Gargantua (Mystara)

The gargantua of Mystara are extremely large and powerful specimens of other monstrous species. Such creatures horrify characters chancing upon them due to both their size and their ferocity. Those listed here are the most common forms of gargantua on Mystara, but any type of monster, creature, construct, or humanoid could have a gargantuan form, too.

Gargantua strongly resemble normal specimens of a particular monster, differing only in their extreme size. For example, a gargantuan troll is green and waay with a long skinny body and grimy claws, just like a regular troll. It also happens to stand approximately 20 feet tall.

Combat: In battle, gargantua fight in the same manner as the normal specimens of their species. However, their great size causes them to make lots of noise while moving, so they cannot surprise anything. Gargantua that are huge (H) or larger in size also suffer a 4 penalty to their attack rolls when battling mansized (M) or smaller opponents.

Gargantuan creatures have the same number and type of attacks, Armor Class, and alignment as their smaller brethren. Magical abilities likewise remain unchanged, except for regeneration (per the regenerate spell), which occurs at twice the normal rate.

Many, but not all, Gargantua can swallow opponents whole on a bite attack roll of a natural 20.

Habitat/Society: The first of these creatures were the extraorinary creations of the wizard Gargantua. Such monsters have appeared across the various lands of Mystara for the past 100 years and more. It is unknown whether Gargantua still lives in some hidden location, creating even larger and stranger beings. It is also unknown whether his gargantuan “children” can reproduce, although many of the most learned wizards and sages fear this is, indeed, the case.

Gargantua are solitary, though they may come together for mating purposes.

Ecology: Gargantua consume the same type of food as do their smaller counterparts, but they require vast numbers of calories to keep their immense bodies functioning. Their tremendous size also means they rarely live anywhere but in the most isolated regions, only occasionally venturing into more civilized lands.

Carrion Crawler

Unlike the normal kind, the gargantuan carrion crawler does not feed solely on carrion. Instead, this monstrous creature actively hunts for meals - although anything smaller than an elephant usually avoids its notice.

Like a regular carrion crawler, the gargantuan version attacks to paralyze opponents, then tries to eat them. Unlike smaller versions, the gargantuan carrion crawler can swallow man-sized or smaller opponents whole.

Gargantuan carrion crawlers have been spotted only in the largest underground caverns in the wilds of Mystara.

Troll

The gargantuan troll remains one of the more terrifying creatures on Mystara. It is not known whether more than one of these horriffying monsters exists. Sages fervently hope that the wizard Gargantua had wisdom enough to create only one such being, as a race of gargantuan trolls might prove powerful enough to destroy all the world's civilisation.

Like normal trolls, gargantuan trolls can attack multlple opponents at the same time, and while they never use melee weapons, they occasionally throw large stones at opponents (with a range of 80 yards, causing damage of 4d8 points on a hit). No one has ever severed a limb of a giant troll and lived to tell whether the limb continued to fight after being separated from the creature's body If such an unlikely event were to occur, sages believe, the limb would fight on.

Gargantuan trolls regenerate hit points at a rate of 6 points per round They have all the vulnerabilities of normal trolls. They are also the smartest gargantua known on Mystara.

Other Varieties

Other forms of gargantua are possible, though none with an Intelligence higher than 7 has ever been seen. The DM can develop gargantuan creatures with the followlng guidelines.

• Climate/Terrain, Achvity Cycle, Diet, Intelligence, Alignment, Armor Class, No of Attacks, and Magic Resistance: the same as for the normal version of the creature.
• Frequency: very rare.
• Organization: solitary.
• Treasure: twice the normal amount.
• No. Appearing: 1.
• Movement: twice normal rate.
• Hit Dice: four times normal, including four times any additional hit points (for example, 4+4 HD becomes 16+16 HD).
• THAC0: per Hit Dice of the gargantua.
• Damage/Attack: four times normal.
• Special Attacks: per normal, though the DM can choose to increase ranges and areaas of effect by up to a factor of four; damage for special attacks also should increase to four times normal, if appropriate. Many gargantua, if they roll a 20 for a biting attack, can swallow opponents whole.
• Special Defenses: per normal-sized creatures, except regeneration rate (if any) doubles.
• Size: four times normal.
• Morale: elite or better.
• XP Value: per Hit Die and abilities of the gargantua.