ECOLOGY

Environment any forest
Organization solitary or troupe (2–5)
Treasure standard

The grimstalker or banaan (as they prefer to call themselves) is a fey creature that does not share the beauty and goodness of its kin. Whereas other fey creatures have come to represent the beautiful or mischievous side of nature, the grimstalker most certainly reflects nature at its worst. They are dark creatures, their hearts tainted with the foulest of evil. Unfortunate souls that wander into a forest guarded by grimstalkers are never seen again—except for their skulls, which the grimstalkers hang from the trees as a warning to those that would dare trespass into their domain.

Long thought to be a form of intelligent plant because of their many plant-like features, grimstalkers skulk among the trees of the darkest forests. Even among sylvan communities of elves the grimstalkers are legendary as natural born assassins. Grimstalkers sometimes work with other evil fey such as redcaps (see their entry in this book); though such alliances are short and very rare, especially with the malevolent and untrustworthy redcap.

It is rumored that powerful evil druids often summon grimstalkers for nefarious purposes.

Grimstalkers strike from ambush if possible, hiding among the trees and dropping on interlopers into their forest. A troupe of grimstalkers that set up an ambush make ample use of the terrain, as well as nets woven from living vines, snares, and pit traps. Grimstalkers also employ trained plant creatures such as assassin vines and scythe trees. In melee they are capable of fighting with their claws or with weapons—their favorite weapons being a sort of spiked quarterstaff and longbows knocked with poisoned arrows.