Grippli
Species Name: Grippli, Frog Man, Tree Hunter Grippli resemble small, intelligent, humanoid tree frogs. They are have a primitive culture and are nonaggressive. Type: Humanoid Frog Physical Traits: Their bodies are shaped like those of frogs, except for the human-like hands and hand-like feet. Their eyes are yellow with vertical slit pupils. Their skin is grey-green with camouflage stripes and swirling patterns. Although their skin looks wet and shiny, it is actually dry to the touch. Grippli smell of old, wet vegetation. Height: 2-3 feet Weight: 10-30lbs Abilities: A Grippli can climb trees or non-sheer rock at its normal movement rate, thanks to its unusual hands and feet. When keeping still among vegetation, a grippli’s natural camouflage causes a -3 penalty to its opponents’ surprise rolls. They have infravision good up to 10 metres, which means they can operate at night almost as well as during the day. Mobility: Legs Sensory Organs: Visual Communication: Vocal Reproduction: Sexual, egg INT: 3D6 +2, WIS: 3D6 +2, STR: 2D6, DEX: 3D6 +1, CON: 3D6, CHA: 3D6, MR: 4D6 hopping, HPs: CON +D4, AC: 5 Orbit/Climate: See Earth Feeding Habits: Grippli eat fruit and insects. They trap small insects in large quantities and hunt the giant varieties like humans hunt stags. They are in turn hunted by most large, ground- and tree-based predators. Giant snakes and spiders in particular are fond of Grippli as meals. Lifespan: 20 years Technology: 2 Culture: Xenophobic but passive. They love bright colours and eagerly acquire any such items. They wear clothing only for decoration or for a particular functional purpose, such as for pockets. A normal encounter with Grippli outside of the village finds them wearing only thin belts or loin cloths to hold weapons or acquired items. They speak a language of croaks, groans, clicks, and squeaks. In a tribe there is usually at least one member that can speak either common, Elvish, or some other jungle humanoids’ language. Because of the grippli’s colouring, opponents suffer a -3 penalty to their surprise rolls. Grippli defend themselves with snares, nets, poisoned darts, and the occasional sword or dagger. Any metal weapons must be manufactured elsewhere for the Grippli, so swords are rare. They can adapt to use any weapons, and they have been known to use spears and blowguns on rare occasions. They never wear armour. Generally speaking the Grippli prefer small weapons that don’t get in the way of climbing. They are very capable of formulating strategies and tactics to overcome a larger, more powerful force. Grippli prefer ambushes and traps to most other strategies. By trapping their opponents in snares and nets, they can hurl darts at them safely from high in the trees. If unprovoked, they attack only to steal various brightly coloured baubles. A Grippli tribal village is made of small huts of wood and mud
built on the ground, in the deep shadows of large trees. On rare occasions, a
Grippli village is found in the strong limbs of the trees. Each village is led
by a tribe mother. Once per
day the tribe mother can emit a musk cloud, which is treated as a stinking cloud
spell. She looks like any other Grippli, except for being almost four feet tall.
She has D3 mates of larger than normal size, standing three to three-and-a-half feet tall. The tribe
mother is supposed to have a touch of the blood of their god in her. Their natural high intelligence enables them to learn new devices and weapons quickly and easily. As a race they have no desire to manufacture such items themselves. However, they will trade for them with other races. Trade items usually include rare fruits or other hard-to-get jungle specimens. They are extremely cautious and only develop trade relations with groups that they trust completely, such as good elves or the rare village of good humans in their area. Grippli are rare in the world, mostly because of their low birth-rate. They live to be 700 years old, but give birth to only six or so young in that time. Because of this, the Grippli defend their young ferociously. Government: Tribal Population: 320,000 |
Creating a Grippli character
Step 1: Attributes | ||
Roll attributes as normal including INT and WIS +2, DEX +1, and MR +D6. AC 5 due to their small size and agility. Mana = INT + WIS x3. Mana is recovered at a rate of 10 per hour if remain active (but not using magic) and 20 per hour if asleep. Mana can however be permanently traded for HPs at a rate of 1 for 1. Hit points = CON +4, +4 per level. | ||
Step 2: Skills | ||
Choose skills in the normal manner according to the character's class. |
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Step 3: Abilities | ||
Grippli gain all the following free; Climb - All Grippli can climb and move along any surface at their normal running MR. This doesnt include loose rocks, ice or any other slippery surface, but does allow them to run upside down. Infravision - equal to their normal sight. Additionally Grippli start with 35 Points to spend on any of the following abilities. As they earns more experience they may buy or rebuy more abilities. |
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Ability | Cost | Notes |
Enhanced Taste | 5 | Can identify the specific ingredients of anything that have previously eaten, drunk or sample tasted. This includes chemicals, animals, plants, toxins and poisons. |
Fortitude | 5 | +1 vs poisons, toxins and diseases. This then increases by +1 every second level. |
Increased AC | 5 | +1 AC |
Increased Thac0 | 10 | +1 Thac0 with bow weapons at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. |
Natural Chameleon | 5 | Using this ability the Grippli can blend into and render himself nearly invisible in swamp areas, rainy forests, or marshes. When hiding he can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well travelled area and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite waiting for an opportune moment to steal their supplies. Enemies are -3 to initiative or detect the Grippli. |
Natural Mana | 10 | +10 Mana at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. |
Nature Heal | 5 | A Grippli may select the swamp as his specialty area for healing. Whenever in this terrain he can heal at phenomenal rates. He must concentrate for 1 minute uninterrupted to perform the following healing; restore 1 HP per INT, +1 per level per 10 minutes; reduce the damage and duration of drugs, toxins and poisons by 5% per INT, +1% per level and gives +1 to save per 4 INT; negate all pain for 1 minute per INT, +1 minute per level; or stabilize his condition (stops bleeding, binds wounds, etc.) for 15 minutes per level. |
Nature Survival | 5 | Due to a Grippli's extensive experience and training in swamps and marshes they gain +1 to any physical, combat and survival rolls made while within that environment. |
Plant Empathy | 5 | Gripplis can establish telepathic communication with any plant or tree within line of sight if he does nothing else in the round. The plant will answer any of his questions. |
True Sight | 10 | The character can see the true image of any person or object regardless of any form of concealment, disguise, illusion or invisibility. This also includes the ability to detect whether it is magical, and whether it is harmful or helpful. |
Step 5: Classes | ||
Any but Shaman is the favoured mage class. |