Jibberwoks

Jibberwoks are one of the most popular low-level monsters across the Tumultiverse. They're commonly found in public dungeons as warm up enemies. Thanks to their popularity, feral jibberwoks can be found all over the realms - spread by the travel of mortals, like rats or the latest dance craze.

Artwork by Zuza Gruzlewska.

With purple hued-fur, jibberwoks are best described as an unholy cross between an ape and a lobster. Their pincers are precise enough to pick up discarded weapons - just not so precise they can wield them with skill. 

Your average jibberwok is just as comfortable running on two legs as all fours, but they're fairly shambolic either way. They come from a world on which giant trees sprout out of the oceans. The narrow branches they lived on meant they primarily evolved to sidle. Sidling works less well when opponents insist on murdering you face-to-face, which is why the adaptable crab monkeys now hustle any which way they can.

You can download The Quest Factor for free from several retailers. You can buy it in paperback at Amazon.

Jibberwok Facts

• Jibberwoks belong to a family of monsters known as apeoloids. 
• The name of a baby jibberwok is a jibberwitten.
• Jibberwittens eat their mothers. Or they usually do, anyway. This isn't a natural part of their development - it's just a horrible thing they try to get away with.
• A group of jibberwoks are collectively known as a 'whoop'.
• Jibberwoks go: “HAWOO-OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO!”
• Fleeing jibberwoks go: “HAWAA-AAA-AAA-AAA-AAA!” 
• "I couldn't give a jibberwoks" is a common phrase uttered by people who care little about whatever you just asked them.

Creation Notes

Jibberwoks were inspired by gibberlings from Dungeons & Dragons, the first proper monsters you fight in Baldur's Gate. The name is also inspired by the 'jabberwocky', although jibberwoks aren't even remotely similar - I just liked the word, I guess?

They didn't originally have lobster claws - I just did a very bad job drawing their hands. No one tells you this, but having poor art skills can lead to great results (the artwork above was arted by Zuza Gruzlewska based on my initial design).

Stats

Thanks to user Sesaman over at r/MonsterADay, your boy the jibberwok actually has some role playing stats:

Jibberwok

Medium Monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class: 13

Hit Points: 30 (4d8 + 12)

Speed: 25 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 15 ft.

STR DEX CON INT         WIS CHA

 17           14           16           4            9            6

Skills: Athletics +5, Stealth +4

Senses: blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages: -

Challenge: 1 XP: 200

TRAITS

Hold Breath: The Jibberwok can hold its breath for 1 hour.

Strong Claws: The strong claws of the Jibberwok make escaping a grapple difficult. Attempts to do so are done with a disadvantage.

ACTIONS:

Multi-attack: The Jibberwok makes two attacks, one with its claws and one with its tongue.

Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the Jibberwok can't use its claws on another target.

Tongue: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

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