TEXT: 1
  Grendel 
  
  Grendel 
  2
  Grendel
  A
  stella was almost asleep when she heard her daughter crying. She called 
  for her husband through the haze of sleep but was greeted by the steady rumbling of his snoring. 
  Only the continuing cries of their infant daughter drove back the seductive fingers of sleep, yet 
  several minutes still passed before her body would move, her daughter wailing all the while. 
  As she rolled from the relative comfort of her straw bed, she heard the floorboards creak from behind her.
  “I’ve got her, love...” Astella mumbled. Embers smoldered darkly in the hearth, and for a moment she 
  considered plunging a taper into their heart so that she might light a candle. Ultimately she didn’t; her daughter’s makeshift crib—little more 
  than a straw-stuffed manger—was only across the room on her husband’s side, and the light would only frustrate Astella’s ability to return 
  the infant to sleep.
  With a yawn, she circled her bed and crossed to where her daughter lay crying. As she approached, she saw another figure looming above 
  the head of the crib. The lingering cobwebs of sleep still shrouded her mind, and so she had almost reached the crib before she registered that the 
  thing standing there was not her husband, who still snored blissfully a short distance away. The thing looked at her with eyes shining yellow in 
  the moonlight streaming through the broken window above the crib, moonlight which also outlined the intruder’s lumpen, misshapen frame.
  Astella screamed. Her first instinct was to snatch her daughter from beneath the imposing form of the intruder, but her better judgment 
  took hold and she dove instead toward the hearth where the silhouette of the fire shovel could be faintly discerned against the embers’ low glow. 
  She landed hard on the rough planks grabbed the handle just the same. Instinct took over and the frightened mother swung the fire shovel back, 
  crashing the heated iron against her pursuer as it lunged, showering it with hot ash and coals. It screamed—a disgustingly human scream— 
  and whirled around, knocking Astella’s frantic husband, who had only just begun to rise, back into bed. For one dreadful moment, Astella 
  was sure the monster intended to vent its rage upon her helpless, wailing daughter, but found some measure of relief when instead it leapt out 
  through the moonlit window.
  Abominable and hated by most, the grendels are a hardy breed created through the mingling of troll and non-troll blood. These 
  wretches most often arise when a troll’s rapacious appetite turns from gastric to carnal, creating a monstrous offspring loved by 
  neither parent. Rarely, a magical experiment or transmutation attempt goes awry and creates a grendel from an otherwise troll-free 
  subject. Legend states that one can become a grendel if they’re bitten by a troll but not eaten, or if a troll’s severed flesh is pressed to a 
  bleeding stump or open wound and allowed to attach to the healthy flesh. Troll blood can also lie dormant in a grendel’s descendants, 
  not unlike the lineages of aasimar and tieflings, meaning any descendant of a grendel has the potential to be born as one as well—a 
  nasty surprise for any parents unaware of their ancestry.
  TwisTed and deformed
  Grendels are monstrous from the moment they’re born as knotted, misshapen things. As they grow, their appearance only 
  worsens. Though appearing superficially like members of their non-troll race, their bodies are hulking and deformed, with rubbery, 
  
