Otyugh
| Otyugh
| Neo-otyugh
|
Climate/Terrain:
| Subterranean
| Subterranean
|
Frequency:
| Uncommon
| Rare
|
Organization:
| Solitary
| Solitary
|
Activity Cycle:
| Any
| Any
|
Diet:
| Omnivore
| Omnivore
|
Intelligence:
| Low-Average (5-10)
| Average-Very (8-12)
|
Treasure:
| See below
| See below
|
Alignment:
| Neutral
| Neutral
|
No. Appearing:
| 1 (2)
| 1
|
Armor Class:
| 3
| 0
|
Movement:
| 6
| 6
|
Hit Dice:
| 6-8
| 9-12
|
THAC0:
| 6 HD: 15
| 9-10 HD: 11
|
| 7-8 HD: 13
| 11-12 HD: 9
|
No. of Attacks:
| 3
| 3
|
Damage/Attack:
| 1-8/1-8/2-5
| 2-12/2-12/1-3
|
Special Attacks:
| Grab, disease
| Grab, disease
|
Special Defenses:
| Never surprised
| Never surprised
|
Magic Resistance:
| Nil
| Nil
|
Size:
| M-L (6'-7' diam.)
| L (8' diam.)
|
Morale:
| Elite (14)
| Fanatic (17)
|
XP Value:
| 6 HD: 650
|
|
| 7 HD: 975
|
|
| 8 HD: 1,400
|
|
| 9 HD: 2,000
|
|
| 10 HD: 3,000
|
|
| 11 HD: 4,000
|
|
| 12 HD: 5,000
|
|
Otyughs (Aw-tee-ug), also known as the gulguthra, are terrifying creatures
that lurk in heaps of dung and decay, waiting for something to disturb it. There
are two varieties, the regular otyugh, and its larger, more intelligent
offshoot, the neo-otyugh. They feed on dung and wastes from other dungeon creatures
(gulguthra means "dung eaters") but also enjoy an occasional snack of fresh meat.
Otyughs have huge, bloated bodies covered with a rock-like skin that is
brownish gray in color, which is in turn covered with dung. They stand on three thick
legs that give them slow ground movement but enable them to pivot quickly.
They have three eyes on a leaf-like stalk that moves quickly from side to side,
enabling them to scan a large area. The eye stalk is also a receiver/transmitter
for their telepathic abilities. Otyughs have a huge mouth with very sharp teeth
in the center of their mass. They also have two tentacles with leaf-like
ridges that they use to smash and grapple their opponents. The tentacles are covered
with rough thorn-like projections. Neo-otyughs have smaller mouths than
otyughs.
Otyughs and neo-otyughs speak their own language, much of which is non-verbal
(movements of eye stalk and tentacles, or emission of certain smells); they
also have limited telepathy that enable them to communicate with other creatures.
Otyughs reek of dung and decay.
Combat: Otyughs lurk under piles of offal with only their eyes exposed. They usually
attack if they feel threatened, or if they are hungry and there is fresh meat
nearby. They attack with their two ridged tentacles, which either smash an
opponent or grapple it. Grappled opponents suffer 2-4 points of damage per round.
Otyughs' bite attacks gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll when biting grappled
opponents. Otyughs smash grappled opponents to the ground, while the more
intelligent neo-otyughs use their victims as shields, bettering their Armor Class by 1.
Neo-otyughs may also force attackers to hit the grappled character with a
successful attack roll of its own (vs. the grappled character's AC); to do this the
neo-otyugh forgoes its squeeze attack. Characters with a Strength of at least
18 can struggle for one round and automatically break free; others must make a
successful open doors roll to escape.
Both types of gulguthra are disease-ridden; their bite is 90% likely to infect
the character with a debilitating (80%) or fatal (20%) disease. Otyughs are
immune to these diseases.
Habitat/Society: All gulguthra have limited telepathic ability. An otyugh can communicate with
creatures up to 40 feet away, while a neo-otyugh can communicate with creatures
as distant as 60 feet. Communication is usually limited to simple feelings and
emotions such as hunger, temperature conditions and associated discomforts,
its dislike of bright lights, and imminent death for its prey. Gulguthra also
have infravision with a 90-foot range.
Otyughs and neo-otyughs live in ruins and dungeons. They make deals with other
dungeon denizens, agreeing not to attack them in exchange for their dung and
body wastes, which they then devour. To keep the supply of waste coming (and to
get fresh meat) they will agree to help defend their home against intruders,
which includes many adventurers. Otyughs may be persuaded not to attack creatures
in exchange for promises of friendship and food. Neo-otyughs are less trusting
(and more vicious), and usually attack intruders on sight. An otyugh's dungeon
allies will sometimes ask it to guard treasure for them. Most gulguthra live
alone; 10% of the time, during mating season, two gulguthra can found in its
lair.
Ecology: Otyughs and neo-otyughs live underground in heaps of offal and refuse. They
hate bright sunlight, preferring the comfortable darkness of dungeons. They mate
each year for one month, with one offspring produced. It takes the newborn four
months to mature (immature gulguthra have 3-5 HD, damage
1-6/1-6/1-2, and a Strength of 16 is required to break free of their grasp).
Otyughs are so disgusting that no alchemist or wizard would want to touch their
components, so the corpses of the gulguthra have no known use or value.