Dungeons And Dragons Online: Monster Profile: Storm Giant

Eldorudo has sent word of a new monster profile over at DDO.com:

From the personal journal of Azalai Korias, Elven Wizard

27 Barrakas, 998:

I am in excellent spirits today despite my exhaustion. This tomb has proven to be a treasure trove of information about old Xen'drik. The runes deep inside the crypt describe the glorious history of the giants, along with the great deeds (and bloody end) of the general buried within the tomb.

Eighty thousand years ago, the giants owned Xen'drik. We crawl about the decaying remnants of their civilization like insects feeding on a corpse. Stormreach itself rose from the ruins of an ancient port, with great pillars and blocks too heavy to lift without the powerful magic scattered across her cityscape. The greatest of the giant races are the storm giants, over twenty feet tall and twelve thousand pounds or more. They towered over their cousins and led them in creating their ancient empire.

The giant empire fell forty thousand years ago. The quori invaded Xen'drik when the plane of dreams became coterminous with Eberron. The giants unleashed a mighty spell to sever the connection with Dal Quor, but at a terrible cost. Curses and plagues ravaged the continent, and my ancestors seized the opportunity to rebel against their slavemasters. Before the giants could use their devastating spell upon the elves, the dragons intervened, their attack sealing the fate of the ancient empire. The original occupant of this tomb apparently fell in battle against a red dragon.

Contemporary storm giants have the longest memories and the greatest rage at their decline. They look at their primitive cousins and see them longing to restore their rightful place in the world as the dominant civilization. They do not consider us equals, making it difficult to deal with them; expect violent treachery as soon as the giant is satisfied that it has acquired all that feigned friendship can provide.

I have taken rubbings of so many walls that even Zarn is complaining from the burden. I must return to Stormreach at once with the information we have found and seek the counsel of minds more knowledgeable than my own. There are references to a great hero's return and a prophecy that I cannot fully decipher. Perhaps there is an interesting story just waiting to be found.

***********************

Storm Giant
Creature Type: Giant
Environment: Any
Attack: Greatsword, Bow
Special Qualities: Freedom of movement, electricity immunity, spell-like abilities, spells
Organization: Solitary

I've heard elvish scholars quote legends of other worlds. In these worlds, not every storm giant is evil folk. Some of these lost bits of lore maintain that, elsewhere, the storm giants are simply forces of nature, wild and tempestuous but not malicious, not bent on rulership or destruction of the "lesser races" (here they mean all humanoids, not just dwarves and halflings.) Maybe these hypothetical giants-like so many other green-skinned creatures of the natural world-are just defenders of their respective natural worlds. But here in Eberron, there is nothing to justify that supposition. The storm giants were active members, leaders probably, of the ancient giant empire of Xen'drik. After the dragons, it was the first real civilization on our world, say the learned. Long ago, elves served the giants in this empire as their slaves. Only after the giant empire's collapse-some say to infighting, some to invasion, and others blame some magical catastrophe-did the humanoid races rise to prominence on Eberron.

The storm giants remember. It is they, among all the giantkin of Xen'drik, who have best preserved the memory of their largely forgotten dominion. The hill giants, much more common today, have degenerated into primitive and nearly mindless brutality. The fire giants, by comparison, carry relics of an ancient military training and have comforted themselves with their embrace of fire and destruction. But they are pale shadows compared to the enmity that the storm giants bear. While all of the giants love to grind the bones of men and render their flesh into a fine pink mist, the storm giants plan. They plot and they scheme. According to rumors from the jungle, they are organizing as we speak under their most powerful leaders. They're recruiting allies and devising long-ranging plans to bring death to all the humanoids of Xen'drik. That means you. And, more importantly, me. In some sense, the wrath of the giants is understandable. Here we are, for the first time in millennia, back on Xen'drik, the storm giants' home for practically all of history. Most of the newcomers and would-be adventurers are themselves morally bankrupt treasure hunters, tomb robbers, and opportunists.

Okay, enough generalities. What should you do if you encounter one of these olive-skinned titans in the jungle, or in one of the ancient sunken ruins? The key to defeating one of these beasts is refreshingly simple. Thanks to its huge size and arrogant disregard of heavy armor, it's not too difficult to sink your sword or arrow into its hide. The trouble, of course, is that against the creature measuring more than twenty feet in height, your blade is little more than a knitting needle. Think of how many blows from a needle your ankles and shins could take before you fall, and you get the idea. And of course, the creature will be raining powerful blows down on you at the same time. The best advice is this: bring some friends. A small army would be preferable (if a large army can't be found.) But lay out every offensive combat trick-and every spell you can think of. Ordinarily, I'd advise attempting to slow the creature with an arcane spell; sadly, the storm giants seem naturally immune to such enchantments.