  3
  Grendel 
  wart-covered skin and 
  noticeable 
  asymmetry 
  throughout. 
  Their 
  features 
  are 
  obviously 
  tainted with their beastly 
  lineage, with long, drooping 
  noses, pronounced jaws, short 
  tusks, wilting ears, and other 
  markers of their monstrous birth. 
  Hiding from more civilized folk is 
  rarely an option, as grendels often stand 
  much taller and wider than their non-
  troll lineage and exude a natural musk best 
  described as “sour earth.”
  Because of their large, twisted bodies, 
  most grendels have great difficulty finding suitable 
  clothing; were appropriately sized garments 
  available, that so many grendels display gross 
  asymmetry not only in their features but also their 
  bodies would still complicate things. Accordingly, most 
  grendels wear what they can, whether an ill-fitting sack 
  of a shirt crudely stitched together from several others or 
  simply cast-off clothing twisted and tied about their bodies. 
  A grendel’s hair is similarly difficult: oily and hanging limply 
  from their scalps or even as beards, a grendel’s hair grows 
  quickly—in some instances, more than an inch a day. Keeping 
  their hair—scalp, facial, and body—groomed is a full-time 
  job, one most grendels simply ignore, handling it only when 
  the growth is out of control and even then usually with a 
  torch rather than a blade.
  monsTrous ViTaliTy
  As expected of something cursed by troll ancestry, 
  grendels possess an inhuman degree of stamina. Few grendels 
  ever succumb to poison or disease, and even then they recover 
  quickly. Most grendels can perform manual labor indefinitely 
  without ever showing a hint of fatigue, and can stoically 
  tolerate lethal temperatures both high and low. However, the 
  most astounding aspect of grendel physiology is, naturally, 
  their ability to recover from harm. Though a far cry from the 
  legendary regenerative capabilities of full-blooded trolls, some 
  small remnant of that power lives within the twisted bodies 
  of grendels. Wounds that would prove fatal to a grendel’s 
  humanoid race heal quickly and without great difficulty, 
  while lesser injuries recover in a matter of minutes—or even 
  instantly. Were it not for this incredible ability, most grendels 
  would die quickly at the hands of their parents, yet at the 
  same they’re cursed to feel the pain of their abusers’ torment 
  indefinitely.
  Though prodigious, a grendel’s ability to heal isn’t 
  infallible, of course. Their incredible ability to shrug off even 
  mortal injuries can be overcome by both flame and caustics, 
  which trolls attribute to the fickle palate of the dread god 
  Vaprak. Injuries from fire or acid not only bypass a grendel’s 
  natural hardiness but seem to disarm it as well, at least for a 
  time. This vulnerability often presents grendels with a difficult 
  choice: 
  do 
  they desire light and warmth 
  so much that they’re willing to give a potential attacker such 
  a radical advantage? Though many ultimately decide the 
  small comfort is worth it, some languish in the cold and the 
  darkness, surviving only on raw meat.
  CasT adrifT
  Wanted by neither parent, grendels are each doomed to a 
  life of hardship. Those not eaten or killed by their troll parents 
  are faced with near-constant torment and abuse, forced to live 
  as slaves by their own horrific begetters. Most try to escape, 
  and those few who succeed can expect little better, living on 
  the edge of all but the most brutish societies and forging a life 
  more a lateral change than an upward one from their previous 
  existences. Those born and raised by their non-troll families 
  can expect no better, with those not left to the mercy of the 
  wilderness the recipients of similar neglect and abuse until 
  they can gather the means and the courage to escape.
  Grendels can usually expect to find legitimate work, at 
  least in larger cities, though it’s of the worst sort: knackers, 
  gong farmers, executioners, corpse-haulers, laborers, and 
  other unsavory professions are typically all that await them, 
  though some restaurateurs and innkeepers have heard of the 
  noteworthy olfactory abilities grendels possess and hire them as 
  chefs and cooks—ones under their total control as indentured 
  labor at best. Many are forced into lives of lawlessness, living 
  as bandits, hitmen, and “boogeymen-for-hire,” thus 
  condemning them to lives not unlike those of their 
  monstrous parents. Some grendels—those born 
  of goblins, orcs, or gnolls—actually find a place 
  in their parents’ society, though considerable 
  hardship finds them there also as these races 
  are often known for their savage cultures.
  With these limited prospects, it’s no 
  wonder the life of an adventurer calls to 
  many grendels. After all, many of them are used 
  to living in less-than-ideal conditions, so why 
  shouldn’t they be their own masters while 
  doing so? Such a life often involves killing 
  and danger, but it’s preferable to one filled 
  with abuse or killing for someone else as 
  a hired soldier, and adventurers tend to be 
  more tolerant and worldly than typical 
  folk. But, for many grendels who heed 
  the call of adventure, this life offers 
  the opportunity to be accepted, 
  if not for who they are than for 
  what they can accomplish.
  
