Chapter 2: Giants in Play - Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Chapter 2: Giants in Play. New body, new adventures! The first time I encountered Diancastra was in the dungeons beneath the hill giant lord's hall. I thought her an ordinary prisoner and helped her escape. In return, she taught me the rudiments of rune carving. Intended for the Dungeon Master, this chapter explores key aspects of giants' life and society. The ideas and tables included here should inspire you as you prepare to use giants in your D&D game. This material is divided into five main sections: "Roleplaying Giants" discusses how to bring giants to life during your game. "The Ordning" explores the relationships among and within different giant kinds, with a focus on the ordning's role in driving adventures. "Gods and Religion" describes a pantheon of gods consisting of Annam the All-Father and his children. It also discusses various "interlopers" that vie for the worship of giants in Annam's absence. "Social Structures" explores various models of giant societies and the relationships between giants and other kinds of creatures. "Organizations" details organizations that unite giants across the lines of the ordning, bringing them together around common goals and beliefs. As with the rest of this book, this chapter focuses on the main families of giants described in the Monster Manual, but much of this advice can also be applied to other creatures of the Giant type. Roleplaying Giants Apart from their size, giants are much like humans-which is to say that they're tremendously diverse and hard to generalize about. When creating a giant for your campaign, you can use the tables for designing NPCs in the Dungeon Master's Guide to help you make the giant a distinctive character. Just like a Humanoid NPC, a giant with an unusual tattoo, a propensity for punning, or a knack for juggling becomes more vivid in your players' imaginations. When creating giant characters or roleplaying giants, remember these key elements: size, age, volume, and pride. This section de...