Grippli, Starhelm
Grippli are small, bipedal, frog-like, amphibious humanoids who dwell in the swamps of Starhelm. They are an inquisitive and resourceful lineage that likes to experience life. They recognize their physical limitations, but do not make excuses for them. They embrace diversity, community, and resourcefulness. The Grippli of Starhelm are the staunch defenders of their swamp home and defend it to the death. The Grippli were the last of the Founder Races to emerge from the Womb of Humanity.
Some Grippli may travel outside their swamp but they truly only feel comfortable when they are at home. Since Grippli are hunted often in their own environment they tend to feel a little concerned about the ‘devil they don’t know’. The ones who do travel are engaging and entertaining comrades who will do whatever they can for their new ‘family’. These Grippli tend to want to escape their swamp due to some sense of greater importance in the outside.
Grippli exclusively worship Erswetz, though they also simultaneously revere nature spirits as well.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Humanoid. Size small.
Grippli typically stand between two to four feet tall, and can have a variety of skin colour and tones. From mottled grey or green skin, to brown, or even blue and purple. They have bulbous eyes, frog-like bodies, with prehensile feet, strong legs, and humanoid hands. Some Grippli also have thinner arms and tend to be lighter in tone, while others are more squat, with darker tones. Grippli can have thin, weblike membranes from their arms that allow them to glide, while others can exude a toxin from their skin. Some have both. There is no real distinction in size or colour between male or female Grippli.
Genetics and Reproduction
Grippli mate with each other as many humanoids do, though they do not mate in the same fashion. Females are the only ones to give birth but they can be impregnated by either male or female Grippli. Their gestation period is pretty short, going about 3 months before giving birth to a clutch of eggs (typically 5-10). These eggs then take about another 6 months to hatch. During this time, referred to as the Yolking, the eggs are typically held in a hatchery, along with other eggs produced. Not all the eggs make it through the Yolking, however. Grippli briefly mourn the ones that did not survive, and then use the yolk and eggs remnants to refertilize the earth, celebrating the contribution those eggs have made to the environment.
Growth Rate & Stages
Grippli remain small for about 4 years, and require care and supervision during this time.
From 4-9 years of age, Grippli experience a spike in growth, and become about half the size of their standard height and weight.
Between the ages of 9-12, Grippli begin to grow to their typical height and weight, gaining as much as half a foot a year.
Grippli mature around the age of 12 and can live to be 80 years or older, on average.
Ecology and Habitats
Grippli prefer and thrive in swamps, marshes, and bogs of all kinds. They make their homes in the northern swamps, southern swamps, and eastern swamps, and have even learned to live in the deadly Petrie Mire. They make homes in the trees, in burrows, on land, on the sides of ponds, and even in the centre of large bodies of swamp water.
Grippli are extremely concerned with their environment and how they play a part in preserving it. They recycle and reuse everything they can, and can find creative ways of utilizing what others may discard. Though they are not scavengers, they never let anything go to waste if they can help it.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Grippli can eat anything and their diet ranges from plant matter, insects, or meat as is available to them. Grippli eat when hungry, either alone or together. They don't put any importance to gathering around food. For them it is purely practical.
They store food typically by burying it wrapped in swamp leaves, mixed with certain ingredients they have found to be natural preservatives.
Behaviour
Grippli are inventive, curious, and very active. They find uses for everything, including their time, and waste nothing. Grippli are not overly concerned with efficiency. They are concerned with activity though. If a task takes only five Grippli to do it, but ten are around, the task will use all ten Grippli. While Grippli are not necessarily constantly hyper, they do not spend a lot of time lounging around. Even when they are resting, they are thinking, and rethinking, looking for different (not necessarily better) ways of doing something.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Grippli society is based on a matriarchal hierarchy. Each colony is typically ruled by the eldest mother and all family decisions are made by her. She can call on an array of advisors to help her make the best decision for the good of the family, but her word is law and she has the power to overturn any decision. Advisors to the Matriarch hold no official title or rank and might be used once, or often, depending on the circumstances or need.
