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Summary:
The PCs are guests of a tribe of goliaths in Sazhansiir. They aid the goliaths in dealing with a threat from their worst enemies, the dusk giants.
Assumptions:
The PCs have befriended the Kathaal tribe of goliaths and have taken part in the events of Strangers in a Stranger Land.
Location:
Eastern terminus of Mallar's Peaks, Sazhansiir
Historical Date:
N.S. 32 or 33, late year winter or early year winter respectively (depending upon events from Strangers in a Stranger Land).
DM's Introduction:
The PCs disrupted the lizard king's ritual and were sucked into a vortex that took them from the Heynosht Archipelago to Sazhansiir. There the PCs encountered slave humans and their yuan-ti masters and were rescued by a warparty of goliaths. The goliaths, of the Kathaal tribe, befriended the PCs and tested them in competition, and have now accepted the PCs enough to have them as honoured guests, at least for a time.
In the meantime, a clan of dusk giants has recently moved into the area, and they immediately set about digging tunnels throughout their lair and scouting the surrounding region. They have survived on local wildlife, but now that their lair is finished they have sought to attack a hunting party of goliaths of the nearby tribe. Having watched and learned their routes, the dusk giants set up an ambush in a small canyon. The ambush succeeded admirably, and they have dragged off goliath prisoners to their lair, some of which they have consumed immediately and others they keep in order to conduct their horrific cannibalization rituals and gain power therefrom. Unfortunately for the dusk giants, two of the hunting party were lost in the avalanche caused by the giants and in the dust and confusion managed to escape back to the Kathaal tribe, where the PCs are staying.
Part One - Life, Interrupted:
The PCs are staying with the Kathaal tribe of goliaths at their winter lowlands camp in the lower reaches of the eastern portion of Mallar's Peaks, as marked on the map below.
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The camp is located in a small valley that is filled with a lake in its center, which the goliaths call "Mirror Lake". The tribe is called the Kathaal and the camp is set up as indicated on page 75 of Races of Stone.
The camp is not very high into the mountains, only about 4,000 ft in elevation.
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The tribe consists of some 55 adults, with 15 youth (aged 10 and under).
DMs are encouraged to read up on goliath customs and outlook in Races of Stone and The Sazhansiir Gazetteer, as these will not be reprinted here.
If the PCs ended Strangers in a Stranger Land as indifferent from the goliaths, then they will only be guests of the tribe for a short time. Nevertheless, the DM can insert this scenario quickly before the PCs leave (or perhaps just as they are about to leave). This would be an excellent way for the PCs to improve the attitude of the tribe.
If the PCs ended Strangers in the Stranger Land friendly or helpful from the goliaths, then they will have been invited to remain for a time and integrated into the life of the tribe. They will be included in the daily choosing of chores and will be picked according to their strengths. While it is not necessary to game through each day's chores, borrowing from the table in Strangers in the Stranger Land the DM can, if desired, determine how well the PCs are doing:
A. Hunters (Survival DC 10/DC
20 or ranged weapon attack AC 10/AC 20)
B. Hunters (Survival DC 10/DC 20 or ranged weapon attack AC 10/AC
20)
C. Gatherers (Knowledge [nature] DC 10/DC 20 or profession [fishing]
DC 10/DC 20)
D. Gatherers (Knowledge [nature] DC 10/DC 20 or Search DC 10/DC
20 and Knowledge [nature] DC 10)
E. Cooks (Profession [cook] DC 10/DC 20)
F. Hidemakers (Craft [leatherworking or furrier] DC 10/DC 20)
The appropriate skill(s) are listed by each chore along with two DC thresholds. The first threshold must be met or the PC will have performed badly, meaning he was singularly inept in the eyes of the goliaths or actually hurt the team by messing something up or foiling the rest of the team members). If the second threshold is made then the PC will have performed well in the eyes of the goliaths.
Life will continue in a fairly leisurely pace, and the PCs should begin to get a sense of the rythym and flow of goliath life. They will also learn that the goliaths intend to move their camp with the spring thaw higher into the mountains, above 5,000 ft.
