Hook Horror - Revision history

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1d4chan>Nubnuber: /* Gallery */

2021-12-19T01:27:51Z

Gallery

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	Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog		Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog
	Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk		Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk
			Hook horror sticker.jpg
	Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic		Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic
	Quaggoth Hook horror Night Below.jpg\|[[Night Below]]		Quaggoth Hook horror Night Below.jpg\|[[Night Below]]

2601:188:C300:64B8:10A0:4806:AE6E:FE39 at 22:15, 2 December 2021

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	[[File:Hook horror 5e.jpg\|thumb\|right\|300px]]		[[File:Hook horror 5e.jpg\|thumb\|right\|300px]]

	'''Hook Horrors''' are iconic [[Underdark]]-dwelling monsters from the worlds of [[Dungeons & Dragons]], which resemble massive, bipedal humanoids with vulture-like heads, beetle-like carapaces, and long, curving bone hooks for arms. They have a '''long''' history in D&D, and have undergone quite a lot of changes over the years.		'''Hook Horrors''' are iconic [[Underdark]]-dwelling monsters from the worlds of [[Dungeons & Dragons]], which resemble massive, bipedal humanoids with vulture-like heads, beetle-like carapaces, and long, curving bone hooks for arms. They have a '''long''' history in D&D, and have undergone quite a lot of changes over the years. They were also the Lesser Daemons of Malal.

	==In The Beginning...==		==In The Beginning...==

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* In The Beginning... */ the Russian Doll Monster debuted in #15...

2021-07-25T15:26:28Z

In The Beginning...: the Russian Doll Monster debuted in #15...

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	Hook Horrors first debuted in [[White Dwarf]] #12; they were invented by none other than [[Ian Livingstone]], the magazine's editor and a co-founder of [[Games Workshop]]. Here, they were described as large, powerful humanoids with a hard, mottled grey exoskeleton and vulture-like heads. They have sharp, hooked talons on the end of each arm. They have poor vision but acute hearing, which makes them difficult to surprise. They cannot speak, and communicate by making clacking noises with their exoskeleton. The sounds of hook horrors clacking can be an eerie and alarming noise to those exploring the deep underground caverns where they dwell. Found in groups of up to a dozen, they are 5 Hit Dice monsters, with relatively good armour (AC 3). They have two simple talon attacks (1-8 damage each), and low intelligence. They may have silver or electrum coins as treasure.		Hook Horrors first debuted in [[White Dwarf]] #12; they were invented by none other than [[Ian Livingstone]], the magazine's editor and a co-founder of [[Games Workshop]]. Here, they were described as large, powerful humanoids with a hard, mottled grey exoskeleton and vulture-like heads. They have sharp, hooked talons on the end of each arm. They have poor vision but acute hearing, which makes them difficult to surprise. They cannot speak, and communicate by making clacking noises with their exoskeleton. The sounds of hook horrors clacking can be an eerie and alarming noise to those exploring the deep underground caverns where they dwell. Found in groups of up to a dozen, they are 5 Hit Dice monsters, with relatively good armour (AC 3). They have two simple talon attacks (1-8 damage each), and low intelligence. They may have silver or electrum coins as treasure.

	~~Three~~ issues later, [[White Dwarf]] #15 would run a "top 10 Fiend Factory Monsters" list, and Hook Horrors would make #5 on that list - beating out [[Githyanki]]! ~~Naturally, they went on to appear in~~ the [[Fiend Folio]], which made some slight changes to the description. Instead of "humanoids", hook horrors are now just "bipeds". They live in "deep underground corridors and chambers" instead of "deep underground caverns", perhaps hinting of a less natural origin. The statistics block format in the Fiend Folio has more information than the one in White Dwarf, so we learn that hook horrors are rare, spend 20% of their time in their lair, and are 9' tall.		Six issues later, [[White Dwarf]] #18 would run a "top 10 Fiend Factory Monsters" list, and Hook Horrors would make #5 on that list - beating out [[Githyanki]]! They'd already been slated for the [[Fiend Folio]], which - when it came out - made some slight changes to the description. Instead of "humanoids", hook horrors are now just "bipeds". They live in "deep underground corridors and chambers" instead of "deep underground caverns", perhaps hinting of a less natural origin. The statistics block format in the ''Fiend Folio'' has more information than the one in ''White Dwarf'', so we learn that hook horrors are rare, spend 20% of their time in their lair, and are 9' tall.

	An Ecology of the Hook Horror article would ultimately follow in [[Dragon Magazine]] #131. The article is a series of observations made by the scholar Ferba to the Guild of Naturalists of Quardolf City. Ferba bases his analysis on a single dead specimen, said to be in an "excellently preserved state". This particular hook horror is fully grown at 9'2" tall. Around the neck of the hook horror is a crest of red feathers, and where each metallic-grey talon meets its upper limb are two more tufts of distinctive red feathers. We learn that the chitinous protective exoskeleton is strongest over the chest and back, and less so over the limbs. It derives its strength, compared here to dwarven steel, from the buildup of calcium deposits.		The "Ecology of the Hook Horror" article would ultimately follow in [[Dragon Magazine]] #131. The article is a series of observations made by the scholar Ferba to the Guild of Naturalists of Quardolf City. Ferba bases his analysis on a single dead specimen, said to be in an "excellently preserved state". This particular hook horror is fully grown at 9'2" tall. Around the neck of the hook horror is a crest of red feathers, and where each metallic-grey talon meets its upper limb are two more tufts of distinctive red feathers. We learn that the chitinous protective exoskeleton is strongest over the chest and back, and less so over the limbs. It derives its strength, compared here to dwarven steel, from the buildup of calcium deposits.

