Leve's Lore Corner - Curious tidbits!

[Pedantry INC]

To Preface:

As some of you may know by now, I'm something of a lore nut. My favorite hobby next to actually playing the game is learning about the world. Consequently it's rare for a week to go buy without me finding myself buried nose deep in source books to learn about this or that because something piqued my curiosity. Usually something that happens in play inspires me, while at other times I simply mean to look something specific up and go on a tirade of page flipping and random referencing until I can't even remember what I started with.

Oftentimes I find really neat stuff, and I get pretty excited and want to share, so I babble at Hellwalker incessantly, but, I always wondered if there might be more folks that might appreciate it. Kinda like how I've fallen in love with the IFLS posts on my facebook feed, even though the only part of science class I managed to stomach was biology.

With that I hope you guys enjoy reading (and if you don't, stop reading bro!) as much as I enjoy collecting


Everyone is welcome to comment, discuss, and ask questions, but I would like to stress a couple points
- If you want to add some of your own lore, please cite your source.
- Please stay on topic. Source can be interpreted differently so by all means, debate, but avoid things like 'right and wrong'.


Index

+ Kobolds
- General Statistics
- Life
- Society and Culture
- Religion and Mythology

+ Ghost Elves
- Elves of the Ethereal

+ Giants
- General Statistics
- Giant History and Lore
- Giant Society

+ Druids
- Overview and Responsibilities
- Organization
- Ranks and Rites

Previous Submissions:

- Consolidated Vital Statistics Tables
- The High Forest Expanded Lore
- Canon Evil Organizations of the Forgotten Realms
- The Uthgardt Barbarians
- The Shadowvar
- The Deep Imaskari
- Half Dragons
- The Bedine

[Pedantry INC]

As it turns out Kobolds are often incredibly under appreciated. I stumbled upon this lore a while ago and was completely bewildered as it was so indepth and expansive, when I had always just laughed kobolds off. Seems I fell for their tricks ^^. So without further ado, I present Kobolds:

Kobolds

Kobolds are often characterized as filthy little reptiles barely better than goblins. They’re malicious but of little actual menace. Catch kobolds in their lairs, where they are almost certainly hard at work mining, and such a description might be fitting. No one ever suspected that being underestimated was the kobolds’ goal.

Kobolds are meticulous creatures with sorcery in their blood, a variety of reptile with a strong work ethic. Discounted as pests or worse by many others, kobolds are a long-suffering race with many talents and clever tricks. Only the foolish overlook the threat that kobolds actually pose.

Appearance

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with bony frames and small tails. They stand approximately 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weigh 35 to 45 pounds. Sinewy, double-jointed legs, naturally bent and poised for sudden speed, contribute to their height. When her legs are stretched out, a kobold can increase her height by up to 1 foot, but doing so is uncomfortable.

Kobolds have scaly skin, varying in color from rusty brown to reddish black. They have strong teeth, and their hands and feet have long digits tipped with very small claws. A kobold’s face is like a crocodile’s, with a jaw that can open wide enough to hold a whole melon. Constantly alert and wide, the eyes of a kobold range in color from burnt ochre to red. A ridge of small, hornlike bone juts above each brow and sweeps backward, the protrusions growing larger and more pronounced toward the rear of the skull.

Kobold Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, –4 Strength, –2 Constitution. Kobolds are weak and frail, but their size grants them quickness.
  
• Small: As a Small creature, a kobold gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –4 size penalty on grapple checks, 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.
  
• Humanoid (dragonblood, reptilian): Kobolds are humanoids with the dragonblood and reptilian subtypes. For all effects related to race, a kobold is considered a dragon.
  
• Kobold base land speed is 30 feet.
  
• +1 natural armor bonus.
  
• Darkvision: Kobolds can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Kobolds can function just fi ne with no light at all.
  
• All kobolds add Craft (trapmaking) to their list of class skills.
  
• +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
  
• Light Sensitivity: Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
  
• Automatic Language: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common and Undercommon.
  
• Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass kobold’s sorcerer class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

Age

Once hatched, kobolds mature at a breakneck pace, using the same life cycle as dragons, but only living one-tenth as long. By the time a kobold reaches the age of eight or nine (on average), she is mentally and physically able to assist her tribe in any capacity.


Random Starting Ages

Race	Adulthood	Simple¹	Moderate²	Complex³
Kobold	6 years	+1d3	+1d4	+2d4

¹ The simple classes are barbarian, rogue, and sorcerer.
² The moderate classes are bard, fighter, paladin, and ranger.
³ The complex classes are cleric, druid, monk, and wizard.

Kobold Age Categories

Categories	Age
Wyrmling	Up to 6 months
Very young	7 to 18 months
Young	19 to 30 months
Juvenile	31 months to 5 years
Young adult	6 to 10 years
Adult	11 to 20 years
Mature adult	21 to 40 years
Old	41 to 60 years
Very old	61 to 80 years
Ancient	81 to 100 years
Wyrm	101 to 120 years
Great wyrm	121 years or older

Aging Effects

Subrace	Middle Age	Old Age	Venerable	Maximum Age
Kobold	60 years	90 years	120 years	+Cha years¹

¹ Dragonwrought kobolds with chromatic dragon ancestry multiply this number by 5. Dragonwrought kobolds with metallic dragon ancestry multiply this number by 10.
Ability penalties due to age do not apply to dragonwrought kobolds. See the Dragonwrought feat, page 100 of Races of the Dragon.


Height and Weight

Kobolds are Small creatures, weighing slightly more than they might for their height due to their tails and bony frames.

Random Height and Weight

Subrace	Base Height	Base Height Mod	Base Weight	Base Weight Mod
Kobold, male	2'1"	+2d4	40 lb.	x 1 lb.
Kobold, female	1'10"	+2d4	30 lb.	x 1 lb.

Physiology

Kobolds have close biological ties to dragons. The most important difference between the two, however, is that kobolds are cold-blooded creatures, and dragons are warmblooded. While kobolds do generate some internal body heat from taking in food and engaging in activity, they are dependent on their environment for warmth. This is one reason why they live underground, especially in their native temperate climate.

Being a cold-blooded humanoid has advantages and disadvantages. Warm temperatures are comfortable to kobolds, who can sustain their bodies by literally soaking up heat. A kobold who inhabits a region with a temperature of 40°F or above for 24 hours can go for another three days after that time before having to eat normally. The downside is that kobolds feel the cold more profoundly. Sudden chilling temperatures, such as being struck by a cone of cold spell, do not affect kobolds more than normal, but prolonged cold increases their need for sustenance. After inhabiting a region with a temperature below 40°F for more than three days, kobolds must consistently consume three times as much food per day than is normal for their size.

Kobolds can eat a wide variety of foodstuffs, drawing nutrition from a broad, omnivorous diet. Evil kobolds have no scruples when it comes to eating, even considering other intelligent creatures as options for the stewpot. Kobolds who are desperate for food, especially when traveling through cold regions, can eat almost anything. They can metabolize many forms of organic matter, including bark, bones, dirt, leather, and shells. A tribe of kobolds that is short on provisions feeds its youngest members whatever they can eat.

As reptiles, kobolds are hatched from hard-shelled eggs. Once a female kobold has been fertilized, she lays one egg within two weeks, with a 10% chance of laying two eggs. The egg must be incubated for 60 days, after which time it hatches into a kobold wyrmling that is able to walk and feed after only a few hours.

An average tribe has one egg and one child per ten kobold adults, while a particularly prosperous one might have double this number. Tribes with a scarcity of food have fewer young.

On rare occasions, a kobold female lays what kobolds call a dragonwrought egg (see the Dragonwrought feat, page 100 of Races of the Dragon). These eggs are spotted with the color of whichever true dragon influences the dragonwrought kobold within, with such mottles increasing in number and size as the wyrmling inside grows.

Kobold embryos are resilient and not easily disturbed when moved or transported. A kobold embryo rarely expires unless its egg is broken before the final 15 days of incubation. A kobold embryo inside an egg that is broken after that time suffers no ill effects, though the wyrmling may take a while longer to reach physical maturity.


Clothing

Kobolds are pragmatic about fashion. They dress appropriately for the occasion, which includes finery for special celebrations and ceremonies. While an individual kobold enjoys looking distinguished and fine, tailored or inlaid clothing is an extravagance seen only in the wardrobes of tribal dignitaries and leaders. Most kobolds spend all their time mining, however, and working kobolds wear work clothing.

Kobolds do not usually have access to resources such as cotton, but they readily harvest silk from underground spiders, worms, and other insect larvae. Along with silk, leather sees widespread use. Such hide, once cured, creates the most durable clothing for mining and requires the least amount of maintenance.

As a miner, the typical kobold dresses for freedom of movement, which usually takes the form of a sleeveless leather tunic and breeches that stop above the knee. The consistent temperatures found in underground environments mean kobolds usually don’t have to consider dressing for warmth.

Footwear does not exist in kobold society. The idea of wearing footwear has never occurred to kobolds, not even for comfort. Kobolds rely heavily on their double-jointed legs and articulated feet to maintain their speed and balance. Moving across rugged terrain poses no difficulty for a barefooted kobold, whose feet are so naturally tough and callused that gravel and rough stone cause no pain.

Well-dressed kobolds enjoy making bold statements, so popular colors include dark reds and fiery oranges to accent one’s eyes. Such pigments are easy for kobolds to acquire in their subterranean lairs. Kobolds value all sorts of dyes, often accenting their clothing based on their affinity with a certain kind of dragon.

Due to the prolific mining of the typical kobold tribe, those kobolds able to afford it favor metal and gem-encrusted adornment. While they are usually sensible with the cut of their garments, kobolds love jewelry and ornamentation. Both sexes wear all sorts of jewelry, including tail rings. Warriors often don symbolic metal armor pieces such as bracers, decorative gorgets, and greaves.

When it comes to real armor, kobold warriors prefer leather, avoiding anything that might slow them down. Kobolds perceive speed as their greatest tactical advantage. As a substitute for metal armor, some kobolds have been known to wear armor made from the shells of giant beetles (see page 121 of Races of the Dragon for more information on chitin armor).


Grooming

Mining is a dirty profession. It requires endurance and determination. Few humans can mine for an extended period, but every kobold can. Being grimy is a part of the mining life, but kobolds are far from uncivilized when it comes to hygiene.

For a kobold, a lack of hair doesn’t mean less grooming. As reptilian humanoids, kobolds shed their skins like other reptiles do. This is not a simple procedure in the manner of some snakes that can shed an old skin in one piece. Adult kobolds shed their skin in patches. This process takes up to a week if allowed to transpire naturally, but kobolds accelerate the shedding by scrubbing the old skin from their bodies.

A growing kobold sheds her skin at intervals ranging from once a week to once a month. Adult kobolds shed their skin about once a season. Many adults use a bottle of replenishing oil made from a plant called bitterleaf to strengthen their scales and keep them shiny. Regular application of bitterleaf oil (see page 122 of Races of the Dragon) can delay shedding indefinitely.

Between shedding cycles, kobolds are quick to take advantage of the natural springs discovered in their excavations. Swimming is one of their favorite pastimes. Although kobold tribes don’t actually construct public baths, all kobolds gather at pools to bathe and socialize.

Kobolds are meticulous about their teeth and claws. A fl at stone in every kobold dwelling serves as a tool for polishing claws. Kobolds chew roots and bones to strengthen their gums and clean the surface of their teeth.


Psychology
“We suffer and yet prevail.”
—Thurirl, High Priest of the Sacred Mine,
Keeper of Dragonwrought Eggs

Kobolds exist in a world much larger than they are, dwarfed by creatures usually at least three or four times their physical mass. Living among such competition could be a constant struggle to assert dominance, with kobolds making sure they are never overlooked or taken for granted. But kobolds spend their energy elsewhere.

While gnomes and halflings often integrate into other races’ societies, kobolds turn inward. The kobold deity Kurtulmak (see page 48 of Races of the Dragon) doesn’t allow such fraternization. Kobolds have their own culture and a set of deeply introspective traditions.

To generalize kobolds as xenophobic is misleading. They are perfectly happy to be overlooked by others, having disdain for other races and preferring to conduct their activities in secret. Being consistently underestimated is seen as a gift - one they have taken advantage of for
countless generations.

The intimate thoughts of a kobold would probably surprise most other individuals. Kobolds live in an undeviating state of contentment, despite any setbacks experienced by their tribe. It’s strange for others to imagine that such weak creatures can lead such fulfilling lives, until you consider one lingering piece of knowledge that kobolds have never overlooked: They are kin to dragons.

The origin of this connection is unclear, based heavily on folklore and myth, but the relationship is undeniable: The two races are related. Being completely certain of their heritage gives kobolds a confidence that is neither troubled by self-doubt nor arrogantly expressed. It affords individual kobolds great comfort to think that no matter what happens to them, the dragon can never be taken from their blood. A common saying among kobolds expresses this view: “The dragon scale toughens our skin. The dragon bone adorns our skull. The dragon heart flames our sorcery. We are the dragon, and for the dragon we live. Long live the dragon.”

This draconic heritage invigorates kobold culture with an indomitable will to endure any hardship. While kobolds do not have the benefit of longevity that dragons enjoy, they do understand what it means to take the long view. Their individual lives might be fleeting, but the impact of their presence in the world is widely felt.

A powerful, self-sacrificing instinct rules kobolds whenever their tribe is endangered. Kobolds readily struggle against impossible odds or unconquerable foes simply to buy time or coordinate a diversion. The needs of the tribe outweigh the continued existence of any one kobold. This is not to say that kobolds needlessly throw their lives away; they value their lives no less than any other creature, retreating when necessary.

Kobolds are intimately aware of both their shortcomings and their strengths. Small and weak, they use numbers to aid in bringing down a larger foe. They employ their speed to divide enemies, set up flanking maneuvers, and create hit-and-run assaults. Clever and inventive, they safeguard their homes with cruelly ingenious traps, using tight spaces and passages through which only creatures of their size can travel easily. If all seems lost, kobolds throw themselves bravely at an enemy, hoping beyond hope to stop it.

This selfless behavior carries over into everyday life. Expansion of the tribe is more important than personal accomplishments, and any personal accomplishments should advance the tribe. Success of the tribe is personal success.

It is only through vast population, however, that a tribe can hope to thrive and become wealthy. So, kobolds shamelessly reproduce. Impersonal mating is commonplace, with females choosing mates by practical measures instead of influences such as love or lust. While kobolds do form bonding relationships, the idea of sexual monogamy is alien to them. Kobolds desire to spread their kind everywhere, and the inability of one warren to contain a tribe’s population is celebrated. Part of the old tribe breaks off to expand into new territory.

Frequent overcrowding in their lairs has permanently erased the concept of privacy from kobolds’ lives. Sleeping quarters are shared, with children having the least privacy. In most tribes (except for newly split-off groups), not enough room exists to comfortably accommodate everyone, and only the hardest-working members of a tribe are afforded any degree of personal space.

Lack of privacy has also resulted in the absence of modesty. Kobolds are not self-conscious about nudity, whether in the presence of the same or the opposite sex. They still wear clothing for protection and decoration, but clothing is not seen as essential.

Living in such close quarters means conflict is always a possibility. Kobolds don’t hide their feelings, instead quarreling openly when they need to. When emotions run high, kobolds express themselves immediately and without holding back. Despite the intensity of such displays, they rarely turn lethal because the proximity of other kobolds prevents such interactions from taking place discreetly. In this way, all problems are dealt with before they can fester and grow.

Kobolds aren’t as forgiving of other races. They have long memories and are not quick to pardon, nurturing hatred like a favorite child groomed for a specific purpose. Most kobolds wait until their enemy has been brought low by circumstance—or better still, by clandestine kobold interference - before delivering a decisive and premeditated reprisal. In short, kobolds love revenge.

Roleplaying Application

Realizing that free will and instinct fight for dominance in every kobold is perhaps the most important step in understanding the race’s psychology. Where does your kobold character fall between those extremes? Do you focus less on tribal preservation and more on yourself? Is your demeanor quiet and introspective, or do you fl aunt your dragon heritage? How strong is your sense of duty and work ethic when away from the tribe? Do you pursue your own interests at the expense of others? Does the intimacy of living in close quarters appeal to you, or are you happier when afforded some space? How do you behave when living among nonkobolds? Do you respect their standards of privacy, or are you oblivious to their need for solitude? How do you express your emotions to nonkobolds?

Source: - Races of the Dragon

[Pedantry INC]

Kobold Life

Kobolds are ingrained with certain behaviors. Subterranean and insular, kobold culture has had little influence from the outside. Nevertheless, kobolds have habits similar to those of other humanoid races.


Arts and Crafts
“Even tall ones are shorter than I am,
when they’re flat on their backs in a hole filled with spikes.”
—Irthos, master trapmaker

Among kobolds, traps are an art form. Few artisans are as obsessed with the minute details of their work as a master kobold trapmaker. These creatures revel in the intricacies of their inventions. Kobolds rarely indulge in creativity over function, but exceptions are made for a cunning trap.

One-upmanship is definitely present among kobold trapmakers. They find ingenious ways to incorporate bizarre spells, technological advances, and unexpected twists into their traps. In fact, the inventive ways in which kobolds defend their lairs compares favorably to the technological and magical marvels created by their hated foes, the gnomes.

Kobolds take great pride in designing their warrens. Digging a labyrinth or a mine is no offhand matter, with careful planning of a layout taking place before excavation begins. To aid in this process, kobolds use divination magic to identify the location of large ore or precious stone deposits before a single shaft is dug. Whenever possible, kobolds leave no part of mine construction
to guesswork, allowing them to concentrate on both functionality and appearance.

One part of every kobold lair is reserved for historical depictions of the tribe’s mythic genesis, including all the difficulties encountered
and overcome. Because personal dwellings are also mined, every family is expected to hew out space for itself, which it similarly engraves and inlays with symbols of events significant to its history.

Kobolds’ craftsmanship of everyday objects is neither crude nor exceptional. They excel at making useful objects rather than beautiful artworks. The only time kobolds invest any extra effort into their craftsmanship (aside from mine layouts and trapmaking) is for jewelry.

Kobolds love jewelry, and individuals can be exceedingly particular in their tastes. Such jewelry is often crafted from an exotic array of colored metals, either mined from veins of rare ore or using different minerals smelted together to create new and unique amalgams. Kobolds are more than a little materialistic when it comes to accumulating baubles and trinkets, not unlike dragons and their hoards.

Although far less common than sorcerers, kobold bards are also valuable members of the tribe, acting as the keepers of lore. Kobolds rarely sing, so kobold bards are masters of various percussion and wind instruments. Percussion provides a rhythm for work and can be used to send messages over distances. Wind instruments can also sound across expanses, but some can serve to calm the mind and provide a soothing background for workers.


Magic and Technology
“You don’t know what hard work is until you’ve seen a kobold mine in full swing.”
—Morent Wolfstone, dwarf adventurer, head of clan mining.


On a theoretical level, kobolds draw very little distinction between magic and technology. They use muscle and tools to move and shape their surroundings and to defend themselves, and they use magic to do the same. Magic and technology are complementary disciplines with practical applications. No wise kobold leader fails to invest in both.

Kobolds are a hardworking race, easily rivaling dwarves for productivity. What they lack in physical strength, they more than make up for with numbers. Kobold labor forces are a marvel to behold. When fast at work, kobolds function like a hive of ants. Despite the swarming masses of bodies devoted to one task, they rarely trip over each other, instinctively knowing where to apply their help most efficiently, using their tails to help avoid collisions.

This work ethic permeates every level of magical and technological advancement in kobold society. From planning to execution, kobolds work competently and with amazing speed.

Alchemy is known to kobolds. Their most widespread invention is a domestic one, a time-honored creation known as bitterleaf oil (see page 122, Races of the Dragon). Adult kobolds use this concoction to keep their scales healthy and shiny (with the additional benefit of delaying periodic shedding, as mentioned earlier). Bitterleaf oil also comes in handy for healing purposes, minimizing scarring from minor wounds. Kobold miners, who endure daily cuts and bruises, appreciate this substance immensely.

Curiously, kobolds have a near-fatalistic attraction for volatile chemicals. When dense stones obstruct mining, kobolds reduce them to rubble with explosives they call ditherbombs (see page 122, Races of the Dragon). Ditherbombs are also used in war and in trapmaking.


Searching for the Dragon

At the start of every day, before the work of mining begins, the entire tribe comes together in a large, usually rough-hewn and unfinished community hall. Each kobold chooses a place on the floor, closes his or her eyes, and casts the mind inward, embracing the wellspring of kobold heritage. The silence and stillness of a tribal meditation is awe-inspiring. One can hear drafts blowing in the empty tunnels and an unattended fire crackling in the distance.

This daily meditation lasts for at least 15 minutes and is known as Searching for the Dragon. Sorcerers prepare themselves to cast spells, and nonsorcerers take advantage of this time to be alone with their thoughts. Those who undertake the Draconic Rite of Passage (see below) find that the Searching for the Dragon ritual is a vital part of their daily lives.

Draconic Rite of Passage
The Draconic Rite of Passage awakens the sorcerous power within the blood of kobolds.

Prerequisites: Only kobolds can undergo the Draconic Rite of Passage. A kobold requires no one else to perform the rite; it is a solitary activity.

Benefit: Upon completing this rite, a kobold chooses any 1st-level sorcerer spell. He can now use that spell once per day as a spell-like ability, using his character level as his caster level. Each day, a kobold must complete the Searching for the Dragon meditation (see above) in order to recharge this spell-like ability for the day. No kobold can benefit from this rite more than once.

Time: A kobold who undergoes this rite must first endure nine days of fasting. Immediately thereafter, the kobold must succeed on a DC 10 Concentration check to enter a deep trance that lasts for 24 hours. If the check fails, the rite must begin anew.

Cost: This rite requires sacrificing a gem of at least 100 gp in value. The kobold also permanently loses 1 hit point upon completion of the rite.


Love

Kobolds put great energy and care into fostering kobold wyrmlings. Few experiences are more gratifying to an adult kobold than being treated as a model for the life of a young kobold.

Kobold adults go out of their way to encourage juveniles who show promise, to steep them in the traditions of kobold culture. Kobolds teach using simple instruction and swift punishment in case of error or failure. Punishment is often physical in nature, though usually geared toward causing instructive pain rather than injury.

Next to children, kobolds love work—and by natural extension, their tribe—more than anything else. For a kobold, work defi nes life, filling her with a sense of belonging and purpose. Even young kobolds exhibit this feeling as they start to mimic working adults early in their lives. A kobold who does not lend a hand is useless and threatened with exile.

Kobolds only rarely engage in any activity resembling romantic love. Most find their communal life among tribe members satisfying enough. A kobold can live her whole life without forming a bond to any sort of significant other. This doesn’t mean that kobolds are asexual. They mate regularly. The impulse for doing so, however, is mostly instinct tempered with a sense of duty. All kobolds desire to keep their tribe fortified with as many healthy young as can be fed and housed.