Regardless of the colony's location, all Grippli of Starhelm follow the law of the Matriarch, and many Grippli find it hard to understand the outside world of Humans who most often put men in positions of authority. While it is rare, there have been the odd occasion where a male has taken on the role of leadership in a family. This typically happens under dire circumstances or if no Matriarch can be chosen, but it is always temporary, until a suitable Matriarch can be found. Chief Gullywump II, the leader of the Scalyfoot family in the Marsh of Menlos is a current example of one such leader.
The group is very important to Grippli and the survival of their family means the survival of their people. They spread themselves far and wide, and it is not uncommon for a travelling Grippli of the south to meet a family member in a colony to the north. They assume that all Grippli are looking our for the needs of the colony, so they take many things at face value. They do not believe in treachery among their own kind and any member of a colony that betrays the good of the Grippli is immediately shunned or banished outright.
Facial characteristics
Grippli faces resemble frog faces, with protruding mouths, bulbous eyes, and ear slots behind their jowls.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Grippli have no real improved sight, outside of being underwater, where their eyesight is clear and perceptive. They are good at spotting movement, but have trouble noticing still objects. Their hearing is good, but they do not hear the highs and lows other creatures may perceive.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Grippli names are often descriptive but not formalized at all. They tend to reuse names often and might distinguish based on some minor or major descriptor, like blotcheye, or greentongue.
Major Organizations
The closest thing Grippli have to an organization is the Elven run Swamplight School in Bogbrook. Many in Bogbrook appreciate and benefit from the opening of the school, but others fear it will alter their way of life too much. The city is somewhat divided about the influx of strangers into Bogbrook but so far Melanor Blotcheye, the Matriarch of Bogbrook is keeping the peace.
In the Marsh of Menlos, there is the Deathwing Aerie Cavalry - a loose collection of pteranodon-riding Grippli that have achieved much success against the enemies of the Grippli in that region, most notably the Lizard Folk under King Ssalimaak.
Beauty Ideals
Grippli have no concern for personal beauty in a traditional sense, though they still appreciate fine jewels, and sparkly baubles. They will often decorate their equipment, structures, or clothes with some elements of found stone or materials, though they are careful not to overdo it.
Gender Ideals
Grippli in Starhelm work under a matriarchal system, and the female of the species are given high respect. That is not to say there is any tension between males and females, but it is rare for males to take leadership positions. They make excellent advisors, however.
Other than leadership positions, both genders work well together to the benefit of the colony.
Courtship Ideals
Grippli do not often court each other, and generally accept lasting friendships or mates as they organically form. They are not necessarily monogomous but they can be.
Relationship Ideals
To a Grippli, the relationships they have are their primary reason for gathering in groups and a key to their survival. They revere their family but they consider all Grippli to be an extension of their family. Those non-Grippli whom a Grippli has a friendship with is also considered part of that Grippli's family. This does not mean that every Grippli gets along with everyone, but they tend to default to understanding and connection first.
When Grippli are in contention with one another they usually go to the Matriarch early on to make a decision for them so they do not have to live every day with conflict with one another. Once the Matriarch makes a decision both sides most often let it go and move on.
Average Technological Level
Grippli are not technologically advanced but they are very clever and resourceful. They have discovered how to make use of a lot of their environment for medicine, poisons, and even warfare (which they tend to shy away from as much as possible). They have made very effective tinctures, survival items, and even small grenade-like pouches that are effective against swamp invaders or their (few) enemies.
Most other cultures do not take great stock in Grippli inventions but that is slowly starting to change with the inclusion of the Swamplight School in Bogbrook. The Elves there are very careful to make sure that no inventions that could be used in the wider world to ill effect are allowed to leave, though it does still happen from time to time.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Grippli speak their own language, which they have not named themselves, but the outside world just refers to as Grippli. It involves a lot of croaks, sibilant sounds, and hisses. There are big subtleties in Grippli communication and facial features play a key part in conveying ideas. To some outside cultures it might look like Grippli communicate with each other without saying a word, or very little but they pick up on face and hand gestures, no matter how small.
