Hook horrors are underground monstrosities known by their dangerous hooked claws.
Appearance[]
A hook horror has a beetle-like torso with a bony exoskeleton, a vulture-like head, and four strong limbs with dangerous claws, with the ones in the arms being particularly wicked.[2]
Their eggs are black with white dots, and the shell is slightly acidic.[3]
Abilities[]
Outside of their physical attacks using their claws, hook horrors have particularly keen hearing. It is key for their echolocation, combined with the sounds produced with their beaks, hooks, and shells, which also act as a complex language they can understand.[4] Because of this, being deafened deprives them of their echolocation.
History[]
"The Trick about Falling" (1x05)[]
In 810 PD, as Vox Machina were traveling beneath the city of Kraghammer, they attracted the attention of two hook horrors while they were fighting black puddings, so they had to defeat the monstrosities too.
The Re-Slayer's Take[]
In 839 PD Heera Agneheart, who wanted a new pet, acquired a hook horror egg illegally in Vasselheim.[5] She traveled with it, keeping it safe and warm, even hugging it despite its acidic shell. A few days later, however, she was told by her friend Poogs that hook horror eggs hatched more easily by being exposed to some cold during the night, instead of being kept consistently warm, and she noticed it was true when the egg moved slightly in a cold mountain environment.[6]
A few days later the egg finally hatched while the Re-Slayers were gone, and the baby hook horror immediately attacked the adventurers of the Spectral Hand, who were inspecting the building looking for ways to incriminate the other group.[7]
Trivia[]
- Although it isn't confirmed in Exandrian canon, according to 5th Edition hook horrors tend to form clans led by a female, in which all the eggs are kept together.[2] When they hatch, the infants imprint on the first creature they see, and reach adulthood after six months.[8]
References[]
- ↑ See "The Trick about Falling" (1x05) at 2:25:29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 See D&D: Monster Manual (2014), 5th ed., p. 189.
- ↑ See "The Masked Man" (RT2x02).
- ↑ See "The Trick about Falling" (1x05) at 2:23:44.
- ↑ See "The Masked Man" (RT2x02).
- ↑ See "The Melancholic March" (RT2x08).
- ↑ See "The Cursed Contract" (RT2x16).
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast, Out of the Abyss, p. 34.
Art:
- ↑ Depiction of a hook horror from D&D: Monster Manual, page 189. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
- ↑ Fan art of the hook horror hatchling, by Micaerys. Work contributed to the Critical Role Wiki by the artist.