Kobolds who form an emotional attachment to another kobold are drawn to that one out of mutual respect and increased productivity. The potential partners often meet because of having to work with one another, and then find that they work better jointly than they did alone. As such, kobolds who don’t work together only rarely become romantically involved.

Kobolds who are attached in this manner take an oath to serve and care for one another, each becoming the other’s “chosen one.” The would-be couple’s all-watcher (see Society and Culture, below) must approve the match, and with that done, a priest witnesses the oaths and blesses the joining. Such unions are rarely monogamous, because both sexes are still compelled by mating instincts and are likely to succumb to those influences if separated from one another for long. Since sex itself has little emotional value to kobolds, these extramarital liaisons create no friction between couples.

Couples who bond together in this way are provided with personal living quarters if their status and contributions to the tribe merit such a privilege. Usually, the all-watcher allocates an area that the couple must then excavate.


Kobolds at War

In times of warfare, all adults are expected to fight, but patrolling warbands exist to protect kobold lairs. These warriors are also responsible for trap maintenance, resetting devices that have been sprung and replacing broken or expended parts.

Kobolds have one of the highest birth rates among the humanoid races, causing their population to grow on a regular basis. When a warren can no longer sustain a tribe’s numbers, the population divides in half, with each half including representatives from every part of kobold society. The two halves become much smaller but still complete kobold tribes. One of the newly formed tribes then migrates far enough away that both groups of kobolds do not compete for the same resources.

This expansionist cycle usually heralds a time of war for kobolds, especially in crowded regions with several neighboring races. If unoccupied lands cannot be found, a wandering kobold tribe encroaches into gnome territory first. If the coming confl ict is known of ahead of time, the parent tribe aids the migrating tribe in the war.

When taking the offensive, kobolds prefer ranged weapons, delaying melee combat indefi nitely if possible. Most kobold warriors are able slingers; others specialize in hit-and-run tactics with light crossbows. Only strong kobolds use shortbows.

Kobolds like to improvise traps on the battlefield. A popular tactic is to create a shallow moat of pitch behind the fi rst few lines of warriors, wait until the enemy draws close, and then suddenly fall back, igniting the moat and turning it into a wall of fire. Kobolds then shoot through the flames at short range. The enemy must either drive through the flames and face ranged attacks at the same time or fall back, allowing the kobolds to maintain the battle from a distance.

When it comes to melee, kobolds are trained to use reach weapons, which keeps a healthy space between them and their opponents. Once armies are within melee range of each other, kobolds commonly rely on spears, either charging with the weapons outstretched or setting them into the ground to receive a charging enemy. When this defensive posture fails, kobolds simply push forward from behind, forcing wave upon wave of spearwielding warriors against the enemy.

Specialized melee combatants are rare among kobolds, but they’re easily distinguished by the chitin armor (see page 121, Races of the Dragon) they wear. Particularly strong and brave kobolds become dire weasel riders. These few form the light cavalry in a kobold army.

For sieges, kobolds use rolling ballistae and light catapults. Crossbow-wielding troops protect siege engines, supported by slingers. Sorcerers defend strategic positions, while the most capable of the spellcasters become living artillery. Kobold military leaders also use ditherbombs (see page 122, Races of the Dragon) to break through enemy barricades and fortifications.

Kobolds believe that no obstacle exists that can’t be defeated by strength of numbers. They are one of the few races that strikes fear into their enemies not due to combat prowess, but rather because of the suffocating wave of bodies they can muster. A kobold army is a pounding onslaught of flailing weapons, hurling itself against supposedly impenetrable defenses until those defenses crack, buckle, and break. This time-honored tactic, although completely devoid of elegance, has been the turning point in more than one battle, shifting the balance of a stalemate in the kobolds’ favor and winning the day. To that end, kobold commanding officers plan for and accept a large number of casualties among their troops.

Although capable of holding their own on a battleground, kobolds do not willingly engage in large-scale warfare, doing so only as necessary when a tribe divides and migrates. Kobolds much prefer to operate in warbands around an established lair, defending their lands with a dizzying array of traps that minimizes their need to engage in melee combat. For this reason, they have never developed a strategic approach to warfare and often withdraw when a battle starts to become prolonged.

Kobolds see no profi t in long military engagements and would rather cut their losses by retreating. The only time a roaming kobold tribe makes a final stand is when its back is truly against a wall, lacking either the resources to travel farther or a nearby region in which to settle.


Death

In addition to having one of the highest birth rates, kobolds have one of the highest mortality rates of any humanoid race. This latter statistic can be deceptive, however. Kobolds who remain in a lair and never migrate with a newly formed tribe can enjoy lives well into great wyrm age (past 120 years).

The body of any deceased kobold is considered waste material and incinerated immediately. No preferential treatment is given to the body of any member of kobold society, no matter how important her position. Many members of other cultures fi nd this approach callous, but they fail to grasp the underlying motivation. Kobolds place no emphasis on the body, attaching far more importance to their belief in a cycle of reincarnation.

Kobolds believe that if they die in service to their tribe, Kurtulmak immediately sends each of them back to life as the next egg laid in the hatchery. If a particularly important or respected member of a tribe dies, the hatchery is closely monitored. The next egg laid is immediately separated from the rest and carefully protected. Once hatched, the resultant wyrmling is groomed to fill a position of importance, if not the position of the recently deceased kobold. Such wyrmlings are given the name of their predecessor in some form.

When a tribe is wiped out, kobolds believe that Kurtulmak distributes the souls of the deceased to other tribes.

If a kobold dies while serving her own needs rather than those of the tribe, Kurtulmak reincarnates her as the next pup born in the dire weasel stables—she becomes a domesticated animal unable to choose whether to serve.

Kobolds who die betraying their tribe are reincarnated as giant stag beetles, which kobolds hunt for chitinous armor.

The greatest glory a kobold can gain is to die not only in service to her tribe, but also in a manner that involves sacrificing her life for the tribe’s greater good. Kurtulmak welcomes such brave kobolds into his own mine to boost the ranks of the kobolds already toiling within. Kobolds hold that the most loyal and productive among Kurtulmak’s laborers are eventually reincarnated as chromatic dragons.

With every type of death comes an obvious lesson: Kobolds should serve their tribe above all else. As a byproduct of this outlook, kobolds spend almost no time mourning their dead and remain focused on their assigned tasks.

Source: - Races of the Dragon

[Pedantry INC]

Kobold Society and Culture

Kobold society is strongest when work is abundant. The bustle of a kobold lair when a new vein of metal or deposit of precious stones has been unearthed is energized and high-spirited. This is the beating heart of kobold culture - the acquisition and processing of wealth deep beneath the ground. When it comes right down to it, kobolds and dragons both suffer from an inexplicable and almost pathological materialism.

The challenge for a leader is to make every kobold feel that she is benefi ting from and contributing to the wealth of her tribe, rather than simply working for the sake of working. Kobolds earn positions based on merit, with no arbitrary system of social classes to prevent advancement. Aristocrat and commoner nonplayer character classes do not exist in kobold society. A tribe is largely made up of experts and warriors, with adepts supervising the mining operations.

Roleplaying Application: Kobolds are intimately familiar with every aspect of their society. Figuring out how your kobold fits into this culture can further define your character. Are you descended from the working majority or the expert specialists? Were you chosen during a Searching for the Dragon ritual and trained as a sorcerer, or were you born into a position of status and importance within the tribe?


All-Watcher

A kobold all-watcher is the leader of her tribe and the accountant of the tribe’s accumulated wealth. In addition to approving “chosen one” bonds and arbitrating matters of betrayal and exile, an all-watcher is concerned with the dispersal of wealth generated by the mines. This duty not only involves allocating wealth among the tribe’s major groups, but also deciding how resources should be spent to strengthen the tribe’s position in the world.

Experts offer a steady stream of proposals for augmenting the tribe’s lair and expanding influence. Kobold scholars, priests, and arcane spellcasters similarly propose areas where kobold knowledge and power can be increased to lucrative effect. Military commanders recommend feasible and beneficial engagements. A kobold all-watcher must weigh all these options and choose where to devote assets.

Beyond these responsibilities, an all-watcher must be an unyielding taskmaster. She must set deadlines for projects and allocate workers to them to ensure their timely completion. Most all-watchers are also capable sorcerers.


Specialists

Kobold experts are the specialists of kobold labor forces. Such individuals are responsible for development and research in a kobold tribe. Despite having specialized skills, kobold experts are treated the same as any other worker. They enjoy different challenges than a miner might but are expected to serve the tribe like any other member.

Kobolds instructed by tribal sorcerers are directed into one of four areas of magic—augmenting, offensive, pragmatic, or preemptive. One out of every four sorcerers studies augmenting magic, designed to shore up kobold weaknesses and give them greater stealth. Spells such as enlarge person, bull’s strength, and haste are common choices for the augmenting sorcerer. Three out of every four sorcerers become offensive magicians, focusing on damaging targets from far away, using spells such as magic missile, flaming sphere, and fireball.

Two out of every three offensive sorcerers become pragmatic arcane casters, concentrating on every day work and mining in particular, focusing their efforts on effects such as fabricate, locate object, stone shape, and transmute rock to mud. One out of every two augmenting sorcerers is eventually directed toward preemptive magic, looking for impending threats to the tribe with spells such as arcane eye, detect scrying, and scrying.


Kobold Merchants

Kobold merchants are the most independent-minded members of a tribe, and for good reason. They spend more time above ground than any other kobolds, negotiating with other tribes and some other races. Kobold merchants are the face of a kobold tribe in the world, and that face is one they prefer to disguise.

When delivering goods to a customer, kobold merchants magically pose as members of other races, hiding behind glamors and illusions. Kobold tribes aren’t ashamed of their interactions with other races, but they prefer to operate in secrecy to protect themselves. Because of this, most trading partners are ignorant of the fact that they’re dealing with kobolds, which is a testament to the guile of kobold merchants.

Since kobold merchants are independent and allowed to operate in other societies, one sometimes goes rogue. In developing multiple connections with powerful leaders outside their tribes, kobold merchants find it easy to corrupt their warrior escorts with promises of wealth. The break starts small but could lead to the merchant starting a new mine, creating her own base of profit.

Clever kobold merchants time their plans to coincide with a population explosion in their original tribe. When the kobold populace finally divides in half, the merchant already has a location picked out, ready and waiting to be mined, over which she serves as all-watcher.

This type of self-interest actually works out well for all involved. Insightful all-watchers deliberately choose kobolds with individualistic tendencies and leadership potential to become merchants for their tribe. Thereby, prospective troublemakers are kept out of daily tribal life, and the likelihood of successful kobold proliferation is increased.


Workers

Most kobold workers are miners, the group that makes up the vast majority of any tribe. Kobold miners have levels in the expert class (DMG pg 109).

The trick to leading kobold workers is to let them lead themselves. Left to their devices, kobolds from every profession embrace their daily rituals and motivate themselves to work. If a decision needs to be made and a cleric of Kurtulmak is not around to make it, kobolds either find a way to stay busy or make the decision collectively.

For instance, a kobold mine is extensively discussed and illustrated before construction begins. A simplified form of the layout is put on public display, and overseeing clergy draw up detailed plans. Miners wondering what to do next can consult either. Those most experienced at following design plans lead the work effort, allowing the rest to follow with or without the direction of a priest.


This independence empowers kobold workers, because they know their opinions and the opinions of their respected colleagues are trusted. Living in a society with no defined social structure, but a heavily defi ned working schedule, furthers the self-esteem of all kobolds.


Family Bonds

Since most females mate many times and with many partners to ensure fertilization, no one devotes any effort to monitoring which couplings are responsible for which eggs. Kobolds instinctively know their blood relatives by subtle scent and avoid mating with them, since such unions are sterile. To further blur the lines of family, all kobold females lay their eggs in one area of the tribe’s lair, resuming their duties immediately after laying.

Specific individuals, known as fosterers, are responsible for tending and warming eggs. Many of these kobolds are also strong warriors, so that they can guard the eggs and young effectively.

Wyrmling kobolds are initially named and cared for by the fosterers. When they can move nimbly and feed themselves (at the age of eight to twelve months), young kobolds enter tribal life and become the responsibility of all adults. Young are given minor responsibilities, nurturing their work ethic and self-esteem.

At about three years of age, juvenile kobolds undertake training in a profession suited to them and the tribe’s needs. They become part of a group already doing such work. This communal approach to raising children ingrains important lessons into the mind of every growing kobold. She learns to take action and to help without being asked. Her value is tied to what she gives to her tribe, and her life is connected with the lives of her fellow tribe members.

Kobolds treat their tribe as an extended family wherein professionals group together to accomplish needed tasks. The familiarity engendered by these professional groups comes the closest to resembling an actual family by the standards of humans and other, similar humanoids. These professional families live together for the sake of centralization and efficiency. Kobolds find a sense of belonging in this microcosm of tribal life.


Kobolds and Other Races

Kobolds dislike other humanoid races. They are isolationists who see others as a threat, and they surround their lairs with traps to keep outsiders at bay. Kobolds also have a persecution complex, taking offense from simple misunderstandings. When kobolds do interact with other races, they do so with a chip on their collective shoulders, sensitive to even the smallest disrespect. As lawful evil creatures with a love for revenge, kobolds respond to perceived insults with actions rather than words, often blindsiding the offenders.

This paranoia and oversensitivity means kobolds often enter confl icts where none need have occurred. Other races regard kobolds suspiciously at best, since more than one diplomat has never returned from kobold-held territory. Kobolds’ antisocial behavior becomes raw hatred in the presence of fey or gnomes. Those who enjoy good relations with those races rarely have any love for kobolds.

Dragonborn: The kobolds’ view of the dragonborn is that of suspicion tempered by grudging respect. It is difficult for kobolds to overlook the fact that dragonborn were not born with the dragon within them. The touch of Bahamut elevates the dragonborn above their unfortunate nondragon origins, but it is difficult for a kobold to wholly forget a dragonborn’s origins, especially when that dragonborn was formerly a gnome. Still, kobolds have been known to cooperate with dragonborn on occasion, when their goals coincide.

Dragon-Descended: Kobolds view the dragon-descended races with almost the same reverence that they reserve for dragons, particularly when they encounter a half-dragon. While no kobold tribe would consent to devote itself to any but the most exceptional and charismatic half-dragon, it would still be willing to go out of its way to help out any half-dragon or draconic character, regardless of what that character’s dragon heritage is.

Dwarves: Dwarves and kobolds are competitors for resources in the underground world. As such, they perceive each other as enemies and frequently butt heads over subterranean claims. The dwarves’ close ties to gnomes do not improve their relationship with kobolds, since dwarves frequently ally with or champion gnomes in battle against kobold tribes. While dwarves and kobolds don’t always attack each other the way gnomes and kobolds do, both sides need very little provocation to start a fi ght. On the other hand, if dwarves and kobolds end up working together through circumstance, they discover a common work ethic, which has forged respectful friendships.

Elves: Elves bear far too much resemblance to fey for kobolds to trust them. Kobolds acknowledge that the history of elves is long, like the history of true dragons, and that elves have arcane power, albeit learned from books. These facts lead kobolds to afford elves a small degree of respect. On very rare occasions, elves and kobolds even swap lore about arcane magic. Elves bring a wealth of knowledge to these discussions. Kobolds, whose lives are fleeting by comparison, offer the recorded history of their draconic heritage.

Gnomes: If kobolds love one thing, it’s seeing a gnome beg for his miserable life. They despise gnomes, and the feeling is mutual. The two races barely manage civility toward each other even under optimal diplomatic conditions. Despite how well she may hide it, a part of every kobold is constantly looking for a dagger whenever a gnome is present. This racial hatred seems to have stemmed from the injustice heaped on Kurtulmak by Garl Glittergold (see The Ascension of Kurtulmak, page 50, Races of the Dragon). For as long as that legend has been told, both races have committed atrocities against each other. If gnomes and kobolds are ever in proximity to one another without fighting, it’s only because each side is taking the time to plan a decisive assault.

Half-Dragons: Half-dragons are fascinating and enviable creatures, but kobolds assess each individual half-dragon on its own merit, taking specific interest in its draconic heritage. A half-gnome half-dragon is an abomination to be destroyed, lest it continue to pollute the draconic bloodline, while other half-dragons receive some degree of reverence. Dragon disciples, who come into their dragon powers through sorcery, are also a curiosity to kobolds.

Half-Elves: Kobolds see half-elves for what they are - the product of an uncommon union between elf and human, nothing more. Kobolds regard half-elves as social creatures that try to facilitate communication between different races. If kobolds were ever to trust nonkobolds with the task of representing their interests (not likely), they would probably rely upon half-elves.

Half-Orcs: Kobolds perceive orcs as disorganized, ill-bred warmongers and associate half-orcs with their fullblooded cousins. Orcs are too unpredictable to trust on any level, but kobolds are not above selling metal and goods to orc armies. Dealing with orcs during such a transaction,
however, is out of the question. A half-orc representative must broker such trade pacts. While kobolds see half-orcs as the most reasonable members of orc society, the reverse perception holds when dealing with half-orcs from human lands. Only a half-orc who speaks Draconic can earn any real regard from kobolds.

Halflings: Kobolds hate fey, and the pleasant demeanor of halflings reminds them of such creatures. This is not a fair assessment of halflings, but kobolds indulge their suspicion of other races first, especially races with possible ties to gnomes. Beneath the judgmental eye of kobolds, halflings are duplicitous creatures constantly looking for ways to exploit others. The fact that no self-respecting halfling rogue would, honestly speaking, disagree with this assessment only feeds the kobold opinion. The two races can find common ground in trapmaking.

Humans: Humans are mysterious to kobolds, sometimes enemies and sometimes friends. Kobolds realized long ago not only that human behavior couldn’t be easily predicted, but also that humans apply energy and conviction to whatever they do. If humans weren’t so numerous and ubiquitous, kobolds would avoid them. Since that isn’t possible, kobolds test the waters of nearby human populations to determine whether they are friends or foes.

Spellscales: Despite being obviously descended from dragons, spellscales find themselves the object of exasperation and disgust on the part of kobolds. Kobolds view spellscales as chaotic, selfish individuals who drift aimlessly, squandering their birthright. The only exception to this outlook is held by kobold sorcerers, whose annoyance is tempered by their respect for the sorcerous power that spellscale sorcerers hold. Being in the same place as a spellscale for any length of time, however, is a trying experience for any kobold.

True Dragons: The body and soul of any kobold is dedicated to dragons, whether literally or figuratively. Kobolds search for the dragon in themselves, and they pledge themselves to the dragon in their rites of passage. In the presence of an actual dragon, kobolds are servile, doing anything required of them. Kobolds see dragons as older and wiser kin and cultural heroes. Kurtulmak is the kobold deity, but dragons represent a tangible glory that Kurtulmak cannot provide.

Roleplaying Application: How do kobold preconceptions affect your kobold character’s mindset and prejudices? Are you naturally suspicious of other races, or do you keep an open mind? Do you share in kobold hatred for all gnomes or wish to end the cycle of retribution? Will you serve dragons, or do you act independently from them?


History and Folklore

Finding traces of ancient kobold settlements has always been difficult. When kobolds exhaust the resources of a mine, they abandon it, taking everything of value with them. Left behind is only an empty lair, rich with kobold history etched into the walls. Kobolds are excellent recordkeepers, engraving the events of their lives into the walls of every new lair, regardless of how many times they migrate from one location to the next.

Kobolds’ abandoned mines are eventually occupied by roaming creatures that turn such lairs into their homes, making exploration dangerous. Subterranean races have also been known to gut old kobold lairs, knocking down walls and reshaping the interior. Archeologists have even discovered traces of kobold history engraved into the corridors of ancient dwarf strongholds.

Kobolds have a scattered history, turning up in isolated regions with absolutely no historical connection to the place. Even taking the nomadic nature of kobolds into account, moving from one mine to the next in search of additional metals and precious stones, early kobolds could not have achieved the widespread dispersal their current whereabouts seem to indicate. For this reason, some sages see divine agency or draconic influence in the common kobold.

Roleplaying Application: Every kobold is familiar with the history of her tribe, but how much inspiration does your kobold character draw from her ancestors? Do you steep yourself in time-honored stories or intend to make legends of your own? Are you informed about the lessons learned by previous generations or determined to learn from your own mistakes? Do you emulate any historic kobold figures or try to set a new standard for other kobolds to follow?


Language

Kobolds speak a version of Draconic, inherited directly from true dragons. The written form of Draconic was developed long after the spoken version, but not by dragons, who have little need to write. The recorded history of kobolds chronicles their relationship to dragons throughout the ages. This history began with paintings, gave way to pictograms, and gradually developed into the runic script of Draconic still used today.

Elf scholars have objectively connected the creation of Draconic runes to kobolds rather than dwarves, as was previously thought. These runes have a link to dragons from many millennia ago, when kobolds split off from dragons either through arcane meddling or divine will.

Regardless of their true origins, it is widely believed that the earliest kobolds served dragons, learning dragon ways. This education included instruction in a variety of Draconic dialects and accents. When kobolds became independent, forming new tribes and lairs for themselves, they took the Draconic language with them.

As these early, self-suffidcient kobolds interacted with each other, either for conquest or survival, their inherited Draconic dialects mingled. These dialects gradually became the amalgamated form of Draconic spoken by many kobolds today. Kobold sorcerers learn how to speak true Draconic, which requires much more exacting pronunciation.


Settlements

Whether or not a kobold tribe enjoys prosperity, its numbers invariably swell. Tribes try to accommodate their growing populace by mining out additional living quarters and enduring cramped conditions, but eventually population overtakes space. The all-watcher then announces that the tribe must split.

This decree marks a time of celebration for kobolds. It means that the tribe can expand into new lands, spreading the influence of kobolds even farther and relieving overcrowding.

The tribe divides the population evenly, allocating representatives from every profession necessary to maintain a new kobold lair. The departing group includes a large number of young adults with the vigor to create a new living space from the wilderness. Older and more experienced kobolds might join the new tribe later on, but only after construction is well under way.

A new kobold lair must contain large veins of metal or significant deposits of precious stones, preferably both. Not content to leave fi nding such a place to chance, kobolds rely on sorcerers and priests to identify a suitable locale for a new warren.

Kobolds never start mining a new lair until a profitable site has been found. Such spots are scouted out well in advance of a wandering tribe embarking on their exodus. Scouts note potential competitors and other dangers, determining the need for war. Common locations include mountains with lush valleys or natural rock formations near rivers. Natural caverns are also good, especially if the cavern provides ample shelter without modification.


The Kobold Economy
“Good friends are reliable, close family members stand by your side,
and a well-chosen mate might die to protect you,
but only a kobold tribe serves without fail.”
—Vignarthurkear,
a blue dragon giving advice to one of her hatchlings.

