Gremlin

About

The mischievous fey known as gremlins seem to come in endless varieties with differing appearances. Preferring to destroy rather than to build, gremlins almost never construct their own homes, instead infesting tunnels and abandoned buildings. They augment these lairs with cruel traps, and sometimes trained animals (often ones considered pests by humanoids). Gremlin lairs are generally near a city or village that provides them with a ready source of food, trap-building materials, and, of course, victims for entertainment.

There is little difference in appearance between male and female gremlins, and many observers wrongly assume that they are single-gender or genderless. Gremlins are prolific breeders, and a handful can quickly become a mob. Young gremlins are raised communally—a necessity, as they exhibit the urge to cause mischief from birth. They grow quickly and reach full size in a matter of weeks.

Most know better than to employ gremlins, so when the fey creatures live side-by-side with others, it’s often as parasites and unwelcome guests. Imaginative and sinister folk who find themselves infested sometimes catch the gremlins and release them in the homes of their enemies.

Lawful evil gremlins are sometimes drawn to the worship of archdevils, though not in an orthodox fashion. Dispater is revered as the archdevil of cities—playgrounds to engage in thievery and sabotage. Mammon is worshiped as the bringer of wealth and protector of gremlin warrens that, like his domain of Erebus, are dark and trap-filled. Neutral evil gremlins have been known to worship a patron of thieves, but pugwampis in particular prefer to worship gnolls (or at least, worship whoever the local gnolls worship). Chaotic evil gremlins often revere the demon lord of illusions, knives, and traps. Those that retain a connection to the world of the fey may swear allegiance to the god of laughter, mischief, and transmutation.