Grue (The Dying Earth)

Grues are large, voracious predators known to hunt alone or in packs. Even a single grue is likely to keep villagers from straying far from their homes and can bring a shudder to the spine of even the most accomplished magician. A small pebble-like bone from the skull of a grue contains a tangible energy which can be used to empower magic or curses.

Disclaimer: The beauty of Jack Vance’s work on the Dying Earth setting is that very little is explained leaving much to the imaginations of his readers. Grues, and indeed most Vancian monsters, are no exception. Vance only allows the reader that the characters of his worl know what grues are and that they are terrifying. The word grue itself means ‘to shudder’ and gives us gruesome. Vance was no doubt aware of this and used the word for a creature that represents the lurking fears of a world that is a mystery even to the wisest residents thereof.

Attempting to convert such a thing to game statistics is much like doing the same for Cthulhu, the Olympian Pantheon or even fear itself. The futility of such an effort has not deterred game designer in the past, however so why not?

That being said, this grue is only one possible interpretation of which there is a nigh-infinite number of possibilities. All that is really known of this thing is that it is widely feared, lives in the wild areas under the fading red sun, and that it hunts humans. The chief in universe description is Grue: man, ocular bat, the unusual hoon. The people of the Dying Earth (presumably) know what an ocular bat and a hoon might be. Even so, the grue is a man, crossed with an ocular bat, crossed with the unusual hoon and therefore even if one understands what a man/eye bat/hoon chimera might look like, there is no way to tell how the hoon third of a grue’s being is unusual. We, of course must guess what these things might be.

Unusual hoon?

For the purposes of this entry into the bestiary of weird, assume that “man” means humanoid in shape, that an ocular bat hunts by sight rather than echolocation but is otherwise similar to our flying rodents of modern earth and that a hoon is some sort of wildebeest. The result can be conceived as something like creatures from They (which themselves look like Orlok) with a bat-like cloak of membrane, Orlok’s claws and a wildebeest’s upturned horns. The creature here is also assumed to be large in mass and might move upright when skulking or on all fours when charging.

Ocular bat?

They could just as easily resemble the bioraptors of Pitch Black or Lovecraft’s nightgaunts. For that matter, Vance marries science fiction and magical fantasy to make the two quite indistinguishable and grues could also be stranded aliens, semi-autonomous mecha leftovers from and ancient war, or even fur-covered animatronics gone mad. In any case, it is recommended that these statistics be used for inspiration only and that games which feature grues should see them tailored to the tastes of the gamemaster and flavored to match the game’s setting.

Grue (The Dying Earth) ◊ Power Level — 5

From the nearby forest of sprawling kang trees came the moaning of a grue, arousing the hairs at the back of Rhialto’s neck.

Physical Abilities

Agility

1

Dexterity

-3

Stamina

4*

Strength

4*

*+4 due to large size

Mental Abilities

Awareness 

2

Fighting

1

Intellect

-3

Presence 

-3

Defense

Dodge -1 (3 in darkness or dim light)

Fortitude 4

Parry -1 (3 in darkness or dim light)

Toughness 6**

Will 2

*-2 due to large size

**+2 due to Protection

Offense

Initiative +1

Ghastly Gouging +4 (Damage 6)

Skills

Athletics 2 (+6), Intimidation 9 (+8*/14 with Looming Presence), Perception 2 (+4), Stealth 11 (+8**)

*+2 due to large size

**-4 due to large size

Advantages

Chokehold, Close Attack 3, Fast Grab

Equipment

—

Powers

◊Cloaked in Shadow: Concealment +innate, -limited — 5 points

◊Enhanced Vision: Senses 3 +innate — 4 points

◊Forlorn Wail: Affliction 5 +area, +innate, -limited degree — 6 points

◊Ghastly Gouging: Damage 2 +dangerous 1, +innate, +Strength-based — 4 points

◊Looming Presence: Enhanced Intimidation 6 -limited and Growth 4 +innate, +permanent — 11 points

