THE GIANT RUNESMITH. Written by Steven Gordon. Editing by Valerie Valdes. Design & Formatting by John Cason. Illustration by Kadra Alvaro

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2 THE GIANT RUNESMITH Written by Steven Gordon Produced by 2CGaming Editing by Valerie Valdes Illustration & Cover by Ambrose Hoilman Design & Formatting by John Cason Illustration by Kadra Alvaro OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ( Wizards ). All Rights Reserved. 1. 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3 ENCOUNTER LEVEL 5 (Scales 3 to 9) SUMMARY SHO, THE RUNESMITH How can a party of 5th level characters stand up against Sho is a stone giant, and like most of them, lives a solitary two cloud giants? With some big help from a generous life as an artisan. Her carvings are powerful as well as stone giant. She grants the players the last of her rune- beautiful, and have attracted the unfortunate attention magic, giving them the power to harness the energies of a pair of cloud giants. She enlists the players help in that course through the cloud giant s ritual site, and even preventing the cloud giants from getting their hands on become giants themselves, for a time. Will it be enough the runes, and offers a measure of their power to aid the 1 to stop the twin cloud giants before they call down a calamity from the heavens and devastate the countryside? party in achieving this goal. 1 There s only one way to find out. The following text will help establish the scene, if necessary, and provide some insight into Sho s personality. ENCOUNTER STATISTICS Standing 18 feet tall, the muscular woman before you would be intimidating if she had any expression other than a smile of genuine warmth on her face. In spite of Terrain Tags Exterior, nature, mountains Favors Monks, Rogues, Barbarians Foils Wizards, Sorcerers Encounter Weight Heavy (fully-rested parties only) Creatures 2x Cloud Giant Experience 15,000 XP (10,000 XP from creatures, 5,000 XP from terrain) all the chaos it has caused in the dreaming world, she gestures to the sky above, it cheers my heart to see such a fuss made over my work. But it cannot continue. My name is Sho, and I am a Runesmith. I bring you a gift. Sho spreads out a small (for a giant) bundle of cloth on the ground in front of her, revealing a set of eight runes, each carved in a stone slab. The artistry is incredible, and Sho beams with pride. Each of these runes will grant you great power. Some now, more later, when you find a site of matching energy to draw from. She looks at each of you in turn. Ask me of them, and I will tell you. Then choose wisely, and choose soon. Your enemies work tirelessly to prepare their ritual, and I desire to return to the real world beneath the earth.

4 2 Sho will offer the party their choice of runes and bind the runes into their gear, their skin, or their very essence. The particulars will depend on how you re choosing to use rune-magic in your campaign, but the important part is that the runes function as listed below, and that each character gets only one. It s okay if two characters pick the same rune, though diversity is usually good to have in an adventuring party. It s up to you whether to carry these powers forward, build on them, or have them wear off after this encounter. If you do carry them forward and they become problematic, a few options will be discussed later in the Plot Hooks section. Each rune option has a vague description if you want to keep the discussion in character, but you can just as easily tell your players directly what functions the different runes have. If you keep their functions a mystery, the encounter will be more challenging, and a party that goes in fully informed will have an easier time tackling the two Cloud Giants. Each rune has a simple power, which can be activated any time, and a complex power, which can only be activated in certain circumstances. This will be explained further in the encounter itself, but the general idea is that the character using the complex power must be standing in a location that is attuned to that rune. The runes are listed at the end of the encounter. As the GM, you re encouraged to print out copies of these signs for your players to keep on hand (similar to spell cards), for their quick-reference. The Stoneheart Once the players have all picked their runes, Sho provides them one final gift: The Stoneheart. This powerful rune allows a creature to take on the aspect of a Stone Giant temporarily, growing in size and strength. One character must choose The Stoneheart to begin with, but when its effects wear off, it is passed to another creature. Check The Stoneheart rune stat block at the end of the encounter for details on the benefits it confers. THE RUNIC CIRCLE This is the site of the Cloud Giants ritual. The first features likely to catch your party s attention are the sixteen pillars of stone, followed closely by the nine sigils on the ground. Three of these sigils glow with a peculiar magic. When the party arrives, the cloud giants are in deep concentration, pouring over their work. This gives the party the element of surprise, and you should ask them how they want to approach. They may have some success with diplomacy, but with a +7 bonus on Insight checks, the Cloud Giants are very difficult to deceive. Given the Cloud Giants motives, specifically the part where they re trying to destroy the surrounding cities with a ritual, a peaceful resolution is unlikely. The following text describes the Runic Circle to your players as they approach: You see the circle of standing stones exactly where Sho said it would be. Sixteen pillars of tall, carved stone encircle a set of nine runes. The runes vary in size, but only a few of them pulse with power. Two giants, both nearly 25 feet in height, work diligently on the runes. Though they lack the artistry of Sho s careful hands, they seem determined to get it right. THE GIANT RUNESMITH

