Grung

## **Overview**

These aggressive, froglike humanoids are occasionally found across Daria but most often in the swamps of the Lowhills & in ever-increasing numbers further south, toward the rain forests & tropical jungles of Angyll. They are fiercely territorial, see themselves as superior to most other creatures & their society possesses a highly regimented caste system. Each caste lays eggs in a separate hatching pool & juvenile Grung join their caste upon emergence from the hatchery. All are a dull greenish-grey when they are born but each individual takes on the color of its caste as it grows to adulthood. From lowest to highest caste, Grung can be green, blue, purple, red, orange or gold.

All secrete a substance that is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures, thus they also use this venom on their weapons. Grung are always on the lookout for creatures they can capture & enslave, using slaves for all manner of menial tasks but mostly just because they like bossing them around. Slaves are fed mildly poisoned food to keep them lethargic & compliant. A creature afflicted in this way over a long period of time becomes a shell of its former self & can be restored to normalcy only by magic. Being amphibious, Grung require water to live; any that fails to immerse itself in water for at least 1 hour during a day becomes quite exhausted.

Green Grung are the tribe's warriors, hunters & laborers, blue work as artisans & in other domestic roles. Supervising or guiding both groups are the purple, which serve as administrators & commanders. Red are the tribe's scholars & magic users. They are superior to purple, blue, & green Grung & given proper respect even by those of higher status. Higher castes include orange, which are elite warriors that have authority over all lessers & gold which hold the highest leadership positions. A tribe's sovereign is always gold.

A grung normally remains in its caste for life. On rare occasions, an individual that distinguishes itself with great deeds can earn an invitation to join a higher caste. Through a combination of herbal tonics and ritual magic, an elevated grung changes color and is inducted into its new caste in the same way that a juvenile of the caste would be. From then on, the grung and its progeny are members of the higher caste.

## **Names**

Grungi have simple names consisting of basic, one-syllable sounds. They add their tribe's name before their own when they bother to introduce themselves to outsiders & always with great pride.

**Example Tribe Names**: Stabstick, Tungflinger, Sweatdripper, Flychewer, Stickyfeet, Lurkyjumpy, Eyepoker.

**Example Names**: Akk, Bec, Grop, Plek, Gilp, Dop, Sib, Ploo, Gog, Grib, Kek, Gahg, Sook, Pasht, Slur, Slark, Mog, Lurt, Hat, Pip, Narg, Galf, Nak, Toog, Beb, Snurk, Pat, Lib, Rug, Ran, Ja, Jig, Erg, Hen, Nin, Mahl, Zoog.

## **Traits**

* **Ability Score Increase:** +2 Dexterity, +1 Constitution.
* **Age:** Grungi reach adulthood in a single year, but have been known to live up to 50.
* **Alignment:** Most are Lawful, having been raised in a strict social system. They tend toward Evil as well, coming from a culture where social advancement occurs rarely & most often because another member of your army has died & there is no one else of that caste to fill the vacancy.
* **Size:** Small. Grung stand between 2' ½ and 3' ½ tall & average about 30 pounds.
* **Speed:** Base Walking, Climbing & Swimming speed of 25 feet!
* **Languages:** You can speak, read & write Grung
* **Arboreal Alertness:** Gain Proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Amphibious:** You can breathe both air & water.
* **Poison Immunity:** Gain Immunity to Poison damage & the Poisoned condition.
* **Poisonous Skin:** Any creature that Grapples you or otherwise comes into direct contact with your skin must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw or become Poisoned for 1 minute. A Poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with you can repeat the Save at the end of each of its Turns, ending the effect on a success. You can also apply this Poison to any Piercing weapon or Ammunition as part of an Attack with it, though when you hit the Poison reacts differently. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw or take 2d4 Poison damage. Grung Poison loses its potency 1 minute after being removed from a Grung. A similar breakdown occurs if the Grung dies.
* **Standing Leap:** Your Long Jump is up to 25' & your High Jump is up to 15 ' with or without a running start.
* **Water Dependency:** If you fail to immerse yourself in water for at least 1 hour per 24 hour period, you suffer one level of Exhaustion at the end of that 24 hours. You can only recover from this Exhaustion through magic or by immersing yourself in water for at least 1 hour.