FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 3-30 males (if wandering); 6-60 males (if in lair; see below)
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 2+2
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise on 1-4; shamans use spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Resistance to cold and poison
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
SIZE: L (7' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III/65 + 3/hp
    Level 1-3 shamans: III/80 + 3/hp
    Level 4-5 shamans: IV/175 + 4/hp

    Amitoka (the singular form is amitok) are
also known as snow goblins; they are descended
from hobgoblin stock but long ago
adapted to arctic and subarctic climates.
Amitoka are very broad in build. Their
bodies are covered in light gray or white fur
except for their hairless, pale blue faces and
hands. They are exceptionally strong (16
strength for adult males, 14 for females),
but not not use weapons in combat other
than their claws. 

    Amitoka are carnivorous and hunt frequently.
Their coloration allows them to
surprise opponents in snowy or icy environments
on a roll of 1-4 on a six-sided die.
They fear no creature; groups of amitoka
have been known to attack even a solitary
frost giant; and they usually win out; even
though many of the group may die in the
assault. After a battle, they gather all the
dead (including their own) and bring them
back to their lair for a feast.

    Amitoka lairs are short tunnel systems
dug into deep snow, usually with 2-5 large
communal rooms for the colony. There are
half as many females as males (females have
2 HD, attack with two claws for 1-4/1-4),
and twice as many young as the total number
of adults (young have 2-7 hp, attack as
1-1 HD monsters for 1-4 damage). Only
males go hunting, but females defend the
tunnels with great ferocity (getting a +2 to
hit). The amitok culture is completely oriented
toward getting food, and all creatures
are regarded as potential food sources.

    A thick layer of fat keeps amitoka safe
from normal chilling cold, and also allows
them to take half damage from all cold-based
spells or attacks. The fat layer also
gives them a +4 bonus on saves vs. poison
that must penetrate this layer to work, such
as poisoned arrows and wyvern stings.

    Colonies of amitoka are 25% likely to
have tribal pets that are used in hunting.
These pets are 70% likely to be hoar foxes
and 30% likely to be winter wolves. Those
tribes that have winter wolves are able to
speak the wolves' tongue in addition to their
own corruption of the hobgoblin language
(understandable to 30% of all hobgoblins).
They know no other languages.

    Amitoka worship Cryonax (see the
FIEND FOLIO Tome). Each tribe is ruled
by a shaman devoted to that deity. An
amitok shaman is larger and stronger than
its fellows (equivalent of 18 strength, 8' tall,
3-6/3-6 damage), and has the abilities of a
2nd- to 5th-level cleric, adding 1d4 hp to its
base hit points (2+2 HD) for every clerical
level over the first. Thus, a 4th level shaman
has 2+2 HD, plus 3d4 hp. For every
two levels of clerical ability, the shaman will
fight as if one hit dice better on the monsters
"to hit" table in the DMG, so a 4th-level
or 5th-level shaman will fight as a
4 HD monster. The male amitok with the
greatest number of hit points in the tribe
besides the shaman serves as the shaman's
successor, and is able to cast spells as a 1st-level
cleric. See the DMG (p.40) for further
information on shamans. Amitok shamans
do not need or use material components for
any of their spells, and need only meditate
overnight to recover them.

    Treasure is generally not collected or used
by these beings. Some tribes have found
that a pile of treasure placed near a well-used
trail tends to draw passerby; ambushes
are often arranged at such places.
Aside from worthless items such as old furs,
boots, and broken weapons, such treasure
piles may contain a 20% chance each of
treasure types J (x100), K (x100), L (x50),
M (x10), and N (x10), as well as the usual
chance for type Q. In addition, there is a
10% chance that the pile will contain a
random magic item.

    Amitoka hate all humans and demihumans,
and dislike all other creatures except
themselves. They have been known to
cooperate at times with quaggoths, and the
two creature types are often mistaken for
one another in arctic terrain. Amitoka are
considered giant class humanoids for purposes
of attacks made against them by
rangers. Some barbarian human tribes who
dwell in the polar regions refer to amitoka as
"demons," which can confuse adventuring
parties as to the creatures' true nature.
 

by Roger Moore