Fomorian [Giant]

No two fomorians look alike. Each is a hulking monster bent by its own deformities, chosen by the DM: a limb or facial feature in the wrong place, a twisted limb, a hump, a bulging or sagging body part, something oversized or shrunken, flapping ears, a massive snout, huge feet on stubby legs. Pale skin bristles with patches of wiry hair and is dotted with warts and lumps. Some reek of sweat while others have no smell at all, and each has its own peculiar voice.

Any club or blunt weapon a fomorian wields deals double damage plus 8 for Strength; bare fists hit for 2d4+8. Their deformities keep them from throwing boulders the way true giants do. A thick hairy hide plus scavenged pelts and scraps of metal give AC 3, and extra armor or a shield can push that to AC 1 at best.

Their usual tactic is to creep up on a foe and strike as hard as possible. Since they move so slowly and carefully, opponents take -2 on surprise rolls, while eyes and ears in odd spots mean fomorians are surprised only on a 1 on 1d10. Any victim kept alive is crudely tortured to death and then eaten.

Fomorians live in mountain caves, deserted mines and other underground places, rarely changing anything and simply making do. They wander the tunnels almost without limit, stopped only by dangers they would rather avoid. A clan chooses a small alcove that it considers defensible, and bodies of enemies sometimes mark its territory. Their only treasure is loot from victims; armor scraps get patched into their own gear, where neglect soon ruins them.

Depravity rules their society. The strongest and most vicious giant dominates whoever is close enough, usually only a few, and females and young live as slaves. Violence is routine and sometimes crippling or fatal.

Fomorians do join evil alliances, but only with creatures that dominate them or could. The bond lasts exactly as long as their fear does; once interests diverge or the threat fades, they betray their partners at the first chance.

Food is scarce underground, which suits them, since they can go weeks on little or nothing. They eat nearly anything organic, from lichens, fungi and plants to bats, mice and fish, but relish large mammals, above all ones that plead for their lives. Mealtime involves torment rather than cooking.