Gibberling

Gibberlings were small, nocturnal humanoid creatures that inhabited many regions in Faerûn, but were known to come from the Underdark.

Description
Gibberlings were pale, hunchbacked humanoids with pointed, canine-like ears and manes of black hair that surrounded their hideous, grinning faces. They had overly long arms, which they sometimes used while walking. Their eyes were black and typically described as maniacal. They did not wear clothing, but were known to use short swords.

Since gibberlings stayed in groups, they were typically seen first as large, writhing masses of dark fur and flesh. They made howls, clicks, shrieks, and odd chattering noises.

Behavior
Gibberlings were wild, manic creatures. They were invariably social, always livings in hordes of up to 400 individuals. Despite their unpleasant aspect and wild behavior, they were not truly malicious.

Abilities
Gibberlings were not powerful creatures, but they worked well together, and their incessant muttering and gibbering tended to scare people and beasts alike, though the noise also meant they hardly ever surprised anyone. However, gibberlings were both terrified of and vulnerable to bright light and fire, such that anyone might survive a gibberling horde's coming by using both to drive them away.

Gibberlings were also immune to all mind-influencing effects, including charm, phantasms, and compulsions.

Combat
Gibberlings attacked wildly and in great numbers; preferring to simply rush opponents and either grapple them or hack them apart. They fought to the death and did not, ever, retreat; they tended to wreck any buildings or structures that they could.

Ecology
Gibberlings lived in temperate forests and the Underdark. They were carnivorous, eating any and all food, including their own dead, for they required large quantities of food to maintain their manic lives. Gibberlings living on the surface were strictly nocturnal; during the day they would dig short burrows to hide in, and remained dormant until the sun went down once more (it was noted that they were easily killed while dormant, for their fear of light was so great they would not fight even if awoken). Gibberling hordes always awoke all at once and suddenly.

Gibberling hordes had no apparent organization or structure, nor even a sense of individuality on the part of the gibberlings. They had some primitive language amongst themselves.

Gibberlings were generally worthless creatures for adventurers, for their hides were lice-infested and worthless, and they carried no treasure beyond their dull, unmarked short swords. Attempts to find gibberlings' lairs inevitably led back to the Underdark, where the trail could not be followed over hard rock.

History
In some corners of the Realms, it was in vogue for wizards to polymorph their enemies into gibberlings when they wanted them to remain humanoid but lack cognitive faculties.

In the mid-to-late 14 century DR, gibberlings were known to haunt the Coast Way south of Baldur's Gate.

In early 1372 DR, gibberlings appeared for the first time&mdash;and in large numbers&mdash;in the Dalelands, rampaging across Mistledale and Tasseldale. It was surmised that something was driving them up from their homes in the Underdark.

Appearances

 * Video games:
 * Baldur's Gate