On this particular day, all of the PCs have been chosen to go in a single hunting party along with a goliath warrior named Guvagliak Steadyrunner Mathukeleo. The chieftain has decreed that the PCs should refine their hunting techniques and better learn the ways of the mountains and Guvagliak has a way with languages and is starting to learn some words of Common (assuming the PCs are willing to teach him).
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GUVAGLIAK STEADYRUNNER MATHUKELEO
CR 5 Mountain Movement (Ex) Because goliaths practically live on the ledges and cliffs of the most forbidding mountains, they are particularly adept at negotiating mountain hazards. Goliaths can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. A goliath can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half his speed as a move action) without taking the -5 penalty on the Climb check. Powerful Build (Ex) The physical stature of a goliath lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a goliath is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the goliath is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A goliath is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A goliath can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.circumstance bonus on Hide checks. |
At some point, towards afternoon, a goliath hunting party (or what is left of it) will stagger back towards the PCs as they head back towards camp. Guvagliak has not had them out far from the camp, wanting to teach them the area surrounding the place first, but the PCs are a good mile away.
Out of a hunting party of eight, only two hunters are returning, one of whom is severely wounded (at 0 hp) and staggering with the support of another, who is also caked in dried blood. The goliath who is supporting the other will feebly wave towards Guvagliak and the PCs. He will then approach slowly.
The hunter will say in Gol-Kaa that the hunting party was perhaps 2 miles to the southwest of the camp going along the bank of a small river that runs through a shallow canyon following some very obvious deer sign when they were attacked. First the attack was made using rocks let loose from above. Then in the confusion that followed a strange darkness descended upon them and creatures lept from above, rending and sinking their claws into them. The creatures appeared as a goliath, but smaller and stockier, and had a long pointed nose and sharp pointed ears and strange warts over its body. Its arms were low-hung and ended in ripping talons. The creatures used no weapons, but lept upon the hunting party and tore with talons on their hands and feet, sinking their teeth into the necks of their foes. There were at least half a dozen of them, and after the rockslide and the surprise attack the goliaths were overwhelmed. He saw the creatures dragging off members of the hunting party alive but in bad shape, and the rockslide having cut them off from their fellows, they could do nothing but try to return to the camp. The attack happened about an hour ago.
At first Guvagliak will be puzzled and wonder about this strange foe, but then he will remember this strange pall of darkness and know that these were dusk giants. At this, he will gnash his teeth and roar his anger at his hated ancestral enemies. Guvagliak will counsel the wounded goliaths to head back to the tribe and tell the chieftain, but he will wish to immediately try to find the dusk giants along with the PCs in order to save his tribesmen, as he knows that dusk giants eat living beings in order to gain mystical strength. Thus, there is uregncy not only to save the other hunters, but also to prevent the giants from growing more powerful.
Guvagliak will attempt to convey the hunter's story and his own desire to find the giants, using a few halting words of Common and pantomime (along with any PC magic if desired) and then ask the wounded hunter where they were ambushed. The hunter will quickly describe the area, and Guvagliak will say he knows it well. With that, Guvagliak will head to the area. The hunters will stagger back to camp. The PCs should, of course, accompany Guvagliak, but if they choose not to, then they will lose much face from the tribe, which will ask them to leave at once for abandoning Guvagliak.
If the PCs attempt to heal the goliaths, they will refuse all but a single cure to take the staggered goliath above 0 hp so that they can travel faster and warn the tribe.
Part Two - Descent into Darkness:
Guvagliak will immediately head out, travelling with great speed and urgency but probably having to slow down and constantly wait for the PCs to clamber over rocks and up inclines and negotiate jumps and the like. If asked about dusk giants, he will not know much more than he has already stated. He knows they were once of the same people as the goliaths and garguns, but they cheated in an ancient contest and were punished. Some now believe they were cursed with their need to eat living flesh by the Earth Mother, but that they were made to gain power from their curse in order to continually test the goliaths through the rest of time.
After a journey of about a mile to the southwest the PCs will come upon the ambush site. There is a pile of large boulders partially blocking the river, having been dumped upon the goliath hunting party from above. Many of these boulders are stained with dried blood, and a DC 20 Spot or Search check will reveal a goliath hand sticking out from underneath the pile. Unburying the victim will take a long time (too long for Guvagliak) and the victim is quite obviously dead, as a DC 10 Heal check will determine by feeling for a pulse on the hand. A quick search of the area will show signs of a battle. Several size Large morningstars (of golitah make) are on the ground, and there is also the body of a least dusk giant face down in the mud, its head caved in and showing brains oozing from the skull.
