Grippli

Grippli were a race of intelligent amphibian humanoids.

Description
Short and dexterous, grippli resembled bipedal tree frogs. They typically had gray-green skin, often mottled with darker colors such as green and brown. Their skin, which smelled of old and wet plants, appeared wet to the touch, but was actually dry. They were deft climbers and jumpers, and could easily camouflage themselves in their native jungle environment. Grippli could see well in the dark. They were long-lived, with some individuals reaching the venerable age of 700 years. They had a very low birth rate; a grippli female typically only gave birth to roughly six children in her lifetime.

They spoke their own language, Grippli, and could croak other languages with some difficulty. They had a love of bright colors, and occasionally raided parties of travelers to obtain colored garments. Despite this, grippli rarely used much clothing beyond simple belts and loincloths.

Grippli could be created from the evolve spell, which turned ordinary beasts into intelligent beings.

Personality
Grippli were generally peaceful, shy, and primitive. They subsisted on fruit and insects, and were fearful of snakes and spiders.

They were uncommonly intelligent, and could easily acquire new skills and learning. Despite this, Grippli almost never felt the need to manufacture anything themselves. They engaged in trade with other peoples only rarely, when they were convinced the other party was not a threat.

Combat
The frog folk tended to use weapons such as nets and poisoned darts, preferring these because they did not hamper climbing. They only rarely used arms made from metal, and usually did not wear armor in combat.

Grippli could apply strategy and tactics when needed, especially to overcome a more powerful foe. They favored the use of ambushes and traps to give themselves an advantage.

Tribe mothers could use a powerful musk attack similar to a stinking cloud spell.

Society
Grippli congregated in small villages consisting of houses made from mud-brick and wood. These were mostly situated on the ground, but a few settlements were built into the branches of large trees. A village typically consisted of anywhere between ten and sixty individuals, with a roughly equal distribution of sexes. These villages were often overseen by a tribe mother, who kept multiple mates.

The grippli pantheon consisted of their primary, froglike deity, as well as a number of evil snake and spider gods. The tribe mothers oversaw religious matters in their villages, and were believed to possess a measure of the frog-deity's blood.

Notable grippli

 * The grippli village of Urml in the Wetwoods of the Vilhon Reach had a population of roughly 200. The settlement was led by the venerable tribe mother Oluusious.
 * The Mindulgulph Mercenary Company, known for its very diverse membership, had a squad of grippli mercenaries around the 14 century DR.