Gruwaar

Gruwaars are one of four playable races for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition added in the article "Xenophilia", in Dragon Magazine issue #317.

These strange, furry, goblin-like fey are rarely seen on the mortal plane, and have a justifiably sinister reputation as agents of the Unseelie Court. Legends says they were allies of Lolth and stood beside the drow when they were driven into the Underdark; one of many crimes for which most elves will not stand to let them live.

Wild and mischievous even by fey standards, these ultra-independent faeries are fascinated by the motives and results that impassion those who seek and bear power. That's not to say they care about wielding political or social influence themselves; in fact, they're more voyeuristic by nature than anything else. Intrigued by the chaos of raw, naked force, they love to see individuals act in dynamic ways, especially when the gruwaars have set the stage. Drama is their deep and abiding love; tragic or grand, it doesn't matter - they just want to watch as chaos unfolds. They have a singular disdain for authority, and whilst they often serve as advisers or assassins, or even adventurers, invariably it's to sate their own desire to stir shit up and watch what happens.

Physically, a gruwaar is often described as a cross between a goblin and a black cat; wiry and muscular, these 3ft to 4ft creatures have ape-like physiques and faces that combine a distinct feline cast with a goblin's humanoid features, offsetting large, round eyes the color of hot steel, a mouth filled with canine teeth, a prominent brow and long, pointy ears that jut out from their heads. They are covered in fine-textured black fur, with their overly long arms possessing extra joints and tiny but razor-sharp claws on the fingertips. Their fundamentally ape-like build of long arms and short thighs makes them seem perpetually crouched. To blend in amongst civilized folk, gruwars favor loose-fitting hoods and cloaks.

Weirdly charismatic, wily, and persuasive, gruwaars prefer stealth and disguise to walk amongst non-fey races. They take pains to remain unseen when they can, and will do anything to disguise their true identity; they have even been known to pretend to be familiars to young arcanists. Their love of adventure, and their innate moral ambiguity - gruwaars are as happy to mess things up for the forces of darkness and for the forces of light, allows them to become useful allies, but nobody rightly trusts them.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, -2 Wisdom

Small

Base speed 20 feet

Fey

Darkvision 60 feet

+2 racial bonus on Hide, Move Silently and Sleight of Hand.

Claws: 2 claw attacks that do 1d3 + Str modifier damage.

Semi-Bipedal: A gruwaar can drop to all fours in order to increase its base speed to 30 feet. To do this, it must be wearing light armor or no armor, be lightly encumbered at the most, and not be holding items in its hands.

Disguise self 1/day.

Favored Class: Rogue