It will now be up to the PCs and Guvagliak to track the departing dusk giants. In the canyon by the river side, the Survival check DC to track is 0, meaning that even PCs without the Track feat can follow the trail. The tracks shortly head up a slope to the top of the canyon. The canyon is 40 ft tall here and the slope requires a DC 10 Climb check to negotiate. Guvagliak can assist others by accepting a -2 to his check to give a +2 to others. At the top, the DC to track is a 5, meaning the PCs can still follow the trail without the Track feat. This is because the mud and dirt at the top is soft ground and the giants were dragging their victims bodily back to their lair, leaving a fairly easy path to follow. The trail heads due west for about a half of a mile before the ground gets harder and requires a DC 10, which is still barely within the range that allows PCs without the Track feat to follow the trail. This last portion of the trail proceeds west by northwest for another half mile before reaching the dusk giant lair.
The lair consists of a cave opening that is shaped like a diagonal crack in the face of a granite cliff that is accessible by a steep climb of some 35 ft above the sloping ground. There is some cover between the opening and the ridge line, which consists of a few trees and many large boulders. The opening is perhaps 25 ft long, being 15 ft at its base and narrowing to a 5 ft opening up and to the right.
The scramble up to the opening is a DC 10 Climb check.
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Unless otherwise stated, all floors are natural stone floors (2 squares of movement to enter a square, the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5, running and charging are impossible) and walls are unworked stone walls (DC 15 Climb check). Except for area 1, the walls are smeared with a phosopherscent lichen that suffuses the caverns in a dim bluish glow. All areas are treated as shadowy illumination (concealment with 20% miss chance and Hide checks allowed).
If the phosphorescence is examined closely a DC 10 Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (dungeoneering) check will determine that it is a lichen of some sort. The lichen cannot be cultivated easily, and will not survive more than a few minutes in any sort of container.
Passageways are generally as tall as they are wide unless otherwise noted. Elevation changes are natural stone shelves and each elevation contour represents a 5 ft climb.
Throughout the cavern complex, side tunnels run from chamber to chamber. These were fashioned by the dusk giants and, in fact, represent the only real construction done on the lair by the giants. They are smooth tunnels, and are treated as hewn stone floors and walls (DC 10 Balance check to run or charge, DC 25 Climb check). Where these tunnels exit into a cavern or passageway, the map shows how high up they are. This height is from the floor below it, so that a side tunnel exiting 10 ft above the floor of a stone shelf that is itself 10 ft off of the floor of a cavern is 20 ft up from the floor of the cavern. The holes of these side tunnels are somewhat concealed behind protruding rocks and in the crannies and shadows of the cavern walls. As such, they require a DC 10 Spot check to notice (modified by distance as appropriate), with a +5 modifier to the check if the area is in shadowy illumination and the viewer does not have darkvision.
1. Entrance
| The entrance in the face of the cliff is in the form of a slanted crack in the rock, some 25 ft long, being 15 ft at its base and narrowing to a 5 ft opening up and to the right. The opening looks natural, and there is no sign of any sort of workmanship whatsoever. |
The cave beyond the entrance is completely dark, until the PCs round the first corner, at which time the bluish glow from the lichen in area 2 can be seen. A few bones will be seen or heard crunching under boots as the PCs travel the passageway to area 2. If the bones are examined a DC 15 Heal check or Knowledge (nature) check will reveal them to be sheep and wolf bones.
2. Main Cavern (EL 8)
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This grand cavern is aglow with smears of phosophorescent blue on the walls especially but with bits on the floor and ceiling. The ceiling some 25 ft to 30 ft overhead is as rough as the floor, and many blunted stalactites depend from it, none more than a few feet long. To the east, wide natural stone shelves ascend towards the ceiling, and before these are two large columns from floor to ceiling that are made entirely of naturally fluted quartz crystals twisted into spirals. To the west, two passages flank a central stone column, while to the north two more passages do the same. The floor is littered with bones of various sizes. In the center of the chamber is the ripped apart torse of a large ram, and surrounding this are four fur pallets. |
Creatures: Four least dusk giants are here, the least powerful of the clan. One is on the middle shelf to the east, ready to climb up into the side tunnel to area 5. Another is on the shelf just to the southeast of the entrance from area 1, and the last two are between the two quartz columns to the east.
