprising their foes. Many giants set up piles
	of rocks near their lair which can be triggered like an avalanch when
	intruders get too close.

	When stone giants are forced into melee combat, they use large clubs
	chiseled out of stone; double normal (man-sized) club damage plus the
	giant's strength bonus.

Habitat/Society:
	Stone giants prefer to dwell in deep caves high on rocky, storm-swept
	mountains. They normally live in the company of their relatives, though
	such clans usually include no more than 10 giants. Clans of giants do
	locate their lairs near each other, however, for a sense of community
	and protection. A mountain range commonly has 2-8 clans lairing there.

	Stone giants are crude artists, painting scenes of their lives on the
	walls of their lairs and on tanned hide scrolls. Some giants are fond
	of music and play stone flutes and drums. Others make simple jewelry,
	fashioning painted stone beads into necklaces.

	If eight or more giants are encountered in a clan's lair, one quarter
	will be female, one quarter male, and the remainder offspring. With a
	25% chance, an offspring is an infant with no combat abilities and hit
	points of an ogre. In the other case, it is an older progeny with hit
	points, damage, and attack rolls equal to those of a hill giant.

	One in 20 stone giants develop special abilities related to their en-
	vironment. These giant elders are able to stone shape, stone tell, and
	transmute rock to mud (or mud to rock) once per day as if they were 5th
	level mages. One in 10 of these exceptional giants can also cast spells
	as if he were a 3rd level wizard. Their spells can be determined ran-
	domly or chosen to fit a specific encounter as desired. Frequently
	these giants are able to rise to positions of power and are considered
	the leaders of several clans.

	Stone giants are usually found in mountain ranges in temperate and sub-
	tropical areas. Stone giants are fond of cave bears and 75% of their
	lairs will have 1-8 of them as guards. Stone giants are playful, es-
	pecially at night. They are fond of rock throwing contests and other
	games that test their might. Tribes of giants will often gather to toss
	rocks at each other, the losing side being the giants who are hit more
	often.

Ecology:
	Stone giants are omnivorous, but they will eat only fresh food. They
	cook and eat their meat quickly after it has been killed. They use the
	skins of the animals for blankets and trade what they do not need with
	nearby human communities in exchange for bolts of cloth or herd animals
	which they use for food. Many stone giant bands keep giant goats in and
	near their lairs so they will have a continous supply of milk, cheese,
	and butter.