	We discover more about the hook horror's senses. They have weak eyes and limited vision, and lack the infravision common to many underground beasts. Hook horrors make up for this with olfactory senses that rival those of bloodhounds, excellent hearing, and a limited form of echolocation which allows them to sense the environment within 120' even in total darkness. For some reason the illustration accompanying the article omits the bat-like ears shown in most other depictions. Hook horrors are capable of detecting invisible wizards and silently moving rogues. In the footnotes, the article expands on the Fiend Folio's simplistic "10% chance of surprising a hook horror", by noting that efforts to use magical silence to sneak past also incur a penalty.		We discover more about the hook horror's senses. They have weak eyes and limited vision, and lack the infravision common to many underground beasts. Hook horrors make up for this with olfactory senses that rival those of bloodhounds, excellent hearing, and a limited form of echolocation which allows them to sense the environment within 120' even in total darkness. For some reason the illustration accompanying the article omits the bat-like ears shown in most other depictions. Hook horrors are capable of detecting invisible wizards and silently moving rogues. In the footnotes, the article expands on the Fiend Folio's simplistic "10% chance of surprising a hook horror", by noting that efforts to use magical silence to sneak past also incur a penalty.

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Interspecies Relationships */

2021-02-11T10:37:14Z

Interspecies Relationships

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	==Interspecies Relationships==		==Interspecies Relationships==
	D&D lore consistently paints a picture of hook horrors as creatures that don't have a lot to do with other species~~, and that~~ seems to be true in a genetic sense too. Their Ecology article states that they are not mammals, but invertebrate arthropods with vaguely humanoid form, and observes that (along with kobolds), hook horrors are one of few egg-laying bipeds. The Monstrous Compendium suggests that they are distantly related to cockroaches and cave crickets.		D&D lore consistently paints a picture of hook horrors as creatures that don't have a lot to do with other species.

			That seems to be true in a genetic sense too. Their Ecology article states that they are not mammals, but invertebrate arthropods with vaguely humanoid form, and observes that (along with kobolds), hook horrors are one of few egg-laying bipeds. The Monstrous Compendium suggests that they are distantly related to cockroaches and cave crickets.

	The little we do know about hook horror relationships with other creature mostly revolves around food. The 1st Edition hook horrors prefer non-mobile fungi, but if food supplies are short, they will prey on zygoms, violet fungi, phycomids and shriekers. The Ecology of the Hook Horror suggests that large fungi are found in half of hook horror lairs, and that some groups will even keep captive fungi as a food supply. Hook horrors apparently have a special gland in their endocrine system which gives them immunity to any rotting or infestation powers that these fungi have.		The little we do know about hook horror relationships with other creature mostly revolves around food. The 1st Edition hook horrors prefer non-mobile fungi, but if food supplies are short, they will prey on zygoms, violet fungi, phycomids and shriekers. The Ecology of the Hook Horror suggests that large fungi are found in half of hook horror lairs, and that some groups will even keep captive fungi as a food supply. Hook horrors apparently have a special gland in their endocrine system which gives them immunity to any rotting or infestation powers that these fungi have.

			The Second Edition fairly-consistently opposed hook horrors to drow, as noted above. ''[[Night Below]]'' consciously moved drow offstage such that they'd left their [[quaggoth]] servants / allies behind, so they carry on that ancient feud.

	By the time we get to 3rd Edition, hook horrors are predominantly carnivorous, and the Monster Manual II notes that [[drow]] are one of their favourite meals. The 4th Edition Monster Manual responds to this by observing that drow hunt and slay wild hook horrors and take the young and eggs to raise as slaves. The encounter tables in 4th Edition suggest that hook horrors can sometimes be found with [[balhannoth]]s, [[grimlock]]s and [[beholder]]s, but that's not really consistent with everything else we know about them.		By the time we get to 3rd Edition, hook horrors are predominantly carnivorous, and the Monster Manual II notes that [[drow]] are one of their favourite meals. The 4th Edition Monster Manual responds to this by observing that drow hunt and slay wild hook horrors and take the young and eggs to raise as slaves. The encounter tables in 4th Edition suggest that hook horrors can sometimes be found with [[balhannoth]]s, [[grimlock]]s and [[beholder]]s, but that's not really consistent with everything else we know about them.