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LEAST DUSK GIANTS (4) CR 4 * With every additional HD, the
dusk giant gains +1 Str This special benefit is in addition to the benefit the dusk giant gain when changing category (least to lesser, lesser to greater), to the benefit all creatures gain when increasing size, and the standard benefit for increasing HD (extra hp, improved BAB and saves, additional feats, etc). When a least dusk giant's HD reach 12, it becomes a lesser dusk giant. Unfortunately for the giant, these gains are not permanent. A dusk giant must continue to consume the flesh of other creatures to maintain its current status. For every day that passes in which a dusk giant does not consume at least 2 HD worth of sentient creatures, or 8 HD worth of nonsentient creatures, its own HD decrease by 1, with a corresponding loss of all associated benefits. They cannot weaken below 6 HD; any further starvation beyond that follows normal starvation rules. Pall of Twilight (Su) A dusk giant is constantly surrounded by an aura of gloom that darkens bright light and casts an equal pallor upon the spirits of its enemies. In a 10 ft radius around a least dusk giant, bright light is treated as shadowy illumination, although creatures with low-light vision (or darkvision) suffer no penalties in this area. In addition, enemies within this area take a -2 penalty on all saving throws because of the despair it elicits. Rend (Ex) If a dusk giant hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto its target's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals extra damage equal to 2 claw attacks plus 1.5 times the giant's Str modifier. |
Tactics: These are the low giants on the totem pole of the clan hierarchy, and they are eager to gain victims of their own to cannibalize. As such, should intruders (i.e. victims) show themselves, 3 of the giants will converge on them. Only the giant on the western shelf will not. He will observe an attack for a round to see if the intruders are easy meat or going to put up a tough fight. If the former, he will leap down to join the fray. If not, he will climb up the tunnel towards area 5 and alert the lesser dusk giant in area 6 and then by side tunnels to the giants in area 4.
Developments: Sounds of combat in this chamber will likely attract the giants in area 3, who will send two of their number to investigate. Sounds of combat in area 3 will cause all of the giants here to investigate.
3. Holding Pen (EL 7)
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This cavern is 25 ft high, with a ceiling punctuated by small stalactites. The bluish glow from streaks of phosphorescence emanates from the walls and bits of the ceiling. To the east, a large stone columns divides two passageways. A set of natural stone shelves rises towards the ceiling to the south and a slender shelf lines the northern wall. Three columns of spiralling quartz crystal and calcium formations stand sentinel in the western half of the place. Atop the highest stone shelf to the south is a large cage made of tree trunks lashed together. Within the cage are several forms that move slightly. The floor is littered with bones of various sizes. In the center of the chamber is the ripped apart torse of a large ram, and surrounding this are three fur pallets. |
The cage itself has 20 hp and a hardness of 5 and a break DC of 20.
Within the cage are three goliath hunters, bound feet, hands, and gagged with hemp rope.
Creatures: Three least dusk giants are here, guarding the prisoners. Like their brethren in area 2, they are the lowest member of their clan and have not yet fed.
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LEAST DUSK GIANTS (3) CR 4 * With every additional HD, the
dusk giant gains +1 Str This special benefit is in addition to the benefit the dusk giant gain when changing category (least to lesser, lesser to greater), to the benefit all creatures gain when increasing size, and the standard benefit for increasing HD (extra hp, improved BAB and saves, additional feats, etc). When a least dusk giant's HD reach 12, it becomes a lesser dusk giant. Unfortunately for the giant, these gains are not permanent. A dusk giant must continue to consume the flesh of other creatures to maintain its current status. For every day that passes in which a dusk giant does not consume at least 2 HD worth of sentient creatures, or 8 HD worth of nonsentient creatures, its own HD decrease by 1, with a corresponding loss of all associated benefits. They cannot weaken below 6 HD; any further starvation beyond that follows normal starvation rules. Pall of Twilight (Su) A dusk giant is constantly surrounded by an aura of gloom that darkens bright light and casts an equal pallor upon the spirits of its enemies. In a 10 ft radius around a least dusk giant, bright light is treated as shadowy illumination, although creatures with low-light vision (or darkvision) suffer no penalties in this area. In addition, enemies within this area take a -2 penalty on all saving throws because of the despair it elicits. Rend (Ex) If a dusk giant hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto its target's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals extra damage equal to 2 claw attacks plus 1.5 times the giant's Str modifier. |
Tactics: These giants will simply attack with bestial ferocity.
