Holidays

Woodland Stride (Ex): This shaman can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at her normal speed and without damage or other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Druid Spells Prepared (6/5/4/3/1; save DC 13 + spell level): 0—create water, detect magic, detect poison, light, mending, purify food and drink; 1st—detect snares and pits, endure elements, longstrider, produce fl ame, speak with animals; 2nd—barkskin, bear’s endurance, fog cloud, resist energy; 3rd—call lightning, cure moderate wounds, greater magic fang; 4th—ice storm.

Possessions: +1 dragonhide breastplate, Large +1 spear, cloak of resistance +1, wand of entangle (50 charges), potion of cure serious wounds, 50 pp.

Goliath Warrior (CR 1)

Goliath warriors are formidable combatants. A single one is nearly the equivalent of two human warriors, and in numbers they can overwhelm ogres or even giants. They serve as guards, soldiers, and hunters.

Goliath Warrior: Male goliath warrior 1; CR 1; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 1d8+5 plus 3; hp 12; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 16, touch 10, fl at-footed 16; Base Atk +1; Grp +7;

Atk +4 melee (3d6+3/19–20, Large masterwork greatsword) or +1 ranged (2d6+2/×3, Large composite longbow); Full Atk +4 melee (3d6+3/19–20, Large masterwork greatsword) or +1 ranged (2d6+2/×3, Large composite longbow); SA —; SQ goliath traits; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8.

Skills and Feats: Climb –2, Jump –10, Sense Motive +2,

Survival +1; Toughness.

Goliath Traits (Ex): This warrior’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. He can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps.

He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. He is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon

Master’s Guide.

Possessions: Banded mail, Large masterwork greatsword,

Large composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), 20 Large arrows.

GOLIATH GROUPS

Goliath groups are as varied as the goliaths that comprise them. However, some typical examples are provided below for quick reference and to serve as a springboard for your own ideas. Each includes an Encounter Level (EL) to help assess its threat.

Dawncaller Team (EL 10–11): 1d3+1 goliath hunters, 1 goliath dawncaller (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes).

Hunting Team (EL 2–4): 1d3+1 goliath hunters.

Hunting Team, Elite (EL 13–15): 1d6+2 goliath hunters, 2 goliath cragtop archers (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes).

Stonespeaker Team (EL 11–12): 1d3+1 goliath warriors, 1 goliath stonespeaker guardian (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes), 1 goliath stonespeaker shaman.

Trading Team (EL 12–13): 1d4+2 goliath warriors, 1 goliath peregrine runner (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes), 1 goliath stonespeaker shaman.

Warband (EL 12–14): 1d6+2 goliath warriors, 2 goliath raiders, 1 goliath cragtop archer (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes).

Warband, Giant-Slaying (EL 13–14): 1d4+1 goliath warriors, 1d4+1 goliath raiders, 1 goliath liberator (see Chapter 5: Prestige Classes).

HOLIDAYS

Often overlooked in many campaigns, holidays provide a simple and interesting way to convey a race’s culture and beliefs. When the adventurers enter a gnome community during the chaotic and boisterous Dance of Lights, they can’t help but notice that the illusions around them seem more compelling; gnome culture seems more developed and complete because of it. Holidays shouldn’t be common occurrences, and in most cases, a little goes a long way. Most cultures should have only three or four major holidays in each year, but individual DMs have plenty of room to go beyond this guideline for special races or cultures. Remember too, that holidays needn’t all be annual events. A holiday that comes only once every four hundred years might carry more power (and therefore more substantial game effects) than an annual celebration. Likewise, a holiday that occurs every month will have a much greater chance of affecting an adventure than one that occurs only once a year, and will therefore play a much greater role in the campaign. Holidays can also serve to differentiate groups within a race or culture—religious holidays are the most common example of this kind of holiday, but guilds, clans, or any other group might have holidays of its own. These can provide a particularly interesting insight into a setting when they differ noticeably from the main culture around them. For example, if the dwarves of the Ironweave clan do not venerate Moradin, they might not celebrate the Days of Forging. This unusual custom might cause strained relations or even confl ict with clans that do so. The section below details sample holidays that you can include in your campaign. Although the holidays are split between races, feel free to choose among them or create your own if they better fi t another race or culture in your campaign. None of the holidays described below are assigned to specifi c days of the year or month, allowing you to place them in your campaign’s calendar as you see fi t.

DWARF HOLIDAYS

Despite their stoic demeanor and sometimes dour reputation, dwarves celebrate a large number of holidays. Many of these holidays are unique to a particular clan or guild, and they remain unknown even to most dwarves. Whether a simple prayer at the beginning of a week that is sacred to a revered ancestor or a more elaborate ritual to celebrate the founding of a guild, these minor holidays appeal to dwarves’ lawful natures and their sense of honor. Most dwarves observe the small set of major holidays described below.