  Grendel 
  4
  Grendel TraiTs
  You possess certain traits common to all grendels.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases 
  by 2.
  Age. A grendel’s age varies greatly depending on their 
  non-troll parent, though most are long-lived by the standards 
  of their race.
  Alignment. Unwanted individuals born to cruel parents, 
  neglect and malice are all most grendels ever know, leading 
  the majority of them to become evil. Most grendels are 
  chaotic or neutral as well, either unable to understand the role 
  of law in a society or not caring to. Grendels are rarely good, 
  though not due to any inherent inclination towards evil but 
  rather due to a lack of goodness during their formative years.
  Size. Grendels vary greatly in build, depending heavily 
  on their non-troll parentage. The smallest grendels are still 
  around 5 feet tall, while the largest among them stand nearly 
  8 feet. Your size is Medium.
  Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  Darkvision. Much like your monstrous begetter, your 
  eyes are adapted for darkness. You can see in dim light within 
  60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if 
  it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only 
  shades of gray.
  Keen Smell. You’ve inherited your giant parent’s olfactory 
  acuity. You have advantage on ability checks which rely on 
  smell.
  Powerful Build. Within you flows the blood of giants, 
  whose loathsome taint is responsible for your prodigious 
  abilities. You count as one size larger when determining your 
  carrying capacity, and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
  Limited Regeneration. Though lacking the legendary 
  regeneration ability of trolls in full, you’re still highly resistant 
  to harm and quick to recover from any you suffer. When you 
  roll a natural 1 on a Hit Die roll, a death saving throw, or 
  a Constitution-based check or saving throw, you may reroll 
  that die but must take the second result. You may not use this 
  trait against acid or fire damage, hunger, or thirst, and you 
  lose its benefits until your next turn when you take acid or 
  fire damage.
  Monstrous Appetite. You can gain nourishment from 
  anything of biological origin, even if it’s rotten or processed 
  (such as rope). Similarly, you can remedy dehydration with 
  stagnant, filthy water or even blood. When making a saving 
  throw versus ingested disease or poison, or an ability check 
  related to finding or preparing food for yourself only, you 
  make your roll as if you were proficient in the skill, tool, or 
  saving throw used. If you’re already proficient, instead your 
  proficiency bonus is doubled for that roll. However, you count 
  as one size larger when determining how much you must 
  eat or drink each day, and you have disadvantage on saving 
  throws versus hunger or thirst.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common 
  and Giant. Though capable of conversing with any who 
  speak Giant, most grendels are familiar with a dialect known 
  as “trollspeak” by true giants: a guttural variation of Giant 
  which includes many loanwords from Orcish, Goblin, and 
  Common.
  Subraces. Grendels are divided into subraces by their 
  non-troll lineage. Choose one of these subraces.
  fey-Blooded
  Fey-blooded grendels can result in a number of ways, but 
  usually arise from the coupling of a forest troll and an elf, 
  firbolg, or fey creature, though other couplings—such as scrag 
  and sea elf or cave troll and drow—aren’t unheard of. Fey-
  blooded grendels are blessed with a small spark of fey magic, 
  which affords them natural druid-like powers. Fey-blooded 
  grendels often eke out a living as witches and soothsayers, 
  though a grendel’s natural disposition and appearance often 
  sees them confused with hags.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
  Age. Fey-blooded grendels age slowly, reaching adulthood 
  at 30 years of age and living 300 years or longer.
  Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
  Forest Spirit. Fey-blooded grendels are blessed with some 
  measure of the elusiveness common to fey. You can attempt to 
  hide even when you’re only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy 
  rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. You 
  have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide when 
  obscured by natural features or phenomena.
  Speech of Beast and Leaf. You have the ability to 
  communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants. 
  They can understand the meaning of your words, though you 
  have no special ability to understand them in return. You have 
  advantage on all ability checks you make to influence them.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write Elvish or 
  Sylvan in addition to your other languages known.
  Gnoll-Blooded
  Gnoll-blooded grendels are perhaps the most monstrous 
  of their kind. While trolls are generally crude and brutish 
  creatures, adding to that the instinctive savagery of a gnoll 
  results in a creature almost slavishly devoted to its basest 
  desires. These monsters care for little beyond fighting, 
  eating, and mating, and often try to combine the three. 
  Whatever cunning a gnoll-blooded grendel has is devoted 
  to indiscriminate and ruthless opportunism. Gnoll-blooded 
  grendels are unfortunately rather common, given the carnal 
  instincts of most gnolls, and the latter’s strong pack instincts 
  rarely see their grendels cast out while the former’s savagery 
  and hardiness often allows them to survive into adulthood.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
  Age. Gnoll-blooded grendels reach maturity at around 5 
  years old and only live to around 40 years.
  Pack Instincts. Gnolls and half-gnolls alike have an 
  random HeiGHT and weiGHT 
  Base 
  Height
  Height
  Modifier
  Base
  Weight
  Weight
  Modifier
  4’6”
  +3d12
  100 lbs
  × 10 lb
  