Developments: Sounds of combat in this chamber will likely attract the giants in area 2, who will send all of their number to investigate. Sounds of combat in area 2 will cause two of these giants to investigate, the last maintaining his watch over the prisoners.
If the prisoners are released, they will gladly fight alongside the PCs. All are injured from the ambush by the dusk giants as indicated below.
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GOLIATH PRISONERS (3) CR 5 Mountain Movement (Ex) Because goliaths practically live on the ledges and cliffs of the most forbidding mountains, they are particularly adept at negotiating mountain hazards. Goliaths can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. A goliath can engage in accelerated climbing (climbing half his speed as a move action) without taking the -5 penalty on the Climb check. Powerful Build (Ex) The physical stature of a goliath lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a goliath is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the goliath is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A goliath is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A goliath can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.circumstance bonus on Hide checks. |
4. Chamber of Feasting (EL
8)
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This cavern is 25 ft high, with a ceiling punctuated by small stalactites. The bluish glow from streaks of phosphorescence emanates from the walls and bits of the ceiling. Stone shelves sit to the south, west, and north with a wide passageway leading east. A massive stone column dominates the center of the chamber, and this column is covered from floor to ceiling in crude carvings resembling faces, splatters of rust red that may be blood, and a myriad of bones and decomposing parts of animals and perhaps other beings. The stone shelves to the north are quite wide, and several fur pallets sit on the lower tier. A single goliath corpse sits in front of the column, near its eastern face. The hands of the corpse are bound by ropes tied to the column, but the rest of the body is a gruesome sight, with strips of flesh torn off and hunks of organs and muscle gouged out of the frame and now missing. The eyes and ears and tongue of the victim are missing, as is the groin. The palms of the hands are stripped away and the skull is open and completely hollow. |
Creatures: Three least dusk giants are here. They have fed upon one of the goliaths recently and are waiting for their appetites to renew before attempting to consume another goliath. These dusk giants are the favoured of the lesser giant in area 6. They are, in fact, his paramours, and all are females, though it is difficult to tell male from female unless you are a dusk giant. Until they are alerted they will be lounging around digesting their meal.
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ADVANCED LEAST DUSK GIANTS
(3) CR 5 * With every additional HD, the
dusk giant gains +1 Str This special benefit is in addition to the benefit the dusk giant gain when changing category (least to lesser, lesser to greater), to the benefit all creatures gain when increasing size, and the standard benefit for increasing HD (extra hp, improved BAB and saves, additional feats, etc). When a least dusk giant's HD reach 12, it becomes a lesser dusk giant. Unfortunately for the giant, these gains are not permanent. A dusk giant must continue to consume the flesh of other creatures to maintain its current status. For every day that passes in which a dusk giant does not consume at least 2 HD worth of sentient creatures, or 8 HD worth of nonsentient creatures, its own HD decrease by 1, with a corresponding loss of all associated benefits. They cannot weaken below 6 HD; any further starvation beyond that follows normal starvation rules. Pall of Twilight (Su) A dusk giant is constantly surrounded by an aura of gloom that darkens bright light and casts an equal pallor upon the spirits of its enemies. In a 10 ft radious around a least dusk giant, bright light is treated as shadowy illumination, although creatures with low-light vision (or darkvision) suffer no penalties in this area. In addition, enemies within this area take a -2 penalty on all saving throws because of the despair it elicits. Rend (Ex) If a dusk giant hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto its target's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals extra damage equal to 2 claw attacks plus 1.5 times the giant's Str modifier. |
Tactics: These giants will simply attack with bestial ferocity if attacked in their lair, though one of their number will attempt to escape through the side tunnel to area 6 to alert the lesser dusk giant.
