Garmunchi

This monstrous humanoid stands as tall as a troll, has enlarged teeth and incredibly large ears.

Garmunchi CR 6

XP 2,400
CN Large monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)
hp 52 (8d10+8)
Fort +2, Ref +11, Will +6

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. (30 ft in armor)
Melee large mwk greatclub +12/+7 (2d8+6)
Ranged large mwk shortspear +13/+8 (1d8+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with Lunge)
Special Attacks roar (20 ft. cone, 4d4 sonic damage, Reflex DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 19 Dex 21, Con 10, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 17
Base Atk +8; CMB +13 (17 bull rush); CMD 28 (30 vs bull rush, trip)
Feats Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, LungeB, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Survival +11; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Languages Giant
SQ nimbleness

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lunge (Ex)

Garmunchi receive the Lunge feat as a bonus racial feat.

Nimbleness (Ex)

The long, thin limbs of the garmunchi hide significant strength and grace. Garmunchi ignore terrain penalties when taking a single move, and may run up to 6 times their normal speed with a run action. Garmunchi also gain a +2 racial bonus to their CMD when being tripped.

Roar (Su)

As a standard action, a garmunchi can let out a great and terrifying roar that can break the will of the hardiest adversaries. The roar is a 20 ft. cone of attack that deals 4d4 sonic damage (Reflex save DC 17 for half damage). All those that take damage from the roar attack must succeed a DC 17 Will save or be shaken. A garmunchi can do this 3 times per day. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment cold or temperate forests, hills or plains
Organization solitary, scouting party (2-7), war band (15- 30), or tribe (60-120, at least half are non-combatants)
Treasure standard (including masterwork greatclub, masterwork shortspear and masterwork hide armor)

The garmunchi is part of a tribal culture of large monstrous humanoids. It inhabits cool or temperate climes that allow their natural strength and agility to help them hunt. They are simple in their way of life and simple in their hunting techniques. Their failure to dominate many of their neighbors owes to their slow pace of reproduction, their low stamina and their exceedingly low intellect. To these fearsome hunters, however, everyone outside their tribe is prey.

Preferring to fight with a greatclub, a garmunchi warrior, or “gump” as it is called, represents a formidable foe even though it lacks planning and organization. A gump typically starts combat by rushing into battle, closing with the adversary as quickly as possible using a bull rush attack. This effectively but inadvertently disrupts any formations their foe may have already assumed. With a reach of 15 ft. with the great club, a range increment of 20 ft. with the shortspear and a 20 ft. cone roar attack, a gump prefers to keep foe at an arm’s length, dancing back and lunging again almost as if toying with them. Besides hunting meat, the garmunchi diet consists largely of onions, beetles and slugs. A garmunchi tribe builds its village near either an onion patch or near a river bank with a significant slug population. A favorite leisure activity for a garmunchi tribe is relaxing in a mud hole. Most village chiefs are chosen by their ability to locate or create a mud hole, either magically or by mundane means. The garmunchi prefer donkeys for beasts of burden and garmunchi sorcerers keep cats as pets and meat in lean winters.

An adult garmunchi stands eight feet tall and weighs about 400 pounds. They have yellow-green or brownish skin and typically wreak of onions. Unmolested, their lives might span three hundred years, but the ravages of other monsters, their own stupidity and their culture typically kill them before they become venerable.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Book of Beasts: Monsters of the River Nations, copyright 2010 Jon Brazer Enterprises; Author Steven Helt.

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