Kobolds have been keeping a secret about themselves for untold millennia: They’re rich. Not just rich as in having a good year at the diamond mine, but as in huge, cascading mountains of gold. They have been wealthy for a very long time. The obvious question asks, “If kobolds are so rich, then where is all their gold?” The answer to that is not that difficult to fathom—kobold treasures line the beds of dragons, the kobolds’ greatest allies.

Dragons and kobolds have been immutably linked since there fi rst were dragons and kobolds. One sprang from the other. Dragons love precious metals and gems, and kobolds are the most industrious of humanoids when it comes to extracting such things from the earth. Some kobold tribes
even mint gold coins with a likeness of the dragon they serve. Not even dwarves can compete with their productivity.

As neighboring peoples discovered the kobolds’ penchant for mining and the kobolds discovered a demand for their skills, the little reptiles quickly became suppliers for realms that have no desire to do business with dwarves. Kobolds have been quietly underselling dwarves ever since, thanks to disguised and glamered kobold merchants. As their network of business connections grew, these merchants eventually established their own tribes, becoming all-watchers themselves. The kobold cycle of wealth is thereby sustained.

The functioning of the kobold economy gives kobolds power on two fronts. First, kobold tribes that provide wealth to dragons gain status among those dragons as if they were dragons themselves. Second, once civilizations become dependent on kobolds for metal, that region is usually less of a threat to kobold existence and becomes a tool in kobold schemes.

Source: - Races of the Dragon

[Pedantry INC]

Kobold Religion and Mythology

Religion

Kobolds have no time for organized religious ceremonies, but they are pious despite their preoccupation with work. Hard work is worship to a kobold, and action on behalf of the tribe is a prayer for success.

Still, every kobold lair includes one or two temples to Kurtulmak, limited only by spatial confi nes and mining priorities. These temples serve as housing for clerics and adepts and as storage places for the tribe’s important treasures, not as congregating halls for sermons or worship. Clergy must travel to the flock, and clerics oversee workers and provide support and admonishments to keep going. In this way, religion helps to maintain productivity. Priests help kobolds affirm their devotion through living by the ideals of hard work and sacrifice.

Primarily, dutiful kobolds prove their worth through steadfast dedication to their tribe. In this regard, kobolds who work to exhaustion are considered upstanding role models. Kobolds who willingly suffer injury so that the daily work can continue without interruption are treated with praise as zealous disciples. Finally, kobolds who sacrifi ce their lives to facilitate the tribe’s success are remembered as folk heroes (the equivalent of saints).

Every kobold mining crew includes at least one adept whose constant presence is meant to keep kobolds strictly motivated. Adepts also serve as onsite physicians, healing and treating workers’ injuries. Kobold adepts and clerics move among the workers, divinely bolstering stamina where needed. For this reason, kobold adepts replace animal trance with lesser restoration and daylight with create food and water on their spell lists.

Besides supervising mining operations, kobold clergy also look after the eggs and wyrmlings thought to be reincarnations of distinguished kobolds. On a ritualistic level, kobold clerics receive the vows of kobolds selected by instructors to become lifelong sorcerers. Kobolds worship Kurtulmak, but individual tribes and kobolds might venerate another dragon deity. See Dragon Deities, beginning on page 149, Races of the Dragon, for more on draconic divinities.


Kurtulmak
The Horned Sorcerer, Steelscale, Stingtail, Watcher
Intermediate Deity

Symbol: Gnome skull
Home Plane: Baator
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Kobolds, trapmaking, mining, war
Worshipers: Kobolds
Cleric Alignments: LE, LN, NE
Domains: Evil, Law, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Spear

Kurtulmak is the god of kobolds, distinguished by his large size, mottled scales, and long tail tipped with a dreadful stinger. Kurtulmak encourages his followers to win battles by any means, retreat to fight another day, and to mete out revenge on every enemy, regardless of how long that retribution takes to achieve. Kurtulmak has hated gnomes ever since Garl Glittergold collapsed a mine on him (see The Ascension of Kurtulmak, page 50, Races of the Dragon).

Cleric Training

Kurtulmak’s clerics begin their careers as miners, learning how to appreciate the kobold work ethic. Kobolds who regularly sustain injuries while mining are selected to become adepts or clerics (before they end up getting killed on the job). Such clerics train under military discipline, learning doctrines for defending and leading the kobold race.


Quests

Any task that furthers the power of the kobolds and their propagation is a holy undertaking. Kurtulmak’s followers find suitable locations for new lairs and mines to accommodate swelling populations. Kurtulmak directs such expansions to push into gnome territories whenever possible, dealing the maximum number of casualties to the kobolds’ racial enemy.


Prayers

Kurtulmak’s prayers have a rhythmic quality to them that can be easily recited while swinging a pickaxe into the ground. Many of them also contain references to dragons and reptiles, such as “O Watcher, I slither before your scaly majesty.” Prayers to the Horned Sorcerer can also take the form of battle cries and promises of revenge. (“By the point of Kurtulmak’s spear and the tip of his poisonous tail, I will see every member of your family perish.”) Kobolds evoke the name of Kurtulmak when facing daunting odds or difficult situations.


Temples

Kurtulmak’s temples are carved out of earth and solely used to house adepts, clerics, and the tribe’s most valuable treasures. Not surprisingly, these temples are protected with small, twisting tunnels and a staggering array of deadly traps.


Rites

Kurtulmak guides the souls of hard-working kobolds back to their original lair for reincarnation. His coming-of-age ceremonies involve crafting and defeating traps.

Herald and Allies

Kurtulmak’s herald is a fiendish kobold 5th-level cleric/5th-level sorcerer/10th-level mystic theurge. His allies are horned devils, pit fiends, and salamanders.

Mythic Origin

While Kurtulmak is reputed to be a mortal ascended to divinity, kobolds credit Io, the Ninefold Dragon, with their creation. It is told that when Io first created true dragons, they were originally immortal gods, less powerful than Io but much like him. To make each one of his creations distinct, Io gave each a different aspect of his personality. These divine dragons rarely got along, pursuing only one goal in common - the acquisition of material wealth.

The true dragons quickly realized they lacked the power to manipulate creation in all the ways necessary to accomplish their goals, and they petitioned Io for aid. Io, being an impartial god, would not play favorites with his creations and gave each dragon the same choice. He taught them how to create life by giving up a piece of themselves, but he warned that in so doing, they would permanently be rendered mortal and eventually die. The life they created, however, would serve their
desires without fail.

Perhaps not yet wise enough to appreciate their divine existence, the dragons accepted the knowledge Io offered and departed for the world below. They took up residence in widely separate lands. There, the true dragons did as Io instructed, each severing a single limb. Not only did each limb start growing back immediately, but the severed part also grew into an adult dragon. The original true dragons thereby gained mates.

Furthermore, wherever the dragons’ blood had spilled, little creatures began to emerge out of the ground with alert, crimson eyes, already looking up at their creators for guidance. Thus were kobolds born, witnesses to the moments during which the immortality of the true dragons slipped away.


Legends

Kobolds record their histories in writing. Kobold priests and bards are expected to remember and document kobold stories, usually by engraving such tales into the walls of tribal lairs. The only place myths are spoken aloud with any frequency is in the hatchery, where kobold wyrmlings are educated on their culture and their racial history.


The Ascension of Kurtulmak

The most venerated kobold legend is the origin and ascension of Kurtulmak. While the particulars of the story vary from tribe to tribe, a popular version is related below.

When Io gave the secret of creation to the true dragons, the first dragon to put that ritual into practice was Caesinsjach, a green dragon. The fi rst kobold to take form out of her blood was Kurtulmak.

From the beginning, Kurtulmak was much larger than any of his kin. For this reason, Caesinsjach always commanded her kobolds through Kurtulmak. As a result, the towering kobold naturally ascended to a position of leadership.

When Caesinsjach told the kobolds to mine for precious metals, Kurtulmak invented a pickaxe. When Caesinsjach told the kobolds to tile her lair with gold, Kurtulmak minted the first draconic coin. When Caesinsjach told the kobolds to mine precious stones, Kurtulmak taught himself sorcery and learned how to divine where minerals were located.

When Caesinsjach’s lair was finally completed, laden with platinum, filled with gold, and gleaming with gemstones, she had become the wealthiest true dragon in creation. Without further need for mortal servants, she released the kobolds from their duties to embrace their own destiny.

In emulation of his former mistress, Kurtulmak immediately began mining a lair of his own. Although he never asked for any help in this endeavor, he nonetheless received it, assisted by every kobold he had worked beside for the past several decades.

Kurtulmak found a spot in the ground where a near limitless supply of metal ore and precious stones were waiting to be mined. Once properly unearthed, a discovery of this size could sustain kobolds for millennia and serve as the foundation for their society. With Kurtulmak commanding the operation, it quickly became the most structurally sound and resourcefully designed mine the world had ever seen. Kurtulmak called it Darastrixhurthi, a fortress fit for dragons. Nothing rivaled it.

Garl Glittergold was not pleased. He looked upon Darastrixhurthi and beheld the marvel Kurtulmak and his followers had created, surpassing any achievement his own people had mastered in the same time. While gnomes were playing useless games, kobolds had been busy working and were now fi t to emerge as one of the dominant races in creation. And so, with a casual wave of his hand, Garl collapsed Kurtulmak’s mine, crushing all the kobolds inside.

The gods were appalled and demanded an explanation from Garl, who could only sputter out that his actions were intended as a joke, as if that could somehow excuse the heartless massacre he had committed. Garl had acted out of spite and, even more degrading for the gnome god, jealousy over mortal accomplishment. And yet, regardless of all the berating Garl received from his equals, not one deity came forward to reverse the damage done, leaving the crime unpunished. Then Io moved on behalf of Kurtulmak.

Once the Ninefold Dragon realized that no god would champion the kobolds, he searched through the souls of those who died that day until he found Kurtulmak’s broken body, still clinging to life. Even buried under so much rock, Kurtulmak wouldn’t give up on his people, refusing to let go of his mortal form until he could find the strength to dig them all out.

Io gave Kurtulmak a choice. He would either empower Kurtulmak with the strength to rebuild the mine, or he would make the mighty kobold a champion of his people for all eternity. In this latter case, the loss of Darastrixhurthi would remain, but the memory of what happened would endure in the minds of kobolds forever, ensuring that atrocities of this magnitude would never be overlooked again.

Kurtulmak made his choice, and because of that decision, this story can still be told today.

Adventure Hook: Elf historians show the characters some charcoal impressions and drawings of ancient Draconic runes taken from the wall of a neglected dwarf stronghold. The runes are certainly kobold in origin, and they mention a fortress called Darastrixhurthi in particular. The dwarves of the hold rebuffed questions about the runes and soon after cordoned off the area due to “structural instability.” The historians have since discovered that the entire area has been slated for destruction, and the runes they recorded were merely a small portion of a larger wall. The characters must circumvent dwarf security and decode the runes for the sake of history and a nice recovery fee. In doing so, the heroes find out the dwarves have greater interest in the runes than they let on, causing both groups to race for what could be the original
kobold mine that Kurtulmak built.

Source: - Races of the Dragon

[Pedantry INC]

Here's something a little bit different.

I came across this tidbit when I was doing some research for something "different" to throw into the underdark for a pnp game I was running. I ended up with a plot that was really fun for all of us, involving a lot of twists and turns. One of these strange otherworldly elves hunting drow, whom had in turn, called out some nasty fiends to hunt it in turn. It made for a very dangerous merry-go-round hide and seek survivalist play in the tunnels that had us all, even me in the dm chair, on the edge of our seats.


While I expect it would be incredibly rare for a pc to know about ghost elves, I think they make an awesome dm tool!

So without further ado, I present the rather curious Ghost Elf:

Ghost Elves
Elves of the Ethereal

In the depths of the primordial forests, spectral citadels are home to elves unlike any others. Dubbed "ghost elves" for their eerie appearance, this rarely encountered subrace has given rise to a thousand tales of forest demons and lost civilizations. The legacy of the ghost elves is a tale of conflict, betrayal, and vengeance. After a struggle for survival that stretches back tot he fall of the drow, the ghost elves now flourish in cities built on the Ethereal plane. Suspicious and reclusive, they welcome few strangers into their halls.

History

Ghost elves dwelt on the fringes of elven society. They made their homes amid the ancient roots of the forest, rarely making contact with other races. Over time the ghost elves grew more and more isolated, eventually becoming little more than a legend.

Thousands of years ago, during the elven civil war that led to the fall of the drow, the ghost elves maintained their isolation and remained neutral in the great racial struggle. After the defeated drow retreated into the underdark, they schemed against their distant cousins and soon launched an assault on the ghost elves. The very shelter that had kept the ghost elves safe became fiercely contested battlegrounds. The peaceful ghost elves were no match for the seasoned dark elven troops and were easy fodder for the sacrificial alters of Lolth. They were virtually wiped out in the blink of an eye. The other surface elves were either unwilling or unable to aid their beleaguered kin, something the ghost elves have never forgotten or forgiven.

Help eventually arrived - from an unexpected source. As the defenses of the last settlement were collapsing, an alien entity calling itself Thule appeared and offered to save the ghost elves in return for their service. Appalled at the slaughter of their people, the ghost elven leaders agreed without a second thought, signing the contract that Thule proffered.

They were foully tricked. Thule revealed himself as the Archduke Thulikazt, a pit fiend of almost godlike power, and took the ghost elves to his home in the Nine Hells of Baator. There he enslaved them, slowly destroying their spirits and their strong connection to the land. The ghost elves called upon their deities to save them, but to no avail - Thulikazt's bargain was binding. For hundreds of years they toiled for the archfiend and thousands were slaughtered in savage arena battles and pointless experiments for Thulikazt's pleasure. Ghost elven historians call this time "the Tempering."

Countless centuries passed and Thulikazt grew lax, allowing his slaves (whom he believed completely broken) to take up arms and join his forces in the Blood War. The ghost elves learned the arts of war and conquest from fiendish generals and hellish sorcerers. They became Thulikazt's elite bodyguard, drawing admiration and envy from other fiends. This would prove the archduke's ultimate undoing.

The ghost elves secretly contacted their master's enemies and offered to serve those lesser fiends in return for aid in destroying their hated master. Greedy for the service of Thulikazt's elite troops, the baatezu lords formed an alliance to lay siege to his citadel. The ghost elves used the battle as a distraction, killing Thulikazt and opening a gate to the Material Plane in the confusion. When the fortress finally fell, the fiendish generals found only Thulikazt's mutilated corpse and a note of thanks. The ghost elves had won their freedom.

Fearing fiendish retribution, the ghost elves searched for somewhere to hide. It was then that they noticed a startling change in themselves: By severing their connection to the earth, Thulikazt had accidentally gifted the ghost elves with a strange connection to the Ethereal Plane, granting the most powerful ghost elves the ability to slip between the material world and the Ethereal Plane. Upon coming to grips with their newfound powers, the ghost elves set about creating a portal to the Ethereal Plane, and one stone at a time, they transferred materials to the Ethereal Plane to build their new homes.

Today ghost elves live on the Ethereal Plane. Their cities are usually built deep in the woodlands and all are at least partially underground. Due to their long captivity and the dangers their settlements attract, their society has a strong martial bent. A thousand years have not cooled the anger of the devils humiliated by "elven treachery," and even today they seek out and destroy ghost elves whenever they can. For their part, the ghost elves launch preemptive strikes against their enemies whenever possible, relying on their hidden cities for defense.


Personality

The ghost elves have been strongly affected by their history. Before the Tempering, they were a care-free people with a passion for life. Much of that has evaporated, replaced by a harsher outlook. The typical ghost elf now seems a stern creature with little passion. In truth, ghost elves are gentle and nurturing at heart, forced to extreme measures to survive. They are wary; earning their trust involves many subtle tests and trials. Never intentionally haughty, a trait they despise in their cousins, they maintain a distance that makes them seem cold.

Ghost elves are still passionate about their homes and people, and they defend these to the last, exacting terrible vengeance against those who wrong them. A serious, calculating mindset allows them to hold their own against their many enemies. Dwarves compare ghost elves to mithral: beautiful and delicate in appearance, but stronger than the hardest steel.


Physical Description

Ghost elves have the same range of height and weight as elves but are slightly frailer, a consequence of the destruction of their bond with the land. They reach adulthood at about age thirty and have a life span roughly a hundred years shorter than that of other elves, although they do not show their age until a few years before death.

Gray hair and pale skin are nearly universal, with the occasional throwback having jet-black hair. The eyes of ghost elves are their most striking feature: they are like twin mirrors lacking white, iris, and pupil. Their skin glows with a pale white light in the darkness. They are often mistaken for ghosts even by other elves, hence their name.

Ghost elven attire is usually light and flowing, colored gray, silver, or white. In battle they favor light armor such as leather or mithral shirts. On the Material Plane they dress like ordinary elves in an effort to disguise themselves from distant observers.


Relations

Ghost elves deliberately limit their contact with half-orcs and halflings, who's intentions they do not trust. Gnomes are a mystery to the ghost elves - although the two races have a lot in common, the less-than-serious outlook of the little folk prompts the elves to keep them at arm's length. Humans and dwarves intrigue the ghost elves, who frequently spy on them from the Ethereal Plane and occasionally contact them in the guise of ordinary elves.

The few Material elves who know of their ethereal kin pity their plight, and the ghost elves hate them for it. They believe themselves betrayed by their cousins and snub those they happen to meet. Ghost elves treat half-elves as they do humans, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Half-ghsot elves are so rare as to be practically unique, so there is no general opinion on them.

The only mortal race the ghost elves truly despise are the drow, whom they treat mercilessly. An individual ghost elf will go to extraordinary lengths to hurt any dark elf that crosses her path. Many drow raiding parties have been thwarted by elves who materialized from thin air - centuries in the service of fiends has forged the ghost elves into warriors of deadly cunning and ability.


Alignment

The trials of the ghost elves have shifted their generally good nature to one of neutrality. A ghost elf is willing to do whatever is necessary to survive. The handful of Material Plane dwellers who have conversed with ghost elves describe them as almost humorless in comparison to their cousins. Neutral is the most common alignment among ghost elves, with a minority leaning towards neutral good. Adventuring ghost elves can be of any alignment but are typically neutral or chaotic good.


Ghost Elven Lands

Ghost elves favor building their homes adjacent to ancient Material Plane forests, which often hold a secret portal to the Ethereal Plane. They treasure privacy above all and hide these entrances with powerful magic. The greatest challenge facing a would-be diplomat to the ghost elves is finding any evidence of their existence at all.

These forest gain reputations as being haunted, and neighboring peoples sometimes speak of "forest demons." Sylvan creatures are aware of the ghost elves' presence but rarely mention them. The elves have an ancient friendship with the woodland beings and are grateful for their silence.

Ghost elven cities are wondrous places, lit by silvery light and laid out without regard to gravity. They are often covered with imported vegetation that has grown into bizarre shapes under the unusual influence of the Ethereal Plane. Visitors must contend with streets that wind up, down, and from side to side. Domesticated phase spiders occasionally roam the cities but are more commonly found in ghost elven patrols. The typical settlement houses many more inhabitants that a Material Plane counterpart: Ghost elves band together for protection and are accustomed to close quarters after their long captivity. A typical community numbers about a thousand, and every adult member is able to bear arms in times of crises. The elves produce food by cultivating plants from the Material Plane, and by foraging and occasionally hunting in the material forests bordering their ethereal cities. Ghost elven kings keep in contact through messengers and magic, allying to help one another as the need arises.

Ghost elven cities have well-protected gateways to and from the Ethereal Plane that allow lower-level ghost elves access to the Material Planes on their own. The stern ghost elves do not open such portals lightly, but they sometimes permit young ghost elves to sate wanderlust on the Material Plane rather than allow them to be exposed to the dangers o the Ethereal that often lurk outside the well-guarded ghost elven cities.

Ghost elves encountered in human lands are usually either outcasts or on some special mission. They take pains to hide their ancestry, using disguises and claiming to be from some obscure Material Plane tribe. If their tell-tale eyes are somewhat hidden, most folk cannot tell the difference between normal elves and disguised ghost elves: even other elves can be fooled.


Religion

The ghost elves abandoned the elven pantheon during the Tempering. Those deities did nothing to aid them in their plight and so deserve no worship. During their time in Baator, many ghost elves turned to the dwarven god Moradin in his aspect as the Soul Forger, converted by a small group of dwarven slaves also imprisoned by Thulikazt. These ghost elves see themselves as having been forged into a tool for some divine purpose as yet to be revealed. The elven gods' opinion of the ghost elves is unknown, and Moradin himself is strangely silent on the topic. Ghost elves do not build temples, instead, clerics hold small ceremonies within family homes. These events are attended by neighbors and help strengthen the community.


Language

Ghost elves speak an archaic dialect of Elven that is difficult to understand. The language borrows heavily from Infernal, particularly for words relating to battle and magic. Anyone who can speak both Infernal and Elven can pick up the ghost elven dialect after only a little practice. the war with the dark elves destroyed what few written records they had, so the refugees adopted the infernal alphabet, which they use to this day.


Names

Ghost elves follow their own unique naming traditions, having abandoned their original clan names as divisive and contrary to the unity of their people. Every child is given a first name at birth, usually by his parents, and earns a surname, or "deed name," during the course of his life. the first name is usually Elven in origin, but sometimes a name honors a family friend of another race. The deed name describes some feat, occupation, or event and may change many times as greater deeds take precedence over previous ones. Deed names are taken very seriously, except in the case of children. A ghost elf's first adult deed name usually relates to his chosen profession.

For example, a ghost elf is affectionately called "Mudeater" as a clumsy child for his habit of falling on his face. he later apprentices to a hunter and is called "Truespear" for his skill with a thrown spear. Following a battle where he slew three baatezu warriors, "Truespear" becomes known as "Grimslayer."


Male First Names: Griminnir, Kidsanat, Mendicalt, Peldraco, Quilvarin, Rhilianis, Stiragoth, Tolduarr, and Xelunixlo.

Female First Names: Akasa, Cherigi, Druilia, Ileith, Kisurinda, Linseeri, Mislil, Sulsta, Theriel, and Tyrisiss.

Deed Names: Barkchewer (child's name), Beast-Tamer, Boltcatcher, Djinnfriend, Flamesinger, Flyslayer (child's name), Mistskulker, Steelbiter, Stonecutter, and Tunnelrunner.


Adventurers

Ghost elves rarely leave their ethereal homes and do not share the wanderlust that distinguishes material elves. Those who do adventure often have a long term goal: to gain power, allies, or magic to aid their people. Such adventurers may spend centuries abroad. Some never return home, seduced by the enticements of the material Plane. Some adventuring ghost elves are outcasts whose temperament does not fit with the grim ghost elven society. These are frequently throwbacks to the time before the Tempering and have more in common with their Material kin than their own kind.


Ghost Elf Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, -4 Constitution, +2 Intelligence: The ghost elves time away from the Material Plane has weakened them physically. However, they have learned to adapt rapidly to any situation.
  