5 Even though the Cloud Giants don t react to the party s initial approach, they are very perceptive. It is almost impossible for the whole party to get the drop on them, but a crafty rogue might be able to get into position to launch a surprise attack. TERRAIN Sigils The Cloud Giants have carved a number of sigils into the stone for channeling and empowering rune-magic. Some of the sigils are active and some are inactive. While a character stands on an active sigil, they can use the complex power of their chosen rune. To determine which sigils are active, on initiative count 20 every round (losing ties), roll 3d6 and compare the results to the following table, with one of the dice determining which rune becomes active in Set A, the second for Set B, and the third for Set C. For example, if you rolled a 2, a 4, and a 3, you would activate the NW, Center, and East runes. All other sigils become inactive. DIE RESULT SET A SET B SET C 1, 2 NW NORTH NE 3, 4 WEST CENTER EAST 5, 6 SW SOUTH SE When a player stands on an active sigil, he or she can use the complex power of their rune. Doing so sometimes requires an action, sometimes a reaction, as explained in that rune s description. Regardless of the method of use, once a complex rune has been used on an active sigil, that sigil becomes inactive. In essence, each active sigil can be used once. Active sigils will also help the cloud giants to power their own runic abilities, as detailed in their stat blocks. At initiative count 20 on the next round, roll 3d6 again, and activate another set of three runes, deactivating any that remained active from the previous set. 3 Rune Pillars These pillars are 5 ft. in length and width, with a height of 25 ft. They are rough and easy to climb, so while it takes twice as much movement to move up them, as normal, no ability checks are necessary. They offer cover to creatures that move behind them, providing a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws, as well as allowing sneaky characters to use Stealth and try to hide. TACTICS The Cloud Giants should seek to channel the power of the runes as often as possible. In addition to providing them with powerful attacks, it also THE GIANT RUNESMITH

6 4 prevents the party from taking advantage of the sigils. Initiative will play a big role in this fight, and if the players all act before the Cloud Giants, it s possible the creatures will never get to channel the sigils. Likewise, if the Cloud Giants act before the party, the players will be at a major disadvantage. The giants should stay near the active sigils as much as they can, throwing boulders at distant targets and channeling the power of the sigils whenever possible, though they are unlikely to risk an opportunity attack from the player affected by The Stoneheart even to get at a sigil. They should attack whoever is using The Stoneheart, but also be willing to spread the damage around a little bit they are very overconfident. If one Cloud Giant is slain, the other will attack whoever dealt the killing blow relentlessly, stopping only when they are unconscious. Neither of the giants should finish off downed characters, preferring to attack the still-conscious threats to their ritual. The Cloud Giants fight to the death. TREASURE The powerful runes the party has gained are the main treasure here, but the Cloud Giants may, at your discretion, have in their possession 3d6 valuable gemstones (malachite, greenstone, and opals), each worth 25 gold pieces. Discussion of whether or not the players should keep the runes will be covered in the Plot Hooks section. PLOT HOOKS So your players have some powerful runes. You could have them simply stop working after this encounter, but that s not very fun. That said, you don t want to just give them these toys without a price. At the very least, the players will become a target for giants, attracting potentially lethal attention to themselves. You can give them the opportunity to give up the runes, possibly to a giant, possibly to another individual or faction that seeks to make use of them. This faction may be aligned with the party s interests, or they might be opposed. The runes can make a great bargaining CLOUD GIANT HUGE GIANT, NEUTRAL EVIL Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 200 (16d12+96) Speed 40 ft. Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha 27 (+8) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saves Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +7 Skills Insight +7, Perception +7 Senses passive Perception 17 Languages Common, Giant Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Traits Keen Smell: The Giant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Rune Magic: Instead of casting spells like most Cloud Giants, these giants have opted to learn the art of runes. This gives them additional abilities, noted in the Bonus Actions section. Actions Multiattack: The giant makes two Morningstar attacks. Morningstar: Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8+8) piercing damage. Rock: Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10+8) bludgeoning damage. Bonus Actions Channel Rune: The giant selects one active sigil it can see within 5 ft. and channels the magic within. This deactivates the rune, allowing the giant to project an elemental orb which targets a point within 30 ft. of the sigil. The orb detonates on impact at that point. All creatures within 5 ft. of the detonation point must make a Dexterity save against a DC of 15 or take 21 (6d6) cold damage. A successful save halves the damage. On a failed save, the creature is also subject to one additional effect of the giant s choice: Kald (Cold): Creatures that failed their saves are Restrained until the end of their next turn. Vind (Air): Creatures that failed their saves are pushed 20 ft. away from the center of the effect and knocked prone. THE GIANT RUNESMITH

