Giant Society, Xen'drik

[Frog Dragon]

I've been arranging a game set in Xen'drik (Eberron), and there's a possibility the players will become closely affiliated with giants who are trying to remake their long lost civilization. Problem is, I've found material elaborating on giant culture, especially of those in Xen'drik, rather scarce. Even Secrets of Xen'drik barely gave me more than a few tidbits on a few giant factions, so I'm kind of stuck on how to portray giant society.

So, does anyone know any material describing it? Does anyone have a cunning homebrew on it? Also, would ogres and trolls and such count as "giants" for the purpose of being a part of the resurgent giant civilization?

[sonofzeal]

It's my understanding that modern giants are more the inbred degenerate hick cousins of the ancient Giants. Even the most noble of them is only a shadow, and most are just plain pathetic. The idea of rebuilding their former glory probably appeals to many, but their efforts likely wouldn't bear much resemblance to anything but their own imagination, so you as DM have free reign. Same with Trolls/Ogres. Up to you. Ogre Magi, as pathetic as they are for their CR as-written, are probably very relevant to this concept.

[askandarion]

I think the Primordial Giant template is in the Xen'drik book, which probably would have the most info on giants trying to regain their civilization. Sonofzeal's description is pretty much my understanding, too. Even in the novels (Baker's original), the giants knew they had a civilization with advanced tech at some point and were trying to get a city back from the drow, who were using the magitech as well to keep them out and barbaric. Dragon #345 had an article on giants in Xen'drik as well, which might be helpful (never read it, unfortunately).

I think, aside from those possibilities, the best way to go about it is to just look at any sort of "After The End" fiction, where people try to regain society/tech after it's all fallen. Hehe, now I'm thinking of Mad Max in the jungle, with dragonshards replacing gas...

[EDIT]: I would expect trolls, ogres, and that sort to be second-class citizens at best, possibly slaves. Ones that traveled from elsewhere (like ogre magi from Sarlona- which also sets up some interesting plots if they're serving the Quori...) might have more clout, especially if they are "civilized" or more intelligent to where they can plot and plan.

[Inferno]

I had a city thought up for a campaign that unfortunately fell apart, might give you some ideas...

It was a city of Primordial Half-Giants, though they clearly showed as descended from elves (not half human). They where descendants of giant traitors who helped the elves escape slavery. The town was full of wonders of magically enhanced architecture: siberys dragonshard floating streetlamps, and a single central floating tower seemingly carved from a single siberys shard. That tower was to be the source of the travellers curse of Xen'drik, created by the ancient giants to conceal the city.
I had been playing with the idea of giving them an ancient creation forge where they create a new kind of Warforged: Dragonforged, who would have dragonshard studded bodies and the ability to use a least dragonmarked power.

[Frog Dragon]

Thanks for the help. I think I'm going to go with what I was picturing in the first place. Some of the more intelligent giants setting shop in ancient ruins, and while they lack the magical prowess of their ancestors (to the point that some camps have no useful magic at all), they're not exactly stupid, though rather few in number and scattered.

[classy one]

One theory is that the giants now are degenerate titans whose bloodline mutated into the various giants we we today. Me idea would be to have a core of charamatic titans leading the troops to reclaim and kick out the "little folk" from their ancestral home.

The hook could be drow tribes vanishing after being kidnapped to be slaves for the upcoming rebellion. The PCs go to investigate why entire drow tribes are disappearing and find out that a red hand of doom (but of giants instead) like army behind it. Better yet, the drow willingly joined the giants since they always kept their alligence with the giants and "vanished" because they are rallying to the titans call.

If titans are too strong CR of 15 I think), then you can use Goliths or half-giants instead since they are smart and can be have adjustable CR with class levels. They also have decent Int which jives with the whole leadership thing. Maybe they even served in Stormwrack and knowledge of their military powers.

[Deth Muncher]

I also want to point you to a little tidbit in one of the Eberron books - and no, I don't recall which at the moment, it's been a while - but there's a popular theory in the land of Eberron that the Giant race has been cursed, and that any time they start to get too close to their former intelligence, the curse triggers and they all go berserk and kill and slaughter until their numbers are small and incapable of reproducing that technology.

I'm not trying to naysay your campaign idea, merely point out that the fluff slightly contradicts it (it IS said to be a widely held theory, but really untestable)- which makes it a great campaign idea, since you, as a DM, get to explain why these Giants are different.

Also, name the head giant Burlew.

[Frog Dragon]

Actually, I doubt the players would ever come to blows with any large factions of giants. Beginning at level 6, they would get slaughtered. I'm just trying to prepare for various contingencies, since I intend to let the players point the direction of the game.

Basically, they've been hired by treasure hunters in Xen'drik who have set their sights on an ancient giant temple, which, though they don't know that yet, holds an artifact of the lost civilization.

The temple is guarded by a single stone giant, who was sent by his faction to ensure no-one disturbs the place until a larger group gets there. Problem is, the giant failed. Two Umbragen snuck in and activated the artifact, which was in fact a tool used by the giants of old to make armies of hordes of slaves. It has caused creatures in the area to go berserk, and the stone giant can't deal with the problem under his own power. However, the Umbragen are only doing this to gather an army for themselves, which they actually need to save their race in the war against the depths of Khyber.

The outcome will depend on what the players do, which could be helping the giant, helping the umbragen, or going with their original contract and looting the place. This will affect where the campaign goes.

Also, the giants aren't really capable of even approaching the glory of their ancestors yet. At this point, they have society and power, but they don't have magic, and most of the old artifacts go unused due to their lack of skill in using them.

[classy one]

Ah level 6? Nevermind about the titans idea, I looked them up and they are a whopping CR 21 so they will be a while. How long is this campaign?

[Frog Dragon]

I really have no idea how long it'll go.