  5
  Grendel 
  inborn acuity for working in groups. In combat, you don’t 
  provide cover against your allies’ attacks, and you may use 
  the Help action as a reaction when an ally attacks a creature 
  within 5 feet of you.
  Opportunistic. If you make an attack roll with advantage, 
  if the results of both d20 rolls are sufficient to hit your target, 
  your attack is a critical hit.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write Gnoll in 
  addition to your other languages known.
  GoBlin-Blooded
  Goblin-blooded grendels often arise in many of the 
  same ways as orc-blooded grendels and almost always count a 
  bugbear or hobgoblin as a parent. Of course, many hobgoblins 
  will intentionally seek out a troll as a mate, hoping to sire a 
  powerful child and groom them to be a ruthless and effective 
  asset. In this way some goblin-blooded trolls are fortunate, as 
  they’re at least desired by one of their abusive parents.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
  Age. Goblin-blooded grendels reach maturity at around 
  16 years of age, but can easily live to 120 years.
  Show 
  No 
  Fear. 
  Many 
  goblinoids—particularly 
  hobgoblins—have an inborn aversion to showing weakness in 
  front of others. You’re proficient in the Intimidation skill and 
  have advantage on saving throws to avoid being frightened.
  Opportunistic. If you make an attack roll with advantage, 
  if the results of both d20 rolls are sufficient to hit the target, 
  your attack is a critical hit.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write Goblin in 
  addition to your other languages known.
  GoliaTH-Blooded
  Goliath-blooded grendels are something of an anomaly, 
  as most troll-goliath couplings are initiated by the non-troll 
  parent, most often as a result of the goliath trying to outdo 
  some past accomplishment. Goliath-blooded grendels rarely 
  live long as, even with their impressive physique, they’re 
  naturally aggressive, highly competitive, and completely 
  fearless. Most die violent deaths early in their lives, usually as 
  the result of picking a fight they can’t win—such as with their 
  parents—or attempting some insane feat. Those that survive 
  become utterly ruthless, desperate to win by any means, no 
  matter how despicable. This mindset alone makes goliath-
  blooded grendels outcasts from goliath society and dangerous 
  to any who would stand against them.
  Age. Goliath-blooded grendels reach physical maturity 
  much slower than other goliaths, usually around 25 years of 
  age. However, they’ve been known to live up to 140 years, 
  though most perish long before then due to recklessness and 
  combativeness.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
  Fearless. Goliaths and trolls are similar in but one way: 
  neither one fears death. The result of their unions are therefore 
  entirely fearless—recklessly so. You have advantage on saving 
  throws against being frightened.
  Naturally Competitive. 
  Goliath-blooded 
  grendels 
  are known to be aggressive and combative. When making 
  a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check, you have 
  advantage if your roll is opposed by another creature’s ability 
  check or if you saw another creature succeed on the same 
  check, using the same skill, in the past minute.
  Human-Blooded
  Grendels of human lineage are the most intelligent 
  of their kind, and are therefore the most likely to survive 
  to adulthood and beyond. They adapt quickly to new ideas 
  and changing situations, and many outwit their brutish troll 
  parents and escape upon reaching adolescence. Human-
  blooded grendels seem almost instinctively drawn to large 
  groups and will find ways to be part of a community even if 
  they aren’t wanted. For this reason, human-blooded grendels 
  often become bandits, guides, bodyguards, and laborers, 
  suffering mistreatment and abuse stoically so long as they feel 
  like part of the group.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases 
  by 1.
  Age. Like fey-blooded grendels, human-blooded 
  grendels age slowly. Though they reach maturity at around 
  25 years old, human-blooded grendels can live well over 150 
  years.
  Wild Savant. You’re quick to adapt to new things and 
  have cultivated a useful craft or two which have enabled you 
  to survive. You gain proficiency with one tool and one skill of 
  your choice.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write one additional 
  language of your choice.
  