• Medium: As Medium creatures, ghost elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  
• Ghost elf base land speed is 30 feet.
  
• Immunity to magic sleep effects.
  
• Low-Light Vision: A ghost elf 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 Proficiency: Ghost elves receive the Martial Weapons Proficiency feat for the short sword and scimitar as bonus feats, weapons suited to the fighting styles of fiendish gladiatorial arenas. They do not share their cousin's proficiency with bows: Such weapons are useless in the obscuring mists of the Ethereal Plane. Ghost elven children's games feature practice weapons, ensuring familiarity with the real thing in adulthood.
  
• A ghost elf glows with the brightness of a candle in the dark (5-foot radius of light). She can suppress this aura at will as a free action but must make a DC 10 Concentration check as a free action each round to maintain the suppression.
  
• +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A ghost elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
  
• Ghost elves have Knowledge (the planes) as a racial class skill.
  
• Ethereal Power (Sp): A ghost elf can invoke her connection to the Ethereal Plane once per day in one of several ways depending on her level, but once a ghost elf uses an ethereal power she cannot use another one until the following day. Caster level is equal to the ghost elf's character level.
  
  

  Level	Ethereal Power
  1st	Slip Binding: The ghost elf gains a +10 enhancement bonus to Escape Artist checks for 1 minute per lvl. At 5th level this bonus increases to +20 and at 9th level it increases to +30.
  4th	See Invisibility: As the see invisibility spell.
  6th	Blink: As the blink spell.
  14th	Ethereal Jaunt: As the ethereal jaunt spell.
  18th	Ethereal Shift: The ghost elf may shift herself and objects she carries to or from the ethereal Plane and remain on the destination plane until this ability is used again or other magic transports the character to a different plane.

  
  
  
• Automatic Languages: Ghost Elven and Infernal. Bonus Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Sylvan, and Terran. Ghost Elven is a blend of Infernal with an archaic form of Elven. A creature that knows both languages can understand Ghost Elven, but a creature that knows only one of the languages must succeed at a DC 15 Sense Motive check to understand a creature speaking Ghost elven. Reading Ghost Elven writing without knowledge of Ghost Elven or both Infernal and Elven requires Decipher Script checks.
  
• Favored Class: Wizard. Many ghost elves specialize in conjuration and transmutation, taking advantage of their control over planar travel and knowledge of extraplanar entities. They spent years mastering these magical arts in the pits of Baator as tools for their escape.
  
• Level Adjustment: +1. Ghost elves are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than other elves.

Source: Dragon Magazine #313, Races of Power

[Razgriz]

I would like lore about Frost giants if you have any, because...You know

[Pedantry INC]

There's a really good book on giants, though it's quite old, TSRS "Giantcraft" that hosts a lot of giantlore. Some of it, especially pantheon information can't apply to FR, but there's a lot of societal information. I'll dig it up and see what we end up with. That side, I'll be able to provide whatever basic information is presented about them in other source books. Just give me a day or two ^^

[Fenix]

Lore about druids, druidic rituals, etc would be conveniently nice to see. Ive browsed through a few 3.5 sourcebooks but they were not very informing.

[Pedantry INC]

After Razgriz put in his request for information about frost giants I got to work on digging out giant lore, and as it turns out the information in Giantcraft, while not necessarily specific to frost giants, is pretty in depth and really neat. So without further ado, I present Giantcraft:

Giantcraft

The giants of Toril are a venerable people with a tragic history, but a strong sense of optimism. To most civilized peoples of the Realms (all save for those who live in the few areas frequented by the Jotunbrud), they are frightening enigmas, known mostly through legends and tavern tall tales. Some inhabitants of Faerûn (mostly city dwellers and listless halflings) refuse to believe the giants exist at all.


General Physical Features

Obviously, the physical characteristic that immediately distinguishes giants from the other intelligent races of Faerûn is their great height. Giants range in height from approximately 10 feet to 25 feet or higher, depending upon breed and gender.


Senses

As a general rule, most giants senses are far superior to those of mankind. The average giant can see and hear twice as well as the average man, a result of their oversize sensory organs. Some breeds are well known for their incredible sense of smell: Hill giants, stone giants, and cloud giants can detect and identify living creatures via scent alone at a range of 30 feet.

In addition to these general capabilities, individual giant breeds have developed special sensory abilities related to their natural environments.


Stone giants possess superior infravision that operates at a range of 200 feet.

Frost giants eyes are particularly sensitive to the higher end of the visible spectrum, helping them navigate and identify friends/foes in blinding snowstorms.

Fire giants senses are well adjusted to operating in high temperatures. Their eyes easily penetrate the hazes and shimmers associated with such temperatures.

Cloud giants/fog giants vision detects subtle emissions in the infrared spectrum even during broad daylight and in the presence of powerful heat/light sources. This ability allows them to see through mists and fogs easily.

Storm giants senses are adapted to both dry land and underwater operation. Storm giants face no penalties associated with sensory restrictions when operating under the seas.


Birth, Growth, and Development

Most giant tribes are loosely organized into huslyder, or families, that take on the responsibility of child rearing. Typically, a full third of any giant tribe comprises young giants who have yet to reach maturity. Naturally, the huslyder take on different forms within the tribes of each breed. For example, hill giant huslyder are large and communal, while fire giant huslyder are smaller and more isolated. Furthermore, the exact importance of the huslyder relationship also varies from tribe to tribe. Among frost giants, a huslyder bond is more important than any connection save ordning (the order, see below), while the stone giants are more interested in their master-pupil huslyder structure than blood relationships.

For the most part, giant females bear their young in the same fashion as their human counterparts. Gestation periods range from 9 months (for hill giants) to 15 months (for storm giants).


Giant babies of all breeds are between 3 and 4 feet tall at birth, with 2 Hit Dice. It takes most breeds approximately 50 years to reach maturity. Over the course of this development, the giant grows in height and Hit Dice proportionately. In other words, a 25-year-old giant has half his final Hit Dice and stands half his final height.

Kin babies are born roughly the same size as human children and mature at approximately the same rate.


- Source: AD&D Forgotten Realms - Giantcraft



Giant Statistics

Giants combine great size with great strength, giving them an unparalleled ability to wreak destruction upon anyone or anything unfortunate enough to get in their way.

Giants have a reputation for crudeness and stupidity that is not undeserved, especially among the evil varieties. Most rely on their tremendous strength to solve problems, reasoning that any difficulty that won’t succumb to brute force isn’t worth worrying about. Giants usually subsist by hunting and raiding, taking what they like from creatures weaker than themselves.

All giants speak Giant. Those with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher also speak Common.


Combat

Giants relish melee combat. They favor massive two-handed weapons and wield them with impressive skill. They have enough cunning to soften up a foe with ranged attacks first, if they can. A giant’s favorite ranged weapon is a big rock.

Rock Throwing (Ex): Adult giants are accomplished rock throwers and receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A giant of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments. The size of the range increment varies with the giant’s variety. A Huge giant can hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects).

Rock Catching (Ex): A giant of at least Large size can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt.

Could Giant
Huge Giant (Air)

Hit Dice: 17d8+102 (178 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (–2 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural, +4 chain shirt), touch 9, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+32
Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +22 melee (4d6+18) or slam +22 melee (1d6+12) or rock +12 ranged (2d8+12)
Full Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +22/+17/+12 melee (4d6+18) or 2 slams +22 melee (1d6+12) or rock +12 ranged (2d8+12)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, oversized weapon, rock catching, scent
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +10
Abilities: Str 35, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +19, Craft (any one) +11, Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +11, Listen +15, Perform (harp) +2, Sense Motive +9, Spot +15
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Iron Will,
Environment: Temperate mountains
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–4), family (2–4 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 sorcerer or cleric of 4th–7th level plus 2–5 griffons or 2–8 dire lions), or band (6–9 plus 1 sorcerer or cleric of 4th–7th level plus 2–5 griffons or 2–8 dire lions)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Usually neutral good or neutral evil Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: —

This giant has a muscular humanoid build and handsome, well defined features. Its skin is milky white tinged with blue, and it has silvery white hair.

Cloud giants consider themselves above all others, except storm giants, whom they regard as equals. They are creative, appreciate fine things, and are master strategists in battle.

Cloud giants’ skin ranges in color from milky white to light sky blue. Their hair is silvery white or brass, and their eyes are iridescent blue. Adult males are about 18 feet tall and weigh about 5,000 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter. Cloud giants can live to be 400 years old.

Cloud giants dress in the finest clothing available and wear jewelry. To many, appearance indicates station: The better the clothes and the finer the jewelry, the more important the wearer. They also appreciate music, and most can play one or more instruments (the harp is a favorite).

Unlike most other giant varieties, cloud giants leave their treasure in their lairs. A could giant’s bag contains food, 1d4+1 throwing rocks, 3d4 mundane items, a modest amount of cash (no more than 10d10 coins), and a musical instrument. A cloud giant’s possessions are usually well made and maintained.

Combat

Cloud giants fight in well-organized units, using carefully developed battle plans. They prefer to fight from a position above their opponents. A favorite tactic is to circle the enemies, barraging them with rocks while the giants with magical abilities confound them with spells.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 140 feet for a cloud giant’s thrown rocks.

Oversized Weapon (Ex): A cloud giant wields a great, two-handed morningstar (big enough for Gargantuan creatures) without penalty.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—levitate (self plus 2,000 pounds), obscuring mist; 1/day—fog cloud. Caster level 15th.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Fire Giant
Large Giant (Fire)

Hit Dice: 15d8+75 (142 hp)
Initiative: –1
Speed: 30 ft. in halfplate armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +8 natural, +7 half-plate armor) touch 8, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+25
Attack: Greatsword +20 melee (3d6+15) or slam +20 melee (1d4+10) or rock +10 ranged (2d6+10 plus 2d6 fire)
Full Attack: Greatsword +20/+15/+10 melee (3d6+15) or 2 slams +20 melee (1d4+10) or rock +10 ranged (2d6+10 plus 2d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing
Special Qualities: Immunity to fire, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +9
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +9, Craft (any one) +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +9, Spot +14
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will,
Environment: Warm mountains
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–5), band (6–9 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 adept or cleric of 1st or 2nd level), hunting/raiding party (6–9 plus 1 adept or sorcerer of 3rd–5th level plus 2–4 hell hounds and 2–3 trolls or ettins), or tribe (21–30 plus 1 adept, cleric, or sorcerer of 6th or 7th level plus 12–30 hell hounds, 12–22 trolls, 5–12 ettins, and 1–2 young red dragons)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

This giant resembles a mammoth dwarf with coal-black skin, flaming red hair, and a prognathous jaw that reveals dirty ivory teeth.

Fire giants are brutal, ruthless, and militaristic.

Some fire giants have bright orange hair. An adult male is 12 feet tall, has a chest that measures 9 feet around, and weighs about 7,000 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter. Fire giants can live to be 350 years old.

Fire giants wear sturdy cloth or leather garments colored red, orange, yellow, or black. Warriors wear helmets and half-plate armor of blackened steel.

A typical fire giant’s bag contains 1d4+1 throwing rocks, 3d4 mundane items, a tinderbox, and the giant’s personal wealth. Everything a fire giant owns is battered, dirty, and often singed by heat.

Combat
Fire giants heat their rocks in a nearby fire, geyser, or lava pools, so that they deal extra fire damage. They favor magic flaming swords in melee (when they can get them). They are also fond of grabbing smaller opponents and tossing them somewhere very hot.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a fire giant’s thrown rocks.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Frost Giant
Large Giant (Cold)

Hit Dice: 14d8+70 (133 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt) touch 8, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/23
Attack: Greataxe +18 melee (3d6+13/x3) or slam +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+9)
Full Attack: Huge greataxe +18/+13 melee (3d6+13/×3) or 2 slams +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Rock Throwing
Special Qualities: Immunity to cold, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +13, Craft (any one) +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +17, Spot +12
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder,
Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–5), band (6–9 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 adept or cleric of
1st or 2nd level), hunting/raiding party (6–9 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 adept or sorcerer of 3rd–5th level plus 2–4 winter wolves and 2–3 ogres), or tribe (21–30 plus 1 adept, cleric, or sorcerer of 6th or 7th level plus 12–30 winter wolves, 12–22 ogres, and 1-2 young white dragons)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

Frost Giant Jarl, 8th-Level Blackguard
Large Giant (Cold)

Hit Dice: 14d8+84 plus 8d10+48 (231 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft. in +2 full plate armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Armor Class: 29 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural, +10 +2 full plate armor) touch 10, flat-footed 28
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+33
Attack: +2 frost greataxe +30 melee (3d6+18/×3 plus 1d6 cold) or slam +28 melee (1d4+11) or rock +18 ranged (2d6+11)
Full Attack: +2 frost greataxe +30/+25/+20/+15 melee (3d6+18/×3 plus 1d6 cold) or 2 slams +28 melee (1d4+11) or rock +18 ranged (2d6+11)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing, smite good, sneak attack +2d6
Special Qualities: Aura of despair, aura of evil, command undead, dark blessing, detect good, immunity to cold, low-light vision, poison use, resistance to fire 10, rock catching, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +25, Ref +13, Will +13
Abilities: Str 32, Dex 12, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Climb +17, Hide +2, Jump +17, Knowledge (religion) +2, Ride +11, Spot +5
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, , Quick Draw
Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary or with tribe
Challenge Rating: 17
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustemnt: —

This giant looks like a beefy, muscular human with snow-white skin and light blue hair and eyes.

Frost giants are justifiably feared as brutal and wantonly destructive raiders.

A frost giant’s hair can be light blue or dirty yellow, and its eyes usually match its hair color. Frost giants dress in skins and pelts, along with any jewelry they own. Frost giant warriors add chain shirts and metal helmets decorated with horns or feathers.

An adult male is about 15 feet tall and weighs about 2,800 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter, but otherwise identical with males. Frost giants can live to be 250 years old.

A frost giant’s bag usually contains 1d4+1 throwing rocks, 3d4 mundane items, and the giant’s personal wealth. Everything in a frost giant’s bag is old, worn, dirty, and smelly, making the identification of any valuable items difficult.

Combat

Frost giants usually start combat at a distance, throwing rocks until they run out of ammunition or the opponent closes, then wading in with their enormous battleaxes. A favorite tactic is to lay an ambush by hiding buried in the snow at the top of an icy or snowy slope, where opponents will have difficulty reaching them.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a frost giant’s thrown rocks.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Hill Giant
Large Giant

Hit Dice: 12d8+48 (102 hp)
Initiative: –1
Speed: 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +9 natural, +3 hide armor), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+20
Attack: Greatclub +16 melee (2d8+10) or slam +15 melee (1d4+7) or rock +8 ranged (2d6+7)
Full Attack: Greatclub +16/+11 melee (2d8+10) or 2 slams +15 melee (1d4+7) or rock +8 ranged (2d6+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, rock catching
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Listen +3, Spot +6
Feats: Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, , Improved Sunder, Weapon Focus (greatclub)
Environment: Temperate hills
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–5), band (6–9 plus 35% noncombatants), hunting/raiding party (6–9 plus 2–4 dire wolves), or tribe (21–30 plus 35% noncombatants plus 12–30 dire wolves, 2–4 ogres, and 12–22 orcs)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

This giant has an oddly simian appearance, with overlong arms, stooped shoulders, low foreheads, and thick, powerful limbs.

Hill giants are selfish, cunning brutes who survive through hunting and raiding.

Skin color among hill giants ranges from light tan to deep ruddy brown. Their hair is brown or black, with eyes the same color. Hill giants wear layers of crudely prepared hides with the fur left on. They seldom wash or repair their garments, preferring to simply add more hides as their old ones wear out.

Adults are about 10-1/2 feet tall and weigh about 1,100 pounds. Hill giants can live to be 200 years old.

A hill giant’s bag usually contains 2d4 throwing rocks, 1d4+4 mundane items, and the giant’s personal wealth. These possessions tend to be well worn, filthy, and stinky. The items are usually crude and often jury-rigged or salvaged from some similar item. Examples include a hand chopper made from a broken battleaxe head, a wooden bowl and spoon, or a drinking cup made from a big gourd or a skull.

Combat

Hill giants prefer to fight from high, rocky outcroppings, where they can pelt opponents with rocks and boulders while limiting the risk to themselves.

Hill giants love to make overrun attacks against smaller creatures when they first join battle. Thereafter, they stand fast and swing away with their massive clubs.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a hill giant’s thrown rocks.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Stone Giant
Large Giant (Earth)

Hit Dice: 14d8+56 (119 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +11 natural, +3 hide), touch 11, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+22
Attack: Greatclub +17 melee (2d8+12) or slam +17 melee (1d4+8) or rock +11 ranged (2d8+12)
Full Attack: Greatclub +17/+12 melee (2d8+12) or 2 slams +17 melee (1d4+8) or rock +11 ranged (2d8+12)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, rock catching
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +6*, Jump +11, Spot +12
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, , Precise Shot
Environment: Temperate mountains
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–5), band (6–9 plus 35% noncombatants), hunting/raiding/trading party (6–9 plus 1 elder), or tribe (21–30 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1–3 elders and 3–6 dire bears)
Challenge Rating: 8 (elder 9)
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4 (elder +6)

This giant resembles a lean, muscular human. Its hard, hairless flesh is smooth and gray. It has gaunt facial features and deep-sunken, black eyes that makes it seem grim.

Stone giants have a largely undeserved reputation as rock-throwing
hooligans. In fact, they tend to be somewhat shy around
strangers.

Stone giants prefer thick leather garments, dyed in shades of brown and gray to match the stone around them. Adults are about 12 feet tall and weigh about 1,500 pounds. Stone giants can live to be 800 years old.

Stone giants may tend to be shy around strangers, but they are by no means timid. Many stone giants have an artistic streak. Some draw and paint scenes of their lives on the walls of their lairs and on tanned hide scrolls. Some are fond of music and play stone flutes and drums. Others make simple jewelry, fashioning painted stone beads into necklaces.

Most stone giants are playful, especially at night. They are fond of rock-throwing contests and other games that test their might. Groups of giants often gather to toss rocks at each other, the losing side being those who are hit more often. Travelers’ reports of such contests have given stone giants their reputation for wildness. A stone giant’s bag usually contains 2d12 throwing rocks, 1d4+6 mundane items, and the giant’s personal wealth. A stone giant’s possessions are neither particularly clean nor particularly dirty, but most of them are made from stone.

Combat

Stone giants fight from a distance whenever possible, but if they can’t avoid melee, they use gigantic clubs chiseled out of stone. A favorite tactic of stone giants is to stand nearly motionless, blending in with the background, then move forward to throw rocks and surprise their foes.

Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 180 feet for a stone giant’s thrown rocks. It uses both hands when throwing a rock.

Rock Catching (Ex): A stone giant gains a +4 racial bonus on its Reflex save when attempting to catch a thrown rock.

Skills: *A stone giant gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in rocky terrain.

Stone Giant Elders

Some stone giants develop special abilities related to their environment. These giant elders have Charisma scores of at least 15 and spell-like abilities, which they use as 10th-level sorcerers. Once per day they can use stone shape, stone tell, and either transmute rock to mud or transmute mud to rock (DC 17). The save DC is Charisma-based. One in ten elders is a sorcerer, usually of 3rd to 6th level.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Storm Giant
Huge Giant

Hit Dice: 19d8+114 (199 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 35 ft. (7 squares), swim 30 ft. (6 squares) in breastplate; base speed: 50 ft., swim 40 ft.
Armor Class: 27 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural, +5 breastplate) touch 10, flat-footed 25
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+36
Attack: Greatsword +26 melee (4d6+21/19–20) or slam +26 melee (1d6+14) or composite longbow (+14 Str bonus) +14 ranged (3d6+14/×3)
Full Attack: Greatsword +26/+21/+16 melee (4d6+21/19–20) or 2 slams +26 melee (1d6+14) or composite longbow (+14 Str bonus) +14/+9/+4 ranged (3d6+14/×3)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, low-light vision, rock catching, water breathing
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +13
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 15
Skills: Climb +20, Concentration +26, Craft (any one) +13, Diplomacy +4, Intimidate +12, Jump +24, Listen +15, Perform (sing) +12, Sense Motive +15, Spot +25, Swim +18*
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Iron Will,
Environment: Warm mountains
Organization: Solitary or family (2–4 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 sorcerer or cleric of 7th–10th level plus 1–2 rocs, 2–5 griffons, or 2–8 sea cats)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Often chaotic good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: —

This giant resembles a well-formed human of enormous proportions. It has light green skin, dark green hair, and glittering emerald eyes. Storm giants are gentle and reclusive. They are usually tolerant of others but can be very dangerous when angry.

Very rarely, storm giants have violet skin. Violet-skinned storm giants have deep violet or blue-black hair with silvery gray or purple eyes. Adults are about 21 feet tall and weigh about 12,000 pounds. Storm giants can live to be 600 years old.

Storm giants’ garb is usually a short, loose tunic belted at the waist, sandals or bare feet, and a headband. They wear a few pieces of simple but finely crafted jewelry, anklets (favored by barefoot giants), rings, or circlets being most common. They live quiet, reflective lives and spend their time musing about the world, composing and playing music, and tilling their land or gathering food.

Storm giants usually carry their bags attached to their belts instead of as shoulder sacks. Each of these bags holds a simple musical instrument (usually a pan pipe or harp) and 2d4 mundane items. Other than the jewelry they wear, they prefer to leave their wealth in their lairs. A storm giant’s possessions are usually simple (if not downright primitive), but well crafted and maintained.

Combat

Storm giants use weapons and spell-like abilities instead of throwing rocks. Their composite longbows have a range increment of 180 feet.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—call lightning (DC 15), chain lightning (DC 18). Caster level 15th. 2/day—control weather, levitate. Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Freedom of Movement (Su): Storm giants have a continuous freedom of movement ability as the spell (caster level 20th). The effect can be dispelled, but the storm giant can create it again on its next turn as a free action.

Water Breathing (Ex): Storm giants can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use their spell-like abilities while submerged.

Skills: A storm giant has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *Storm giants ignore all weight penalties for gear carried when swimming.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Fog Giant

[statblock info to come]

Fog giants are relatives of the cloud giants, and more intelligent and stealthy than they are usually given credit for.

Fog giants stand about 24 feet tall, with tree trunk sized legs and overdeveloped arms strengthened by constant throwing games and exercises. They have milk-white skin, which aids their natural ability to blend into fog, and silvery white, flowing hair. Though they have ample hair on their arms, legs, and chest. They prefer to wear no armor, though occasionally they wear leather armor (+2 armor bonus to AC), and at least one band wears armor made from white dragon hides studded with silver (+4 armor bonus to AC, -2 armor check penalty). They love massive ornate clubs made from bleached and polished wood or bone.

Fog giants speak Giant and Common.

Combat

Fog giants prefer to attack from cover (favoring heavy fog, naturally), initially relying on rock hurling to scatter their opponents, then charging into melee with clubs flying.