7 tool, as well, potentially allowing the party to gain a favor from a noble or other major figure they ordinarily wouldn t be able to influence. Another option, if you don t want the runes to be a longterm thing, is to have Sho warn the players that the runes will eventually cease to function, but that she doesn t know when. They ll last for the entire fight with the cloud giants, but they might stop working the next day, or the next week. This will make your players apprehensive about relying on them, and makes the moment when you take the runes away something for the characters to be frustrated by, not the players. It will feel like the characters are struggling with the mysteries of rune-magic, not like you, the angry DM, are taking fun things away from your players. CHANGING THE FLAVOR This encounter hinges upon giants and rune-magic, but you can make tweaks to the setting to fit your campaign. You can place the Cloud Giants ritual site anywhere that is close to something your party doesn t want to get destroyed. You can also replace the stone giant, Sho, with an NPC of your own (potentially even a non-giant, depending on how you ve chosen to integrate rune-magic into your game). The runes don t have to originate from a giant; they could be something a human or elf (or any other small folk ) has created to even the playing field against the giants. SCALING BY LEVEL EL 3 (-5,000 XP): Remove one Cloud Giant. A single Cloud Giant is still a serious threat to a 3rd level party, but with the aid of runes and especially The Stoneheart, they will be able to prevail. One or more characters might be knocked unconscious, so you might want to have Sho provide them with a few healing potions if they aren t carrying any. EL 7 (+5,000 XP): Add another Cloud Giant. Change the sigils so that each active sigil can be used once by the party and once by the giants before it deactivates. These changes will make the encounter much more challenging, but a wellcoordinated party should be able to handle it. They will be less reliant on The Stoneheart and more able to handle the Cloud Giants on their own terms. EL 9 (+10,000 XP): Add a Storm Giant. Change the sigils so that each active sigil can be used once by the party and once by the giants before it deactivates. Storm Giants are incredibly dangerous foes, and the party will need to be at the top of their game to tackle this trio. SCALING BY TACTICS Easier: The way you aim the giants rune-magic will strongly affect how dangerous it is. Use the ability to primarily target individuals, and try to spread the giant s attacks out between different targets. One of the giants should attack whichever player is under the effects of The Stoneheart, letting those temporary hit points soak up as much damage as possible. The other one should always pick a different target. Don t always have them channel their runes, and never have them risk opportunity attacks to get to another sigil. That should make them a much more manageable threat. Harder: If the Cloud Giants focus their attacks on the character under the effects of The Stoneheart, they ll likely knock them out of it in a single round. Make sure they channel their rune-magic as often as they can, even if they have to take an opportunity attack to get close enough to an active sigil. Between these two tweaks, they ll be a big threat to the party. Lethal: Killing the party is pretty different from just making this fight a challenge. If you want to leave a pile of dead bodies, the Cloud Giants should focus their attacks on whichever party members aren t using The Stoneheart. Spellcasters and rogues are tempting targets. Have them team up on these more vulnerable party members to take them down 5 THE GIANT RUNESMITH

