Grugach

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Greyhawk Creature
Grugach
A grugach elf depicted in Dragon #67 (1982).
General information
Alignment:Neutral (chaotic)
Type:Humanoid
Subtype:Elf
First appearance:Dragon #67 (Nov 1982)

The grugach are a type of elf found only in isolated tribes in deep forests.

Ecology

Environment

The grugach live in regions with few other inhabitants, most often far within the borders of primeval woodlands.[1]

Typical physical characteristics

A grugach is a wild elf that is smaller, lighter and thinner than a typical elf, and very fair.[2][3][4][5] Despite their small stature, they are very strong.[2][3][4][1][6] In later editions (after 2000) wild elves are described as having dark brown[7] or coppery skin tones, or otherwise resembling wood elves.[8]

Their hair can be anything from black to light shades of brown and much like humans and many other humanoids (or demihumans) Their hair lightens to a silvery white with age.[9]

Abilities

All grugach are able to set traps in their home territory such as pits and snares.[2][10]

Wild elves are generally stronger than other elves, even though they are smaller than other elves. In first and second editions, they had a +2 STR.[11][4] In contrast, wild elves in third edition had a bonus to Dex, instead.[12][9]

Activities

Society

Grugach are notoriously isolationist even to the point of xenophobia.[2][3][4][1][6]

Grugach tend to be considered brutal and severe, and lacking the same sophistication and refinement of other elves.[1]

Settlements

Religion

Magic

Traditionally, grugach do not favor arcane magic use in any way to the point they do not have arcane magic users in their culture.[2][4][13] Though it's not readily certain why, it is thought grugach may not have the capacity for magic to to physiological differences in their brain.[14]

However, in third edition, their favored class was sorcerer.[9][12]

Language

Grugach always speak elven.[4][9][12] Despite their isolation, grugach may be found who speak other languages.[2]

They also commonly speak the language of treants and "certain other sylvan creatures".[4] Some other languages grugach speak include: sylvan, gnome, draconic, gnoll, goblin, and orc.[15]

Relationships

Grugach are isolationist in the extreme. They are intentionally withdrawn from the affairs of the world and choose to avoid most trappings of other cultures like currency, permanent structures,[citation needed] metalwork, or textiles.

The grugach attitude of brutality for all outsiders is well known. The grugach generally use traps and snares to capture outsiders who approach too closely to their camp. These traps become more and more cruel the closer one nears a camp. It is not unknown for them to kill those who do intrude in their demesnes.[1]

Grugach do not tolerate the presence of other beings not naturally of the forest. This includes druids and other elves, although it does not apply to nymphs or dryads.[1]

Grugach possess a close kinship with the animals of the woodlands, often dealing with them more equally than with humanoids.[1] Grugach frequently use large stags as mounts.[2][3][4]

History

Grugach were originally wood elves, but they retreated far into the deep forests, and became their own subtype and culture.[4]

Rumors and legends

Publication history

The grugach first appeared in Dragon #67 (November 1982) in the "Featured Creatures" column.[2] The grugach also appear in the first edition Monster Manual II (1983)[3] and Unearthed Arcana (1985)[5]

The grugach appear in second edition for the Greyhawk setting in the Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Appendix (1990).[4] They are also described for the Greyhawk setting as a type of sylvan elves in The Complete book of Elves (1992).[1].

It was not until third edition, when an effort was made to codify elves across all settings, that grugach were referred to as not having fair skin. While "wild elves" in some editions or in other settings are described as having dark, tan skin, in Greyhawk sources "grugach" were previously noted as being fairer than wood elves and very pale.[2][3][4][5]

Grugach are not found in fourth edition.

In fifth edition, wood elves and wild elves are under the same entry and "this category [wood elves] includes the wild elves (grugach) ... in Greyhawk."[16]

In 2017, grugach were included in Unearthed Arcana as "playtest material".[17]

Creative origins

Etymology

In Irish, the term is masculine and can refer to a hairy goblin, a shaggy and unrefined person, an ogre or a giant, or a dreadful warrior[18].

In Scottish Gaelic, the term is feminine and can refer to a maiden or a goblin[19].

In both languages, the name indicates the presence of shaggy hair: gruaig (Irish) and gruag (Scottish Gaelic) both mean 'hair'. The term comes from Old Irish which was used to describe young unmarried girls, as they did not cover their hair, unlike married women.

In folklore

In Scottish lore, the gruagach was a fey creature (most typically female) with notably long hair (sometimes to their ankles) who watched over farm herd animals such as sheep or cattle and kept them from dangerous places. They were given an offering of milk in a stone with a depression in it or the animals would give no milk. [OIr. grúacach, hairy, long-haired; goblin, wight, enchanter; wizard-like].

Solitary fairy of Irish and Scottish Gaelic traditions, sometimes seen as a giant or ogre. His characteristic long hair links the gruagach to the woodwose or wild man of the woods. In Scotland the term gruagach may sometimes also refer to a fairy woman dressed in green or to a slender, handsome man.[20] [21] [22] [23]

See Also

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h PHBR8 The Complete Book of Elves (1992), p.26.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Dragon #67 (Nov 1982), p.10.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Monster Manual II (1983), p.63.
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix (1990).
  5. ↑ a b c Unearthed Arcana (1985), p.10.
  6. ↑ a b Dragon #155 (Mar 1990), p.10-18, 23.
  7. ↑ Monster Manual (Oct 2000), p.104.
  8. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.8.
  9. ↑ a b c d Monster Manual v3.5 (2003), p.104.
  10. ↑ Dragon #155 (Mar 1990), p.14.
  11. ↑ Monster Manual (1977), p.63.
  12. ↑ a b c Monster Manual (Oct 2000), p.84.
  13. ↑ Monster Manual II (1983), p.63.
  14. ↑ Dragon #155 (Mar 1990), p.10.
  15. ↑ Monster Manual v3.5 (2003), p.102.
  16. ↑ Player's Handbook (2014), p.24.
  17. ↑ Unearthed Arcana: Elf subraces (2017) , p.1.
  18. ↑ Gruagach (in Irish). English-Irish Dictionary. Foras na Gaeilge (Foundation for Irish). Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  19. ↑ Gruagach (in Scottish Gaelic). LerarnGaelic. Bòrd na Gàidhlig (Gaelic Board) , 2021. Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  20. ↑ "Gruagach".
  21. ↑ "Gruagach". Encyclopedia Mythica. Retrieved on 24 October 2022.
  22. ↑ Campbell, J.G. (1900). Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Glascow: James MacLehose and Sons, pp. 184-186.
  23. ↑ Pennant, Thomas. (1772). A tour in Scotland, and voyage to the Hebrides. London: Benjamin White, p.360.

Bibliography

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Elf, Grugach Monster Reference SEE Grugach (Wild Elf)
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, DMGR4 - Monster Mythology 13
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Dragon magazine #067 10
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Dragon magazine #103 12, 16, 48, 49
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Dragon magazine #105 10
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Dragon magazine #155 10-18, 23
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Dragon magazine #315 52, 53
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, From the Ashes: References Card #11
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders 17
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix Insert (Elf, Grugach), Encounter Tables
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e 104
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) 104
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.0e 87
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Monster Manual 2, AD&D 1e 63
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, PHBR8 - The Complete Book of Elves 26, 29
Grugach {Wild Elf} Monster PC Race, Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
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