Giant, Marsh

Marsh Giant Creature8

CE Large Amphibious Giant Humanoid

Senses Perception +16; low-light vision

Languages Aklo, Common, Jotun

Skills Athletics +18, Intimidation +15, Religion +17

Str +6, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +1

Items +1 striking gaff, sack with 5 rocks

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AC 27; Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +17

HP 150

Catch Rock [reaction]

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Speed 35 feet, swim 20 feet

Melee [one-action] gaff +20 (magical, reach 10 feet, trip, versatile P), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoning

Melee [one-action] fist +20 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoning

Ranged [one-action] rock +20 (brutal, range increment 120 feet), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoning

Occult Innate Spells DC 23; 5th mariner’s curse; 2nd augury, obscuring mist

Hook Shake [one-action] Requirements A creature adjacent to the marsh giant is prone in water at least 1 foot deep; Effect The marsh giant uses its gaff to shake the creature back and forth and hold it underwater. The giant attempts an Athletics check against the target’s Fortitude DC.

Critical Success The target takes 6d6+14 piercing damage and loses 5 rounds’ worth of air if they were holding their breath.

Success The target takes 3d6+14 piercing damage and loses 3 rounds’ worth of air if they were holding their breath.

Failure The target is unaffected.

Critical Failure As failure, but the giant drops its gaff as well.

Throw Rock [one-action]

Twist the Hook [two-actions] The marsh giant makes a melee Strike with its gaff. If it hits, it twists and yanks the gaff to create an awful wound, dealing 3d6 persistent bleed damage to the creature.

About

Dwellers of brackish coastal salt marshes and fetid bogs and swamps, marsh giants are hideous in appearance indeed, with fishlike mouths, slimy gray-green skin, and dark, beady eyes. They prefer to eat the flesh of those they slay in battle, but many are also cannibals. It is perhaps this vicious behavior that keeps the creatures in check, for if a fellow marsh giant becomes too dangerous and powerful, it runs the risk of being ambushed and consumed by its clan.

Marsh giants are insular and mysterious, dedicating much of their lives to zealous worship of sea-dwelling deities or stranger entities. While there is no central religion followed by all marsh giants, many are known to venerate the demon lord Dagon, while others worship even more powerful monstrosities from the Elder Mythos, such as distant, dreaming Cthulhu.

Only rarely do more than a dozen marsh giants settle together in a location, but when they do it is often for a religious purpose. Whatever call from the deep draws them together also tugs at nearby creatures such as boggards or skum, who look upon marsh giants in fear and reverence. The grim, terrifying chants and screams coming from such an encampment are a sure sign of terror to come for any other residents of the area.

Barely topping 11 feet tall and 1,000 pounds, marsh giants are small for giants but make up for their relatively diminutive stature with their zealotry.

Many marsh giants fight with oversized gaffs-lengths of wood with a single metal spike affixed to the tip. Used often by fisherfolk to land fish, marsh giants use their gaffs as weapons. A gaff sized for a Medium creature is a common martial weapon in the club group. It deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and has 1 Bulk. It requires one hand to use and has the trip and versatile P weapon traits. Gaffs are readily available in fishing or coastal settlements for 1 gp.