Verbeeg

Verbeeg
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Characteristics
Alignment	Neutral Evil
Type	Giant

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, verbeegs are giant-kin.

Publication history

The verbeeg first appeared in first edition AD&D in the original Monster Manual II (1983) under the "giant" heading.

The verbeeg appeared in the second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989) under the "giant-kin" heading, and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993) under the "giant" heading. The verbeeg was presented as a player character race for the Forgotten Realms setting in Giantcraft (1993).

The verbeeg (half-ogre) appeared in third edition in Dungeon #149 (August 2007). The verbeeg giant is presented as a player character race in the adventure Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk (2007).

The verbeeg appeared in the fourth edition in Monster Manual 3 (2010). In this edition, verbeeg are giant-size fey with a penchant for trickery and stealth.

Description

Verbeegs are also known as "human behemoths." Verbeeg are accomplished spearfighters.

Ecology

Verbeeg eat almost anything, but they love flesh of any kind. They provide the intelligence and direction that ogres and hill giants lack, and the giants provide protection with their greater fighting prowess. Often, the overly literal way that the stupider giants interpret verbeeg directions infuriates the smarter giant-kin.

Environment

Verbeeg are found in the same climate as ogres and hill giants, who often dwell with them. Verbeeg lairs are usually underground, for example caves or old ruins, and live in groups of six to thirty.

A tribe of verbeeg dwells in the Vaults of Creation beneath Castle Greyhawk.

Typical physical characteristics

Verbeeg resemble humans more than any other giant race. In fact, Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk defines verbeeg as the result of unions between humans and ogres. Born with quicker, more human-like minds than most half-ogres, they are slighter of build than ogres (unusually thin for their heights), and often born with minor deformities, such as club feet, uneven eyes, hair lips, misshapen faces, or extra fingers or toes. Otherwise they are similar to other half-ogres. They typically range between eight and a half feet and ten feet in height, weighing between three hundred and four hundred pounds.

Verbeeg wear as much extra clothing as they can, and carry clubs and spears, or the best weapons they can steal.

Alignment

Verbeeg are usually neutral with evil tendencies.

Society

Verbeeg are typically smarter than most other types of giants, and are often found leading (bullying) hill giants and ogres. Their lairs usually include wolves or worgs as guards. In arctic climates, they use winter wolves or polar bears for this purpose.

Verbeeg groups are ruled by warrior chieftains of great strength, responsible for matters involving the hunt, war, and negotiations with strangers. When the group contains a shaman, the shaman is considered a co-ruler responsible for all matters within the tribe, judging matters involving law and magic. Any magic items the clan owns are considered to belong to the shaman.

Named verbeeg include Jimmy Squarefoot and Jack-in-Irons, both rogues who prey on human victims.

Religion

Verbeeg primarily worship the god Karontor, a deity also worshiped by the far more hideous fomorian giants. According to myth, Karontor learned magical secrets from an ancient race of subterranean hags, and used his learning to twist some of the fairest of the giant clans into deformed monsters as ugly as he was.

Verbeeg shamans typically worship Karontor as well. They are rare, found only 2% of the time per tribe member.