## Grendelkin *GARRET HELD HIS SWORD IN FRONT OF HIM MORE like a lion tamer's shield than a fighter's blade. He watched in frightened silence as a procession of hulking green-skinned humanoids began to emerge from the swamp's dark innards.* *"Back!" he bellowed. "Get back! I've heard stories of your people -- cannibals and witches, the lot of you!" A final figure, larger than the rest, came into the light of Garret's torch.* *"Are those the stories you outsiders spout? I suppose you're not wrong. You're just lucky we found you first." With that, the grendelkin matriarch beckoned him forward.*

--Sera Stoneheart, *A Frightful Meeting*

The grendelkin are a widely misunderstood and feared race; their history, culture, and trollblood heritage have doomed them to an existence of solitude. This situation has split the grendelkin people into two factions: those who seek to overcome the deep-rooted biases against them and those who choose to embrace the fear they inspire. ### Cursed Heritage When someone first lays eyes upon a grendelkin, the most obvious aspect of the race is their relation to trolls. All grendelkin have the green skin and claws of their ancestors, but certain individuals are further in touch with their lineage, growing unnaturally strong and sprouting tusks. The exact reason for their split from the wider troll species is largely unknown, but tales have been spread for time immemorial. The stories tell of a time when trolls were more giant than beast, smarter than their lowborn descendants and equally more vicious. Out of all these intelligent trolls, it is said that one tribe was more bloodthirsty than the rest. Being led by a matriarch whose name has long been forgotten and her eldest son, Grendel. The family tore through the kingdoms of man and dwarf alike, coating the fields in blood. While this reign of terror would go on for decades, Grendel would eventually meet his match. A party of adventurers would take the bounty on the troll, and despite a legendary battle, both Grendel and his mother were slain. With their leaders lying dead, the remaining grendelkin would flee into the swamps. They could never venture out for the growing kingdom still thirsted for their blood, so they waited. Waited until they were nearly unrecognizable. Waited until their society became unique to them. Waited until their names were completely forgotten... save for the tales of bloodthirsty beasts from the swamps. ``` ```

### Culture of Seclusion Grendelkin are largely unwelcome in the wider world, so despite the slowly growing acceptance of their people, the majority of grendelkin society is relegated to the outskirts of civilization. While many grendelkin wish to grow their race's influence and bring glory to their families, just as many are more than happy with remaining solitary. Considering the other races "outsiders," these grendelkin are slow to trust and quick to defend themselves. These isolationist traits can manifest in a variety of ways from simply scaring away intruders to practicing dark arts in order to keep them away. ### Tribes & Families Grendelkin society is split into an array of different tribes with these tribes being further segmented into families. Families usually consist of 3-4 generations and are led by the eldest female within the group. These females are in turn beholden to the commands of each tribe's matriarch. The extended seclusion of the grendelkin race has created a people with an innate connection to nature, but grendelkin matriarchs are on a wholly different tier. Immensely experienced druids, they are capable of defending their tribes through magical power alone should other grendelkin tribes or outsider kingdoms grow bold. The values of the matriarch influence the entirety of their clans, and if any grendelkin disagrees with a matriarch, they are often exiled from their homes. Banished grendelkin are commonly drawn to the work of adventuring, seeing as their ties to druidcraft, hardy nature, and regenerative abilities are immensely useful in dangerous situations.

