My travels in Wildspace are always brightened by my giff associates. Their use of gunpowder reminds me of my own explosive wizardry. Spectacular!

It's easy to spot giff in a room: these burly folk are 7-foot-tall, hippopotamus-headed people. In Wildspace and the associated ports, giff are most often encountered as spacefaring mercenaries. These troops are renowned for their martial training and love of explosives and are typically armed with gleaming pistols and muskets. The stat block here represents one of those mercenaries.

Every aspect of these spacefaring giff's society is organized along military lines. From birth until death, each has a military rank. Promotions don't depend on age but are granted by a superior as a reward for valor.

Muskets and grenades are the specialties of many giff regiments. The bigger the boom, the brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the greater the glory for the one wielding the weapon. Giff mercenaries have been known to accept payment in kegs of gunpowder in preference to gold, gems, or other currency.

Gunpowder by the Keg

In addition to their personal gunpowder weapons, giff ships and mercenary companies carry spare gunpowder in kegs. In an emergency, or if a large explosion is needed, a whole keg can be detonated. A giff lights the fuse on the keg and can then throw the keg up to 15 feet as part of the same action. The keg explodes at the start of the giff's next turn. Each creature within 20 feet of the exploding keg must make a 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 24 (7d6) fire damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't knocked prone.

Every other keg of gunpowder within 20 feet of an exploding keg has a 50 chance of also exploding. Check each keg only once per turn, no matter how many other kegs explode around it.

Giff

It's easy to spot the giff in a room: a group of 7-foot-tall, hippopotamus-headed humanoids attired in gaudy military uniforms, with gleaming pistols and muskets on display. These spacefaring mercenaries are renowned for their martial training and their love of explosives.

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.

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.

Gunpowder by the Keg

Aside from their personal gunpowder weapons, giff ships and mercenary companies carry spare gunpowder in kegs. In an emergency, or any time a large explosion is needed, a whole keg can be detonated. A giff lights the fuse on the keg and can then throw the keg up to 15 feet as part of the same action. The keg explodes at the start of the giff's next turn. Each creature within 20 feet of the exploding keg must make a 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 24 (7d6) fire damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't knocked prone.

Every other keg of gunpowder within 20 feet of an exploding keg has a 50 chance of also exploding. Check each keg only once per turn, no matter how many other kegs explode around it.

Giff shipmates, who make up the bulk of the crew on most giff vessels, are disciplined sailors.

A giff shock trooper is trained to mount assaults on enemy strongholds. Each one is adept at softening up the enemy from a distance with firearms before charging into melee to mop up the foes that remain standing.

A high-ranking giff who takes up the life of an independent mercenary might amass enough power and influence to become a warlord.

A giff warlord usually commands a small fleet of spelljamming ships and operates out of a heavily defended stronghold. Anyone who shares the warlord's ideology—whatever it might be—is eligible to join the ranks of the warlord's army, which is mainly made up of mages who helm the ships of the fleet and provide magical firepower, sellswords of various species, and guns for hire in the form of giff shock troopers.