8 ILD (FIRE) VIND (AIR) STEIN (STONE) The Ild sign will spark the hottest flames from the smallest ember. Simple Power: Fireborn You can use an action to cause any weapons you hold to deal fire damage instead of their normal damage type. You end this effect with an action or when you cease holding the weapon. Complex Power: Sweltering Surge When you deal fire damage to a creature, you can channel this rune to maximize the damage, dealing the maximum possible result of all dice to that creature. If you deal fire damage to multiple creatures, the damage is maximized against only one of them, and you must roll damage normally against all other targets. Those who wield the sign of Vind are fleet of foot, and can call the air itself to restrain their foes. Simple Power: Windswept Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you make initiative checks with advantage. Complex Power: Howling Gale As an action, you can focus a whirlwind of air on a creature you can see within 90 ft. That creature becomes Restrained for 1 minute. It can use its action to make a Strength check against DC 14, freeing itself on a success. Stein will keep you safe. Simple Power: Armor of Earth You gain a +2 bonus to AC. Complex Power: Bulwark As a bonus action, you intensify the power of the Stein rune around yourself or one creature you can see. The target gains resistance to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage for 1 minute. KALT (COLD) SYRE (ACID) TORDEN (THUNDER) The Kalt rune can be focused into a devastating barrage. Simple Power: Cloak of Ice Each time a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack, that creature takes 3 cold damage. Complex Power: Hailstorm As an action, you conjure a barrage of ice that covers a 20 ft. cube centered on a point within 90 ft. of you. All creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against DC 14. On a failed save, they take 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and their speed is reduced to 0 until the end of their next turn. A successful saving throw reduces the damage by half and negates the speed penalty. Syre melts all it touches, making your foes easier targets. It can also be used defensively, making you much less appealing prey. Simple Power: Corrosive Touch When you hit a creature with a weapon or spell attack, the next attack roll against that creature has advantage. Complex Power: Acidic Backlash As a bonus action, you coat yourself in a sheath of acid. The next time you are hit by a melee weapon attack, the attacker must make a Dexterity saving throw against DC 14, taking 21 (6d6) acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. That attacking creature s next attack roll has disadvantage. None can withstand the might of the Torden rune. Your weapons land mighty blows and thunder with the might of a storm. Simple Power: Raw Force Your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 thunder damage. Complex Power: Sonic Boom When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can use this rune to unleash a detonation, dealing an additional 22 (4d10) thunder damage and forcing them to make a Constitution saving throw against DC 14. On a failed save they are pushed up to 20 ft. away from you and knocked prone. A successful save reduces the damage by half and the target is neither pushed nor knocked prone.

9 LYSGLIMT (LIGHTNING) With Lysglimt, you leap like lightning. With enough focus, you can even call a bolt from the heavens to smite your enemies. Simple Power: Conductive Leap With a bonus action, you teleport up to 10 ft. to an unoccupied location you can see. Complex Power: Lightning Strike As an action, you manifest the storm, calling down a bolt of lightning targeting a creature you can see within 120 ft. of you. That creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against DC 14, taking 27 (6d8) lightning damage on a failed saving throw or half as much on a success. There must be open sky above you to use this power. RUHKSTAG (THE STONEHEART) This powerful rune allows a creature to take on the aspect of a Stone Giant temporarily, growing in size and strength. Simple Power: Aspect of The Stoneheart When the creature activates this simple power, they take on the physical shape of a Stone Giant. While in this form, the creature s gear melds into the new form. The creature cannot activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of its equipment. Additionally, the creature gains the following benefits. The creature gains 50 temporary hit points, and cannot gain any more while affected by The Stoneheart. The effects of The Stoneheart last until these temporary hit points are depleted, or until the creature chooses to end them (no action required). The creature s size increases to Large. Creatures that are already Large or Larger do not change size. The creature has advantage on all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. The creature gains a new attack: Slam (see below). Characters with the Extra Attack feature can make multiple Slam attacks while affected by The Stoneheart. Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) bludgeoning damage. When a creature loses the benefits of The Stoneheart, whether from taking damage or by choosing to end it, they may select a willing creature within 60 ft. to pass The Stoneheart to. That creature gains the Stoneheart and can activate its simple power immediately. Once a creature has been affected by The Stoneheart, that creature can t be affected again until they finish a long rest. STRALENDE (RADIANT) Stralende is the essence of life, empowering your magic with the power to mend injuries and turn your pain into a shield. Simple Power: Healer s Touch Whenever you expend a spell slot to cast a spell or use an ability, you or one ally you can see within 30 ft. regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell slot used. Complex Power: Martyr s Blessing As a bonus action, you invoke the spirit of the martyr. The next time you take damage from an attack or spell, all allies you can see within 30 ft. gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage you took.

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