Rock Throwing (Ex): A fog giant can hurl rocks weighing 40-50 pounds (small objects), up to five range increments of 140 feet. Giants receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks.

Rock Catching (Ex): A fog giant can catch Small, Medium-sized, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar size). Once per round, a fog giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a small rock, 20 for a Medium-sized one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile has magical bonus to attack, the DC increases by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the attack.

Hide in Fog (Ex): In foggy conditions, fog giants have an unusual ability to blend into the swirling mists. In light fog, they gain a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks. In dense the Hide bonus rises to +7. (These numbers include the penalty for the giant's size.)

- Source: Forgotten Realms - Monsters of Faerûn

Phaerlin Giant
Huge Giant (Earth)

[statblock to come]

- Source: Forgotten Realms - Monsters of Faerûn

[Pedantry INC]

Giant History and Lore

The saga of the giant dynasties begins long before the Realms recorded history, with the great giant god Annam All-Father. According to the giants themselves, Annam was one of the very first gods to take an interest in Toril. The validity of this claim, of course, will remain forever shrouded in the mists of time, though it is undeniable that Annam's progeny - the giants themselves - strode across Toril's dusty steppes centuries before humans, elves, dwarves, or any other humanoid or demihuman race.

Shortly after he was attracted to Toril, Annam married a lesser demigoddess who manifested herself as a vast mountain located on the edge of the region now known as The Cold Lands. Known variously as Sonnhild (in ancient Thorass), Deronain (in Auld Dwarvish), and Othea (in the common tongue of the giants), the demigoddess soon bore Annam several sons. Although he had already sired several immortals (most of whom are still worshiped by giants and giant-kin), Othea's sons were Annam’s first terrestrial children, and for that reason he was particularly enthralled by them.

When the last of his terrestrial sons came of age, Annam favored them all by establishing a great kingdom in their honor. This kingdom, ultimately known as Ostoria ("father's seat" in the language of the giants), stretched across Faerûn from the Cold Lands to the Vilhon Reach.

As Ostoria grew, Annam subdivided the kingdom into several regions, one for each of his favorite sons: Vilmos claimed dominion over the seas and lakes, Nicias was ceded the skies, Ruk claimed the kingdom's rolling hills, Ottar was granted the cold wastes to the north, Masud received the fiery peaks to the south, and Obadai claimed the cold caverns of the Underdark. Lanaxis, the eldest son of Annam and Othea, claimed the cold, vast plains as his own and was accepted as a natural leader by the others due to his great size and strength. Shortly after the kingdom was subdivided, Lanaxis constructed Voninheim (also known as the 'Bleak Palace'), a sturdy citadel that served as the Ostorian capital for the next thousand years.

Over the course of the next several centuries, Annam's sons founded the dynasties that became the hill giants (Ruk), stone giants (Obadai), frost giants (Ottar), fire giants (Masud), cloud giants (Nicias), storm giants (Vilmos), wood giants (Dunmore) and titans (Lanaxis). The twisted brood of Annam's twoheaded son, Arno/Julian, were ultimately known as ettin ("runt" in the ancient form of the giant tongue).


War With the Dragons


At almost the same time Ostoria was founded - or so say the giants - the first dragons started hatching all across Faerûn. Of course, no one knows the exact origins of dragonkind, but the venerable legends of the giants speak of dragon eggs raining down upon Toril like meteors. To this day, some of the less enlightened giant tribes believe the stars in the sky are dragon queens preparing to scatter their eggs across the heavens.

At first, the giants paid little attention to the few drakelings they discovered in icy caverns and secluded valleys. But within a few centuries, after some of the dragons reached maturity, the giants recognized the great reptiles as powerful and cunning interlopers who threatened Ostoria's very existence. Soon, open warfare raged between giants and dragonkind with the rich resources of Faerûn awaiting the victor. These epic clashes are well documented in the classical ballads of dwarves, elves, and the giants themselves.

One such ballad still heard in the mead halls of giant steadings was composed by Hrotun, son of Ottar and the first of the frost giant skalds. It dramatizes the saga of Hjurnur Wyrmrever, a notorious giant hero.

The Opening Stanza¹ of the "Saga of the Dragon Queller" ("Sal Hotun Wyrmrever"), as interpreted and annotated by Learned Rundigast, Sage of Waterdeep:

I pour mead² to the All-Father for
Hrjurnur, son of Hjurgen,
leveler of Ranauroch³,
son of Ottar,
Jarl of the northern wind-teeth⁴,
son of grand Annam,
All Seeing, All Knowing, All Quelling,
All Father⁵ -
Fireheart⁶,
Mighty reaver of the wyrm's core⁷,
He who howled at the sun⁸,
He of the quenched heart⁹,
He who drowned in the river of swords¹⁰

¹ This fragment beautifully illustrates the classical construction of the Jotunbrud saga. The first stanza always establishes the identity and lineage of the hero before moving on to a summary of the work to follow.

² "pour mead": frost giant skalds describe their sagas as the "mead (or drink) of Annam". Here, the skald is announcing that Hrotun is the subject of the saga.

³ From contextual clues, it seems that "Ranauroch" was an ancient kingdom or citadel. So far, to the best of my knowledge, no one has uncovered the ruins of such a city. For obvious reasons, many scholars theorize that these ruins lie somewhere beneath the desert of Anauroch.

⁴ "wind teeth": mountains

⁵ These first eight lines establish the lineage of Hjurnur. Each line describes the figure most recently introduced. Thus, Hjurgen is the "leveler of Ranauroch," Ottar is the "Jarl of the Northern wind teeth," and Annam is the "All Seeing, All Knowing, All Quelling, All Father." The lineage is separated from the summary of the saga by a distinctive musical cue, depicted here as a dash.

⁶ "Fireheart": brave warrior

⁷ "the wyrm's core": the dragon's backbone. Later in the saga, Hrotun demonstrates his strength by snapping a dragon's backbone over his knee.

As an unrelated matter of interest, it now appears likely that the word "wyrm" - used as a synonym for "dragon" in a wide variety of languages spoken throughout the Realms - was originally derived from Jotun, the tongue of the ancient giants.

⁸ According to ancient giant legends, the sun is home to a great fiery dragon god that led dragonkind in the war against the giants.

⁹ "quenched heart": broken heart. Later in the saga, after losing a contest of riddles, Hrotun is forced to allow the Queen of Dragons to devour his own child.

¹⁰ "the river of swords": blood. At the saga's conclusion, Hrotun strikes down a dragon king and drowns in its spilt blood.

After more than a thousand years of warfare, Ostoria finally reached a truce with dragonkind. Accounts of the truce and its origins vary. According to ancient dwarven manuscripts, the dragons sued for peace in order to prepare for a great civil war that led to the separation of the chromatic and metallic orders. According to the texts and ballads of the giants, on the other hand, Annam and the dragon god played a game of wah-ree to settle the war, the game ending in stalemate.

By the time the war against dragonkind concluded, Ostoria had shrunk to only a shadow of its former self. On the day the truce was declared, the nation of giants occupied only the northernmost edge of Faerûn - the areas now known as the Savage North and the Cold Lands.


Annam Betrayed

Shortly before the giants' war with dragonkind came to its bitter conclusion, Othea, Annam's wife, developed an interest in a minor sea god known as Ulutiu. (This was hardly her first adulterous foray; long before this, she had betrayed Annam with Vaprak - resulting in the creation of the ogre race.) During the last few years of the war, while Annam was preoccupied, the pair carried on a passionate affair they hoped to conceal from the jealous All-Father. Ultimately, the union of Othea and Ulutiu produced four sons, who later founded the four giant-kin dynasties: firbolg, verbeeg, voadkyn, and fomorian. (Actually, there is some dispute about whether the voadkyn are actually the sons of Annam or Ulutiu as noted in "The Kin." For their part, the giants themselves place the voadkyn in the latter category.) To this day, the enmity between giant and giant-kin stems from the illegitimacy of Ulutiu's offspring in the eyes of Annam and his sons.

Despite Othea's best efforts, Annam eventually discovered her dalliance and sought revenge upon Ulutiu. Although accounts of the All-Father's retribution vary, most giants accept the version of events popularized by the vast friezes at Hotun-Shûk, an enormous underground temple located somewhere beneath the Ice Spires. Fabled for their artistry and expanse (no human artist could possibly hew such colossal masterpieces from the living rock of the caverns), the friezes were sculpted by Illsenstaad, second son of Obadai and one of the earliest stone giants. Although the friezes themselves haven't been glimpsed since Hoton-Shûl was razed by mysterious subterranean marauders more than 400 years ago, sketches and interpretations crafted by artisans who once visited the temple are available in the Realms' larger libraries.

A fragment from "The Meanderings Upon the Friezes of Huton-Shûl" by Skrom Jek, Master Builder of Thay, as translated and annotated by Learned Rundigast, Sage of Waterdeep:

Ulutiu's final breath is depicted as a violent tempest that shatters the ziggurat at Sheol-Div (panal #77).

His corpse is said to land on an icy death-barge located in the Cold Ocean (panal #81).

Once the barge sinks beneath the ocean, Ulutiu's enchanted amulet begins to freeze the surrounding waters, creating the Great Glacier and Endless Ice Sea (panel #83)

After the war against dragonkind ended Annam planned to sire another son capable of restoring Ostoria to its former greatness. Othea was so distressed by Ulutiu's death, however, that she refused to bear the All-Father more children. Refusing to be denied, Annam tricked the demigoddess by appearing to her in the form of a divine wind that blew uninvited across her rocky slopes.

Othae knew immediately that the son she carried in her womb was sired by Amman; she initially refused to bear the child. Eventually, she and Annam ended their struggle in a stalemate: in return for the Al-Father's promise to turn his back on Toril until the day the child called his name, Othea promised not to expel her unborn child prematurely and allow the ogres to feast on its flesh and blood. Although the compromise would delay the child's birth for a very long time, this delay became a part of Othea's plan. According to some giant scholars, Othea wanted time for her children to rebuild their numbers and regroup. Others believed that Othea used the lengthy delay to her advantage because she was wise enough to foresee the coming of the humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and the remainder of Toril's humanoid and demihuman races. Her strategy for rebuilding Ostoria looked forward to an ear in which these new inhabitants would war amongst themselves, depleting their strength. Only then would the giants' king emerge to rebuild Ostoria and restore the glory of the colossal kingdom.


The Fall of Voninheim

After Annam slew Ulutiu and cast his body down into the Cold Sea, the sea god's enchanted amulet started to freeze the waters around him, eventually forming the Great Glacier and the Endless Ice Sea. From this point on, the legends of the giants dovetail well with those of the Innugaakalikurit, the tribe of arctic dwarves who now inhabit the glacier and its surroundings.

In total, it took approximately 75 years for Ulutiu's amulet to reach the limit of its powers and freeze over the several hundred miles of sea that composed the Ice Sea at its height. As the frozen wastes expanded during this era, countless dwellings, villages, and strongholds were destroyed all across the region now known as the Cold Lands. In its last few years of expansion, the glacier even threatened to engulf Lanaxis' citadel at Voninheim, the remains of Ostoria's capital.

Although Annam's sons quickly uncovered the secret of the creeping ice and learned how they might halt its progress, Othea forbade her children to set foot upon the glacier. To her, the ice was Ulutiu's just revenge upon a coldblooded murderer. Though the ice doomed Ostoria, Othea loved Ulutiu's children better than Annam's. All the ice really threatened was Annam's dream of a Toril ruled entirely by giantkind.

But Lanaxis, de facto "leader" of the giants, was so devoted to his father and Ostoria that he refused to accept his mother's will. As the glacier drew uncomfortably close to Voninheim, he summoned all of Annam's sons to his citadel and urged them to help mount an expedition after Ulutiu's amulet in defiance of Othea. When Dunmore, progenitor of the wood giants and Othea's final son (born of Ulutiu, not Annam, though Annam believed he fathered the wood giant), refused to disobey the demigoddess and threw the meeting into chaos, Lanaxis was forced to modify his plan. This time, he resolved to poison Othea, removing the only obstacle to Ostoria's salvation. Unfortunately, his plans went awry. Lanaxis poisoned not only Othea, but all his brothers (save Dunmore and Arno/Julian) as well. Just after she drank his poison, Othea cursed Lanaxis and the ettin, saying that should Lanaxis leave her shadow, he would lose his immortality. Seeing this measure as the probable end of Ostoria, Lanaxis' progeny, the titans, fled Toril altogether for the plane of Arborea. Exactly what happened to Lanaxis himself remains something of a mystery.

As for Othea, the moment Lanaxis' poison touched her lips, the mountain that served as her manifestation on Toril grew cragged, brittle, and moss-covered. For the next several weeks, Annam's final son remained trapped in the womb caves located far beneath the mountain's surface.

With its capital in ruins and the heads of the giant tribes dead, Ostoria quickly became little more than a memory.


The War of the Hart

Several weeks after the Great Glacier swallowed Voninheim, Annam's last son finally freed himself from Othea's lifeless womb caves. Somehow, the instant he emerged, he immediately understood his destiny and set about reviving Ostoria. Known as Hartkiller (his first action was killing and eating a deer), the young king parlayed with the giant tribes descended from each of his brothers in turn, asking for their assistance. To his amazement, he was rejected by them all. Born a runt (only 12 feet tall), Hartkiller had a difficult time convincing his brothers that he was Annam's chosen ruler.

Unwilling to turn his back on his destiny, Hartkiller turned to each of the scattered segments of humans that lived on the fringe of the Endless Ice Sea. If the giants were unwilling to help rebuild his father's kingdom, then perhaps mankind would oblige. In exchange for their fealty, Hartkiller promised to help the humans drive the giants out of the valley known as Hartsvale to establish a glorious kingdom free from the threat of the giants and their pillage.

At first, the humans were somewhat reluctant to accept the proposal. But after Hartkiller's half brothers, the giant-kin, rallied together to stand at Hartkiller's side against the giants, a call to arms was issued, sparking off the so-called War of the Hart.

Ultimately, Hartkiller did force the giants to leave the Valley and begrudgingly respect the territory of his kingdom. Today, this kingdom - Hartsvale - enjoys close ties with some of the giant tribes that once occupied its lands.



The Legend of the Twilight Spirit

Hartkiller was killed at the conclusion of the War of the Hart. In fact, the war ended in an epic personal combat between Hartkiller and the paramount of the storm giants. This battle was said to have raged for 100 days, and it ended in death for both combatants. The first true king of Hartsvale was Brun, Hartkiller's half-human son.

Just after the War of the Hart ended, all the giants in the vicinity of Hartsvale were visited by a mysterious being of purple mist. The presence told each of the giants that by refusing to accept Hartkiller as their king, they rejected the will of Annam. The new kingdom of humans would serve as their punishment and a constant reminder of their insolence. According to the presence, however, the punishment would not last forever. Eventually, a young king born of Hartsvale's royal line would claim Hartkiller's legacy and re-establish Ostoria, paving the way for Annam's return.

To this day, the giants still aren't sure who or what appeared to their forefathers. Some believed the mist being was Hartkiller's restless spirit, others believed the being was an avatar of Annam (breaking his promise to Othea), while still others believed the mist being was a mischievous tanar’ri trying to seduce the giants down the path of ruin. Within the last few centuries, a being calling itself the "Twilight Spirit" has started summoning the Jotunbrud to a sacred valley known as Twilight’s Vale in order to enlist their aid in seeing the prophecies of the Hartkiller's heir to fruition. Once per year, the chiefs of most of Faerûn's largest giant tribes make a pilgrimage to the Vale to consult with the Spirit, who appears to them in the form of an exceptionally large giant with features cloaked in shadow. Exactly who this giant might be remains something of a mystery.


- Source: AD&D Forgotten Realms - Giantcraft

[Pedantry INC]

Giant Society

Although each giant breed has its own unique customs and social habits, a few special customs are shared by all breeds. Most of these traditions date back to the ancient empire of Ostoria and its residents.

For example, all giant breeds believe in the sanctity of the ordning - the order. True giant societies are always organized around a stringent pecking order that stretches from the tribe's leader or chieftain all the way down to its lowliest runt. Unlike most other civilized societies, the ordning is not based upon classes or castes, but upon single individuals. There are no equals in giant society, just inferiors and superiors. Every giant is always aware of his or her exact rank within the ordning: the chieftain is et (or 'one'), his closest adviser is to (or 'two'), etc. all the way down to the lowliest member of the tribe.

Each of the various breeds and tribes bases its ordning around a different quantity, skill, or commodity. Among hill giants, for instance, the ordning is based around an odd combination of physical strength and gustatory prowess. Frost giant ordnings are typically based around wrestling, reveling, and boasting. Stone giant ordnings are based upon artistic prowess. In any case, the basis of the ordning is always concrete and easily quantifiable to the tribesmen, making ordning disputes easy to resolve. To rise in the ordning, one simply challenges a superior to a contest appropriate to the ordning's basis. Challengers who win change ordning rankings with the superiors they bested. Some tribes place no restrictions upon such contests, while others have devised special rules dictating when and if challenges may be issued.

Violating the ordning is an especially maug act. Violations include: refusing to show respect for a superior, refusing to share resources (treasure, food, etc.) with superiors, mocking/belittling superiors, refusing to obey valid orders, granting inferiors access to things beneath their station, etc.

Although their ordning ranks measure the giants' station only within their own tribes, the customary greeting between giants of two different tribes of the same breed includes an oral exchange of ranks. Though a giant is under no obligation to treat a higher ranking giant from another tribe as a superior, any other reaction is a blatant insult. Two giants of different breeds always ignore their respective inter-tribal ranks since the breeds themselves are ranked in a grand ordning, as follows (from highest to lowest):

Titans, Storm giants, Cloud giants, Fog giants, Fire giants, Frost giants, Stone giants, Mountain giants, Hill giants, Ettins, Kin, Ogres.

Thus, the runt of a frost giant tribe is automatically of a higher station than the chieftain of a stone, mountain, or hill giant tribe. In any case, giants' obligation to their own tribal superiors is always stronger than their obligation to a superior from another tribe or breed. Failure to respect the ordning rank of an outsider is merely an insult or faux pas, not a maug act.

It may seem odd that some giant tribes base their chain of command upon such seemingly strange skills: gustatory skill in the case of hill giants, or wrestling skill in the case of frost giants. To the breeds in question, however, these skills are synonymous with virtue. Hill giants, for example, believe that the development of skills to satisfy the appetite is the true purpose of life. Thus, the giant with the very best such skills is obviously the most fit to lead.

Sitting atop all ordnings, of course, is Annam All-Father, the great giant god. Each tribe tends to personify Annam as the ultimate champion of its chosen virtue. Hill giants see Annam as a master glutton, frost giants view him as a wild reveler and unbeatable wrestler, etc.

Naturally, the giants' unshakable belief in the ordning is one of the reasons they tend to look down upon other races. Many giants see the entirety of creation as one large ordning with the giants themselves on top.

Giant Society

Solitary giants are often young adults striking out on their own. Gangs are usually made up of young adults who hunt or raid (or both) together. Giant bands are usually large or extended families. Sometimes a band contains unrelated young adults that the band has taken in as mates, servants, or guards. Giant tribes are similar to bands but have more members, plus contingents of guard creatures and nongiant servants. Hunting and raiding parties include guard creatures and may be made up of giants from different tribes working together. About a third of the giants in a band or tribe are giant children, who can be formidable creatures in their own right. When a group of giants includes children, roll d% for each child to determine maturity: 01–25 = infant (no combat ability); 26–50 = juvenile (two sizes smaller than an adult, 8 fewer HD, –8 Strength, –8 Constitution, and 1 rank in each skill that an adult has); and 51–100 = adolescent (one size smaller than an adult, 4 fewer HD, –4 Strength, –4 Constitution, and 2, 3, or 4 ranks in each skill that an adult has). Giant children can throw rocks if they meet the minimum size requirement (see above). Except when otherwise noted, giant children are identical with adults of their variety.

- Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Cloud Giant Society

The majority of cloud giants dwell on cloud-shrouded mountain peaks, making their lairs in crude castles. They live in small groups but know the location of 1d8 other groups and come together with some of these other tribes for celebrations, battles, or trade.

Good-aligned cloud giants trade with humanoid communities for food, wine, jewelry, and cloth. Some establish such good relations that they come to a community’s aid if it is endangered. Evil-aligned cloud giants raid communities to get what they want.

Legends tell of rare cloud giants that build castles on magical cloud islands isolated even from other cloud giants. Cloud islands are reputed to be fantastic places with giant-sized gardens of fruit trees.

Cloud Giant Characters
Note: Giants are not playable on FRC
Most cloud giant groups include a sorcerer or a cleric. Good-aligned clerics have access to two of the following domains: Good, Healing, Strength, or Sun. Evil-aligned clerics have access to two of the following domains: Death, Evil, or Trickery.

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Fire Giant Society

Fire giants dwell only in hot places. They prefer volcanic regions or areas with hot springs. They live in well-organized military groups, occupying large castles or caverns. Tribal leaders refer to themselves as “king” or “queen.” Fire giants usually engage in ongoing military campaigns to subjugate the areas around them and often receive tribute from creatures living nearby.

Fire giants like to take captives. For each ten adult giants in a tribe, there is a 30% chance that the lair has 1d2 captives. These prisoners can be any sort of creature.

Fire Giant Characters
Note: Giants are not playable on FRC.
Most groups of fire giants include clerics. A fire giant cleric has access to two of the following domains: Evil, Law, Trickery, or War (most choose Trickery or War, some choose both).

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Frost Giant Society

Frost giants live in frigid, arctic lands of glaciers and heavy snowfall. They make their lairs in crude castles or frigid caverns. Tribal leaders call themselves “jarl.” Frost giant groups depend on hunting and raiding, though they sometimes make trading and defensive alliances with neighboring giants.

Frost giants like to take captives. For each ten adult giants in a tribe, there is a 20% chance that the lair has 1d2 captives. These prisoners can be any sort of creature.

Frost Giant Characters
Note: Giants are not Playable on FRC
Many groups of frost giants include clerics. A frost giant cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or War (most choose Destruction or War, some choose both).

Frost Giant Jarl
A frost giant leader is often a barbarian, cleric, fighter, or sorcerer, but some of the most evil and ruthless frost giants become blackguards. Ambitious and domineering, they quickly rise to rule their tribes, and then lead their fellows further and further into cruelty and wickedness.

The frost giant jarl described here has all the qualities and abilities of a typical frost giant, as well as other abilities (see the statistics block) from being a blackguard.

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Hill Giant Society

Although hill giants prefer temperate areas, they can be found in practically any climate where there is an abundance of hills and mountains. Individuals and bands tend to be aggressive and prefer taking what they want over trading. Tribes (and some bands) often trade with other giants or with groups of ogres or orcs to get foodstuffs, trinkets, and servants.

