Page 27 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

skinned, icy children.
the war horns that presage the arrival of Thrym's blue-
capped mountains and northern steppes shudder at
even from most fire giants.
are true, these sites are expertly hidden and kept secret
of the wind heralding a storm, the denizens of ice-
tle that wHI decide the fate of the world. If the suspicions
killed elk is as flame to them. As a sailor fears the howl
battle gear in preparation for a final. air-encompassing bat-
world. Anything warmer than the flesh of a recently
shops and armories where they manufacture and stockpile
Frost giants dwell in the remote, frozen places of the
suspect that priests of Surtur maintain clandestine work-
FROST GIANTS
Surtur is tinged with an apocalyptic air. Some observers
Because of the destructive power of fire, the worship of
and lay waste to cities.
useful talents or stronger backs).
.
ful tool; when it rages unchecked, it can bring down forests
thral, adamantine, or different slaves (ones with more
forge. When fire is controlled, it is the giants' most power-
such as gold or gems: fire giants prefer payment in mi-
to withstand the heat, such as the best steel from the
reasons. The ransom demanded rarely involves baubles
fmpurities and leaves behind only what is strong enough
the most likely to win this sort of reprieve, for obvious
In the fire giants' world, fire is strength. It burns away
fluent prisoners such as merchants and aristocrats are
building things.
needed and others were willing to pay for its return. Af-
fire giants emulate his unsurpassed skill at creating and
determined that a slave had no particular talent they
ventures. Surtur is seen as the more clever of the two, and
back to their families or communities, once the giants
tales have the brothers acting side by side on grand ad-
Fire giants on many occasions have ransomed captives
in legends these contests are bloody batttes, but some
PAYING THE PRICE
they have competed with one another ever since. Often
first to cry out, the first to walk, and the first to talk. and
been born alongside Thrym. Each twin then tried to be the
spent keeping a tunnel from collapsing on slaves.
Surtur, the chief deity offire giants, is befieved to have
ing and metalwork are valued more highly than effort
SURTUR'S CLEANSINC FIRE
shafts and digging out ore is important work, but smelt-
manage slaves and mining operations. Excavating mine
Giants that stand low in the ordning are assigned to
diseased slaves; they're tough enough to deter most in-
giant's personal assessment of the structure's integrity.)
able to survive on the fire giants' scraps and on dead or
for the excavation, not to solicit a second opinion on the
eter guards of a sort. Trolls require little maintenance,
to ensure that the right tools and materials are on hand
rarely used parts of their fortresses, serving as perim-
of tunnel excavation. (Such a consultation would only be
their strongholds. Some allow trolls to roam free in
a slav~ engineer right before beginning a difficult stage
enslaved) to harness fire elementals as guardians for
"consult with" a slave physician when it falls ill, or with
and they sometimes persuade human wizards (free or
a person. That said, it's not unheard of for a fire giant to
Fire giants raise and train hell hounds as war dogs,
qualities, but even the smartest, best trained horse isn't
over their neighbors.
properly directed, and some might be prized for rare
tribe of fire giants that enjoyed this additional advantage
same way that humans view horses: they have utility if
and enslaved a cooperative general), little could stop a
tool, but as a rule fire giants view humans in much the
ever became a master of strategic planning (or captured
the sense that an owner uses less force with a delicate
tory they have already claimed. If an ambitious fire giant
Skilled slaves receive better treatment, at least in
tical engagements, mainly to solidify their hold on terri-
allowed to continue plying their trades.
but they have fought countless skirmishes and other tac-
ning), such as accounting, brewing, and medicine, are
mounted a grand, strategic effort to extend their sway,
don't practice (because they aren't valued in the ord-
toria's wars against the dragons, the fire giants have not
Only creatures that have skills the fire giants need but
Ever since the clans went their separate ways after Os-
of them have talents the fire giants consider "skilled."
determined by the cloud giants and the storm giants.
races are consigned to unskilled labor, because so few
worked together to dominate the world, strategy was
as part of their domain. Even master crafters of other
has it~ roots in tradition. In ages past, when the giants
in the giants' mines or on surface farms the giants claim
This deficiency isn't born from a lack of ability, but
Most creatures that fire giants capture are put to work
but the giants' understanding of strategy is rudimentary.
always more to be had if the supply runs low.
tery of combat tactics that few other warriors can match,
their slaves, because slaves aren't giants, and there are
themselves fit for battle. The typical fire giant has a mas-
ther are they particularly kind- they are uncaring about
they're drilling with weapons or exercising to keep
are capable of. They aren't overly cruel masters, but nei-
When fire giants aren't honing their crafting skills,
aspects of foundry operation and crafting that only they
MIGHTY FIGHTERS, POOR PLANNERS
labor, so the giants can concentrate on the more vital
giants enslave other creatures to accomplish unskilled
themselves, but from the slaves that they keep. Fire
stronghold. Most of that effort comes not from the giants
-Volo
It takes a lot of work to build and maintain a fire giant
you have really only one option,
the mines until you're toaaed in the coala,
SLAVES: LABOR-SAVING DEVICES
If you don't want to be forced to slave 1n
ha'V'e two option.a: d•arvee and 6re iia~t-e,:
threat to a fire gi~nt.
If you want forle won flt Jor a kinA• you
truders; and their susceptibility to fire makes them little