True Grippli cannot be taught or spoken by non-Grippli as they don't have the necessary biology to perform the complex croaks, whistles, and sounds required. However, since the inclusion of the Swamplight School in Bogbrook, there have been a number of scholars who have encorporated a new form of simplified Grippli in order to communicate better with those Grippli around them. Bogbrook in particular has a larger number of Grippli who can speak this simplified version, but most of the other settlements just use true Grippli or speak common or whichever native tongue is nearby.
Common Etiquette Rules
Grippli hate wasting things. It is very rude to casually throw away something a Grippli gave or made for you, without extracting all possible uses out of it. While Grippli don't expect other cultures to understand how to effectively use everything, a Grippli would hope that the user offers it to the Grippli to see if they could use it.
Grippli also like gifting things to others. It is common for most Grippli, when first meeting someone to provide a gift. The gift may not seem useful, and to some Grippli, that is even the point. Those that can find a use for something that seems useless is a great sign of respect. Grippli admire and congratulate those that do often.
Common Dress Code
Grippli dress plainly, if at all. Their clothes are more often practical, and adorned with small bit of stone, string, vines, or found items.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The Grippli of Starhelm were immigrants from Cha'lla, aka The Blind Swamp. They began their journey there just before the Ascension and were then cut off from their homeland. Their leader, Erswetz, was the Matriarch of Wetzlan, the chief capital of Cha'lla, before leaving on her journey to discover other lands. She traveled with a large group of Grippli northward to the area of what is now known as the Marsh of Menlos, though prior to the Ascension it was just a northern part of Cha'lla. She traveled for three years before finally arriving at Quicksilver Bog and founding the settlement of Bogbrook.
During their time traveling through the forests towards the west, many of the spirits and Luminares from Cha'lla drifted away from her group, and the customs of the Starhelm Grippli shifted towards Erswetz and her guidance and leadership.
After the rising of the Pinnacles and Erswetz being named as the Grippli Pinnacle, all but the most devout of Starhelm Grippli stopped paying homage to their Cha'llan deities and focused their attention on their new and forever Matriarch - Erswetz.
Common Taboos
While Grippli do not appreciate when other cultures throw things away casually, if Grippli do it with the intention of being wasteful it is a most egregious action in their minds.
Lying to other Grippli with ill intent (versus small white lies, or unintentional lies) is frowned on immensely. Grippli rely on trust and faithfulness to the group. If that trust is broken it is hard on everyone, not just the one who got lied to.
History
Grippli were the fifth and last of the Founder Races to emerge from Womb of Humanity. They were gifted the swamps, marshes, and bogs of the world. Jeleze emerged from the Womb in 42 HE and headed to the vast swamp to the southeast of the Womb. She founded Ruuetrom in 49 HE and became the first Matriarch of the Cha'llan Grippli.
The swamps of Cha'lla were large and filled with resources for Jeleza and her family to utilize. They spent a very long time discovering and refining uses for all the elements and ingredients in abundance near their home. They built Ruuetrom strong, and very well hidden from their enemies, which were mostly predators. Other than a few small settlements that branched out in relative nearness to Ruuetrom, the Grippli all stayed in their one large city for almost 3000 years.
In 3004 HE a natural disaster occurred, forcing the Grippli to abandon Ruuetrom. Gurrup Throatbulge, the Matriarch at that time was fearful and superstitious. After consulting with the spirits, she declared that Ruuetrom was to remain uninhabited for five years. Before leaving, she insisted that the city was to be hidden from outside influences, so to remain intact on their return. She further instructed no disturbance within a 50 mile radius of the city or disaster would strike again.
Over the next five years the Grippli scattered to form settlements in different areas of Cha'lla. They went to the north, south, east, and west, avoiding the centre near Ruuetrom. Gurrup died only 3 years later, but the fear she fostered stuck with many Grippli for some time.