Table 8–8: Sample Holiday Benefits

Theme Season Duration Benefi t

Famous magic discovery Any 1 night +1 bonus to caster level

War, famous battle Any 1 day +2 bonus to Con

War memorial Any 1 day +1 morale bonus on saves

Renewal or rebirth Spring 3 days +2 bonus to Cha

Celebrate nature Spring 1 week +1 bonus on Handle Animal and wild empathy checks

Learning, scholarship Summer 2 days +1 competence bonus on Knowledge checks

Exploration, discovery Summer 1 week +1 morale bonus on Survival checks

Fortune, luck Fall 1 day +1 luck bonus on saving throws

Harvest Fall 3 days +1 morale bonus on Profession checks

Death, endings Winter 1 day +1 morale bonus on saves against fear effects

Renewal, the coming year Winter 1 week +1 morale bonus on Sense Motive checks

Avalanche: Originally, this celebration began as a slow, somber ceremony that many dwarves believed had the power to prevent avalanches, cave-ins, and similar natural disasters common to the mountains and underground regions that dwarves inhabit. As the tradition grew, however, it became more of a celebration and less of a warning, and the ceremonial aspects all but disappeared. Although it still bears the name Avalanche, this one-day celebration has almost nothing in common with its origins. On the day of Avalanche, dwarves gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls when charging (instead of the normal +2 bonus), but when doing so they also take a –3 penalty to AC until the start of their next turn.

The Days of the Forging: In the early days of the world, Moradin forged the dwarf race in his own image and placed them deep within the shelter of the earth that he had created. Each year, on the anniversary of Moradin’s forging, dwarves celebrate their many gifts by crafting items of exquisite value and beauty. Many smiths produce their greatest works during this short period, and some go so far as to schedule their most demanding projects during the celebration. The Days of Forging are a time of toil and craft, but the dwarves celebrate all the same, chanting as they work and crafting well into the night. During the Days of the Forging, all dwarves gain a +1 morale bonus on Craft checks.

Fellhammer: Commemorating the days of the fallen and the anniversaries of famous battles is a strong and serious part of dwarf tradition, and many such minor holidays span a single clan or multiple nations. The most prominent of these is Fellhammer. Also known as the Days of Stone, Fellhammer commemorates the stand of three dwarf legions, led by the great Durek Fellhammer, against two hordes of orcs and goblinoids bent on the invasion of the civilized lands. Fellhammer is a two-day event that happens once per year. During the two days of Fellhammer, all dwarves gain a +1 morale bonus on melee weapon damage rolls.

GNOME HOLIDAYS

Gnome holidays celebrate life and wit, and almost all of them employ music as part of the celebration.

The Day of Silence: Life, for most gnomes, is peaceful and full of learning. As pleasant as this life is, gnomes learn never to take it for granted, mainly due to the Day of Silence. During the Day of Silence, gnomes do not speak, laugh, or play jokes of any kind. They take this day to contemplate quietly, pray, and remind themselves that the life they have is not always easy. The prohibition against speaking during the Day of Silence includes the use of verbal components for spellcasting. In extreme cases, a gnome can break this restriction, but afterward she takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saves for three days.

The Dance of Lights: The Dance of Lights is a weeklong celebration at the height of spring. Gnomes fi ll the time with lively music, dancing, and wondrous illusions. Many gnome communities hold contests to see who can produce the most compelling illusions. Members of other races often have a diffi cult time appreciating the Dance of Lights because of the prevalence of illusion magic and the large number of practical jokes that gnomes indulge in during the celebration. During the week of the Dance of Lights, add +1 to the Diffi culty Class for all saving throws against illusions cast by gnomes. This bonus stacks with the normal +1 bonus that all gnomes add to the Diffi culty Class of illusion spells that they cast.

Tumanor: Named for a great gnome bard, Tumanor is a celebration of giving and generosity. It is common practice for gnomes to give something of personal value to an individual that they greatly respect, and many gnomes make it a point to give smaller gifts to other friends and make sure that those friends know that they are important to the gnome and worthy of his respect. During Tumanor, gnomes gain a +1 morale bonus on Diplomacy checks.

GOLIATH HOLIDAYS

Although their towns and villages have yet to reach the size or wealth of the great human cities, goliaths have a rich and interesting culture, full of traditions and important observances. Many of the goliath holidays share a theme of overcoming hardship or surviving in a hostile land.

Fury: One of the few goliath holidays with a martial theme, Fury is a time of great danger for the enemies of the goliaths, for they brim with rage and a desire to smash those who have done them wrong. During this three-day span, goliaths are more easily angered and much more