"Once we dealt with the Chieftain, half our forces scattered, his wife, clearly the Matriarch of the tribe emerged. As she observed the carnage that had been inflicted upon her people, we assumed her will to fight would be gone. So began yet another harsh lesson we were to be taught that day."
——Loken Trist, Semi Retired Adventurer
The Hill Giant Matriarch is most often the wife of a Hill Giant Chieftain, serving as a second in command within their tribe hierarchy. On occasion, however, a particularly cunning and skilled Matriarch will simply rise into power on her own, when no other giants in her domain are strong enough to challenge her. Sharing similar primitive features of other Hill Giants, the Matriarch is noticeably more feminine, with a slightly smaller frame. They tend to dress somewhat nicer than the average Hill Giant, meaning they adorn themselves with trinkets they see as pretty, such as feathers from large birds they have killed and eaten, shiny rocks they craft into pendants, and on occasion Horse Skulls. The Matriarch is much more graceful than her lesser counterparts, being far quicker than most enemies would suspect, and will fight with more skill and practice than other giants, possibly because rising to that level of status within the tribe required her to rely on skills other than brute strength.
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Initiative 17/1d6
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Max HP
288
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Resilience: +5
Healing Value: 57
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Morale
2
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Resistances:
Vulnerabilities:
Defensive Actions
Immediate Action
When hit with an AC, Touch, or Reflex targeting attack, gain a +4
power bonus against the attack and other attacks made by the same source till the end of the segment.
(Basic)
Attributes / Saving Throws
Saving Throw Modifiers:
Actions
Movement Modes
Shift 5ft / 2
Skirmish 45ft / 3
Sprint 65ft / 3
At-Will
+15 vs AC (Crit 11%/12)
Long Knife
2d6+8 damage (ArN 1)
REC 5, Reach 10ft
+12P vs AC (Crit 6%/20)
Rock Throw
2d10+8 damage (ArN 4)
REC 7, Range 120ft
+15 vs AC (Crit 11%/20)
Slam
2d10+12 damage (ArN 3)
REC 8, Reach 10ft
When a creature adjacent to the Matriarch falls prone, she gains an opportunity attack on that creature (Basic)
On each turn, roll 1d8 to determine the actions available to the Hill Giant Matriarch.
Any Result:
♦ Basic Attack: Make a Melee or Ranged Basic Attack. (Basic)
2 or more, choose one of the following:
♦ Agitatiing Strike: On a hit with a melee weapon, the target automatically fails its next saving throw. (Basic)
♦ Duelist's Dance [REC +1]: On a hit with a melee weapon, the Matriarch swaps positions with the target. (Basic)
6 or more:
♦
Achilles Bane [REC +2]: Make two melee attacks. On a hit, the target is
Hobbled (5) [SE, ST 4d10 vs CON].
(Advanced)
2d10+12 damage
Grapple +18
Overland Movement
40 mi/day
Qualities
- Natural Armor: AC +2/+6, Ref +1 (inc)
Skills: Rank 1 Balance [+5], Rank 4 Climb [+13], Rank 4 Jump [+12], Rank 2 Search [+5], Rank 3 Stealth [+2], Rank 2 Swim [+9], Rank 3 Listen [+7], Rank 4 Spot [+9], Rank 3 Cooking [A: +6/L&T: +7], Rank 3 Herbalism [A: +7/L&T: +7], Rank 2 Hunting [A: +6/L&T: +5], Rank 3 Survival [A: +9/L&T: +7], Rank 1 Martial Pract. [A: +6/L&T: +3], Rank 4 Charm [+7], Rank 2 Coercion [+9], Rank 5 Deception [+9], Rank 4 Manipulation [+7], Rank 3 Persuasion [+7], Rank 3 Bravery [+7], Rank 4 Intuition [+9], Rank 1 Tolerance [+2]
Feats: Imp. Weapon Specialization (Long Knife) [2], Weapon Focus (Long Knife), Great Initiative [2], Imp. Critical Strike, Alertness, Imp. Toughness [2]
Philosophies: Rank 2 Mental, Rank 4 Physical, Rank 5 Martial
Combat Training: Melee 5, Ranged 2, Parry 3, Fort 2, Reflex 3, Will 2
Wits: {{{Wits}}}, Brawn: {{{Brawn}}}
Equipment: None
Social
Languages: Giant
Composure: 13
Hill Giants are the most primitive, common version of giants. They resemble extremely large humans with somewhat more primal facial features. An average Hill Giant can weigh anywhere from 900 to 1200 lbs. depending on their height, which ranges from 10 to 11 feet, and are known to live up to 200 years or so. They are brutish, slow-witted and greedy, and survive by hunting and raiding villages of other smaller, weaker creatures. Their hair and eye colors are typically of dirtier varieties, ranging from black to brown, and their eyes small and beady. Hill Giants most commonly fortify themselves with crudely fashioned animal hide and jagged great clubs, basically anything they can find that is thick, heavy and requires little effort to assemble.
History
Throughout history Hill Giants have served as heavy infantry for armies comprised of mostly evil creatures. Being malicious and greedy themselves, they are known for being easily conscripted into large armed forces, although controlling them is another matter. Giants are an old, long lived race of the mortal plains, and were alive long before the smaller mortal races. Some believe them to be a bastard offspring of the legendary race of Titans, although any Hill Giant will claim that they are separate.
Culture
Hill Giants are a mostly tribal community, although somewhat organized. They have a pecking order and a respect for each other's authority, although no regard whatsoever for creatures smaller than them. They are typically found in, not surprisingly, large, hilly areas, plains and mountains, some tribes even known to inhabit large wooded areas. They are a constant nuisance to their neighbors, as they tend to view everything they see as their property until brute force is used to explain to them that this is not the case. If not kept in check, Hill Giants are known for taking over entire landscapes (including making slaves of any humanoids smaller than them), which only attracts more Hill Giant tribes looking for easier living. On occasion, Giants can be seen mingling with Ogres and Trolls, some of the few races in the realms giants seem to regard with some modicum of respect, most likely do to their size and strength.