Grigs are a fey race and a type of sprite, notable for having the lower bodies of crickets and for having an uncanny talent at playing a fiddle.[2][1]
Description[]
On average, these small sprites grow to be about 1.5 feet (46 centimeters) tall and weigh only 1 pound (450 grams). They have the head, arms, and torso of a normal sprite, with light blue skin and forest-green hair. However, from the waist down, grigs have a brown, cricket-like body including a pair of gossamer wings and hairy legs. Grigs typically wear brightly colored tunics or vests with tiny gems for buttons.[2]
Like a male cricket, grigs can emit chirps by rubbing a ridged vein on their forewings against the hardened underside of their top wings, similar to the bow of a fiddle against its string.[1]
Personality[]
Grigs are lighthearted and love to engage in mischief and pranks, especially against larger creatures—from their perspective, just about everybody. Classic "pranks" include thieving food and items, causing tents to collapse, making items appear to talk with their ventriloquism, gluing swords into their scabbards, scribbling rude images in the margins of spellbooks, rearranging furniture and even attaching it to the walls or ceilings, daubing sticky sap on things, putting holes in flagons, and chirping like true crickets to stir people trying to sleep.[2][1] These are not intended to be cruel, however. To a grig, mischief is life. They usually loiter nearby to observe the results and be entertained. Opposing them will only amuse them and drive them to greater efforts. The only effective way of dealing with a grig is to be patient and not give it the reactions it's looking for, so it quickly grows bored and goes elsewhere. However, if they go too far and cause genuine offense or grief, the grig would make amends with a small gift, such as honey or a thoughtful trinket of the Feywild.[1]
With no desire for violence, they avoid fights at all costs, even apologizing if they must. Despite this, they will defend themselves if forced[1] and are fierce fighters who are afraid of no-one, no matter how big.[2][1]
Among all the sprites, grigs are the most energetic, being constantly on the move in search of activity and adventure and never resting. They sleep for but a few seconds at a time, usually when feywine gets the better of them. They play their music through the night to entertain and to annoy others.[1]
Abilities[]
Like a bard, grigs can weave magic from their music. Whenever a grig plays a fiddle, they can compel any and all creatures within 15 feet (4.6 meters) or 30 feet (9.1 meters) to dance uncontrollably, similarly to the effects of Otto's irresistible dance, slowing and distracting those affected. Grigs and other sprites are immune to this effect and one grig can play for hours without tiring, though the same cannot be said of those forced to dance for as long as they play.[2][1] And naturally, they are excellent players[2] with an innate talent for music and the ability to compose tunes on the fly. One theory goes that a grig's skill with the fiddle is because it functions the same way their wings do when chirping. They can also make chirps of different notes and pitches to add a second "instrument" as a counterpoint to their fiddling.[1]
Like many fey, grigs possess other innate magical powers that they use to both protect themselves and play practical jokes on others. These are similar to the spells disguise self, entangle, invisibility (only themselves), pyrotechnics, and ventriloquism.[2]
These fey can see in low-light conditions.[2][1]
Thanks to their cricket legs, grigs can jump vast distances, at least for their size. They are also adept at moving stealthily, especially in a forest setting.[2][1]
Possessions[]
In any band of grigs, one will carry a fiddle, sized for them.[2]
For combat, grigs typically wield longbows and short swords,[2] or daggers.[1]
Tactics[]
They prefer to attack from ambush and subterfuge, rather than in a face-to-ankle fight.[2] They leap and poke their foe with their blades in a nimble attack. Regardless of their size, they are deadly accurate and quick, always jumping from place to place and with endless energy. They will also use their invisibility to fade out of sight before making a surprise attack.[1]
Society[]
They usually roam in gangs of up to four or in bands of up to eleven. Tribes of grigs number twenty to eighty.[2]
Among other fey in the Feywild, grigs serve as minstrels and bards. Grigs are said by others to be the most talented fiddle players in all of the Feywild, and by grigs themselves to be the most talented anywhere. They play music and leap and dance to entertain at fey festivals. Other fey appreciate this, for it keeps the grigs busy and out of mischief.[1]
Grigs speak the Sylvan[2] or Elven languages,[1] and sometimes Common.[2][1]
Lands[]
Grigs live in temperate forests;[2] in the plane of Thelanis, the Faerie Court;[3] and in the Feywild.[1] Grigs may even wander unseen in the streets of Sharn.[4]
Relationships[]
The archfey and high eladrin have grig musicians to entertain at their events.[1] Six grigs, including one fiddler, serve the nymph queen Ellida in her court in Xen'drik.[3]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
- Breaching Thelanis Wall
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 Steve Townshend (February 2013). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Fey of Wood and Wind”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #420 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual (3.5 edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 65–66. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker & James Wyatt (2004). Sharn: City of Towers. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 177. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4.