FREQUENCY: Very rare
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 24” (30” over ice, See below)
HIT DICE: 18
%IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20/2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Trampling (3-30)
SPECIAL DEFENSE: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (Chaotic neutral)
SIZE: L (30' long,20' at shoulder)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IX/9650+25/hp
These extremely rare creatures are the storm giant horses of legend. Even storm giants think they are hard to find. To others, they are simply known as woefarers.
They can move very fast over ice, even very little of it, as if floating. In addition, while they cannot fly, they can leap very far up to one mile. This is how they return to their lofty homes in the largest of clouds (See below).
They have an affinity and temperament for destruction but also they are natural builders and they can increase stronghold construction times (divide by 4) and they have a siege value of 8 per round (wood), nil (earth), 6 per round (soft stone), and 4 per round (hard stone). They will pile up and make strange habitats out of the "nubilous stratum” of clouds islands (See below). They can carry up to 10,000 gp unencumbered and 20,000 gp encumbered. If encumbered they can no longer jump one mile but a distance of half that (1/2 mile;2640 feet).
They speak the language of all horses and horse-like creatures. They speak the tongue common to Northern European-like countries and if broken in (50% chance) they will speak the language of their riders. They will respect heroic veteran horses that have seen many combats but ultimately will not willingly break from their chaotic alignment and run off or kick wildly. There are unlikely, but possible considering the subject, exceptions to this. If the mount of a deity is present (for example, Sleipnir, the horse of Odin/Wotan) then they will be calm. A 20th level cavalier may approach them and speak with them on peaceful terms but only on subjects involving their direct interest.
Riders must be at least over 10 feet tall to "saddle" and use a giant-sized saddle on these beasts. All tack and harness can be acquired custom at 100x the price but a custom human-sized saddle would require an elaborate tack and harness system at least a year to make at a cost of 10,000 gp.
Description: They appear as massive warhorses of white with dark eyes.
Aether clouds: In the World of the Swordlands, there are strange cloud “islands” that exist in the Upper Aether (Where the atmosphere meets the Ethereal Plane) and are the fabled homes of giants as well as other creatures. It is said that the “ground” is made of a mysterious implaccable but equally soft substance that originates from the Elemental Plane of Air called nubilous stratum by those of the clouds (Note: This subject I’m going to cover more about in an upcoming feature on elemental dwarves. Keep posted.). Giants make their abodes on the highest peaks of gnarled “mountains” over flat, low-flying and stratus-like plains. In that massive flat expanse is the home of the woefarers who feed on strange wisp-like growths called "scirra grass" (while not magical alone it can be used to concoct flying potions) and find shelter in the valleys below the giant domains.
Note: Also in my campaign, the Swordlands, many of these creatures were enslaved long ago by an evil empire in the clouds that uses them for their raids on the lands below. This kind of woefarer are known as the “Horses of the Night Giants”. This breed is totally corrupt and serve as mounts for evil cloud giants. They appear dark grey (almost black) with bright red mane, tail and foot hair. They have a blue spark to their black eyes. They speak their alignment tongue of neutral evil, as well as cloud giant and a smattering of the languages of the various evil giants and larger humanoids.
COPYRIGHT 2018 GENE WEIGEL