◊Membranous Mantle: Flight 1 +innate, +permanent — 2 points

◊Stygian Sheath Enhanced Defenses 8 +innate, -limited, +permanent — 5 points

◊Swift as Night: Speed 3 +innate, +permanent — 4 points

◊Umbral Fell: Protection 2 +innate — 3 points

Complications

Grues are motivated by nothing more than their ravenous hunger

Character Point Totals Abilities -10 + Powers 44 + Advantages 5 + Skills 12 + Defenses 0 = Total 51

Cloaked in Shadow

◊Descriptors – natural, visual

◊Effect – Concealment 4 • 5 points

Cloaked in Shadow (innate limited Concealment to all visual senses)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, limited: -1/rank

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – A grue has total concealment to all visual senses while in shadowed terrain

Description

A grue gains total concealment from all visual senses while in areas of shadow, although it is still detectable to other senses (See Concealment for full effects).

Ocular Intensity

◊Descriptors – natural, visual

◊Effect – Senses 3 • 4 points

Ocular Intensity (Senses 3 Extended vision, Tracking, and Ultravision)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – A grue has a –1 to visual Perception checks per 100 feet; a grue can follow tracks by sight, a grue can see normally at night by starlight

Description

Grue: man, ocular bat, the unusual hoon.

A grue has only has a –1 penalty to visual Perception checks for every 100 feet (instead of for every 10 feet), can follow trails and track by sight and can see normally at night by the light of the stars or other UV light sources.

Forlorn Wail

◊Descriptors – auditory, sonic, terror

◊Effect – Affliction 5 • 6 points

Forlorn Wail (perception area, limited Affliction)

◊Modifiers – area: +1/rank, innate: 1 flat point, limited degree: -1/rank

◊Action – standard

◊Range – unlimited

◊Duration – instant

◊Results – target impaired (one degree) or disabled (two or more degrees)

◊Resist – Will

Description

From the forest the grue moaned again and in a plaintive voice, called out for solace.

When hungry, a grue may emit a horrifying wail. Creatures able to perceive this dreadful baying must succeed a Dodge resistance check (DC 15). If this check succeeds, the grue’s call has no ill-effects. Those failing the Dodge check must now succeed a Will resistance check (DC 15) or become impaired (failure by one degree) or disabled (failure by two degrees) from fright.

Affected targets make another Will resistance check at the end of each turn to recover. 

Ghastly Gouging

◊Descriptors – natural, weapon

◊Effect – Damage 2 • 4 points

Ghastly Gouging (Strength-based Damage 6)

◊Modifiers – dangerous 1: 1 flat point, innate: 1 flat point, Strength-based: 0 points

◊Action – standard

◊Range – close

◊Duration – instant

◊Results – dangerous Damage Rank 2 plus Strength

◊Resist – Toughness

Description

“Bamish and Randol were taken by grues at Sagma Field.”

        —Garstang

The cruel claws of a grue endeavor to shred flesh and engorge the dripping remnants thereof into its gaping maw.

Looming Presence

◊Descriptors – natural, size

◊Effect – Enhanced Intimidation 6 and Growth 4 • 11 points

Looming Presence (limited Enhanced Trait 6 and innate permanent Growth 4)

◊Modifiers – limited: -1/rank (Enhanced Trait); innate: 1 flat point, permanent: +0/rank (Growth)

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – -2 Dodge and Parry; +2 Intimidation; mass rank 6; +4 Stamina and Strength; size rank -1; -4 Stealth

Description

“If I were to ferry you across the river you would be as good as dead, for the region is haunted by erbs and grues.”

        —Busiacos elder

As a large creature, grues posses the following bonuses and penalties (all taken into account in its traits above):

        • +4 Strength

        • +4 Stamina

        • +2 Intimidation

        • -4 Stealth

        • -2 Dodge

        • -2 Parry

        • +4 mass rank (mass 6)

        •+1 size rank (size -1)

In addition, a grue gains Enhanced Intimidation 6 when standing upright and not using its Speed 3 rank via the Swift as Night power.

