Giant, Cloud

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Any mountains or magical cloud islands
FREQUENCY:	Very rare
ORGANIZATION:	Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Any
DIET:	Special
INTELLIGENCE:	Average to very (8-12)
TREASURE:	E, Q (x5)
ALIGNMENT:	Neutral (good 50%, evil 50%)
NO. APPEARING:	1-10
ARMOR CLASS:	0
MOVEMENT:	15
HIT DICE:	16 + 2-7 hit points
THAC0:	5
NO. OF ATTACKS:	1
DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1-10, or by weapon (6-24+11)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:	Hurling rocks for 2-24
SPECIAL DEFENSES:	Surprised only on a 1
MAGIC RESISTANCE:	Nil
SIZE:	H (24' tall)
MORALE:	Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE:	10,000
Infant	Nil
Juvenile, -3	975
Juvenile, -2	3,000
Juvenile, -1	5,000
Spell caster, 1st	11,000
Spell caster, 2nd	11,000
Spell caster, 3rd	11,000
Spell caster, 4th	13,000

Cloud giants consider themselves above all other giants, save storm giants, whom they consider equals. They are creative, appreciate fine things, and are master strategists in battle.

Cloud giants have muscular human builds and handsome, well-defined features. The typical cloud giant is 24 feet tall and weighs 11,500 pounds. Female cloud giants can be 1 to 2 feet shorter and 1,000 to 2,000 pounds lighter. Cloud giants' skin ranges in color from a milky-white tinged with blue to a light sky blue. Their hair is silvery white or brass and their eyes are an iridescent blue. Cloud giants can live to be 400 years old.

A cloud giant's natural Armor Class is 0. Although they will wear no armor, these giants prize magical protection devices, and one in 20 will have such a device. Cloud giants dress in clothing made of the finest materials available and wear jewelry. Many of the giants consider their appearance an indication of their station; the more jewelry and the better the clothes, the more important the giant. Cloud giants also appreciate music, and the majority of giants are able to play one or more instruments (their favorite is the harp). Unlike most other giant races, cloud giants leave their treasure in their lairs, carrying with them only food, throwing rocks, 10-100 (10d10) coins, and a musical instrument.

Cloud giants speak their own tongue and the language of all other giants. In addition, 60% of all cloud giants speak common.

Combat: Cloud giants fight in well-organized units, using carefully developed battle plans. They prefer to fight from a position above their opponents. A favorite tactic is to circle the enemy, barraging them with rocks while the giants with magical abilities assault them with spells. Cloud giants can hurl rocks to a maximum of 240 yards, causing 2-24 (2d12) points of damage. Their huge morningstars do 6-24 (6d4) +11 points of damage, three times normal (man-sized) damage plus their strength bonus. One in 10 cloud giants will have a magical weapon.

Habitat/Society: Cloud giants live in small clans of no more than six giants. However, these clans know the location of 1-8 other clans and will band together with some of these clans for celebrations, battles, or to trade. These joined clans will recognize one among them to be their leader -- this is usually an older cloud giant who has magical abilities. One in 10 cloud giants will have spells equivalent to a 4th level wizard, and one in 20 cloud giants will be the equivalent of a 4th level priest. A cloud giant cannot have both priest and wizard abilities.

If encountered in a lair, half will be immature giants. To determine a giant's maturity, roll 1d4. A roll of 4 indicates an infant with no combat ability and hit points of ogre. Rolls of 1-3 indicate older progeny with hit dice, damage, and "to hit" rolls equal to that of a fire giant.

The majority of cloud giants live on cloud-covered mountain peaks in temperate and sub-tropical areas. These giants make their lairs in crude castles. Only 10% of good cloud giants live in castles on enchanted clouds. All giants dwelling there are able to levitate their own weight plus 2,000 pounds three times a day, create a fog cloud three times a day, and create a wall of fog once a day. These abilities are performed as a 6th level wizard.

There is a 60% chance a cloud giant mountain lair will be guarded by 1-4 spotted lions, 2-5 (1d4+1) owl bears, or 2-5 (1d4+1) griffons (1-2 wyverns for evil cloud giants). In addition, there is a 50% chance the lairs of evil cloud giants will contain 1-20 human and demi-human slaves. There is an 80% chance that a cloud island lair will be guarded by 2-5 (1d4+1) griffons, 2-8 (2d4) hippogriffs, or 2-5 (1d4+1) giant eagles.

Cloud lairs are fantastic places with giant-sized gardens of fruit trees. According to legend, some giants mine their cloud islands for small chunks of the purest silver.

Ecology: Cloud giants prefer food that is carefully prepared with spices and sauces, and they relish fine, aged wines.

Good cloud giants trade with human and demi-human communities for food, wine, jewelry, and cloth. Some cloud giant clans will establish good relations with such communities, and will come to the communities' aid if they are endangered. Evil cloud giants raid human and demi-human communities to get what they want.

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