Eventually some Grippli, tired of being fearful and longing for their home, return to Ruuetrom, only to find they were unable to locate it. Either through some misfortune of the city, or their extreme success in hiding their city from outsiders, they were unable to repopulate it. Most of them gave up and went back to their old homes, or moved on to find new homes.
In 3952 HE, Erswetz is born, destined to become one of the greatest Grippli ever born. From the age of 15 until her 30th year, Erswetz searched for Ruuetrom tirelessly. She made a lot of friends, and discoveries, but none more important than her meeting with Kroakal. The two of them shared a love of discovery and invention. While Erswetz formed strong relationships, and fostered community and mutual aid, Kroakal had a great love for ingenuity and resourcefulness. Together they made an incredible pair, and it was not long before they pledged their love for each other.
While they never found Ruuetrom, the bonds they formed with all the Grippli they met encouraed them to bring them all back together in a new capital city of Wetzlan. In the year 3982 HE, both Erswetz and Kroakal would make it their mission to travel to and return from all the various settlements across Cha'lla. While the smaller settlement still remained, most returned back with the pair, sensing the greatness within both of them. In 3987 Wetzlan is founded and Erswetz becomes the first Matriarch of their new capital.
She would remain in Wetzlan as their Matriarch for ten years before deciding to leave with a group of immigrants to seek out new lands and spread Grippli influence over the other marshes of the world. She worked her way northwest before coming upon the Quicksilver Bog and eventually settling there. They founded Bogbrook there in 3999 HE, and Erswetz became the Matriarch there. At the age of 50, however, the world was torn asunder during the Ascension. Cut off from returning to Cha'lla, Erswetz led her people bravely through the worst of it. Surprisingly, under her leadership, not only did her people survive the Ascension, Bogbrook flourished over the next fifty years.
At the age of 100, which is venerable to a Grippli, Erswetz unsurprisingly arose as the Pinnacle of the Starhelm Grippli. As a direct descendant of Jeleza Webfoot, Erswetz was able to maintain an appearance of a Grippli almost half her age.
Meanwhile, back in Wetzlan, Kroakal reluctantly became the Matriarch there, though she did not have the same influence as Erswetz had over the people. She took to heeding advice from a larger group of advisors and spent a lot of her time innovating and researching.
At the age of 100, venerable in Grippli years, Kroakal arose as the Pinnacle of the Cha'llan Grippli. She trusted in the support of the other Luminares and spirits there to lead her people as they have always done in the past. Kroakal did not benefit from being a direct descendant of Jeleza and as such, appears as a very old Grippli.
Historical Figures
Jeleza Webfoot - First Grippli to walk out of the Womb of Humanity and First Matriarch of Ruuetrom.
Gurrup Throatbulge - Matriarch of Ruutrom who ordered the evacuation.
Erswetz - Former Matriarch of Wetzlan, and Bogbrook, and Pinnacle of Starhelm Grippli.
Kroakal - Matriarch of Wetzlan, mate to Erswetz, and Pinnacle of Cha'llan Grippli.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Grippli get along well with most other creatures, though those same creatures often do not understand Grippli culture or behaviour. The exception to Grippli cordiality is their relationship with the Lizard Folk. Grippli compete with Lizard Folk most often for resources, and land. The Lizard Folk are most contentious and hostile, while the Grippli would be happy to share.
Bullywugs are somewhere in the middle as they do not impact the swamps too heavily and have been known to side with both the Grippli and Lizard Folk, sometimes at the same time.
In the western part of Starhelm, the Grippli of Bogbrook have made an alliance with the Humans of Avandar, helping them to retake their harbour-fortress of Brightwave over 50 years ago. The alliance has led to greater trade, and protection, ranging from Brightwave eastward toward Brightbough Forest and the protection of the Elves there. There has even been a joint project in Bogbrook to house a school of learning for Grippli as well as any scholars who want to learn about the swamps and its denizens.
Geographic Distribution
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