(TFT) Fomorians

[stan rydzewski <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

As long as we're looking into this giant buisness, we should give some
thought to the dark secret of the giant races, the Fomorians.  

Fomorians are apparently the result of a disease or genetic instability 
peculiar to giants, which manifests itself usually around the age of
twenty.  The giant begins to change in terrible ways, bones warping,
muscles bulging and knotting, and flesh bunching up or sloughing off 
in spots.  In extreme cases, new limbs and occasionally entire new 
heads have been known to form, although they are often not functional.

"Fomorianism" is obviously terribly disfiguring and painful; any giant
that begins to manifest the symptoms will be killed or (more often)
driven out of the community.  Many Fomorians realize what is happening
themselves before anyone else does, and remove themselves from the
community.

It is commonly believed among giants that the condition is some sort 
of curse.  It is also often thought to be hereditary in nature, and 
giants trying to cover up a "tainted bloodline" will sometimes go to 
great lengths to hide or destroy Fomorian offspring - particularly 
those who are the chiefs of groups of giants.  Sometimes a parent 
will retain some concern for the Fomorian, secretly supplying the 
exile with food and supplies.  In general, though, giants hate 
Fomorians, considering them a racial shame and blight.  Fomorians 
likewise generally hate giants as much as they do anything else.

Because their outcast state, Fomorians will never be found with 
other giants, but are generally encountered singly or in small 
groups.  In general they are even more violent and ill-tempered
than giants.  Their stats are based on those of their parents,
but modified as shown below:
     
    ST  add d6x2
    DX  roll d6: on a 1-3, subtract one
    IQ  roll d6: on a 1-2, subtract one. 
    HS  roll d6: on a 1-4, add one           
    MV  subtract two

These stat alterations represent the effects, good and bad, of the
chaotic addition of muscle mass and new organs that accompanies 
Fomorianism.  As far as skills are concerned, most Fomorians retain 
the skills of their parent race, and many develop the equivalent of 
Alertness (4 in 6) and/or Acute Hearing (2 in 6) from the addition 
of eyes or ears to their bodies.  Some one in six have additional 
arms (and sometimes a head) that allow them to make two attacks per
round at normal DX.  Those with two heads are often referred to as 
"Ettins", and often figure prominently as the boogie-men of giant 
folklore and are often used to scare unruly young giants into line.
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"