Grung

Grungs are a race of bipedal, tree-dwelling frog-like creatures that inhabit the lush tropical rain forests and jungles of Trorune. They are tribal species with a color-centric caste system where the Grung's skin color dictates its duties, role, and overall position in the tribe's strict heirarchy. There are six colors of Grungs: The lower caste include Green Grungs which are the tribe’s warriors, hunters, and general laborers and Blue Grungs work as artisans and in other domestic trade roles. Purple Grungs supervise and guide both these lower caste groups while also serving as administrators and commanders.
Red Grungs are the tribe’s scholars and magic users. They are unique in their caste position as they are superior to Purple, Blue, and Green Grungs, but they are also given proper respect by Grungs of higher caste status due to their magical capabilities. These Grung often take roles as shamans and priests within their tribes often serving as council to the upper Grung castes.
The higher caste Grungs consist of the Orange Grungs, which are the tribe's most elite warriors. They have authority over all lesser castes of Grungs. Finally there are the Gold Grungs, which hold the highest leadership positions in the tribe, including the sovereignty of the tribe; a tribe’s sovereign is always a Gold Grung.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Being of an amphibious nature, Grung need to keep their skin moist and need to soak and bathe themselves in water daily. Their moist skin continuously secretes a poisonous substance that, while harmless to them, is extremely potent to other creatures that come in contact with them or drink from water sources they soak in. The secretion is quite sticky and viscous, and Grungs will wipe their weapons on their own skin to coat them in this potent toxin. When exposed to air, grung poison breaks down fairly rapidly, making it extremely hard to harvest and bottle. Their saliva contains the same but highly diluted version of this poison.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like other amphibians, Grungs reproduce by laying eggs in water via their Grung Hatcheries which are well-guarded ground-level pools of water. About three months after hatching, a Grung tadpole takes on the shape of an adult. It takes another six to nine months for a juvenile Grung to reach maturity.
Each Grung caste will lay their eggs in a separate hatching pool, and juvenile Grungs join their caste upon emergence from the hatcheries. All Grungs are a dull greenish gray when they are born, but each individual takes on the color of its caste as it grows into adulthood.

Ecology and Habitats

Grungs tend to inhabit the tropical and subtropical regions of Kalbela and Greater Trorune, primarily in swamps and marshes.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Grungs live in tribes and have a strict caste system based upon their color. It is rare for a Grung to change its caste, but an individual can earn an invitation to join a higher caste; which will involve a magical ritual and the ingestion of a cacophony of herbal tonics. Afterwards, the Grung, and all of its future offspring, will be Grungs of the initiate's inherited color.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The hyper-ridged caste system of the Grungs ironically bleeds out in their interactions with other creatures, particularly creatures the Grungs are stronger than. This leads them into a naturally occuring slaver-role as Grungs are always on the lookout for creatures they can capture and enslave. Grungs will use these captives for all manner of menial tasks, but mostly they just like bossing them around. These slaves are fed mildly poisoned food to keep them lethargic and compliant.

Scientific Name

Rana iris

Lifespan

~50 years

Average Height

2.5-3.5 ft.

Average Weight

30 lbs.