Giff

Giff
CategoryRaces
Typelarge-sized humanoid
Creation3 Dreamer 8612 DE
LanguageBattlehymn, Giff
NativeMarragh

With the death of the Prime Architect on 3 Dreamer 8612 DE, the first of the Giff race was born. To be named Primus, he was born from heart of the Prime Architect, the Primus Hexaconta. For more than a century, Primus was the only Giff. In the next age, the God Era, Primus sought out ways to help the Covenant forces battling the Abyssal Hegemony of the Demon Spawn War (8972 GE - 9493 GE). After finding out about a cache of energy on Mechanus, Primus set off to build an army. In this cache were Sparks of Creation, the stuff he used to create an army of soldiers like him, kick-starting the Giff race.

Created on Mechanus, Giff usually have an energy composition with a high amount of Negative Entropy. These Giff are lawful, following the maxims of law across many lands over any moral objections.

After the Demon Spawn War, Primus's giff armies returned to what would become known as the Giff home world Marragh.

The giff are a militaristic race with highly disciplined warriors. Loyalty and obedience to orders are virtues in giff society.

A Giff Assault Platoon is a terrifying sight to witness, but to see a Githyanki Attack Squad with a giff assault platoon is a nightmare. The scream of the bazookas and the thunder of the primitive muskets, the belch of the star cauldrons and the thin bolts of positive energy from their Gith Lances, wrecking havoc and terror all before them.

- Niras Reev'f, from the autobiography - "My Rise to Power"

Giffs are fond of anything military, and have a unbridled lust for combat. Even among their own ranks, wrestling and non-lethal fighting matches are frequent. Following close behind the giff's hunger for combat is their ability to repair and forge armor. They are second to the dwarves in this art.

Giff's are less intelligent than Tragarans. As a result, they typically serve as mercenaries for more intelligent creatures. They also will never combat members of their own race. The powerfully muscled bodies of the creatures allow them to smash through the ranks of tightly grouped troops like a raging bulette. Strict military order, drill, and discipline have enhanced the thickly muscled bodies of the giff into an efficient fighting machine. Some are capable of feats equal to a lesser titan. Only battle-hardened members of their society possess this great strength. These super-giff are called Juggernauts.

A giff is called a Juggernaut if they are eighth level or higher. This title is carried as a surname and is honorably spoken by other giff or those knowledgeable of giff customs.

It is common for giff juggernauts to be blessed by the might of their patron deity, Atlas. These chosen giff are highly respected among their people and usually lead the armies into battle. They usually lead from the front. Atlas favors those Juggernauts that survive many battles and display extreme battle prowess. These chosen Juggernauts, once reaching 12th lvl, undergo a divine-inspired transformation, becoming a more powerful version called a Dreadnought; fortunately for the giff's enemies, dreadnoughts are few in number.

There have been reports of dreadnought Lyans with life energy equal to that of an adult dragon. Some soldiers of great renown are Thunder Foot, Titan Fury, Iron Palm, Blutium Skull, and Hammer Head.

- Himril Girderhead - "Giff Champions"

Giff are also heavy drinkers, more so than the Dulun. They enjoy the company of these dwarves (and their strong alcohol), more than any other race.

It is common for giff to enter battle heavily under the bottle. This could be to steel their nerves or remind them of peaceful times in the great ale barges of Strongheart.

- Quick, from the book Story of the Golden Elite - "Conversations with Himril"

The giff native to Marragh, a sparsely populated world of few races and less culturally advanced than say Bal-Kriav, often come off as boorish. Most Giff worship either Atlas or Primus, or both.

Racial Traits
TraitDescription
Mechanus Born A giff must remain lawful in alignment. Any change from lawful alignment will result in them becoming afflicted with a random insanity but never a form of paranoia. The insanity lasts until they return to a lawful alignment.
Might of Atlas +4 Strength
Structural Hardiness +2 Constitution
Lumbering -2 Dexterity
Groundstomper -2 Intelligence
Cube Adaption prolonged proximity to Marragh's Cube of Arcane has led to a spell resistance, SR 13; a giff with a 15 or higher intelligence is capable of willing this magic resistance up or down. Furthermore, the giff earns a +1 SR bonus for each intelligence point over 14.
Ram At 8th level, a giff becomes known as a giff juggernaut. As one, they can charge with a head butt scoring 3d6 (plus strength modifier) points of damage. In addition, the enemy {giff size or smaller} must make a Fortitude check (DC17) or be stunned for one round.
Flesh of Atlas At 10th level, the hide of the giff has toughened and taken on a steel gray sheen resulting in a +6 natural AC.
Greater Ram At 12th level, the giff juggernaut becomes known as a giff dreadnought. The damage from a Ram increases to 4d6 points of damage and stunning lasts for 1-4 rounds, with the Fortitude DC increasing to 20. Greater Ram can stun a creature one size category larger than the giff.
Alcohol Resistant Constitution unaffected by the effects of alcohol
ECL +2
Common Homelands
Notable Families
Notable Tribes