Grimlock (Hack'EM)
@ grimlock 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 11 |
| Attacks | |
| Base level | 8 |
| Base experience | ? |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 5 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | −2 (chaotic) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 400 |
| Size | Medium |
| Resistances | None |
| Resistances conveyed | None |
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A grimlock:
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| Reference | Hack'EM 1.3.1 - src/monst.c, line 6217 |
- This article is about the monster in Hack'EM. For the monster in other variants, see grimlock.
A grimlock, @, is a type of monster that appears in Hack'EM. The grimlock is derived from its appearance in SLASH'EM: it is a chaotic, eyeless and omnivorous human creature that can be seen via infravision, and will pick up weapons, food and other items that they come across. Grimlocks in Hack'EM also have a hatred of light similar to gremlins, and can follow a hero to other levels if they are adjacent. As humans, grimlocks cannot be made tame normally, and they can also turn traitor even if tamed through other means.
A grimlock has a weapon attack and a claw attack.
Generation
Grimlocks are only randomly generated in Gehennom, and may be created as peaceful for some chaotic heroes. Grimlocks are one of three monsters in Hack'EM that can appear in very large groups, a distinction shared with the gibberling and compsognathus. They are not a valid polymorph form.
A grimlock will be generated with one of the following melee weapons, with a set object material and an equal 1⁄3 probability of each:
- A bone club or a bone aklys, with a roughly equal probability of each one.
- A bone orcish dagger or a bone orcish spear, with a roughly equal probability of each one.
- A stone axe or a stone battle-axe, with a roughly equal probability of each one.
History
The grimlock first appears in SLASH 6.
Origin
The grimlocks of Hack'EM are based on the grimlock of Dungeons and Dragons, which in turn derives them from the Morlocks, the antagonists of the H.G. Wells story "The Time Machine".
The grimlocks of Dungeons & Dragons are primitive and savage humanoids that primarily dwell in the Underdark, akin to Wells's Morlocks—they have gray, thick and slightly scaled and gray, usually scarred from hunts through their constricted underground passageways, and those with a special status often had decorative designs scarred into their skin. Grimlocks have sharp teeth and typically-black hair that often grew to be long and unkempt, as well as long claw-like nails—most grimlocks have no eyes whatsoever as a result of centuries underground, and the few that do had completely milky-white eyes, hence their portrayal as eyeless in variants of NetHack. They typically wear little clothing or armor, though some are known to sport tanned leather belts and harnesses along with decorative bracers.
While grimlocks are prone to evil acts, they very rarely act out of malice and their behavior is rooted in a deep sense of self-preservation and struggle for survival. Regardless, they are very blunt and suspicious of other creatures, and those who wandered away from their kin often experienced culture shock, but felt some sense of gratification at how strange things were. Wandering grimlocks could even overcome their xenophobic leanings, viewing each individual they meet as a potential pack member, though this mindset would need to be reinforced through daily meditation. Having lost their sight over the course of living within the Underdark for centuries, grimlocks are vulnerable to light, but have developed an acute sense of smell and echolocation. Their diets consist of any raw flesh they can find (especially human flesh), and their populations are often decimated from diseased meat.
Grimlocks are well-adapted for combat thanks to their naturally hardy bodies and high sensory awareness; however, they are very unorganized, and their fear of outsiders makes them hard to subjugate and organize into an enthralled fighting force. They generally attack their enemies under the cover of darkness, hoping to disorient their foes and take advantage of their natural blind-senses. Grimlocks prefer to fight up close with crude stone battleaxes or weapons made of bone.