Note: This power represents two distinct effects packaged together for thematic reasons; they are not linked. If the cost of these separate effects becomes important (due to a power stunt or Weaken effect, for example) they are respectively a 2 point sustained effect and 4 permanent effect (which cannot be used to generate a power stunt).

Membranous Mantle

◊Descriptors – natural

◊Effect – Flight 1 • 2 points

Large Size (innate gliding Flight 1)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, permanent: +0/rank

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – a grue can glide using the excess of flesh upon its limbs

Description

“Needless to say, you will need a stout arm and feet with wings to escape the vampires, grues, erbs and leucomorphs.”

        —Witch-chaser of the southern verge

A grue can glide through the air from a high starting point. The distance a grue can cover with this movement is limited to the vertical distance rank of its starting height, plus 1. 

For example, a grue roosting upon the top of a ponderous tree 80 feet in height (distance rank 2) can glide a maximum distance of 250 feet while slowly losing altitude with each foot travelled (see Ranks & Measures for more information).

Only very powerful wind gusts can cause a grue to gain altitude while gliding, due to its mass and size.

Stygian Sheath

◊Descriptors – camouflage, natural

◊Effect – Enhanced Traits 8 • 5 points

Stygian Sheath (innate, limited, permanent Enhanced Defenses)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, limited: -1/rank, permanent: +0/rank

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – a grue has a +4 bonus to active defenses in areas of darkness or dim light

Description

A grue is emboldened while under the cover of darkness. These creatures gain a +4 bonus to active defenses while in areas of darkness or poor lighting.

Swift as Night

◊Descriptors – natural, speed

◊Effect – Speed 3 • 4 points

Swift as Night (Speed 3)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, permanent: +0/rank

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – ground speed rank 3 (16 mph)

Description

A grue can move at a speed of about 16 miles per hour without becoming fatigued.

Umbral Fell

◊Descriptors – hide, natural

◊Effect – Protection 2 • 3 points

Umbral Fell (innate Protection)

◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point

◊Action – none

◊Range – personal

◊Duration – permanent

◊Results – a grue’s resilient black hide provides it with a +2 bonus to Toughness

Description

“She is of the House of Domber, gloomy and fitful; she looks little more than a girl, but she manifests the brooding carelessness of a forest grue.”

        —Slaye

The dark pelt of a grue pulses with think black ichor which congeals swiftly when exposed granting these creatures a +2 bonus to Toughness.

Grue Skull-Stone

◊Descriptors – artifact, variable

◊Effect – varies

Grue Skull-Stone

◊Modifiers – variable: 2 flat points; other modifiers may apply

◊Action – varies

◊Range – varies

◊Duration – varies

◊Results – varies

◊Resist – varies

◊Overcome – varies

Description

“This is the skull-stone of a grue, and at this moment trembles with force.”

        —An unnamed and deceased bandit

The calcareous white pebble located in the skull of a grue is believed to possess power by those living under the paling sun which grudgingly drags itself daily over the Earth. Certainly, a no great sensitivity is required to feel the dynamism present in some of these objects.

At the gamemaster’s option, a grue skull-stone (the more freshly procured from the late grue, the better) may be able to invigorate magic or empower the invocation of a curse (never to be taken lightly in the strange last days of the world).

Whatever effect a skull stone generates should be one-use only. Consider the following possibilities:

        ◊The wielder temporarily gains the Ritualist advantage and may make an untrained Expertise: Magic check to create a curse as an Affliction.

        ◊The wielder invokes a curse which creates a complication which lasts until the curse is lifted by the target. Even if the “curse” has not true power, the target may gain an obsession with lifting it.

        ◊A wielder who possesses the Ritualist advantage gains Enhanced Expertise: Magic 4 if they expend the skull-stone’s power when completing their spell.

        ◊A wielder using a power with the magic descriptor gains a +2 or +5 circumstance bonus to power checks or attack rolls by expending the skull-stone’s power.

        ◊A wielder using a power with the magic descriptor can expend the skull-stone’s power to give the target a -2 or -5 circumstance penalty to resistance checks made against that power.

—Return to Table of Contents—