Homebrew Giff Species Details

Military Organization. Every aspect of giff society is organized along military lines. From birth until death, every giff has a military rank. It must follow orders from those of superior rank, and it can give orders to those of lower rank. Promotions don’t depend on age but are granted by a superior as a reward for valor. Giff are devoted to their children, even as most of their education is geared toward fighting and war.

Mercenaries Extraordinaire. Giff are in high demand as warriors for hire, but they insist on serving in units composed entirely of giff; a giff hiring itself out individually is unheard of. Giff refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its own life. Life is fleeting, but the regiment endures for generations or even centuries. Separated from your company, you must take on work while trying to find your way back.

A Whiff of Gunpowder. Muskets and grenades are the favorite weapons of every giff. The bigger the boom, the brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of building a bomb big enough to level a fortification. They gladly accept payment in kegs of gunpowder in preference to gold, gems, or other currency.

No Honor in Magic. Some giff become wizards, clerics, and other kinds of spellcasters, but they’re so infrequent that most giff mercenary units have no magical capability. Typical giff are as smart as the average human, but their focus on military training to the exclusion of all other areas of study can make them seem dull-witted to those who have more varied interests.

Giff Names

A giff’s name is big and pompous, just like the being who bears it. Most giff have a given name and a surname, and also possess a rank and nickname. Giff born in their militaristic, spacefaring culture are assigned the rank of trainee at birth, and are automatically promoted to the rank of ensign upon reaching adulthood. Most giff rise through the ranks as they age, and they are conditioned from birth to defer unerringly to all giff of higher rank. A giff’s nickname is assigned by their peers during their service, and can be a term of endearment, derision, respect, or fear. Most giff amass a hoard of nicknames over their lifetimes, and use them variably depending on the occasion.

Male Names: Alford, Algernon, Alpheus, Alphonse, Bertram, Benedict, Cornelius, Delmer, Ebenezer, Ernest, Eustace, Gideon, Hibbard, Jack, Jeremiah, Methuselah, Theodore, Percival, Rhys, Rufus, Zebulon

Female Names: Abagail, Adelaide, Brigid, Charlotte, Clarinda, Elizabeth, Elmira, Fredonia, Esther, Gertrude, Guinevere, Hermione, Margaret, Martha, Sophronia, Tabitha, Winifred

Surnames: Ainesly, Brownrigg, Byron, Cholmondeley, Cromwell, Cumberbatch, Darcy, Eastaughffe, Finlayson, Gladstone, Grenville, Harding, Leicester, Osborne, Pickering, Pinkerton, Quince, Schuyler

Giff Traits

Strong mercenaries who're trained to wield weapons from birth

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score is increased by 1.

Age

Giffs age at roughly the same rate as humans.

Alignment

Giff culture tends towards militaristic code, pushing them towards lawful alignments.

Size

Giff tends to stand a least a head taller than most humans, up to about 9 ft. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Militaristic Culture

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) or Wisdom (Perception) check related to militaristic ranking and tactics, you are considered proficient in the History and Perception skills and add double your proficiency bonus to the check instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Giff Weapon Training.

You gain proficiency in all martial ranged weapons.

Headfirst Charge.

When you move 20 feet in a straight line and end within 5 feet of a creature, you may use your action to attempt to knock it over. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw of (8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failure, the creature takes (2d6) bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone.

Languages

You can read, speak, and write Common and one language of your choice.