Grung

Padded or Webbed Fingers and Toes

Common

> *"**Do not be fooled** by their small size and tiny voices. Grung are bad, very bad. Skess only narrowly escaped being a slave to the Frogmen, Ketzo was not so lucky. Skess tried to free Ketzo and as punishment they burned Ketzo from the inside. Beware the Grung and beware their poisons." - Skess, Lizardfolk Adventurer.*
>
>

The Grung are poisonous frog-like amphibious humanoids that live in Cenotes of Gloomhollow Swamp in Junta-Pehrune. The are usually of a Chaotic Allignment, though there have been exceptions.

## History

### **From the Mud**

The origins of the Grung can be traced back to the rebirth of Junta-Pehrune. It was years after the First Great Conflict and the sacrifice of the Primordial Turtle god Gui Shen that had ended it. The world tree was growing and with it had come a lush tropical jungle that stretched all of Junta-Pehrune. In the far east the River Loa, Lespri, had tested her powers and opened the rivers to flow into southeastern Junta-Pehrune. This action flooded the area and led to the formation of Deepwater Lake and Gloomhollow Swamp.

Sometime after this animal life began to emerge in Gloomhollow and seemingly from the mud came the Anuran, a race of frog-like humanoids. They explored their new home, they seemed alone, and they enjoyed the solitude. This would not last however as the Frog Loa Wa'Krapo had taken interest.

### **The Divide**

The Anurans were enjoying the peace that came with having Gloomhollow Swamp seemingly all to themselves. Intrigued by a race of Frogfolk, Wa'krapo the Frog Loa called to them and his croak could be heard throughout the Swamp. At first he had only been able to entice a few Anurans to his home. Once there he used his powers, given to him by the Codex Incabulum to twist these Anuran as he had been twisted. They grew into monstrous beings who only vaguely resembled the Frogfolk they were before. These became known as the Slaad, the word for demon in the Anuran language.

   Wa'krapo soon sent his Slaad to entice more Anuran with promises of strength if they were to worship Wa'Krapo and further his goals. After seeing the results of the Frog Loa's power, almost half the Anuran population wanted a taste of it. Unable to convince the rest, the Slaad and the Anuran headed east into Wa'krapo's land. Over countless years mere presence near Wa'Krapo and his Slaad took it's toll on the Anurans. They grew bigger, stonger, and gained a more intimidating appearance. While not the hulking monsters the Slaad had become, these Anuran no longer resembled their ancestors and they started to call themselves Bullywug.

After the departure of their fellow Anurans, many of which belonged to their warrior caste. The remaining Anurans felt defenseless. Over time they started developing new ways of survival. They started developing poisons using their own skin secretions along with the various plant life growing in Gloomhollow Swamp. They often coated their weapons in these poisons or would trick enemies into eating food laced with them. As more and more Orcs started showing up in Gloomhollow these Anurans who had started calling themselves the Grung, took to living in Cenotes, ancient abandoned quarries that nature had reclaimed over the years. Here they could stay hidden more effectively and use underground streams or rivers to evacuate should they need to.

## Culture and Society

### **Caste System**

Grung are guided in everything they do by colors. Colors tell them what to eat and what not to eat. What's dangerous and what's not. Color also helps them to identify plants and animals that work well in the crafting of their poisons and various elixer. Because of this strong feeling towards colors the Grung. Grung society has always been a rigid caste system, and each Grung is placed into what they call a Pokasa which was determined by the color of it's skin and decided what their function would be in Grung society.

#### **Grey**

Because of thier dependance on slave labor Lizardfolk along with the poor and stupid among the Grung were classified into the Grey Pokasa. This meant that they were tools to be used and were unsuitable for any other function within Grung Society.

#### **Green**

Grung born with green skin and patterns were on average born faster, taller, and stronger then other Grung. Because of this Grung born of this coloration were trained from birth to be the villages hunters and warriors.

#### **Blue**

Grung born with blue skin made up most of the Grung middle class. These Grung were builders, farmers, and artisans. They often leaned on the Grey Pokasa to assist them in their day to day life.

#### **Purple**

Those born with purple skin were similar to the Green Pokasa as they tended to be more physically superior than other Grung, however most also possesed superior intelligence to the pokasa below them, because of this they were often put in charge of the Grey and Blue Pokasa. Purple Grung often become slave or taskmasters, while others become enforcers within the villages.

