Grung
| Greyhawk creature | |
|---|---|
| Grung | |
| |
| A grung, as depicted in Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk Adventures Appendix (1990). | |
| Alignment | Lawful evil |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Subtype | |
| First appearance | Greyhawk Adventures |
Grung are are territorial, toad-like humanoids who dwell in wetlands regions.
Ecology
Grung lay eggs, and their offspring go through a tadpole stage, gaining their humanoid forms after three months. They grow to adulthood in another six months.
Grung are hostile to all outside their own tribe. They will occasionally take live prisoners, particularly other grung, back to their lairs to devour. They will also eat the bodies of those they have slain in battle. Other animals eaten by grung include rats and other swamp-dwelling mammals. Grung have few natural predators, as their skin is poisonous. Certain giant snakes are able to eat the flesh of grung without harm.
Environment
Grung dwell in tropical and sub-tropical swamps, and are among the worst of the dangers of the Vast Swamp. Their homes are crude and untidy, sometimes concealed in large dead trees. The water around their homes is tainted by their poisonous secretions.
Typical physical characteristics
Grungs stand about three feet in height, with froglike lower bodies and humanoid upper bodies complete with opposable thumbs. They stand upright, and move in quick, short hops. They cannot leap as far as true frogs, toads, or bullywugs, and they lack the prehensile tongues of frogs. Their skin is slimy and froglike, and they must keep it moist at all times; if they do not immerse themselves in water every few hours, they will suffocate, as they breathe through their moist skin. They are dappled green and brown on their backs, shading to white or yellow on their bellies. Their red, black-pupiled eyes are smaller proportionately than a frog's and protected by bony ridges. Their thumbs are opposable, and they are as intelligent as humans, capable of using tools. Their sharp teeth are those of a carnivore.
Grung secrete a deadly poison from their skin, and use this toxin to poison their spears and arrows. This poison breaks down quickly in contact with air, so it is not practical for other races to use it. The bite of a grung is also poisonous, though less so.
Male grung are slightly smaller than females, but both sexes are aggressive and dangerous.
Alignment
Grung are lawful evil.
Society
Grung are warlike creatures who claim everything within a mile of their settlements as their own, attacking anyone who enters the territory they have claimed, including grung from other tribes. Grung border wars can be vicious and unending.
Grung tribes are matriarchal, and their war chiefs are all female. The tribal chief is the strongest warrior among the war chiefs; any ambitious female may challenge the chieftain at any time in a duel to the death. Each tribe also has a single female shaman. Chiefs and shamans are identified by ornaments made from the bones of their enemies. Males have no say in a tribe's decisions.
Grung tribes number about a hundred individuals, with 25% of them juveniles.
Religion
Grung have been known to revere Wastri, and many serve him in the Vast Swamp.
Language
Grung speak their own language and the language of frogs and amphibians. They do not speak Common or any other humanoid languages, and seem to have no interest in learning to do so. They are happy to eat other creatures, but do not consider their food to be worth talking to.
See also
Bibliography
- Boucher, Grant, et al. Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk Adventures Appendix. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1990.
- Ward, James M. Greyhawk Adventures. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