Hill Giants as Characters
Note: Giants are not Playable on FRC
Reckless brutes of incredible strength but little wit, hill giant characters are never truly accepted into society. Yet they do well on its edges and frontiers, forging a strong and profitable existence. Despite their rugged appearance and great size, their basically humanoid shape makes it easy for them to relate with more civilized folk.

Hill giant characters possess the following racial traits.

• +14 Strength, –2 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, –4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
• Large size. –1 penalty to Armor Class, –1 penalty on attack rolls, –4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
• Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
• A hill giant’s base land speed is 40 feet.
• Low-light vision.
• Racial Hit Dice: A hill giant begins with twelve levels of giant, which provide 12d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +8, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +8, Ref +4, and Will +4.
• Racial Skills: A hill giant’s giant levels give it skill points equal to 15 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Jump, Listen, and Spot.
• Racial Feats: A hill giant’s giant levels give it five feats.
• +9 natural armor bonus.
• Special Attacks (see above): Rock throwing.
• Special Qualities (see above): Rock catching.
• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A hill giant is automatically proficient with simple weapons, martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields.
• Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc.
• Favored Class: Barbarian.
• Level adjustment +4.

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Stone Giant Society

Stone giants prefer to dwell in deep caves high on rocky, stormswept mountains. Usually, groups live fairly close together (no more than a day’s travel apart) for a sense of community and protection. Most stone giant lairs have 2d4 neighboring lairs. Some older stone giants choose to live in solitude, meditating and creating artwork. Many of them become elders after several decades.

Most groups of stone giants subsist by hunting, gathering, and herding mountain animals such as sheep or goats. They trade with any other nearby communities, exchanging foodstuffs and stone goods for cloth, pottery, and manufactured items. Groups of evil giants often go raiding or extort tolls from mountain travelers.

Stone Giants as Characters
Note: Giants are not Playable on FRC
Strong, silent loners, stone giant characters are a rare sight in human lands.

Stone giant characters possess the following racial traits.

• +16 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, +2 Wisdom.
• Large size. –1 penalty to Armor Class, –1 penalty on attack rolls, –4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
• Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
• A stone giant’s base land speed is 40 feet.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision.
• Racial Hit Dice: A stone giant begins with fourteen levels of giant, which provide 14d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +10, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +9, Ref +4, and Will +4.
• Racial Skills: A stone giant’s giant levels give it skill points equal to 17 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Hide, Listen, and Spot. A stone giant has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in rocky terrain.
• Racial Feats: A stone giant’s giant levels give it five feats.
• +11 natural armor bonus.
• Special Attacks (see above): Rock throwing.
• Special Qualities (see above): Rock catching.
• Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc.
• Favored Class: Barbarian.
• Level adjustment +4.

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Storm Giant Society

Storm giants live in castles built on mountain peaks or underwater. They live off the land in the immediate vicinity of their lairs. If the natural harvest is not enough to sustain them, they create and carefully till large gardens, fields, and vineyards. They do not keep animals for food, preferring to hunt. Land-dwelling storm giants usually are on good terms with neighboring copper dragons and good-aligned cloud giants, and cooperate with them for mutual defense. Water-dwelling storm giants have similar relationships with merfolk and bronze dragons.

Storm Giant Characters
Note: Giants are not Playable on FRC
About 20% of adult storm giants are sorcerers or clerics. A storm giant cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Good, Protection, or War.

Source: - Monstrous Manuel 3.5

Fog Giant Society

Fog giant clans live in caves, canyons, or thickets, in the most inaccessible areas of marsh, forest, or coast. They hunt in groups, gravitating towards other giants with similar alignment, though a single clan usually includes individuals of different alignment.

Fog giants are fond of all sorts of cooked meats, favoring hoofed creatures such as horses, cows, deer, elf, and centaurs. They also have something of a sweet tooth, enjoying fruits and confections.

In the Realms

Fog giants are particularly common in the Evermoors, and bands of evil giants have been known to raid well into the Silver Marches as well as west from the moors to Yartar and Longsaddle. These giants are also found in the Frost Hills north of the Evermoors, and occasionally in the Nether Mountains to the east.

Source: Forgotten Realms - Monsters of Faerûn

Lineage

Virtually all of the true giants and kin hold their own direct ancestors in especially high esteem. Just about every single giant or kin is capable of reciting his or her male lineage all the way back to Annam (or Ulutiu, as the case may be). It is the responsibility of all parents to begin drilling this information into the heads of their children as soon as possible.

Customarily, two giants who meet for the first time recite their lineages for each other. This tradition serves two purposes: It keeps the memory of revered ancestors alive and helps the giants decide if they are friends or enemies owing to familial obligations. Once a giant has befriended (or spurned) another, all of the descendants of those two giants will tend to instantly accept each other as friends (or enemies).

Properly stated, a lineage sounds something like this:

I am Murg, et
Son of Haug, et, wyrm-eater
Son of Grom, et, conqueror
Son of Morg, to, wyrm-eater
Son of Ruk, et, progenitor
Son of Annam, et, All-Father

Note that each ancestor's name is followed by his current ordning rank (or the rank he held when he died) and a noteworthy accomplishment.

Even more elaborate recitations of lineage have become an important part of the sagas crafted by frost giant skalds (bards). Traditionally, each new character is introduced to the saga with a full lineage recitation keyed to appropriate music.



Clerical Parley

Although giant priests and shamans rarely occupy the top spot within their tribes, an old Ostorian custom allows two priests of different tribes to band together and temporarily overrule both their chieftains. Whenever two tribes stand in conflict, the highest ranking holy men on each side have the authority to jointly call a parley to resolve the situation. During such a parley, the holy men work together to discuss the will of Annam. If they reach a consensus, their decision is traditionally binding upon both tribal leaders. This custom is said to have originated with the titan Lanaxis, who forced it upon his subjects.

Though many priests like to perpetuate the myth that clerical parleys are solved through complex religious rites and magical divination, the simple truth is that they are usually little more than power-brokering sessions. In fact, rival clerics have been known to maneuver their tribes into conflict just to give themselves the opportunity to hold a binding parley. Implementing such a scheme isn't necessarily maug, so long as the cleric believes the best interests of the tribe are served.


These days, clerical parleys are quite uncommon. After all, since there are so few active giant tribes on Toril, tribal conflicts are rare indeed. Furthermore, most modern Jotun tribes are far more cohesive than their ancient ancestors. The 'splitting of ranks' that generally accompanies a parley would seem a bit out of place in the giant societies of today. Most contemporary priests and shamans stand in absolute accord with their chieftains.


Language

Giants all speak a common tongue known as Jotun, one of the oldest languages still active in the Realms. In fact, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that Jotun shares a lingual base with both Thorass and the Common tongue of humanity. It is likely that these later languages were partially derived from older incarnations of the giant tongue.

Giant clerical rites are usually composed in Jotunalder ('old Jotun'), a formalized version of the familiar tongue that has remained unchanged for over 5,000 years. Although few giants can actually speak Jotunalder, the tongue bears enough similarities to modern Jotun to enable most giants to comprehend it.

In addition to Jotun, most breeds speak their own specialized language as well as the common tongue of humanity. These specialized languages are listed and classified below. Of course, giants who operate in the vicinity of a nonhuman civilization are likely to speak at least a smattering of that civilization’s language. For instance, most stone giants speak dwarvish and most hill giants speak a little ogre and gnoll.

Specialized Giant Languages
Hill/mountain giants: Jotunhaug (closely related to Jotunise)
Stone giants: Jotunstein (partially derived from Auld Dwarvish)
Frost giants: Jotunise (closely related to Jotunhaug)
Fire giants: Jotunild
Cloud/fog giants: Jotunskye
Storm giants: Jotunuvar


- Source: AD&D Forgotten Realms - Giantcraft

[Pedantry INC]

Alright so a while ago Fenix asked about druid lore, but between holidays and switching to my new computer I've left the curious bits I've found sitting there unposted. Time to get around to fixing that. Druids are pretty interesting, they've got a lot of quirks, but the lore that comes with their circle and rites is a bit tricky to find. Ed Greenwood once commented that TSR skimped on such information for 'religious reasons' and WoTC hasn't ever commented on the matter. However, there is one book that goes into a fair bit of detail, the Complete Druid's Handbook. So wthout further ado, here's some lore on druids:

Druids

At a glance:
A sub-grouping of clerics which tends to worship outside of the standard Temple-complexes are the druids, who wander the land, or are organized into loosely-affiliated "circles" throughout the Realms. These druid-circles tend to fill the same requirements as hierarchies within the clerical faiths, but are much smaller and there is still less definition about which activities fall under which headings.

Elminster's Notes:
In the northern Realms from the Sword Coast to Impiltur, druids in lightly settled areas have tended to gather in small groups, often with rangers and other allies, for mutual protection, defense of key areas or resources, and in order to accomplish their common goals more easily.

These groups, usually consisting of a dozen or less druids and twenty or less others, vary widely in prominence and working relationships; in some, the druids live together in a woodland grove, and in others, they are widely scattered, with other group members serving as go-betweens; in some groups the druids and rangers deal as equals; and in others the druids are revered by the others who work with them. The groups are known as "Circles;" the term serves to illustrate the unending cycles of natural processes, and to emphasize that no one creature is intrinsically superior to another.

In the Dalelands, recent warfare has destroyed the last two known and long-established circles; the Circle of Shadowdale and the Battledale Seven, although a few individuals from each of the groups have survived. The Circle of Shadowdale's one-time roster is given with the census of Shadowdale. In numbers and power, it is typical of these groups. Many circles still exist elsewhere in the Realms, in wooded areas, and these may be of great local importance, often working with non-human woodland beings to maintain wilderness areas and keep the peace in their territories.

In the Realms at large, these circles make up a network of communication and aid among those who venerate Chauntea and similar Powers. In general, the Druids of the realms seek balance between man and nature, at the expense of neither.

The druids, while relatively weak in the Dalelands at the moment, have several major areas of power, including the Border Forest, the forest of Guthmere, and in particular the Moonshae Isles. In the last, the druids are worshipers of a possible aspect of Chauntea known as the Earthmother, and are the native faith in the area. The conflict between these druids and the faiths of the invading settlers is more extreme than in normally found in the realms, but is as much the result of the conflicting cultures on those islands as on differences in faith.


Game Information:
Druids of the same circle may worship different deities, though in general, druids of the same circle tend to worship the same god. Common Powers venerated by the Druids are Eldath, Silvanus, Chauntea (in places) and the Elemental Lords, in particular Grumbar and Kossuth (earth and flame, respectively).
Please note that on FRC, and in dnd 3.0+ druids can no longer worship the elemental lords.

Player-character druids do not begin the game as members of a Circle, but may form such circles if they find other druids and either accept them or are accepted into their ranks.

Great and Grand Druids are singular beings, and there is only a single such individual for a five-hundred-mile area about the abode of such an individual. Each is entrusted to the organization and protection of the Circles and other druidic shrines within that domain. The precise borders of a Great Druid's domain are nebulous at best. On location of high-level druids: When a druid reaches sufficient level to challenge another druid of his or her position, a sign will be sent by the Power the druid worships indicating the location of the druid sought, unless the first druid knows the second druid's location already.


Source: AD&D Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting

A Druid’s Responsibilities

The beliefs and ethics of druids cover two main areas: keeping the balance between the alignments and serving as guardians of Nature. When role-playing a druid character, keep in mind that the character’s behavior should reflect the importance of these duties.


Keeper of the Balance

Druids have seen that a balance between the forces of good and evil, law and chaos, best fosters the continuance of life from one generation to the next. This druidic duty is not so much a personal matter as the ethical responsibility of the entire Order.

Only an event or threat of considerable magnitude can cause the balance to tilt toward one alignment or another—a matter that could affect the destiny of nations. Deciding that a menace of this degree exists and how best to handle it is traditionally left to those of archdruid or higher rank, or the High Council of the Moot. However, lesser druid PCs may decide they know better and take action on their own!

Remember, keeping a balance doesn’t spell stagnation. Druids view a slight shift in the balance — like the ascendancy of one alignment—to be as natural as a change in the weather. An individual druid may prefer a period of good (or of law) just as one might prefer a warm summer day. But autumn and winter remain just as necessary—in a world of eternal summer, the autumn harvest never comes.

But druids also believe in free will, and with free will comes the danger that the balance will tilt too far in one direction. Many druids believe—rightly or wrongly— that powerful beings (gods and extraplanar entities) manipulate mortals for just such an end: to see their own alignment or faith permanently triumphant.

When druids perceive the balance tilting too far in any direction, the Order becomes concerned. Some individual members may profess that the balance will swing back by itself, regardless of the actions of mankind. Such druids contentedly sit back and let events pass without taking action. A druid with this belief would not make an interesting PC, although such a mindset gives the DM a good excuse to have senior druids refuse to aid the player character!

But most druids do not share this belief. The majority see human and demihuman races in general and the druidic order in particular as pivotal to maintaining the cosmic balance. They look at the cycles of the world as driven by the actions and machinations of mankind (and other intelligent races) and believe that, as individuals play their part in the great cycle, they can also upset it.

This means that, when the cosmic balance is obviously in danger of being tilted in favor of one alignment or faith, druids will ally themselves (openly or covertly) with the opposing side. Normally an archdruid or great druid makes this decision and devotes all energies to rallying the circle against the threat. Sometimes a circle of druids becomes divided about the situation: Is it serious enough to warrant intervention? The circle leaves it up to individual druids to decide whether to offer assistance. However, keep in mind that druids who frequently refuse to aid their circle’s cause will find themselves unable to attract help from senior druids when they need it.

Although the balance could swing too far in any direction, DMs should set their campaigns at times when evil has grown alarmingly in strength, for such periods allow druid PCs to become heroes. With the balance threatened by the power of evil, most druids find themselves in the position to serve the cause of good willingly. This motivation is good for the game, as it provides plenty of adventure for good-aligned PCs while giving druids a chance to fight by their sides.

Similarly, in a game featuring the PCs as rebels or outlaws against authority, the balance may have swung in favor of inflexible law. In such a case, druids may side with the forces of chaos— good, neutral, and maybe even evil—in the struggle of liberty against oppression.


Defense of the Wilderness

The second major responsibility of druid characters is to defend the wilderness and its wildlife. Players sometimes feel uncertain as to the limits of a druid’s concern for Nature, especially in regard to how druids treat those who make a living hunting or farming.

Since all druids are charged with protecting natural wilderness, trees, wild plants, wild animals, and crops, they also protect the people who follow druidic beliefs, such as peasants and hunters living in harmony with Nature.

Druids realize all creatures have basic needs for food, shelter, and self-defense. Humans must hunt animals for food and must clear trees to farm and build houses. These actions constitute a necessary part of the natural cycle. But druids do not tolerate unnecessary destruction or exploitation of Nature. Sensing violations, a druid investigates the motives of the people involved, weighing them against the risk to the land. Then the druid decides whether to take action.


Protecting Animals

Only a very few druids (like those with the Pacifist kit) oppose hunting or raising animals for food, skins, or fur. In fact, many druids hunt animals for food and clothing themselves. They do frown upon killing animals simply for sport, over-hunting (or over-trapping) a region, and treating animals with excessive cruelty. And most druids do not even take this feeling to extremes. They know that feudal nobles, for instance, enjoy the hunt; few such hunters are cruel killers, and their game ends up on the lord’s tables.

Druids oppose trapping or hunting beasts to use their fur or other body parts for frivolous reasons. A hunter may kill a single wolf and take its pelt to make a wolfskin cloak, according to druidic philosophy. If the hunter kills a couple wolves every year and sells their pelts, a druid may or may not be upset, depending on the prevalence of wolves in the area. But if a hunter regularly traps dozens of wolves and makes a fortune selling their pelts to local merchants, a druid will become angry and take action.

Even more than trapping for food or fur, druids hate to see animals captured for use in events like bear baiting, bullfighting, or other such “sports.” Druids always try to stop these spectacles and free the animals. They may wreak terrible vengeance on those who capture wild beasts for sport or operate the arenas where animals are forced to fight.


Protecting Trees and Woodland

Druids have nothing against most forms of farming, even if it means clearing woodlands or draining swamps to create new fields. Although druids feel a special reverence for trees, crops are plants too, and civilized races have a right to practice agriculture. The druid may object to destroying a wilderness area for a farm extension that is strictly for profit. For instance, clearing a forest for a large plantation to grow cash crops—especially ones intended for pleasure, such as tobacco—would raise a druid’s ire.

A druid also will oppose farming that requires the destruction of ancient wilderness areas, large spreads of land, or any region that serves as a sanctuary for rare, endangered, or magical plants and animals. Most importantly, no druid ever tolerates the destruction of a sacred grove! Druids also discourage farming practices that harm the soil and selfish irrigation schemes (dams, aqueducts, etc.) intended to parch one region to slake another’s thirst.

Druids sometimes tolerate logging or clearing land to mine useful minerals like salt, copper, tin, and iron. After all, they use manufactured items themselves. Whether to accept such land use depends on the motives and need of those involved and the nature of the region in question, just as with farming.

Cutting down a forest to build houses is one thing—especially if the builder makes some effort at replanting. Using the wood to build a fleet of warships to satisfy the ambitions of a tyrant is much less likely to find sympathy with the druid. On the other hand, if the proposed fleet will oppose the invasion force of a king whose conquests threaten to tip the balance of good and evil, some druids may justify the forest’s loss.


Cleansing Nature

Some acts defile the very essence of Nature and require immediate opposition. For instance, the magical forced transformation of a large forest into a bizarre, otherplanar landscape instantly draws the enmity of the circle. If a sacred grove falls under a curse, druids will work to lift it and reclaim the land.

A more common perversion of Nature is the undead. The fact that no druidic branch has the power to turn or control undead does not mean druids tolerate them. Rather, the druid’s lack of power over the living dead reflects the absolute aversion this class has toward them. Things exist in a natural cycle: birth, growth, death, rebirth. The undead break this cycle—worse, they are the enemies of life. Therefore, most druids see the undead as abominations to stamp out to restore the proper workings of Nature.

Yet, druids do not actively hunt undead. This is primarily because undead rarely directly invade a druid’s sphere of interest. However, if a vampire starts menacing a peaceful village, a banshee begins stalking the moors, or a lich introduces a reign of terror to the wilderness, a druid may intervene. Because druids lack the key powers necessary to fight undead (although their elemental magic can prove useful), they will ally with a good-aligned party also interested in wiping out the undead.


Defending Croplands and Farmers

A druid feels an obligation to protect farmers who worship Nature and to safeguard fields and livestock.


Eyes in the Wilderness

Defending an entire tract of wilderness and safeguarding the balance of forces within it spells a lot of work for one druid. (In addition, sometimes druids are asked to give reports on their section of the domain at moots.) Clearly, to do a good job, the druid needs reliable sources of information and early knowledge of possible threats.

Druids’ own powers do go a long way in keeping them aware of the goings-on in and near their area. The ability to pass without a trace and blend into the woods allows druids to maintain watch on anyone entering the wild. Even better is their shapechange power. Druids risk detection when using it, but very few people—unless they know they have a druidic enemy—ever would suspect that a spy lurks in the form of the mangy hound munching a bone under the lord’s table or the cat hiding under the bed. To infiltrate a foe’s stronghold, druids often assume the shape of a domestic animal, allowing themselves to be bought at market or given as a gift—although those shapechanging into an edible animal should take care to avoid the stew pot!

At high levels, the ability to cast speak with plants or stone tell proves very useful. If the druid is looking for general information, good recipients for such a spell include trees or standing stones at crossroads, at wells, or near town or castle gates.


Animal Aides

Still, druids can be in only one place at a time. In addition to their own powers, they also use animal resources. Speak with animals gives druids an ability enemies always regret underestimating.

Druids rely on animals mostly in the wild: a spread of furry, feathered, and scaly “spies” all over the land to keep watch on the movements of friends and enemies alike. Normally, small, inconspicuous animals work best—especially birds, with their excellent mobility, aerial vantage point, and good eyesight. Rodents, from squirrels to mice, rarely get noticed. Domestic animals constitute another good choice due to their intelligence. They have the added bonus of being able to tell the druid about the activities inside a building.

To this end, a druid who can speak with animals should use every opportunity to insinuate these aides into important areas, such as the lord’s stronghold—perhaps a character can even covertly cast animal friendship (or better, charm person or mammal) on a foe’s animals. Some individuals may protect their servants from charm, but few think to check domestic animals.

One problem with using animals kept inside a building involves the difficulty of staying in touch with them. Animal helpers should have an opportunity to slip out to meet the druid (like a cat that is put out at night) or should remain in magical contact with the druid. With this logistical problem solved, domestic animal spies can prove exceedingly effective. People may search high and low to discover a traitor, never dreaming that traitor is actually a falcon, pet dog, or war horse!

Animals have a limitation, though: They often don’t understand what they see and hear and sometimes can’t determine what is worth reporting. A dog can recognize certain people and usually has a general idea what its owners are doing, but it cannot understand speech. A mouse or bat probably cannot tell one person from another. Animals can tell druids of unusual events, like the passage of a large body of men. They can warn druids when people have entered or left buildings or mention when a new monster appears. But, for detailed and reliable intelligence, the druid needs just that: intelligent spies. To this end, all druids should make use of the eyes and ears of other inhabitants of the wilderness.


Human and Demihuman Assets

Druids who have lived in an area for a long time should cultivate friendly contacts among the surrounding manors and villages. If the people openly follow druidism, they generally inform the druid of unusual happenings as a matter of course. Otherwise, druids try to place one “agent” in each village or castle in their area; low-ranking servants often have reason to go into the wilds every now and then (chopping firewood, grazing the animals, etc.), giving them an excuse to secretly meet the druid. Some druids befriend children for this purpose, since no one will miss them when they go out to play, nor will most people suspect children of passing information.

Druids try to keep in touch with a friend at every roadside and village inn within their territory. This source isn’t necessarily the innkeeper: Someone less obvious, like a servant or stablekeeper, works better. Since adventurers and other interesting travelers usually stop at inns, the source can update druids on newcomers.

The druid must contact these aides regularly to advise them of the sort of information they should look for and receive their news. Just as important as having agents is having a means of collecting updates from them, after all. The 2nd-level messenger spell suits this purpose ideally. Innkeepers and the like tend to stay terribly busy, so providing them with a trained messenger animal (often a bird) can ensure periodic reports. If the agent (or druid) cannot read or write, the pair can arrange a simple code: a red ribbon on the bird’s foot means, “Come immediately,” a blue ribbon means, “Interesting strangers staying at the inn.”

A druid’s agents almost never work professionally as spies, and few know much about the druid’s doings (helpful, if an enemy questions them). Most are just ordinary (0-level) men and women. Druids don’t have to reveal their identity to these contacts—they just use their natural charm (Charisma of 15 or better) to appear as romantic, mysterious figures who will pay well if kept informed of local gossip. Just as often, druids recruit from among those who are in their debt. For instance, a druid who used magic to save a child from disease might recruit the grateful mother as another set of eyes. Also, druids utilize members of families that have followed the druidic faith for generations (often in secret). Finally, druids do not hesitate to use charm person or mammal to create excellent involuntary spies when necessary!

