SEA GIANT
by Gregg Chamberlain
FREQUENCY: Uncommon [Very rare]
NO APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 6 or better
MOVE: 12"//30" [//30"]
HIT DICE: 12 [16-19]
% IN LAIR: 25% [10%]
TREASURE TYPE: E [E, Qxl00]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 fist or weapon
[or tail smash]
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5-30 [8-48] or by
weapon type (see below) [or see below]
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Rending, hurling
rocks for 2-20 hp damage [or spell use;
psionics possible]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Resistance to cold,
pressure, and poison
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very [Exceptional]
ALIGNMENT Neutral good [Neutral]
SIZE: L (15? tall) [L (25' long or more)]
PSIONIC ABILITY Nil [See below]
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil [See below]
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VIII/4800 + 16/hp
[X/10,250 + 20/hp to 19,100 + 30/hp]
Note: Figures in [brackets] are for
Type II sea giant.
The sea giant is an evolutionary offshoot
of giantkind which returned to the sea and
readapted to a marine environment. The
lesser form (Type I) is amphibious and
spends part of its time on land, while the
other form (Type II) spends its entire life in
or upon the ocean.
The Type I sea giant can be found living
in large coastal grottoes, on small islands or
in small (for a giant) towers near deserted
strands. (Such a tower will have a water-
filled tunnel or bore leading directly to the
sea.) Of all the species of giantkind, this one
is the most friendly toward humans
and
demi-humans. Amphibious sea giants are
known to have rescued small fishing skiffs
caught in storms and people in danger of
drowning. Fishermen sometimes report
seeing one of these giants swimming on or
just below the surface of the sea.
Type I sea giants have skin color ranging
from light green for those in tropical waters
to light blue for those inhabiting polar
regions. This giant has webbing between its
fingers and toes, is as strong as a fire giant
(22 strength) but taller and slimmer, and
has little apparent body hair except for the
top of its head. An amphibious sea giant is
capable of deep dives (as far as 500?) and
long submersions (up to an hour) before
needing to resurface for air.
The Type II sea giant has wholly adapted
to life in the sea. A solitary being, the ma-
rine sea giant lives most of his life (possibly
with a mate) in the depths of the ocean and
rarely ventures near the surface. This giant
possesses gills, but has also retained a pair
of vestigial lungs which enable him to func-
tion on the ocean surface for up to an hour
at a time.
The skin color of a marine sea giant varies
from sea green to icy blue, with a mane of
white hair crowning the head. The hands
are webbed much like a duck?s feet, but are
able to grasp and hold objects. The lower
half of the body is shaped like the tail of a
whale, ending in a set of horizontal flukes.
The giant can use this tail to strike at foes,
doing damage of 2-12, 4-16, 4-24, or 5-30
hp depending on the giant?s hit dice.
The marine sea giant has strength equiv-
alent to a storm giant (24 strength) and is
usually encountered when carrying a huge
trident. For this reason, some individuals
have mistaken the giant for Poseidon (or
another similarly powerful sea-dwelling
deity) and offered it treasure. Depending on
his precise alignment (50% are inclined
toward evil, 50% toward good), this giant
will either accept such offerings and take
advantage of the situation, or decline the
treasure and inform the individuals of their
mistake.
Sages speculate that the marine sea giant
lives a nomadic existence, usually roaming
the depths but sometimes dwelling tempo-
rarily in a great undersea cavern or in a
castle constructed of stone, large sea shells,
and the bones of sea monsters. If adventur-
ers come upon such a castle, the jewel-
treasure they find within it will be mostly
composed of large pearls.
Sailors believe that the sighting of a ma-
rine sea giant foretells a coming storm; if
the giant is looking toward the ship when
seen, then the storm will take a life, but if
he is facing away from the ship then the
storm will be weathered without loss. This
belief may have its foundation in the fact
that the Type II sea giant has some innate
spell-like abilities. The giant can perform
the following feats, each twice per day and
one per round: control weather, predict
weather, control winds, weather summon-
ing, animal summoning III (sea creatures
only), and polymorph others (into some
form of sea creature).
There is a 5% chance that any Type II
sea giant will be psionic, with 140-190
ability points and randomly determined
attack and defense modes. A psionic sea
giant will have the following disciplines, all
performed at the 12th level of mastery:
animal telepathy, body weaponry, clairaudi-
ence, clairvoyance, and telepathy.
All sea giants have a natural armor class
of 6 which they can augment. Amphibious
sea giants may wear specially made armor
of leather (improving AC by one or two
places) and carry a shield; marine sea giants
are often attired in armor made of giant
shells or the hides of sea beasts (improving
AC by two to five places) and often bear
shields made from the shell of a dragon
turtle or an archelon. Although they can do
great damage with their fists, sea giants
often carry weapons; either type may be
found carrying trident and net, spear, or a
form of heavy crossbow which is usable
underwater ? all sized appropriately for
use by giants, of course, and doing twice
(for Type I) or three times (for Type II) the
damage of a normal-sized weapon of the
same sort.
If a sea giant attacks barehanded against
a size L opponent and the ?to hit? roll is a
natural 18 or higher, the giant has suc-
ceeded in grabbing his foe with both hands,
and can do additional rending damage of 3-
18 hp damage (for Type I) or 4-24 hp dam-
age (for Type II) in the same round.
As a byproduct of their ability to with-
stand the cold and pressure of the ocean
depths, sea giants take only one-half normal
damage from cold-based attacks and the
various Bigby?s hand spells (save, when
applicable, for one-quarter damage). They
are unaffected by injected poisons of any
sort, since the toxin is simply absorbed by
the layer of insulating fat which protects
their bodies. Both types of sea giant possess
infravision (12" range) and a form of under-
water sonar which they use for navigation
and identification in the lightless depths, to
a range of 600?.