Giff

Category	Races
Type	large-sized humanoid
Creation	3 Warper 8612 DE
Language	Battlehymn, Giff
Native	Marragh

With the passing of the Prime Architect on 3 Warper 8612 DE, the inaugural member of the Giff race emerged. Christened Primus, he was born from the heart of the Prime Architect, the Primus Hexaconta. For over a century, Primus stood alone as the sole Giff. In the subsequent God Era, Primus sought to aid the Covenant during the Demon Spawn War ( 89 GE - 269 GE ) . After discovering a cache of energy on Mechanus, Primus set out to assemble an army. This cache contained Sparks of Creation, the materials he used to spawn an army of soldiers akin to himself, catalyzing the proliferation of the Giff race. Following the Demon Spawn War, Primus's Giff armies retired to the Marragh, the Giff homeworld.

The giff are a militaristic race renowned for their highly disciplined warriors. In giff society, loyalty and obedience to orders are esteemed as virtuous traits.

The ferocious assault of a Giff Platoon is a daunting spectacle, yet witnessing a Githyanki Attack Squad accompanied by a giff assault unit is a harrowing experience. The ear-piercing roar of bazookas, the thunderous din of primitive muskets, the belching of star cauldrons, and the piercing bolts of positive energy from their Gith Lances unleash a path of devastation and terror.

Niras Reev'f, from the autobiography titled "My Rise to Power"

Giffs possess an unwavering fascination with all things military and an insatiable thirst for combat. Even within their own ranks, wrestling and non-lethal fighting matches are commonplace occurrences. Trailing closely behind the giffs' ardor for combat is their exceptional proficiency in repairing and forging armor, a skill in which they are second only to the dwarves.

The Giff are less intelligent than the Tragarans. Consequently, they typically serve as mercenaries for more intellectually adept beings. Notably, they will never engage in combat against members of their own race. The powerfully muscular physiques of these creatures enable them to surge through the ranks of closely grouped troops like a rampaging bulette. Rigorous military training, drilling, and discipline have honed the densely muscular bodies of the Giff into an efficient fighting force. Some possess capabilities rivaling those of a lesser titan. Only the battle-tested veterans of their society possess this remarkable strength. These elite Giff are known as Juggernauts.

A Giff is referred to as a Juggernaut if they have attained the eighth level or higher. This distinguished title is carried as a surname and is spoken with honor by fellow Giff or those familiar with Giff customs.

It is customary for giff juggernauts to be blessed by the formidable power of their patron deity, Atlas. These divinely selected giff are held in high esteem among their people and typically spearhead their armies into combat, often leading from the vanguard. Atlas bestows favor upon those Juggernauts who endure numerous battles and exhibit exceptional martial prowess. Once these chosen Juggernauts reach the 12th level, they undergo a divinely inspired transformation, becoming a more potent variant known as a Dreadnought ; fortunately for the giff's adversaries, dreadnoughts are scarcely encountered.

There have been reports of dreadnought Lyans with life energy equivalent to that of a mature dragon. Some renowned soldiers include Thunder Foot, Titan Fury, Iron Palm, Blutium Skull, and Hammer Head.

Himril Girderhead - "Giff Champions"

Giff are also ardent imbibers, surpassing even the Dulun in their proclivity for drink. They revel in the company of these stout dwarves (and their potent libations) more than any other species.

It is common for giff to enter combat in a heavily intoxicated state. This may be done to steady their nerves or evoke memories of the tranquil days aboard the great ale barges of Strongheart.

The Agile One, from the book Story of the Golden Elite - "Dialogues with Himril the Ironclad "

The giff natives of Marragh, a world with a sparse population and fewer culturally advanced races than Bal-Kriav, are frequently perceived as uncouth. The majority of Giff revere either Atlas, Primus, or both deities.

Racial Traits

Trait	Description
Mechanus Born	A giff must remain lawful in alignment. Any change from lawful alignment will result in them becoming afflicted with a random insanity but never a form of paranoia. The insanity lasts until they return to a lawful alignment.
Might of Atlas	+4 Strength
Structural Hardiness	+2 Constitution
Lumbering	-2 Dexterity
Groundstomper	-2 Intelligence
Cube Adaption	prolonged proximity to Marragh's Cube of Arcane has led to a spell resistance, SR 13; a giff with a 15 or higher intelligence is capable of willing this magic resistance up or down. Furthermore, the giff earns a +1 SR bonus for each intelligence point over 14.
Ram	At 8th level, a giff becomes known as a giff juggernaut. As one, they can charge with a head butt scoring 3d6 (plus strength modifier) points of damage. In addition, the enemy {giff size or smaller} must make a Fortitude check (DC17) or be stunned for one round.
Flesh of Atlas	At 10th level, the hide of the giff has toughened and taken on a steel gray sheen resulting in a +6 natural AC.
Greater Ram	At 12th level, the giff juggernaut becomes known as a giff dreadnought. The damage from a Ram increases to 4d6 points of damage and stunning lasts for 1-4 rounds, with the Fortitude DC increasing to 20. Greater Ram can stun a creature one size category larger than the giff.
Alcohol Resistant	Constitution unaffected by the effects of alcohol
ECL	+2