\page ### Grendelkin Names Grendelkin have a given name at birth, but outside of their family, grendelkin are primarily referred to by their surname. This surname is traditionally a blend of two other names, their mother's and their birth matriarch's given names. The matriarch herself gives up her name upon becoming leader of the tribe; she is to be instead referred to as "Matriarch" or "Mother" followed by her original surname. ___ **Male Names:** Aldgrim, Beoric, Dagmor, Dunwulf, Eorlan, Fendral, Grimnald, Guthric, Haldor, Kynric, Ormoth, Ragnolf, Sigbrand, Skarn, Thrand, Valdric **Female Names:** Aestrid, Brynhild, Eldgith, Fenlaeth, Freydis, Gyrtha, Helrun, Hroda, Ingar, Lofwyn, Myrka, Sigrun, Swansyth, Thorne, Thyra, Wynfara **Surnames:** Aestraeth, Bryngith, Eldrun, Eldis, Freyrun, Gyrtha-Frey, Helgar, Ingar-Lofwyn, Lofroda, Myrkhild, Myrksyth, Swangith, Thoryn, Thorne-Hroda, Thyfara, Wynra ### Grendelkin Traits Your grendelkin has a number of traits in common with all other grendelkin. ***Creature Type.*** You are a humanoid. You are also considered a giant for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a giant. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2. ***Age.*** A grendelkin is able to fend for themselves at just 1 year of age, but they reach adulthood at 10 years old. A grendelkin generally lives to the end of their first century. ***Alignment.*** Grendelkin tend to be lawful due to their strict familial culture, and their penchant for seclusion often leads to a neutral alignment. ***Size.*** Grendelkin owe their imposing figure to heritage, but a raging metabolism and reliance on magic can lead to a sinewy and lithe appearance rather than one of pure muscle. Grendelkin are generally within 7-8 feet tall with females trending towards larger sizes. No matter where you fall within this spectrum, your size is Medium. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. ***Darkvision.*** Due to your trollblood and life within the dark swamps of the world, your eyes have become accustomed to a lack of illumination. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. ***Claws.*** Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. ***Keen Smell.*** You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. ***Troll Heritage.*** Troll regeneration may be diminished within grendelkin, but it is still present. As a bonus action, you can roll a hit die to heal as if you were taking a short rest. Between long rests, you can do this an amount of times equal to your proficiency bonus or until you are out of hit dice. This can not be done if you took fire or acid damage in the last turn. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant. The introduction of Common into grendelkin schooling is a relatively new innovation, coming about due to increased interaction with outsiders, so most grendelkin are far more comfortable conversing in Giant. ***Subrace.*** Grendelkin are a relatively homogenous people, but their volatile blood is known to cause mutations. These alternative grendelkin are given the overarching moniker of "giant grendelkin." #### Wise As a wise grendelkin, you are the epitome of the "evolved" troll. You aren't as strong as your ancestors, but you make up for it in Wisdom and adaptation to your wetland home. ***Ability Score Increase.*** You are accustomed to the natural world. Your Wisdom score increases by 1. ***Swamp Dweller.*** You are resistant to poison damage and have advantage on saving rolls against being poisoned. Additionally, you have proficiency in the Nature skill. #### Giant Giant grendelkin are rare among their brethren for their increased strength and bestial traits. These aspects can come about through having true troll parentage or through random chance upon their birth. Despite their enhanced physicality, giant grendelkin are no less intelligent than wise grendelkin, yet they are often thrown out of their tribes as soon as they reach adulthood. This practice is most common among tribes who wish to bury their ancestor's sins. In fact, giant grendelkin are seen as a curse placed on the race by Grendel himself. For the same reason they are banished by certain tribes, they are taken in by the wilder factions of grendelkin, those who worship their founders as heroes. This tragic circumstance leads to an influx of giant grendelkin raiders, but nonetheless, plenty of giant grendelkin put the past aside in order to make their own path in the world. ***Ability Score Increase.*** You are much bulkier than your kin. Your Strength score increases by 1. ***Powerful Build.*** You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. ***Tusks.*** In addition to your claws, you have tusks that act as natural weapons which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. > ##### Credits > >Background Art: *"Seer of the Swamp"* (JKRoots) >Character Art: *"Old Troll"* (Tomi Lötjönen) > >___ > > Race Created Using: "Homebrewery" (JurrasicPork) \page ## Related Feats ### Blood Bond *Prerequisite: Grendelkin* ___ You were raised to devote yourself to your family. You may have forsaken your blood, but you can still defend a new type of bond. * When you take this feat, you can choose up to 5 creatures to bond to. Everytime you gain a level thereafter, you can add bonds if not at the maximum amount. Bonds can be broken at any time but, once broken, can't be reformed with the same creature. * When a bonded creature within 20 feet of you takes damage, you gain advantage on attack rolls against the source of the damage until the end of your next turn. * When an ally within your line of sight is reduced to 0 hit points, you gain advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws until the end of your next turn. * You have advantage on saving throws to resist being frightened and charmed while an ally is within 10 feet of you. ### Monstrous Hardiness *Prerequisite: Grendelkin* ___ The volatile blood of trolls burns in your veins. You can take unnatural amount of punishment and recover at a frightening pace. * Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20. * You gain a number of d10s equal to half your Constitution bonus (rounded up). These are referred to as "trollblood dice" and can be used and regained as any other hit die. ### Natural Killer *Prerequisite: Natural weapon* ___ You have perfected the art of using your natural weapons to their fullest potential. * Your natural weapons are considered Finesse weapons. * If your natural weapon deals 1d4 damage, it increases to 1d6. If your natural weapon deals 1d6 damage, it increases to 1d8. * Your natural weapons score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

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