	Hook horrors don't have many natural enemies. Not only are they capable of defending themselves aggressively, but at least in 1st Edition their tendencies to accumulate internal parasites means that most carnivores shun them as food. This is no longer the case by 2nd Edition, where natural predators capable of catching a hook horror would eat it. [[Ogre]]s have been known to use crude suits of armour made from hook horror exoskeleton plates, so perhaps they occasionally hunt them.		Hook horrors don't have many natural enemies. Not only are they capable of defending themselves aggressively, but at least in 1st Edition their tendencies to accumulate internal parasites means that most carnivores shun them as food. This is no longer the case by 2nd Edition, where natural predators capable of catching a hook horror would eat it. [[Ogre]]s have been known to use crude suits of armour made from hook horror exoskeleton plates, so perhaps they occasionally hunt them.

	==Hook horrors parts==		==Hook horrors parts==

1d4chan>Nubnuber: /* Gallery */

2021-02-09T20:54:32Z

Gallery

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	Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk		Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk
	Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic		Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic
			Quaggoth Hook horror Night Below.jpg\|[[Night Below]]
	</gallery>		</gallery>

1d4chan>Nubnuber: /* Step up to 2nd Edition */

2020-12-04T21:14:15Z

Step up to 2nd Edition

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	Adventurers are cautioned against assuming that hook horrors will understand concepts such as gratitude or indebtedness, as their clacking language has no terms for these. Saving the life of a hook horror in no way means that it will feel obliged to return the favour.		Adventurers are cautioned against assuming that hook horrors will understand concepts such as gratitude or indebtedness, as their clacking language has no terms for these. Saving the life of a hook horror in no way means that it will feel obliged to return the favour.

	This information would be reprinted in 1993's Monstrous Manual, where the Hook Horror would snag a snazzy new piece of color artwork by [[Tony ~~Di'Terlizzi~~]].		This information would be reprinted in 1993's Monstrous Manual, where the Hook Horror would snag a snazzy new piece of color artwork by [[Tony DiTerlizzi]].

	==Late in Show with 3rd Edition==		==Late in Show with 3rd Edition==

1d4chan>Nubnuber: /* Step up to 2nd Edition */

2020-12-04T21:13:39Z

Step up to 2nd Edition

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	==Step up to 2nd Edition==		==Step up to 2nd Edition==
	[[File:Hook horror 2e.~~gif~~\|right\|300px]]		[[File:Hook horror MM 2e.png\|right\|300px]]

	The conversion of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition monsters to 2nd edition was... erratic. Hook Horrors, as old-school beasties, were assigned the Monstrous Compendium [[Greyhawk]] Appendix in 1990, despite not featuring in much actual, you know, ''Greyhawk product''. And then a few months later [[R.A. Salvatore]] released his [[Drizzt Do'Urden]] backstory novels, which featured the [[drow]] fighting Hook Horrors in the [[Underdark]] of the [[Forgotten Realms]]. Ironically, this could have slipped the Horror into a Realms [[splatbook]] instead had the novels come out first.		The conversion of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition monsters to 2nd edition was... erratic. Hook Horrors, as old-school beasties, were assigned the Monstrous Compendium [[Greyhawk]] Appendix in 1990, despite not featuring in much actual, you know, ''Greyhawk product''. And then a few months later [[R.A. Salvatore]] released his [[Drizzt Do'Urden]] backstory novels, which featured the [[drow]] fighting Hook Horrors in the [[Underdark]] of the [[Forgotten Realms]]. Ironically, this could have slipped the Horror into a Realms [[splatbook]] instead had the novels come out first.

1d4chan>Nubnuber at 15:32, 6 November 2020

2020-11-06T15:32:51Z

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	An ESP spell will give only a basic understanding of a hook horror's thoughts, typically involving food or personal discomfort. The different fundamental mechanisms for language foil the efforts of translation spells such as tongues and comprehend languages to decipher their clacking language.		An ESP spell will give only a basic understanding of a hook horror's thoughts, typically involving food or personal discomfort. The different fundamental mechanisms for language foil the efforts of translation spells such as tongues and comprehend languages to decipher their clacking language.

	~~==External Links==~~
	* https://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?2989-Monster-ENCyclopedia-Hook-Horror: An complete history of the Hook Horror, complete with art through the ages, edition-comparative statblocks, and references to Hook Horrors in specific D&D campaign settings.

	==Gallery==		==Gallery==
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	~~File:~~Hook Horror Dragon 131.jpg\|Dragon #131		Hook horror WGA3.jpg\|Module WGA3
	~~File:~~Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog		Hook horror XL1.jpg\|Module XL1
	~~File:~~Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk		Hook Horror Dragon 131.jpg\|Dragon #131
			Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog
			Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk
			Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic
	</gallery>		</gallery>

			==External Links==
			* https://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?2989-Monster-ENCyclopedia-Hook-Horror: An complete history of the Hook Horror, complete with art through the ages, edition-comparative statblocks, and references to Hook Horrors in specific D&D campaign settings.

	[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]]		[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]]

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	Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog		Hook Horror AC9.png\|Creature Catalog
	Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk		Hook Horror MC Greyhawk.jpg\|Monstrous Compendium: Greyhawk
			Hook horror sticker.jpg
	Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic		Hook horror clacker.jpg\|''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic
	Quaggoth Hook horror Night Below.jpg\|[[Night Below]]		Quaggoth Hook horror Night Below.jpg\|[[Night Below]]