  Grendel 
  6
  muTT
  Grendel “mutts” are an usual subrace brought about by 
  a number of diverse factors. Most mutts result from latent 
  grendel heritage arising in mixed-breed races, such as half-
  breeds and planetouched. Some grendels are natural-born 
  mutts, arising through quirks in the highly mutagenic nature 
  of trolls mixing with the more stable natures of humanoids, 
  with some combination of environmental factors, diet, and 
  more seen as underlying causes.
  Mutts are so named because they resemble no specific 
  humanoid race in particular. Some are abnormally short 
  or freakishly huge, with features common to a number of 
  humanoid or giant races—even ones not in the individual’s 
  heritage. While this should serve to rank mutts among the 
  most monstrous of all subraces, this appearance ultimately 
  has a positive effect: most humanoids see mutts as something 
  familiar and, if not harmless, then at least less dangerous. This 
  naturally sees grendel mutts more readily tolerated—if not 
  necessarily accepted—by most societies.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 
  1.
  Age. True to their nature, how long a mutt lives can vary 
  greatly. Most age at roughly the same rates as humans—
  reaching maturity at around sixteen—but can live as little as 
  50 years or as long as 200.
  Old Friend. Though obviously freakish (at best) your 
  appearance reminds others of something or someone familiar, 
  which can affect their judgment. When making a Charisma 
  check versus a humanoid, or when making an ability check to 
  pass yourself off as a member of another humanoid race, you 
  may reroll any d20 results of 1 but must use the second result.
  Mimicry. Though less adept than other races—such 
  as changelings and kenku—grendel mutts are still talented 
  mimics in their own right. You can mimic the speech of 
  another person or the sounds made by other creatures. You 
  must have heard the person speaking, or heard the creature 
  make the sound, for at least 1 minute. A creature can tell the 
  sound is faked with a Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by 
  your Charisma (Performance) check.
  Muddled Ancestry. Your muddled ancestry makes you 
  more resistant to targeted effects. You have advantage on 
  saving throws against attacks and features which target a 
  specific creature type or race, and you ignore racial restrictions 
  when creating, attuning to, and using magic items.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write one additional 
  language of your choice.
  orC-Blooded
  Grendels of orc heritage are common, and are just as 
  frequently the result of a shared understanding of brutishness 
  as they are born from a display of dominance. Orc-blooded 
  grendels are the most aggressive among an already-savage 
  breed and, if not killed before reaching adulthood, become 
  terrifying warchiefs of uncivilized tribes or monstrous threats 
  which stalk the wilderness.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
  Age. Orc-blooded grendels typically reach adulthood 
  at 14, though their troll vitality allows them to live up to a 
  hundred years.
  Menacing. Orc-blooded grendels are massive and 
  terrifying individuals. You’re proficient in the Intimidation 
  skill.
  Savage Strength. Though all grendels are freakishly 
  strong, those of orc lineage are incredibly so. When you roll 
  a natural 1 on a Strength-based attack roll, ability check, or 
  saving throw, you may reroll that die but must take the second 
  result.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write Orcish in 
  addition to your other languages known.
  
  7
  Grendel 
  Grendel feaTs
  The following feats are intended to be taken by grendel 
  characters, though not all of them require a character to be 
  a grendel to take them. Check with your DM first to see if 
  feats are allowed in your game and if these feats in particular 
  are allowed.
  feral armory
  Prerequisite: Grendel.
  Your teeth have elongated into fearsome tusks, while 
  your nails have become as long, hard, and sharp as dagger 
  blades. You gain the following benefits:
   
  ■ Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, up to a 
  maximum of 20.
   
  ■ You may use your tusks and fangs to make unarmed 
  strikes. When doing so, you’re proficient with your 
  unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 slashing damage, 
  and you may add either your Strength or Dexterity 
  to your attack and damage roll.
   
  ■ When you hit with a melee weapon attack or 
  unarmed strike, you may make an unarmed strike 
  as a bonus action.
   
  ■ When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, 
  you may use a bonus action to attempt to grapple 
  or shove that creature. If you do so, use the result of 
  your attack roll as your Strength (Athletics) result.
  GianT-Blooded
  Prerequisite: Giant-descended race (such as firbolg, goliath, 
  or grendel), Str 13 or higher.
  The giant blood flowing in your veins grants you 
  incredible strength. You gain the following benefits:
   
  ■ You gain proficiency in Strength saving throws.
   
  ■ You count as one size larger for the purposes of 
  grappling, shoving, and overrunningDMG.
   
  ■ You have advantage on ability checks and saving 
  throws to avoid being knocked prone or physically 
  moved from your space.
   
  ■ You can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself once 
  using this feat, regaining the ability to do so upon 
  finishing a short or long rest. When you do so, you 
  don’t require material components or spell slots, 
  but you can only choose the spell’s enlarge option.
  Gnarled Hide
  Prerequisite: Grendel.
  Your skin is exceptionally rubbery, warty, and resistant to 
  harm. You gain the following benefits:
   
  ■ Increase your Constitution by 1, up to a maximum 
  of 20.
   
