Grell (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, the grell is an aberration
.
#12 (April/May 1979), in the "Fiend Factory" column, originally submitted by Ian Livingstone
. The grell then appears in the first edition Fiend Folio
(1981).
Several variations of the grell for the Spelljammer
campaign setting
appeared in the Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II (1991), including the patriarch grell, the philosopher grell, the soldier grell, and the worker grell. The patriarch grell, the philosopher grell, and the worker grell appear as part of the grell entry in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
(2005), which includes the grell hatchling, the grell juvenile, the grell patriarch, and the grell philosopher.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the grell is an aberration
Aberration (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, aberration is a type of creature, or "creature type". Aberrations generally all have bizarre anatomies, strange abilities, alien mindsets, or any combination thereof....
.
Description
The grell is levitating creature with a body like a giant olive-colored exposed brain the size of a human and with a frontal beak, below which trails ten long pale olive-green tentacles. Grell are usually found underground and are particularly dangerous and vicious. The tentacles carry small spines that inject paralyzing venom into a victim.Publication history
The grell was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The grell was first published in White DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
#12 (April/May 1979), in the "Fiend Factory" column, originally submitted by Ian Livingstone
Ian Livingstone
Ian Livingstone OBE is an English fantasy author and entrepreneur. He is a co-writer of the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, and co-founder of Games Workshop....
. The grell then appears in the first edition Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(1981).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The grell appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Appendix (1990), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).Several variations of the grell for the Spelljammer
Spelljammer
Spelljammer is a campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which features a fantastical outer space environment....
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
appeared in the Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II (1991), including the patriarch grell, the philosopher grell, the soldier grell, and the worker grell. The patriarch grell, the philosopher grell, and the worker grell appear as part of the grell entry in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The grell appears in the module Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), and was later featured in the Monster Manual II for this edition (2002).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The grell receives its own chapter in the book Lords of Madness: The Book of AberrationsLords of Madness
Lords of Madness is an official supplement for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Contents:It includes new content for aberrations including new aberration monsters and monsters related to them, and information on how to hunt aberrations.-What Is an...
(2005), which includes the grell hatchling, the grell juvenile, the grell patriarch, and the grell philosopher.