Dire ape

Dire apes, a type of dire animal, were a breed of unusually large and aggressive ape.

Description
Resembling a huge and enraged gorilla, it was a huge feral-looking ape with a barrel-shaped chest, thick black fur, long arms ending in clawed hands, and a wide muzzle with big teeth. It was some in height when standing upright and  in  weight; it was roughly the size of an ogre but much more muscular.

Behavior
They were encountered as solitary specimens or in companies of five to eight members. Highly territorial, a dire ape would attack anyone or anything that trespassed in its territory, including other dire apes.

Abilities
These creatures were talented climbers and had a keen sense of smell.

Combat
A dire ape attacked first with its claws and teeth. If this failed, such as if the opponent was armored, it then tried to grab and hold them down. Either way, its claws dug in and tore through flesh, inflicting terrific injuries.

Habitats
Dire apes were found in warm forested environments. On Toril, they could be found in the Shining South, in the Channath Vale, the Forest of Amtar, and the Toadsquat Mountains.

In the planes, dire apes dwelled within the Screaming Jungle of the Gaping Maw, which was the domain of Demogorgon. They fought over territory with bar-lguras and dinosaurs. Meanwhile, Shadow dire apes might be found in the Plane of Shadow.

In the Crypt of Orbakh in Myth Drannor, numerous dire apes and other creatures were spawned by the deepspawn Beautiful Flower, from samples of flesh fed to it by its "father" Famras. They fought endlessly over food, water, and territory with the other spawn creatures in the crypt.

Relationships
Some druids had dire apes as an animal companion.

Trivia

 * A dire ape ally could be summoned with the spell summon nature's ally IV, while a fiendish dire ape could be summoned with summon monster V.
 * The tundra yeti of Narfell were sometimes misidentified as dire apes adapted to cold climates.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor