According to legend, many centuries before the current era there were a number of migrations by giant folk from their distant northern homeland of Hyperborea to the lands of mainland Greece. We used this myth as the basis for one of the adventure hooks in Skirmisher Publishing’s In the Footsteps of Hercules system-free sourcebook — tying in with the labor of the Ceryneian Hind — and placed an ancient and degenerate descendant of these people in a ruined steading located in a hidden mountain valley.

We interpreted this being as a hybrid offspring of Frost Giants, Ogres and/or Humans and have provided here two variations with different challenge ratings.

Neither of the low-level parties we used these with in playtesting was up for battling monsters of this sort toe-to-toe and had to use guile and subterfuge to free the reindeer that it had captured and was planning to eat. In the case of a solo game with just one player we treated the Hyperborean as being very old and half-blind, with disadvantage on Perception checks, and allowed the character to induce the reindeer — using the Monster Manual stats for an Elk — to knock down the monster, giving them a chance to flee from it.

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Hyperborean Frost-Born (Frost Ogre)

Large Giant, chaotic evil

 Armor Class: 13 (patchwork armor)

Hit Points: 72 (8d10+32)

Speed: 40 ft.

 

STR             DEX             CON             INT               WIS              CHA

21 (+5)         9 (-1)           18 (+4)         9 (-1)           8 (-1)           11 (+0)

 

Saving Throws: Con +6, Wis +1

Skills: Athletics +7, Perception +1

Damage Immunities: Cold

Senses: Passive Perception 11

Languages: Giant

Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)

 

Actions

Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) slashing damage.

Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage.  

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Hyperborean Frost-Blood (Half-Frost Ogre)

Large Giant, chaotic evil

 

Armor Class: 14 (patchwork armor)

Hit Points: 51 (6d10+18)

Speed: 30 ft.

 

STR             DEX             CON             INT               WIS              CHA

19 (+4)         11 (+0)         16 (+3)         11 (+0)         10 (+0)         14 (+2)

 

Saving Throws: Con +5

Skills: Athletics +6, Perception +2

Damage Resistances: Cold

Senses: Passive Perception 12

Languages: Common, Giant

Challenge: 2 (450 XP)

 

Actions

Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) slashing damage.

Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage.