With a cursory glance at its statblock, you might be tempted to run this creature just as a sentient trap, but I think you would be missing something key: this is an intelligent creature, capable of speaking Terran. While this may not be a common language for your PCs to have, it's not impossible. With that in mind, attempting to reason with this creature would make for incredible role-play opportunities.
This creature can serve as a widespread trap and, given its aforementioned intelligence, makes an incredible one. It would absolutely be in character for the grikkitog to wait to attack until creatures are closer to the center of its Infestation Aura, to give it more opportunities to attack them as they attempt to flee. Like with the gargoyle, its ability to imitate stone gives you a good opportunity to test your understanding of how checks vs. DCs work, but I would hope you have a grasp on that by level 14.
I will leave you with one final recommendation. A grikkitog's major feature is its Infestation Aura, right? Well, how much more can you do with a 120-foot radius when you have three-dimensional space to work with? A grikkitog who has a "service elevator" of sorts in a winding cave system to freely move around and reposition? You can do wonders for its effective range when the caves funnel your PCs back into its range. Now there's a fight to remember.
Hook 1 (TJ) - The Hungering Tunnel
The svirfneblin of the Undergallery have long been sought out as masters of stonecraft. Recent rumors purport they've created a ritual that can bring the stone to life. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the first of these attempts went rather poorly. The resultant creature, although ravenous, could still be reasoned with. Fortunately for the svirfneblin, the passages to the Undergallery can be quite treacherous. Trips to see the wonders these deep gnomes produced were already renowned as a dangerous but worthwhile journey. If a few individuals go missing on their way to the Undergallery, swallowed up by the earth, it is easily written off as a natural risk. The grikkitog, however, is growing tired of this passive arrangement, as it has become increasingly greedy for more. The svirfneblin are becoming fearful, though they have little hope of reaching out for help without alerting the hungry earth that watches the exits...
Hook 2 (Max) - The Black Garnet
The Shrine of the Heavenly Garnet is a place of great reverence where thousands of pilgrims journey every year in search of enlightenment. The travel itself is arduous but reportedly worth it as the sight of the enormous, crimson gem changes people in some way.
At least that was the story up until recently because, for the better part of the last couple of months, no soul has returned from the journey to the top of the mountain where the shrine is located. Priests who admit the pilgrims onto the path are starting to worry.
A disquieting darkness has fallen over the Shrine as the Garnet, once stunningly red, is now jet black. The rich and malicious darkness seems to nest within the gem's many facets as the thing seemingly waits for more and more unfortunate souls to be fed to it. growing with each passing day, both in size and its unsated hunger.
Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Gemeater Pass
To get to the Golden City, the last utopian metropolis of the great Golden Elves, anyone arriving from the south must go through the Gemeater pass.
The treacherous canyon is home to an entire colony of juvenile grikkitogs who infest every step of the mile-long trek. While one might hope to outrun the aberrant elementals, as fighting is hardly an option, the clue to survival actually lies in the canyon's very name; if given gemstones, the elementals will try and consume them before any living flesh. Oddly enough, different gems seem to have different effects: emeralds (the informed choice) make them sick and docile for hours, rubies throw them into a murderous rage, and amethysts greatly increase their mental capabilities...
No comments:
Post a Comment