  ■ Your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + 
  the higher of your Constitution modifier or your 
  armor’s AC bonus. You lose this benefit against 
  attacks which deal acid or fire damage, and you 
  lose it until your next turn when you take acid or 
  fire damage.
   
  ■ If you aren’t incapacitated, you may add your 
  Constitution modifier to any Dexterity saving 
  throw you make against an attack that doesn’t deal 
  acid or fire damage. If you take acid or fire damage, 
  you lose this benefit until your next turn.
   
  ■ When you are struck by an attack (except one that 
  deals acid or fire damage), you may expend a Hit 
  Die as a reaction and roll it. Add your Constitution 
  modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the 
  damage dealt by the attack by your total. If you take 
  acid or fire damage, you can’t use this ability until 
  your next turn.
  impossiBle reGeneraTion
  Prerequisite: Grendel, Con 13 or higher.
  While you may not be any stronger or hardier than other 
  grendels, you’ve inherited more of your progenitor’s healing 
  ability than is common. You gain the following benefits:
   
  ■ You regenerate a single missing limb when you finish 
  a short rest, and you regenerate all missing limbs 
  when you finish a long rest. You can’t regenerate 
  limbs lost to acid or fire damage.
   
  ■ As a bonus action, you can spend a Hit Die, roll it, 
  and add your Constitution bonus to the number 
  rolled. You regain lost hit points equal to the total. 
  You can’t use this ability if you’ve taken acid or fire 
  damage since the start of your last turn.
   
  ■ When you’re damaged while at 0 hit points, unless 
  you were damaged by acid or fire, you must make 
  a death saving throw instead of counting as having 
  failed one.
   
  ■ When you make a death saving throw, you may 
  expend a Hit Die, roll it, and add the number rolled 
  to your saving throw result. You can’t use this ability 
  if you’ve taken acid or fire damage since the start of 
  your last turn.
  
  Grendel 
  8
  inCrediBle olfaCTion
  Prerequisite: Keen smell trait or keen hearing and smell 
  trait.
  Your incredible sense of smell grants you the following 
  benefits so long as your sense of smell is unimpaired:
   
  ■ You can navigate your surroundings purely by scent, 
  granting you blindsight out to 60 feet.
   
  ■ When you make an ability check which relies on 
  smell, you make that check as if you were proficient 
  with the skill or tool used. If you are proficient, 
  instead your proficiency bonus is doubled for that 
  roll.
   
  ■ You automatically notice the presence of creatures 
  within 30 feet of you and pinpoint the location 
  of creatures within 10 feet of you, even if they’re 
  invisible or have total cover relative to you, but not 
  if they have no scent or if they’re completely cut off 
  from you (such as by being in a separate room or 
  underwater while you’re not).
  sToiCism
  Prerequisite: Grendel.
  Rare is the grendel who lives an easy life. After suffering 
  abuse, abandonment, and isolation, grendels either develop 
  methods to cope or they die. While many lash out at anything 
  and anyone in displays of misplaced rage and contempt, many 
  more develop the willpower to match their physical resistance, 
  becoming unsung paragons of stoicism.
  You gain the following benefits:
   
  ■ You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
   
  ■ Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Intimidation) 
  checks made against you have disadvantage.
   
  ■ When you make an ability check or saving throw 
  to resist exhaustion, pain, discomfort, or being 
  charmed or frightened, you’re treated as proficient 
  in the skill or saving throw used. If you’re already 
  proficient, instead your proficiency bonus is 
  doubled for your roll.
  leGal
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, 
  Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica, and 
  all other Wizards of the Coast product names and their respective logos are 
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  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast 
  and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the 
  Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  All other original material in this work is © 2020 by Arel M. 
  Chamberlain II and published under the Community Content Agreement 
  for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  Some artwork © Daniel Comerci (www.danielcomerci.com), Critical-
  Hit (www.critical-hit.biz), and Dean Spencer (www.deanspencerart.com), 
  used with permission. Page layout modified from art © Darrin G. Scott 
  (inspired by Dungeons & Dragons products) and used with permission. All 
  rights reserved.
  speCial THanks
   
  ■
  To Cheshire, for always taking the time to review and make 
  suggestions.
   
  ■
  To Roy, for all the Good Stuff.
   
  ■
  To the artists whose skill and generous license agreements made 
  this document much more visually appealing than it would have 
  been otherwise.A
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/Grendel - A Troll-Blooded Race for 5E.pdf