Besides these local folk, druids should also strive to be on good terms with travelers like tinkers, Gypsies, bards, merchants, entertainers, and rangers. These people, often the first to bear news from the next county, always know what the neighbors are talking about. Being on “good terms” usually requires making friends with a few prominent members of these groups and offering magical assistance at times.


Humanoids and Evil Monsters

Druid characters should not forget that their neutral alignment enables them to make use of all sorts of information sources. Those who live near a monster and stay on speaking terms with it sometimes receive a messenger with information from the creature—which undoubtedly hopes for a favor or bribe. This relationship generally requires that the druid first win the monster’s trust: by providing food in a harsh winter, using magic to heal injuries, etc. However, druids must use the stick along with the carrot—most evil creatures prove truly helpful only after the character demonstrates the fury of druidic wrath! Even so, humanoids and monsters usually feel happy to alert the druid if something mysterious is making them uneasy—or if good forces are infiltrating the wilderness.

Remember, evil creatures are notorious liars: They will tell the druid only what suits them. A tribe of forest-dwelling goblins attacked and routed by two high-level rangers and a paladin might warn the druid of these intruders—after changing some details of their encounter with “. . . dozens of human warriors! We got many, but they were too much powerful. We see them chop down tree . . .” Caveat emptor.



- Source: AD&D The Complete Druid's Handbook

[Pedantry INC]

Druidic Organization

Druidic Order

The druidic order - often simply called the Order - can be thought of as a federation of regional priesthoods that form a loosely organized worldwide faith, all of whose members worship Nature and follow a similar ethical philosophy.

Druids divide up their world into regions, here called domains. A domain is a well defined geographic area bound by mountain ranges, rivers, seas, or deserts - druids normally divide a good-sized continent into three or four domains. Druidic regions do not rely on national boarders, or on racial or ethnic groups; a domain can encompass several countries, races, and peoples.

For example, in a fantasy world based on our Earth, one European domain might include England Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands; a second could consist of Western Europe (West of the Rhine and north of the Alps and Pyrenees, bounded by the North Sea and the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the west); a third might contain Southern Europe (south of the Alps, and bounded by the Mediterranean Sea and Danube River); another would include the Iberian peninsula.

North America could be divided into an Atlantic domain (east of the Mississippi River and south of the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes), a Pacific domain (west of the Rocky Mountains), a Central domain (between the two domains above, roughly south of the Missouri River), a Caribbean domain, a Southern Domain (south of the Rio Grande and est of the Rockies), and a Northern domain (all of North America roughly north of the Missouri and Ohio rivers and east of the Rocky Mountains).


Druidic Circles

In places where the veneration of wild nature (particularly forests) is threatened, druids abide, working to purge living things of disease, to protect their breeding and feeding, and to slow or halt woodcutting, burning, and the growth of roads. Druids often meet or dwell in clearings, and from that custom has come the name and habit of working together in circles.

Druid circles can even be found in Waterdeep and other large cities, meeting in temples, parks, or in cellars if they can find one that has running water or a natural spring-fed pond or pool, or an earthen floor, or both. Some circles very seldom ever gather all in one place, but communicate by magic or by means of one or more members who travel extensively,serving as go-betweens to their fellows.

The concept of the circle refers also to natural cycles, and to the fact that creatures of varying races, ranks, and capabilities can and should work together. Circles have no official ranks beyond Speaker (spokesperson), though members always have an unofficial pecking order based on age, wisdom, and druidic power. Persons may leave a circle if they disagree with its policies, but the circle as a whole decides on its activities. Many circles include rangers, elves of the forest, and even dryads and treants in their ranks. Most include less than a dozen druids.

Hunters, woodcutters, and lenders intending to clear land or expand existing settlements are advised to consult local clergy of Silvanus, Eldath, Mielikki) and similar deities, or rangers, to learn if a circle is active locally. It is better to work with such a circle than to blunder into its path and end up at war with it. The Moonshae Isles and the Emerald Enclave lands about the mouth of the Vilhon contain the strongest concentrations of druids. In both places, druids act openly, wielding much power of governance as well as influence, and meet in sacred groves. In contrast, druidic power has been largely shattered in the Dales, where the Circle of Shadowdale and the Battledale Seven were both destroyed in recent decades, and the Circle of Yeven fell long ago.

I only know of a few active circles. The Watchers of Sevreld, who meet in Old Mushroom Grove in the High Forest northeast of Secomber, work to prevent logging roads being cut into the forest. The High Dance, druids who dwell in hidden high valleys of the Thunder Peaks and wander that range, aids the sylvan creatures who tend and guard the Dancing Place. The newly founded Ring of Swords works to cleanse and rejuvenate Neverwinter Wood, drive out gnoll, bugbear, and hobgoblin bands sheltering there, and turn away those seeking tombs and ruins in the leafy heart of the forest. The Flamenar ("Hands Against Flame") works in Amn to recloak its rolling hills in stands of newly planted trees and to drive down the dust storms that have begun to plague the land east of Crimmor and Purskul. And the Starwater Six (named for the tranquil pool where they often meet) are now at work in the northern Forest of Mir, where floods of monsters and strange twisted beasts have been raiding the lands south of the River Ith. These are but a handful among many, many circles.

Some dismiss them with a sneer as "flower lovers," but I warn such scoffers that few herbs or plant medicines would aid us today were it not for the lore and work of the druid circles of Faerûn.

—Beldrith Tarlelntar, Sage of the Old Ways
House of the Leaning Gate, Scornubel

Source: Forgotten R0ealms Campaign Setting 3.5

All druids dwelling within the bounds of a domain are organized into a circle. Circles typically are named for the geographic area their domain occupies, but sometimes they bear other names, harking back to their founders or the gods the druids worship (if they worship deities rather than Nature itself). For instance, druids might have formed ”The Dragon Isles Circle” or ”The Circle of Danu.”


The members of a circle hold themselves responsible for the well-being of the wilderness and the continuation of the orderly cycles of Nature within their domain. This doesn’t mean a circle remains unconcerned about what occurs in other domains-forming circles is just the druidic order’s way of recognizing that those druids who live in a particular region can best serve to protect it, and should therefore hold formal responsibility for the domain.

Circles operate within a very loose structure. hey use no large temples or abbeys, for rarely do more than a few druids live together. When they do, their dwelling places are usually less than ostentatious: small cottages or huts of the style of local hunters or farmers. All druids within the circle acknowledge a single great druid as their leader and recognize this figure's moral authority. The great druid gives the circle's members great freedom compared to most other religious leaders. The druids adhere to a rather informal hierarchical structure and require their initiates to hold true to the basic ethos of the druidic order and respect higher-ranking druids.

A few traditions described in this chapter have grown up to govern the harmonious workings of a circle: initiations, the challenge, the ban, the moot, and selection of acolytes. All druids from the humblest initiate to the great druid may freely follow their own interpretation of druidic beliefs and act however they believe best serves Nature.


Druidic Branches

Arctic Druids
Arctic druids feel at home on the frozen polar tundra or on the slopes of snow capped mountains and ancient glaciers. They even venture at times across lifeless ice fields to assist lost animals. If an Ice Age took place in the distant past, arctic druids may very well claim to belong to the oldest druidic branch, tracing their ancestry all the way back to the days when humans huddled within caves.

A typical arctic druid, concerns himself more with animals than with plants. Guardian of caribou herds, penguins, auks, seals, polar bears, and other arctic and subarctic animals, he relentlessly pursues those who exploit animals out of desire for profit. However, he faithfully befriends hunters and trappers who respect the land and take from it no more than they need.

Granted Powers: An arctic druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Receives +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. cold-basd attacks.
• Learns the languages of intelligent monsters whose natural habitats are tundra, arctic, and subarctic regions. The arctic druid gains one extra language slot for this purpose every three levels. Such languages include those spoken by ettins, frost giants, ice toads, selkies, werebears, white dragons, winter wolves, verbeeg, yeti, and others.
• Ignores the effects of freezing weather upon himself at 3rd level.
• Identifies with perfect accuracy arctic plants and animals, thin ice (ice that would give way under the weight of a person or sled), and pure water at 3rd level.
• Passes over ice and snow without leaving a trail an can move over such terrain at full movement rate at 3rd level.
• Shapechanges up to three times a day at 7th level. The druid can assume the form of a land mammal, marine mammal, or bird that dwells in arctic and subarctic climates: a caribou, penguin, polar bear, seal, reindeer, snowy owl, wolf, wolverine, and so on. The druid can't take the same animals shame more than once each day.

Special Limitation: An arctic druid is used to a cold climate and suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks in environments with temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.


Desert Druid
The deserts prove as inhospitable to most normal plants and animal life as the arctic regions. However, deserts remain vital to the worldwide order of druids.

Desert druids are either members of native nomad tribes or hermits who have moved to the desert to escape civilization. Valued for their abilities to heal sick animals (and people) and to find or create pure water, they normally remain on good terms with desert nomads. Although desert druids revere all the flora and fauna of a desert, from cacti and scorpions to vultures and camels, they most fiercely protect the few fertile oases, which house their sacred groves.

Desert druids also may reside in semidesert areas, hot scrub lands, and chaparral. Unless a DM sets a campaign in actual desert land, this branch best suits an NPC the party may encounter traveling through the wastes. Many desert druids live as hermits, not fond of disturbances and can be short tempered or downright eccentric. However, no one can top their knowledge of their own desert area. If a party seeks something in the trackless wastes r finds itself lost, facing a sandstorm, or running out of food or water, a chance encounter with a desert druid may spell salvation.

Granted Powers: A desert druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Receives a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. fire or electrical attacks.
• Goes without water for one day per level without suffering thirst. Regaining use of his power requires the druid to have resumed a normal intake of water for a time equal to the days of deprivation.
• Learns the languages of desert-dwelling intelligent creatures (brass dragons, dragonnes, lamias, thri-kreen, etc.), gaining one language slot for this purpose every three levels.
• Infallibly identifies desert plants and animals and pure water at 3rd level.
• Sees through non-magical mirages at 3rd level and gains a +4 on any roll to save against illusions cast within a desert.
• Crosses sands and dunes on foot without leaving a trail and at full movement rate at 3rd level.
• Senses the distance, direction, and size of the nearest natural water source (well, spring, oasis, sea, etc.) if one of these lies within 1 mile per level. This power, gained at 3rd level, is usable once per day.
• Shapechanges up to three times per day at 7th level once each into a normal mammal, reptile, and bird. The druid can shapechange only into animals whose natural habitat is the desert. Common desert-dwelling animals include camels, eagles, hawks, lizards, mice, rats, snakes, and vultures.

Special Limitation: None.


Grey Druid
The rare gray druids inhabit and tend the shadowy realms of the hidden life that exists without sunlight-fungi, mold, and slimes and the nocturnal creatures that dwell in lightless, subterranean realms. Gray druids are more closely associated with the earth than with other elements of Nature. While many of them live in underground caves or ruins (especially in the Underdark), they are found any place fungal life grows abundantly, either above or below ground.

Gray druids tend to oppose dungeon delvers, especially dwarves, who they believe defile and exploit the underground environment. They have very good relations with deep gnomes and passable relations with drow, who they feel show more appreciation of the beauty of the Underdark than most dwarves or men.

But the gray druids don't always oppose surface dwellers. Suppose a maze of caverns has developed a complex ecology: fungi, slimes, rust monsters, subterranean lizards, purple worms, and so on. Then an evil wizard and his ogres move in and begin "clearing" the caverns, destroying the monsters in preparation to establish an underground stronghold. In this situation, the gray druid might recruit a party of adventurers - not to loot the caverns (though the PCs may take the wizard's treasure) but to defeat the wizard's forces - and in so doing, save the local ecology from destruction.

Granted Powers: A gray druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Identifies with perfect accuracy pure water, fungi, subterranean animals, and all slimes, puddings, jellies and molds (including monster types) at third level.
• Learns the languages of subterranean creatures (orcs, goblins, troglodytes, xorn, etc), gaining one extra language slot every thee levels for this purpose.
• Controls fungi, jellies, molds, oozes, puddings, and slimes (non-intelligent or of animal intelligence) at 7th level. The druid can use this power once per day to control 1 hit die of creatures per level. It affects only a 30-yard radius around the druid. For instance, a 10th level druid could control two 5 HD slimes or one 10 HD pudding. The creatures receive no saving throw, but remain controlled only as long as they stay within 30 yards of the druid. An uncontrolled creature reverts to its normal behavior patterns. A grey druid will not send a controlled monster to its death unless by doing so she can protect the subterranean ecology. This power does not animate a stationary entity or grant it any new abilities (a shrieker could be commanded to shriek or be silent or move, but not to sing or speak). Control lasts for one turn per level of the druid.
• Shapechanges into a normal reptile, a normal mammal, or a nonpoisonous giant spider at 7th level; the druid can assume each form once per day. The druid can change only into a reptile or mammal that dwells underground, such as a mole, badger, tunnel snake, etc.

Special Limitations: Grey druid Animal sphere spells affect only animals native to subterranean environments. Animal Friendship for instance would work on a rat, a huge spider, or a badger, but not a wolf or horse.

A gray druid has a -2 penalty on saving throws against spells creating bright light, such as continual light.

Due to long enmity, dwarves react to grey druids at -2 (the reverse is also true).


Forest Druid
The forest druid serves as the guardian of both the great forests of the wilderness and the smaller woodlands and orchards that lie next to cultivated fields in flat lands, rolling plains, or wooded hills. Forest druids hold trees (especially ash and oak) sacred and never destroy woodlands¹ or crops, no matter what the situation (although a druid could act to change the nature of a wood enchanted with evil, for instance, without destroying it. The forest druid acts as a living bridge between the wilderness and those humans - such as hunters, loggers and trappers - who dwell on it's borders.

¹ Note: This conflicts with 3rd edition source in relation to the lessons taught by Milikki that suggests that at times it is necessary to burn diseased woods to heal them - this is presented in the tale of 'Gildenfire'.

As the player, you can choose to role-play one of two kinds of forest druids: one from a temperate deciduous forest, or one from a subarctic conifer forest. The former type is better known and more numerous on most worlds; though conifer forest grow to vast sizes, they exist within often hostile environments and lack the great variety in wildlife of warmer forests.

For quick reference, the information on temperate forests branch is repeated here. Unless otherwise noted, information applies to both temperate and cold forest druids.


Granted Powers: A forest druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Receives a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. fire or electrical attacks.
• Learns the language of woodland creatures (centaurs, dryads, elves, satyrs, gnomes, dragons, giants, lizard men, manticores, nixies, pixies, sprites, treanets, etc), gaining one free language slot every three levels. (The languages of cold-forest druids include those of the giant lynx, giant owl, pine treants, and cold-dwelling groups of centaurs, elves, gnolls, gnomes, etc.)
• Identifies plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3rd level.
• Passes through overgrown areas at 3rd level without leaving a trail and at foll movement rate. The teperate-forest druid can move with ease through dense thorn brushes, briar patches, pine trees, tangled jungle vines, and so on. He is also immune to poison ivy, poison oak, and similar irritating plants. When using this power the druid must be on foot - not riding an animal.
• Has immunity to charm spells cast by woodland creatures such as dryads at 7th level. The druid's immunity does not extend to charm spells cast by creatures who merely happen to be living in or passing through a forest, such as a woods-dwelling human mage or vampire.
• Shapechanges into a normal reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day at 7th level, as described in the PH. Each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal) can be used only once per day. The druid cannot assume giant forms.

Special Limitations: A forest druid must collect mistletoe to act as a holy symbol by the light of a full moon using a golden or silver sickle specially made for the task. If a spell requiring a holy symbol is cast without mistletoe harvested in this manner, halve the damage and are of effect (if any), and add a +2 to the target's saving through (if applicable).


Jungle Druid
The protectors of tropical rain forests, jungle druids usually grow up in tribes, as jungle pests, vegetation, and climate discourage farming, herding, and city-building. Because most tribe members live closely attuned to the natural world, jungle druids have a greater likelihood of involving themselves directly in the affairs of humans than other druids might. In fact, a jungle druid usually holds a position of power and respect, wielding great political authority.

However, jungle druids do not associate themselves with a particular tribe or people, as do most tribal priests or witch doctors. Instead, they adopt a neutral position, mediating intertribal feuds and handling relations between human tribes and jungle-dwelling humanoids, demihumans, or intelligent monsters. In some cases, a great druid becomes a virtual "king of the jungle," wielding power over a coalition of several tribes, nonhumans, and animals.

Granted Powers: A jungle druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Passes through overgrown areas, such as thick jungle, without leaving a trail and at full movement rate.
• Learns the languages of tropical forest and swamp creatures (coyatl, lizard men, naga, tasloi, yaun-ti, etc), gaining one extra language slot every three levels for this purpose.
• Identifies plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3rd level.
• Shapechanges into a normal (not giant) reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day at 7th level. The druid can use each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal) only once per day and can choose from only those animals that make their normal habitat within jungles or tropical swamps.

Special Limitation: None.


Mountain Druid
The mountain druid dwells in areas of rugged hills, alpine forests, and peaks and rocks above the tree line. Members of this branch wield over their environments a power gained from the element of earth and especially from stone, They also draw power from the weather, especially storms and clouds. Mountain druids protect mountains and alpine flora and fauna from those who would exploit them. This role frequently brings them into conflict with miners, especially dwarves. Mountain druids often ally themselves with storm and stone giants, which further angers dwarves.

Granted Powers: A mountain druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Receives a +4 bonus to all saving throws vs. electrical attacks and to mountaineering checks.
• Gains a modifier of +3 to experience level when determining the effects of a spell from the Elemental (earth or air) or Weather spheres cast while in the mountains.
• Senses avalanches, volcanic eruptions, and rockfalls one turn before they happen when the player rolls 1 to 5 on a 1d6. This ability also enables the druid to detect deadfall traps and falling blocks on a roll of 1 to 3 on a 1d6.
• Learns the languages of mountain dwelling sentient creatures (such as dwarves, red dragons, stone or storm giants, etc.), gaining one additional language slot every three levels for this purpose.
• Identifies plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3rd level.
• Shapechanges into a normal reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day at 7th level. Each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal, excluding giant forms) can only be used once per day.

Special Limitations: None.


Plains Druid
The plains druid lives on open grasslands with few or no trees: temperate prairies and pampas, hot veldts and savannas, cool steeps, and the like. These druids often find themselves in the company of nomadic hunters and herders. Their powers and interests resemble those of a forest druid, but have a closer interest in the weather and the health of great herds roaming the lands than in trees and crops. Second only to the forest branch, plains druids remain among the most common and best known of all druids.

Granted Powers: A plains druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Receives a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. fire and electrical attacks (due to this branch's need to fight such natural dangers as prairie fires lightning strikes, etc.).
• Has a +4 bonus to any animal handling, animal lore, or animal training proficiency checks concerning plains-dwelling herd beasts or riding animals.
• Learns the languages of plains-dwelling sentient creatures (such as centaurs), gaining an extra language slot for this purpose ever three levels.
• Identifies plans, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3r level.
• Speaks with any land animals that humans can ride, as well as plains-dwelling herd animals, at 3rd level as though she had cast a speak with animals spell.
• Shapechanges into a normal reptile, bird, or mammal common to the plains up to three times per day at 7th level. Each animal form (reptile, bird, and mammal) can only be used once per day and cannot assume giant forms.

Special Limitations: None.


Swamp Druid
The swamp druid's role centers around guarding marshes, fens, bogs, wetlands, and swamps, as well as the abundant plant and animal life within them. An average swamp druid resembles a normal forest druid, but his particular habitat makes him less socially acceptable. He opposes anyone who would drain his swamp in the name of "progress," even if such land were needed for farming or urban construction. Swamp druids often live as hermits; the more sociable among them sometime serve as priests for outlaws hiding in the swamps or for lizard men who lack their own shamans.

Granted Powers: A swamp druid has the following granted powers:
[Note: these are not on effect on FRC and are included for RP inspiration only]

• Has an immunity to insect-transmitted diseases common to swamps, such as malaria, and a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. any other diseases.
• Receives a +1 reaction adjustment from normal animals that live in swamps (sch as crocodiles) and from monsters whose habitat is a swamp or marsh - for instance, black dragons, bullywugs, and lizard men.
• Learns the language of intelligent humanoids and monsters that inhabit the swamp (black dragons, bullywugs, lizard men, shambling mounds, will o' wisps, etc.), gaining an additional language slot for this purpose every three levels. (Note that to "speak" with a will o' wisp, a swamp druid needs a light source, such as a hooded lantern, to signal with.)
• Identifies plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3rd level.
• Passes through overgrown areas and mud at full movement rate without leaving a trail at 3rd level. The swamp druid can use this power to cross quicksand without sinking.
• uses the animal friendship spell (which usually affects only normal or giant animals) at 5th level to influence semi-intelligent swamp-dwelling monsters or those of animal intelligence. The effects on such monsters, including catobelpas, hydra, lernaean hydra and pyrohydra, remain those of animal friendship. The druid has to want to befriend the monster, not use it as sword-fodder.
• Shapechanges into a normal reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day at 7th level. The druid can assume only the form of creatures that live in swamps or wetlands (crocodile, frog, marsh bird, snake, etc.). The druid can adopt each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal) once per day.
• Casts an insect plague (as the spell) once per day at 7th level. This power works only hen the druid is within the boundaries of swamp or marsh.

Special Limitations: A swamp druid's clothes frequently look caked with mud and often drip with swamp water. He always has a faint odor of the swamp about him. His lack of cleanliness gives him a -1 penalty to reaction adjustment from most people and a -3 penalty regarding upper-class individuals, such as gentry or nobles.


Circles and Branches

[Above] examined the different branches of the Order: forest druids, desert druids, and so on. A given circle normally covers a domain vast enough to include members fro several, but usually not all, branches. A domain with a temperate climate might contain a circle comprised of forest, swamp, and mountain druids. In contrast, a circle i a tropical domain with flat terrain would consist of jungle, plains, desert and swamp druids.

All druids should possess an equivalent number of advantages and disadvantages regardless of branch. However, equality is never guaranteed. In most fantasy worlds, the forest druids exercise the most influence. Due to the resources of the woodlands and humanity's desire to clear them for use as farms, forest druids often consider their problems the most pressing. The Order's priorities frequently reflect this stance; circles dominated by forest druids try to make sure that a member of that branch ends up as Grand Druid, the leader of the druidic order. As jungle druids and swamp druids share many of the forest druids' concerns, they often become allies.