#### **Red**

Grung with red skin or patterns of red were more often magically inclined. Because of this they became the villages scholars and casters. The best alchemists of the Grung also tended to be of this Pokasa. This made them superior to the purple, green and blue castes, and respected even by higher castes.

#### **Orange**

On average born the most elite warriors and tacticians amonst the Grung, those born with orange skin were often placed in positions of power over all of the lower Grung Pokasa.

#### **Gold**

Yellow and on rare occasions, gold Grung were the smartest of all the Grung. Because of this almost all village leaders are from the Yellow Pokasa.

### **Alchemy**

Alchemy holds a very important place in Grung culture. They are among the most naturally skilled poison and potion makers on all of Elrinia.

### **Religion**

#### **The Loa**

Denizens of Gloomhollow swamp have been influenced heavily by the Loa. Beings of immence power that claim themselves to be gods. The Grung are no exception to this.

##### **Pyebwa, Plant Loa**

Pyebwa or the Plant Loa is often seen as the prime Loa of the Grung for a couple of reasons. Because of the function of alchemy within their society, Grung find themselves always in need of various plants. They will often make deals with Pyebwa in order to ensure plentiful harvests. The Grung also believe that they owe Pyebwa for the presence of cenotes, sinkholes throughout Gloomhollow often used as locations for Grung Villages. Cenotes were once abandoned quarries from the Orc golden age that had been reclaimed by nature and floods. The Grung believe Pyebwa made them as a gift to the Grung who constantly plant and spread Pyebwa's plants throughout Junta Pehrune. Rather this was Pyebwa's true intentions or if the Plant Loa was even involved is unknown.

##### **Wa'Krapo, Frog Loa**

Wa'Krapo or the Frog Loa has also had a significant impact on the Grung as it was through his influence that the Anurans became divided in the first place allowing the formation of the very much different Grung and Bullywug. Most Grung see Wa'Krapo as an evil Loa.

##### **Other Loa**

Other Loa consist of Baron Zotet, Witchdoctor Sosye, and the River Loa Lespri. While these three Loa have had the least impact on the Grung, many Grung will still often make deals with them.

### **Cenote**

Most grung villages are found in cenotes, pits and sinkholes found within Gloomhollow Swamp. It is believed that these used to be quarries dug by the Orcs during their golden age. After the Plauge of Vecna ran through the Orcs they lost the knowledge to build the cities that needed the stone they would obtain from these quarries. Because of this they were abandoned and throughout the years were reclaimed by nature.

### **Baquai**

Time caused the abandoned quarries to flood which then lead to the collapse of the limestome bedrock. This provided the cenotes with access to an under water tunnel system called baquai. How far these tunnels span in Junta-Pehrune is unknown. The Grung and Lizardfolk will use these baquai to travel throughout Gloomhollow Swamp and possibly beyond it. Both races have been known to establish small waystations along these tunnels in areas where underground caverns have formed. These tunnels and caverns are usually let up by bioluminescent plantlife or enchanted gemstones.

## Relations

### **The Lizardfolk**

Centuries of this behavior caused the Grung to become smaller in stature then they once were. Because of this they found that they needed assistance with the day to day labor of their lives. This drew to their attention to the nearest abundant resource, the Lizardfolk. Strong and not to bright by Grung standards, the Lizardfolk were to make excellent slave labor.

The Grung approached the Lizardfolk with false intentions. They claimed to be traders there to exchange wonderful foods and beverages, which unbeknownst to the Lizardfolk was laced with poisons meant to cause the Lizardfolk to become ill. Once the sickness took hold the Grung came to them with antidotes to the poisons they created which they of course labeled as a "Cure to this mysterious and terrible, yes very terrible illness." While curing the Lizardfolk of the sickness the "Cure" also made them suggestible and lethargic. This made it very easy for the Grung to enslave a large quantity of Lizardfolk.

Not able to keep up this ruse the Grung have now turned to mercenaries, traps, and other methods of further capturing and enslaving Lizardfolk. This treatment along with the constant threat of being hunted by orcs has caused Lizardfolk to become very secluded. Most now live in large underground dwellings which are only accessible via underwater caves.