Kruthik

Profile

Kruthiks are chitin-covered reptilians that live in packs underground. They have the ability to burrow through solid stone at unprecedented speeds for a creature their size, and have been known to dig large nests of branching tunnels into the sides of mountains or large hills. Kruthiks can see in the dark decently well, but their main form of perception is actually via tremorsense; the sharp hairs on a kruthik's body allow it to sense vibrations in the air, and their claws give them the ability to sense vibrations through the floors and walls of the caves around them.

Legend has it that kruthiks are the result of using dark magic to fuse burrowing insects from the Nine Hells with raptor-like drakes, with the intention of commanding them in battle. However, the creatures were impossible to control and quickly escaped across the Inner Planes, making their homes in the caves of the Underdark as well as the Shadowfell.

For some reason, kruthiks tend to hoard anything that gives off heat. It is still unclear why the kruthiks do this, but perhaps it has something to do with their reptilian nature. Kruthik tunnels will often be littered with items like coals, hand warmers, old tech, and other things that give off (or once gave off) a decent amount of warmth.

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Plot Events

"Reigniting the Hearth at Kindlhollow"

A pack of kruthiks had burrowed into a hill near the eladrin village of Kindlhollow. Seeking items that gave off warmth, they were eventually drawn to the pyre obsidian at the center of the village, and took it for their nest. The entire group was exterminated by the party, but two strange, "lime jello" kruthiks escaped into the Feywilds. The strange, ooze-like kruthik lookalikes had been sealed behind a mound of rocks within the cave, perhaps in an attempt by the rest of the kruthiks to keep them contained.

Size
Small to Large
Type
Monstrosity
Alignment
Unaligned
Languages
None
First Appearance
Mission 2