Also any advice on how to roleplay frost giants? I played hill giants like the standare big dumb thugs, and fire giants as big evil dwarves(which unfortunately sound like pirates, don't ask me why). What do frost giants sound and act like. They seem kind of like big vikings, but the only scandinavian flavor I know is the swedish chef.
Any tips?
The net has dozens of sites dedicated to the vicking culture. A simple google search will uncover as many as you need. If you happen to have the old (2E) HR1 Vickings Campaign Sourcebook, that would save you some time (it's available as pdf on RPGNow btw)
Frost Giants have always struck me as survivors in the best sense of the term. The land where they live hasn't many readily available resources. Even gathering enough food to keep your clan fed is a daily challenge to them. Hunting is obviously their favorite activity (both for food and to gather the furs they use in their clothing).
Since they wear armor and use metal weapons, it means either they have smiths (which means an access to raw minerals) OR that they have a deal with a race that can produce those for them (fire giants, duergars, etc..).
Mead/ale will be an important part of their culture.. but where do they get it? It's not like a land of ice is suited to it. Answering that question might yield a better understanding of their relationship with other cultures (for instance, having to rely on hill giants for ale and on fire giants for metal tools).
The creatures they share their lair with aren't dumb beasts so remember not to treat them that way. Polar bears make for strong pets!
Winter wolves are hunting partners, not slaves. Remorhaz should be a sacred beast, probably a companion of the Jarl or the shaman.
White dragons will rarely be kept as 'pet' because even a giant realize that sooner or later the dragon will outgrow them and have its revenge. Thus, only young ones will be found.
This is a culture of warrior, tough as nails, who value strength and stamina. They will have a code of conduct but one 'civilized' folks would view as barbaric. Yet, they will stick to it. Without one, their civilization wouldn't have been able to endure for so long.
Hope this helps
This friday night is 'fight night' with the party entering the the environs of the Glacial Rift. Any advice on running this module? In some ways it looks more straightforward than G1, since the layout is more standard dungeon-like.
I would actually say the opposite: the giants in G2 should be trying to toss PCs off into the rift left-and-right, which would effectively split the party, and allow other giants to hurl boulders down on those below too---perhaps while they're stuck fighting the remorahz ;)
I don't have to worry about the interplay between the two map levels as much.
Think of the rift as an opportunity instead of a worry :D
I would actually say the opposite: the giants in G2 should be trying to toss PCs off into the rift left-and-right, which would effectively split the party, and allow other giants to hurl boulders down on those below too---perhaps while they're stuck fighting the remorahz ;)
I like the flinging PC's into the rift idea, mainly because I really want them to fight the remoraz and white puddings. I just like weird monsters. But aren't frost giants encountered inside caves along the rim?
Remember grapple, trip, bull rush etc... are the best friends of the 'huge' humanoid, and especially useful against spell casters.
in 1-2 edition they are described as having dead-white or ivory colored skin and blue or light yellow hair... and although the picture of the frost giant in the 3e monster manual gives him a bluish cast to his skin the actual desription says that his skin is "snowy white" and that he has light blue hair.
sorry, but I had to get that off of my chest... it is just something that bothers me.
I won't have any trouble running the frosties in combat, I've become familiar with the strongarm tactics giants like to use, as you mentioned above.
What I'm looking for is some "schtick" in speech and action I can use to RP the giants in an entertaining fashion. Like using some Norse mythological references in their exclamations, etc.
One thing I would say to remember. Keep in mind what happens if the party Magic User throws a fireball while in the rift. Our party was un-pleasantly surprised by the amount of fog, cave-ins and slick, icy footings it caused.
The dragons if I recall correctly (this was back in '88), pretty much ignored what was happening until we were forced back into their cave. Imagine a surprise breath weapon attack on an already weakened party... BRRRRrrrrrrr.
I also recommend digging up the article about G3 in The Dragon 19, page 6---this details one group of tourney players' activities in that module, as well as giantish tactics and responses to PC incursions.
Both are well-worth digging up for inspiration, even though neither deals with G2 directly.
PS: easy solution on the map scale: increase it to 1 square = 20'---they are giants after all!