Developments: Sounds of combat in areas 2 and 3 will likely not bring these creatures, as they are indolent and satiated. Only if there is some sound like a tremendous explosion or if it sounds as if the dusk giants are dying horribly or they hear sounds not associated with dusk giants will they be roused. Otherwise, they will assume some row has developed amongst the giants and they are arguing or even fighting amongst themselves.
If they are alerted specifically by one of the giants from area 2 that intruders are amongst them or they hear something that alerts them, these giants will not just come running to the trouble, instead using the side tunnels to possibly set up an ambush (perhaps at area 5).
5. Ambush Point
There is nothing here to specifically alert the PCs of anything special, but this is the spot in the passageway where there are two side tunnels that look down onto the passageway. As such, this is a good ambush spot for the dusk giants against intruders. If possible, two dusk giants will hide in the side tunnels on either side and await the passage of intruders. They will then hurtle themselves out of the passages and onto the PCs, possibly from surprise. The dusk giants will wait to attack the middle or rear of the intruders, possibly in conjunction with the lesser dusk giant emerging from area 6.
In addition, the sound of running water will certainly be determinable from this point.
6. Lesser Cavern (EL 9)
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This cavern is 25 ft high, with a ceiling punctuated by small stalactites. The bluish glow from streaks of phosphorescence emanates from the walls and bits of the ceiling. Stone shelves sit to the northeast and southwest. On the lowest tier of the shelves to the northeast is a large fur pallet while on the second tier a set of three logs 10 ft long has been lashed together with ropes. The shelves to the southwest contain various bones and strips of fur. Piles of boulders sit at the top of each of the shelves. Three columns of spiralling quartz crystal and calcium formations stand in the chamber. A large passageway leads to the south. A stream flows through the place, passing swiftly from holes in the northwest wall and running across the cavern and then into cracks in the southeast wall. The stream is between 5 ft and 10 ft wide and is fast flowing. |
Creatures: A single lesser dusk giant resides here, being the leader of the clan. He is usually sitting atop the shelves to the northeast.
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LESSER DUSK GIANT CR 9 * With every additional HD, the
dusk giant gains +1 Str This special benefit is in addition to the benefit the dusk giant gain when changing category (least to lesser, lesser to greater), to the benefit all creatures gain when increasing size, and the standard benefit for increasing HD (extra hp, improved BAB and saves, additional feats, etc). When a least dusk giant's HD reach 12, it becomes a lesser dusk giant. Unfortunately for the giant, these gains are not permanent. A dusk giant must continue to consume the flesh of other creatures to maintain its current status. For every day that passes in which a dusk giant does not consume at least 2 HD worth of sentient creatures, or 8 HD worth of nonsentient creatures, its own HD decrease by 1, with a corresponding loss of all associated benefits. They cannot weaken below 6 HD; any further starvation beyond that follows normal starvation rules. Pall of Twilight (Su) A dusk giant is constantly surrounded by an aura of gloom that darkens bright light and casts an equal pallor upon the spirits of its enemies. In a 10 ft radious around a least dusk giant, bright light is treated as shadowy illumination, although creatures with low-light vision (or darkvision) suffer no penalties in this area. In addition, enemies within this area take a -2 penalty on all saving throws because of the despair it elicits. Rend (Ex) If a dusk giant hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto its target's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals extra damage equal to 2 claw attacks plus 1.5 times the giant's Str modifier. Rock Catching (Ex) A lesser dusk giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, if the giant would normally be hit by a rock, it can make a Ref save to catch the rock 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 and aware of the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt. Rock Throwing (Ex) A lesser dusk giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) out to a distance of 5 range increments. A dusk giant gains a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks. The range increment for a lesser dusk giant's thrown rocks is 120 ft. |
Tactics: This giant will throw rocks at foes until they cross the stream, in which case he will then engage them in melee. Like most of his kind, he will not surrender to goliaths, being content to die rather than suffer a goliath to live in his presence. If the PCs have no goliaths with them, then they could negotiate with this creature if from a position of overwhelming strength. Dusk giants will lie and cheat readily without compunction.