A well-balanced druid sees each branch as part of a single tree, all equally important. Unfortunately, though, not all druids have this vision. Members of the informal forest-plains-swamp-jungle coalition sometimes look down upon desert and arctic druids due to the relative infertility of their habitats. Sometimes druids fall too deeply in love with their own particular part of the world - forest druids who see trees as the be-all and end-all of Nature may hold arctic, desert, and grey druids to be inferior. The victims of such prejudice, in turn, can come to resent the forest branch. Great druids from the few circles dominated by arctic or desert druids often ally to try to keep a forest druid from becoming Grand Druid - although more often than not, they fail.


Druidic Demographics

A typical domain (one that has seen no persecution of druids but includes other priestly faiths as well) contains, on average, one druid for every 10 square miles of rural farmland or 400 square miles of lightly inhabited wilderness or steppe. Druids dwelling in rural areas usually are initiates (1st to 8th level, generally). Those in the wilderness usually have reached higher experience levels, frequently 7th to 11th level. A circle may include a maximum of nine 12th-level druids, three 13th level druids, and one 14th-level druid. Often circles have no higher-level druids at all.

Below 12th level, the number of druids of a given experience level stands at about double the population of the next level up. So, a typical circle may include 18 initiates of 11th level, 36 initiates of 10th level, etc., all the way down to some 18,000 1st-level initiates. The entire circle thus consists of more than 36,m druids. A domain might feature one druid per 500 to 1,000 citizens, although this statistic gives a distorted picture, since druids are concentrated in some locales and rare in others.


- Source: AD&D The Complete Druid's Handbook

[Pedantry INC]

Druidic Ranks and Rites

*Prenote: There are a lot of level restrictions within; one should note that this is 2nd edition source material and the levels don't necessarily mesh up the same. To my knowledge forgotten realms has many orders, so take it with a grain of salt if the postings here may make it sound like there is a single one. Also these level and number restrictions for obvious reasons do not apply to FRC.


Initiates

Initiates constitute the 1st- to 11th-level druids within a circle. Their experience level determines their role in the circle.

A typical 1st- or 2nd-level initiate (an NPC) often works part time as a Village Druid. This initiate keeps up a rural occupation (beekeeper, farmer, herder, etc.) while studying under a higher-level druid mentor. The exceptions to this stereotype are rare individuals (PCs). An average person finds it tough to recognize beginning druids, since most seem just like other peasants.

Initiates between 3rd and 6th level have achieved most of their granted powers, with the exception of shapechanging. The cornerstones of the druidic order, they frequently devote their full time to their faith. They normally live in stone, wood, or mud-brick cottages and act as the protectors of a small tract of wilderness - a wood or river valley or of a village or group of hamlets. Most druids of this status have the Village Druid or Guardian kit, and those who choose to protect a village usually have become respected community leaders.

Initiates between 7th and 11th level have received all their branch’s granted powers. Such druids live simply but have widened their areas of influence, perhaps becoming the guardians of entire forests or mountains, or of all the villages in a barony. These druids often dwell near a sacred grove surrounded by a few acres of virgin wilderness-a sanctuary for rare and magical plants, animals, and supernatural creatures. This natural setting may be magically defended as well. Temporal rulers of the area respect (or fear) druids of such level.


High Level Druids

Only a limited number of druids in a given circle can reach the inner circle-nine of druid rank, three archdruids, and a single great druid. A character cannot replace one of these druids without having sufficient experience. In addition, a vacancy must open up, or the rising druid must defeat one of the current higher-level characters the druidic challenge to assume a new rank.

Some tension exists between druids of the inner circle, since they remain constantly aware that a subordinate may be preparing a challenge. Unlike clerics, who normally settle down by this point, high-level druids continue adventuring as part of their duties and to stay in shape to fend off challengers.


Druids
Upon reaching 12th level, a character receives the official title druid, of which a circle never has more than nine. (Lower-level characters, though called ”druids” by most, are technically ”initiates.”) A druid’s role in the circle resembles that of a 7th- to 11th-level initiate, with some exceptions.

At 12th level, a druid has gained access to the commune with nature spell and should use it along with other druidic resources to aggressively root out emergent threats to the wilderness within a domain. Druids attend the High Council of the Moot (described later this chapter) and always act based on the needs of the circle as a whole. The circle’s great druid at times asks 12th-level druids for advice and sends them on missions for the good of the circle.

But the life of a druid involves more than just adventuring - serving as a mentor takes up much of a druid’s time, too. Selecting young people to train as druidic candidates constitutes a major responsibility of those who reach druid rank. Each year druids (and other inner circle members) pick the single most worthy of their advanced students to initiate into the Order as 1st-level druids.


Archdruids
A 13th-level druid is called an archdruid. Each circle can have only three archdruids and, as with the druid rank, advancement requires either filling a vacancy or winning a challenge against a seated archdruid.

An archdruid’s role resembles that of a druid, with two differences. Archdruids concern themselves more with maintaining the balance of Nature, making sure no one alignment or ethos comes to utterly dominate the domain. Also, archdruids spend time training to step into the role of the great druid. To accomplish both these goals, they devote much time to travel, ensuring their familiarity with the geography-human, natural, and magical - throughout the domain.


Great Druids
As stated earlier, the great Druid leads a circle. Like other inner circle members, the great druid usually has won the position through the challenge and has to maintain the ascendency by defeating other challengers. However, some great druids become so respected (or feared!) that subordinate archdruids forgo challenging them, instead preferring to enter the service of the Grand Druid or wait until the great druid advances in level.

All druids within a circle know the name of their great druid-even if they have never met in person-because this figure wields a certain amount of power over their lives. The DM should decide how strongly the great druid influences the members of the circle. For instance, a great druid who is loved, respected, or feared holds more sway over NPC druids than would a weak or unpopular leader. While PCs remain free to pursue their own goals, opposing the policy of a strong great druid means a character has little chance of receiving support from superior druids. Supporting the leader’s policy, on the other hand, can win lesser druids praise and aid from the top.

Turmoil can erupt within a circle governed by a weak or unpopular great druid, as the ranking archdruids vie for the head post or ignore the leader’s advice to follow their own paths. Player characters may get occasional assistance from inner circle druids in this scenario, but for the most part, individuals all go their own way.

The great druid has the same power to initiate druidic candidates and summon a moot as archdruids. In addition, this figure has the job of maintaining harmonious relations among all the druids of the circle - preventing factional battles and infighting, other than what is allowed through the challenge. To do so, the great druid has one special tool: the ban.


The Grand Druid
Above all others within the Order stands the figure of the Grand Druid, the highest ranking (although not the highest-level) druid in the world. The Grand Druid, a 15th- Level character, attains this position through a selection process rather than by the challenge. Since only one person can hold the title of Grand Druid, each world can have only one 15th-level druid at a time. (note: obviously this level limit does not apply on FRC, and likely not even forgotten realms in general as of 3rd edition)

Duties of the Grand druid: First and foremost, the Grand Druid acts as a politician, responsible for keeping harmony between the great druids of each domain and between the the various druidic branches.

The Grand Druid also rallies the circles against the rare global threat to nature or the cosmic balance. This always proves a difficult task, as many circles fiercely cherish their autonomy, believing each one should remain self-sufficient and not meddle in other domains' affairs. Few circles willingly send contingents off to aid other circles unless they feel absolutely certain that the threat will menace their own domain as well. To make matters worse, eh inflate pride of many circles prevents them from accepting help from "foreign" druids. As a result, often only one thing can convince the Order a threat warrants a combined effort: the destruction of an entire circle. fortunately, such occurrences are few and far between.

The Grand Druid and entourage spend most of their time visiting different regions and speaking to the great druids, archdruids, druids, and rarely, lowly initiates. In particular, this leader serves as a diplomat and peacemaker, who mediates disputes between druids of neighboring circles and struggles involving members of the mysterious Shadow Circle.

Normally the circles act with autonomy. However, if a circle appears in great disarray - for instance, an enemy has killed most of its members or forced them into hiding - the Grand Druid may try to rally the circle or recruit aid from other domains. If a circle has been effectively destroyed, the Grand Druid might decide to rebuild it from scratch. After selecting a rising archdruid from a neighboring circle to step in as the new Great Druid, the Grand Druid helps recruit volunteers from nearby domains to replenish the circle. Often this assignment proves difficult and dangerous; whatever destroyed the previous circle probably still lurks nearby, ready to pounce on the new circle that, while wary ,will remain understrength for some time.

Servants of the Grand Druid: Like other inner circle druids, the Grand Druid has personal servants: an entourage of nine druids of various levels. These druids no longer owe allegiance to their original circles but are subject only to the Grand Druid. All druids consider it a high honor to serve the leader of the order, an honor that bears great responsibility but gives a druid prestige and influence far beyond others of similar level. Assuming a vacancy arises - and service involves enough danger that openings occur reasonably often - a druid of any level can seek out the Grand Druid and petition to become a retainer. This relationship lasts as long as both sides wish - often many years - and can end by mutual agreement at any time.

Three archdruids, often called the Emissaries, always serve the head of the Order. They act as the Grand Druid's personal agents. They act as the Grand Druid’s personal agents - their leader’s eyes, hands, and voice. To aid them in their duty, they receive four additional spell levels (one 4th-level spell, two 2nd-level spells, etc.), usable as they see fit. To keep the Grand Druid informed on the operations of the circles in every land, they roam the world, visiting the various circles as well as other places of interest to their master. The arrival of an Emissary often coincides with the ascendance of a new great druid. While conveying the respects of the head of the Order, the archdruid takes the new leader’s measure and reports back to the Grand Druid. These servants also visit a circle in response to a great druid‘s request for aid.

Traveling Emissaries normally find themselves welcomed, for their visits give circles a chance to learn news from far-off lands. An Emissary also may offer council about a menace or carry a request for help to the Grand Druid or neighboring circles.

However Emissaries also must remain on the alert for problems within a circle that the great druid has failed to adequately handle - such as widespread conflict between druids or corruption in the ranks. In such cases, it is the Emissary's solemn duty to take action to remedy the problem, or, lacking sufficient power, to report it to the Grand Druid. For this reason, some circles - particularly those secretly dominated by the ruthless Shadow Circle - regard the arrival of an Emissary with deep suspicion. In their role as agents of the Grand Druid, these archdruids sometimes resemble spies. More than one Emissary has met a mysterious end while visiting a supposedly friendly circle.

Besides the Emissaries, a Grand Druid has six other servants. These druids, usually of 7th level to 11th level, come from a variety of branches but have all proven their dedication to the Order. Many Grand Druids have been known to take on the occasional lower-level druid, either because they feel the need for a fresher viewpoint or because they sense a special worthiness in a particular individual. These six druids of mixed level act as servants, counselors, bodyguards, and useful agents.


Hierophant Druids

The hierophants make up a unique part of the druidic order. Some even go so far as to say they are the Order, and that the other ranks represent mere practice for hierophant status.

Hierophant druids live as free agents. They are encouraged to respect the Grand Druid, but need not obey the druidic leader’s mandates nor operate within the borders of any circle. Although a few settle down in particular groves, many become famous wanderers, some even visiting other planes or (by spelljamming) distant worlds. They often travel about in disguise, using their appearance - alteration powers. Wherever they go and whatever they do, they always aim to promote the ethos and values of the druidic order.

Unlike lesser druids, hierophants typically have a global perspective and agenda. They concern themselves with the rise and fall of Empires, the migrations of peoples, the (growth or extinction of species, and the role of each race in the destiny of the world. Some devote their lives to a particular cause, such as reclaiming the forests of a continent infected by evil, or acting as the personal nemesis of a being whose actions threaten the world's balance.

Hierophants are notorious behind-the-scenes manipulators. They use their long life spans to weave subtle schemes with far reaching plots that might take decades to hatch, but which-they believe-ultimately will benefit their cause. The 17th-level druidic ability to hibernate enables most of them to appear effectively immortal: some hierophants will hatch the initial elements of a scheme, go into hibernation, then awaken decades later, unaged, to bring the next stage into play. Such druids might become patrons of gifted families of adventurers, recruiting the latest generation when they need heroes.

The existence of hierophant druids tends to make great druids and Grand Druids very nervous, for they represent a power beyond their control - and sometimes beyond their ken. Whether any hierophant druids belong to the Shadow Circle is not known.


Rites and Rituals

The Moot
The three archdruids share the druid’s responsibility for initiating newcomers to the Order. In addition, they each have the right to summon a moot: a gathering of the entire circle, traditionally held at the solstices and equinoxes. By ancient custom, moots are called four times a year at these set dates, once by each archdruid and once (usually in spring) by the great druid. A moot on a nontraditional date means the summoner sees something so deeply amiss in the domain that the entire circle must discuss it as soon as possible.

These gatherings enable the circle to celebrate the changing of the seasons, to gossip and socialize, to exchange information on the state of the domain, and to fight druidic challenges before an audience. Druids at a moot perform ceremonies to celebrate Nature, honor their dead, marry a couple within the Order, and initiate new 1st-level druids. Along with these ceremonial duties, small groups at moots disappear together into the wilds to talk quietly while searching for herbs or mistletoe.

The climax of any such gathering is the High Council of the Moot; the circle’s nine druids, three archdruids, and great druid meet in a secret location to discuss the state of the domain and make plans to rally the circle against a particular problem, if necessary. Sometimes an ambassador from a neighboring circle (usually a character of at least druid rank) or an emissary of the Grand Druid attends a council. These personages bring news and greetings-and sometimes requests for help. After the High Council, the great druid (or an archdruid) addresses the entire moot, answers questions, and takes advice.

To call a moot, an archdruid (or the great druid) sends messengers out across the domain to spread the word to druids of all branches. All members of the circle above 7th level must attend or explain the absence. Members of 3rd to 6th level may come, but usually do so only if their journeys bring them to the vicinity or if they have business with others there. Those of 1st or 2nd level may attend a moot only with the permission of a member of the inner circle.

The moot is scheduled to begin two weeks after the summoner dispatches the announcements, giving all druids in the circle enough time to settle their business and arrive. Such a gathering generally takes place at a sacred grove under the stewardship of the summoner. Though most moots last about four days, the meeting cannot end until the summoning archdruid or the great druid dissolves it.

Bards, elves, rangers, swanmays, and other sylvan folk often are invited to a moot, but its location remains a secret to others. In troubled times, elves, rangers, friendly beasts, or forest creatures may patrol the moot and take trespassers prisoner.

If the domain’s circle is on good terms with the land’s rangers, a spring or autumnal moot may take place in conjunction with a rangers' forgathering. However, like rangers, druids prefer to keep their gatherings to themselves, and such cooperation usually results from personal friendships between the great druid and notable rangers - or signals a desperate alliance against a greater foe.


The Ban
The great druid can impose a strong, nonviolent sanction upon those who have offended the circle. All must shun someone placed under the ban; no druid in the circle will aid, speak to, or associate with the target of the ban. When an entire town or village suffers the ban, no druid may enter that area or speak to or aid any resident. Some druidic allies volunteer to follow the custom of the ban as well. For instance, a clan of sprites or centaurs on good terms with a circle may receive word of a band and choose to honor it.

The great druid has the right to pronounce a ban on any druid in the circle. A ban also can cover nondruids, whole communities, or druids visiting from other domains (except the Grand Druid and personal servants), to demonstrate the circle's displeasure.

To pronounce the ban, the great druid stands up during a moot and announces to the group the reasons to impose the ban. Then the subject of the ban - if present - answers the accusations before the assembly. Finally, the High Council of the Moot votes on the matter openly, usually at sunset. If a majority of the council votes in favor of the ban, it passes. If not, the great druid should start keeping an eye on the circle's archdruids - the opposition to the ban likely reflects an impending challenge.

A ban punishes a druid for violating the tenets of the druidic order or reprimands a character whose actions, while within the bounds of the druidic ethos, nevertheless were contrary to the Order's interests. For instance, suppose an angry druid massacred the inhabitants of a human hamlet because they would not turn over two hunters who slew a stag in the druid's sacred grove. The druid acted within the bounds of the druidic ethos, but the great druid might call the character's indiscriminate vengeance out of proportion to the crime, adding that the slaughter has threatened to make local commoners hate and fear all druids in the circle. So, the great druid imposes the ban, both as a punishment and as incentive for the character to change.

Nondruid individuals are less likely to fall victim to a ban - usually the great druid finds that direct action against the offender proves more effective. However, if the people of an area depend on druids rather than other priests for healing and religious ceremonies, a ban sends them a message of disapproval. And sometimes a ban can serve as a symbolic gesture against a subject too powerful or influential to confront directly - a baron or a king, for instance.

A ban generally lasts ten summers. However, the inner circle can vote to lift a ban early or (once the time is up) to extend it. The shunning does not extend outside the domain, so banned druids usually chose to go into exile - the result the great druid probably intended in the first place.


The Challenge
The traditions of the Order prohibit an inner circle from including more than nine druids, three archdruids, and one great druid. If a character gains enough experience to achieve official druid level but finds no vacancy in the inner circle, the only way to advance involves ceremonial combat: the druidic challenge.

The challenge remains one of the oldest druidic traditions. It purges the weak and complacent, ensuring that the highest ranks of the druidic order remain filled with strong and cunning individuals. The masters of the druidic order are not politicians, but men and women of action. They believe that the challenge, by bringing ambition into the open, allows them to by-pass some of the worst excesses of hypocrisy and behind-the-scenes power plays found in other religions.

A circle’s great druid expects at any time to face a challenge from one of the archdruids, while the archdruids keep an eye on rising druids. Those of druid rank, in turn, look out for ambitious 11th-level initiates. This system puts a constant strain on the Order’s upper ranks: It’s hard to stay on good terms with folk who want your job and eventually will challenge you to a battle to gain it. As a result, most friendships and alliances form among druids of equal level or among characters several levels apart.

All inner circle druids do their best to appear strong, to avoid looking like easy targets. Many actively adventure to enhance their reputations and gain power through acquiring magical items and experience. Others simply try to remain popular among the other members of the Order. If an inner circle member takes an unpopular or controversial stance, fellow druids may decide to encourage the ambitious to aim for that particular target; the replacement would likely prove more cordial.

The challenge operates under prearranged , rules: Characters who violate the letter of the rules will fail to advance in level, just as if they had suffered defeat. Always a one-on-one battle, the challenge does not allow even servants or animal companions of the combatants to participate.

First, the two parties must agree upon the time of the duel - if they can’t agree, it will take place at the next moot. Druids consider it impolite to set a challenge outside of a moot, although it's still done.

Second, the challenge needs a witness - a druid whose level equals or exceeds the challenger's. Hierophant druids work well as witnesses, as do druids or archdruids visiting from different circles or from the Grand Druid's entourage. This individual must witness the terms of the challenge and make sure the combatants obey the rule. The Great Druid of the circle always names the witness, even if the challenge involves that very leader.

Third, the terms by which the battle will be fought are set out by mutual agreement. Once agreed upon and witnessed, the terms may not change. If neither side can agree on the terms, the witness selects them and proclaims the duel an all-out battle until one druid surrenders or becomes incapacitated.

Terms to discuss include:

• The size of the battlfield. Until the duel ends, leaving the bounds of an area means conceding defeat. Usually the space is no more than a dozen yards across, to ensure the battle does not take too long.
• Whether to allow weapons, magical items, granted powers, and spells. (Note: Nondruidic spells cannot be used.) Most contests involve full use of weapons and spells, although many commonly disallow magical items. Some memorable duels have permitted only granted powers - no spells or weapons. The combatants used only the claws and fangs of their different animal forms. A few challenges have forbidden all weapons and magic - they bcame simple wrestling matches.
• Whether to alter the normal battle-oriented conditions of the duel. Although rare, methods less stringent than actual combat have been honored, especially between two friendly rivals. Such unorthodox formats include a race, a scavenger hunt, a competition to defeat a particular monster, a drinking contest (the first druid to fail three constitution rolls loses), or even a game of hide and seek.

The challenge begins with the witness's invocation, asking Nature (or a druidic deity) to watch over the duel. This means that challengers who defeat foes through cheating will find themselves unable to gain a level after all, and incumbents who cheat automatically lose the level. Once the witness concludes the invocation, the druids enter the battlefield from opposite ends, and the contest begins.


Appointment of Acolytes
Great Druids, Archdruids, and Druids have the traditional right to select initiate as their servants. The number and level of these retainers depends on the level and position of the inner circle member. The chosen initiates are called acolytes

Acolytes, chosen from the high-ranking druids own circle, are restricted to serving only certain inner circle members (again, based on their experience level). The appointing druid must determine which eligible initiates will serve him.

An inner circle druid usually approaches a favored initiate quietly and offers an acolyte position. The initiate then decides whether to accept the post. While serving as an acolyte holds honor, it also entails a loss of freedom. Therefor, the decision depends on factors such as the reputation of the inner circle member.

An acolyte swears an oath of service: to be oyal and obedient, to listen and laern, to keep no secrets from one's master, but to guard the master's secrets. An acolyte who breaks this oath faces the wrath of the high ranking druid. In addition, unless the acolyte can prove the master's commands violated the spirit of the druidic ethos, the servant usually becomes subjected to the ban.

The advantage of serving as an acolyte is that the character win the patronage, and perhaps the friendship, of a powerful druid. The position enhances the initiate's prestige in the eyes of the entire circle. Furthermore, acolytes injured or wronged by an enemy can expect assistance from their master.

The disadvantage? The character - always at the beck and call of a master - loses personal freedom. An acolyte fulfills all the normal duties of a loyal retainer but, most importantly, acts as an emissary and representative of the inner circle druid. As high-level druids cannot be everywhere at once, acolytes often go o long journeys to do their master's bidding. Whether the mission involves finding a reclusive swamp-dwelling initiate to notify of the next moot's date and location or delivering a stinging ultimatum to a dwarven king to shut down his mines or face the circle's wrath, acolytes can expect to visit a lot of interesting - though sometimes unpleasant - places.

An acolyte’s term of service lasts until the master’s experience level changes or until the acolyte advances a level. In the latter case, the acolyte leaves service, and the inner circle member must select a replacement


Selection of the Grand Druid
One of the duties each Grand Druid must perform is appointing a successor, always an acting great druid. After serving usually a minimum of four years, a Grand Druid steps down to allow the chosen successor to assume the mantle of leadership.

In theory, selecting a new Grand Druid is solely up to the last Grand Druid. In practice, druidic order politics plays a major role. For instance, if the forest druids have held the position of Grand Druid for several generations, they may come to consider it ”their right” to do so. However, in the name of fairness and harmony, druids from other branches may lobby to convince the current Grand Druid to pick a successor from a different branch. On the other hand, choosing a Grand Druid from a minority branch could alienate large segments of the druidic order’s membership, even with an extremely competent Grand Druid.

As a result, when a Grand Druid begins getting on in years, the impending choice of successor becomes the subject of much gossip, speculation, lobbying, and intrigue by archdruids, great druids, and hierophant druids. For instance, a great druid afraid of beiig passed over for the position in favor of a rival may encourage a powerful, ambitious archdruid to challenge that rival, hoping to put the favorite out of the running before the Grand Druid can finalize the succession.


- Source: AD&D - The complete Druid's Handbook