Developments: The lesser dusk giant is happy to allow the rest of his clan to weaken intruders before he strikes. To his mind the worst that happens is that he has fewer clan members with which to share feasting. Nevertheless, he is not an idiot and if he knows there is an ambush happening in area 5, he will come forth to lend his might to the fray. He will not withhold his spell-like abilities unless he perceives almost no threat from intruders.
Dusk Giant Responses:
The dusk giants are not organized very well (as befitting their Chaotic Evil alignments), but they are also not stupid (Intelligence scores or 14). As such, while they will initially assume superiority over the PCs due to their physical prowess, the PCs are also likely quite foreign to them and once they witness their powers they are likely to start to adopt some cunning, including using their side tunnels to conduct ambushes and to attack spellcasters. The giants do not have a lot of experience with magic, especially arcane magic, as they are not in much contact with the yuan-ti. But they learn quickly.
The giants are interested in capturing PCs so as to cannibalize them, and they will certainly not administer coup-de-grace attacks upon them. Similarly, they are unlikely to use their Power Attack feat for fear of slaying their victims before they can cannibalize them. PCs captured will essentially but placed into the cannibalization queue at the end (see Time is Fleeting below). Of course, if all of the PCs are captured, the DM can have a rescue party of goliaths from the Kathaal tribe stage a rescue.
Time is Fleeting:
The dusk giants intend to consume all of the goliaths in relatively short order. The clock will start ticking when the PCs meet the two wounded goliath hunters. It will take the dusk giants roughly an hour to return to their lair, and hour to argue over who gets to eat first, and another hour to perform the first ritual. They will then rest for about an hour before beginning again. In essence, the goliaths will be consumed every two hours thereafter. It will take the PCs as a group roughly an hour to proceed from the two hunters to the ambush site and then another two hours to track the dusk giants to their lair. This timing is important as a means to reward successful tracking or even accelerated tracking (i.e. moving at full speed).
Travel time in the mountains is as follows (includes x1/2 modifier for trackless mountain terrain):
Speed 20 ft = 1 mile per hour
Speed 30 ft = 1 mile per 40 minutes
Speed 40 ft = 1 mile per 30 minutes
The consumption timeline will be:
Hour 0 = ambush occurs
End of Hour 1 = dusk giants return to their lair
End of Hour 2 = dusk giants begin cannibalization ritual on first
goliath
End of Hour 3 = first goliath fully consumed
End of Hour 4 = dusk giants begin cannibalization ritual on second
goliath
End of Hour 5 = second goliath fully consumed
End of Hour 6 = dusk giants begin cannibalization ritual on third
goliath
End of Hour 7 = third goliath fully consumed
End of Hour 8 = dusk giants begin cannibalization ritual on last
goliath
End of Hour 9 = last goliath fully consumed
When the cannibalization ritual takes place, at least four dusk giants will be in area 4. These will never be taken all form the same area, so that areas 2 and 3 have at least some giants in them. The exact giants participating in each ritual is up to the DM.
The DM should keep track of time, and when a goliath is slain (basically about halfway through the cannibalization ritual) there will be an XP cost accordingly (see Experience Points below).
Part Three - Stoneblessed:
Should the PCs defeat the dusk giants on their own (with help from Guvagliak, of course) and save at least a single goliath, then the Kathaal will be extremely grateful and praise the PCs as brave and competent. The chieftain will honour the PCs with a feast and will name them Stoneblessed and inform the PCs that they are welcome to remain with them as long as they like and take an honoured place in their tribe, even through the winter and the years beyond. If they abide with them and learn from them, they can even be made one of the Stoneblessed (the prestige class, see Races of Stone page 122).
Of course, the PCs must meet the requirements of the class. They have already performed a great task. But it is likely they will need to learn Gol-Kaa and might need Appraise 2 and Craft (stoneworking) 5. In addition, the PCs will have to spend at least a full year with the tribe, learning their ways. At any time that a PC meets this requirement, they can gain a level in this class by means of a special goliath ceremony. Each further level requires another special goliath ceremony.
Experience Points:
In addition to normal experience (which in Therra is half of that recommended in the DMG), each party member should be rewarded as follows: