Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Wednesday Werk: Candle Head, Grikflit

In this week's Wednesday Werk, we'll look at the Candle Head and the Grikflit.

The Candle Head, also known as the Verdrum Dough, is a variety of homunculus, the classic magic-bred servitor.

The origins of the Candle Head are unknown.  The word "Verdrum" possibly refers to its origin, but it is unclear whether "Verdrum" is a person, place, or thing.  Similarly, the Candle Head is a creature of yeast and dough, but nobody has had the opportunity to study it thoroughly.  One could possibly determine the origin and lineage of these creatures by study of the yeast that forms them — are they all from some common source, like sourdough, or are they made by different magi in different places?

Whatever the case, some Candle Heads appear to have a facility with magic, and use it while on their inscrutable errands.  They may be found in the company of magi, or simply travelling on their own.  The following Candle Head has facility with the wizard spell Force Orb as well as a modified version of Magic Missile.

Candle Heads apparently have a rapport with the Grikflit.  The Grikflit are relatively docile creatures, deaf, dumb, and blind, that float through the world with an improbable combination of natural buoyancy and telekinesis (their wings are not terribly functional, and really only aid in navigation).

Well, docile isn't precisely accurate.  They're docile if they've recently been fed.

Hungry specimens are known to strike at foes, releasing a terrible blast of flatulence before moving in to devour the overwhelmed prey.  Taming a Grikflit is more a matter of keeping it well-fed than any sort of animal handling.

The Candle Heads are the only creatures known to ride them, likely because they have a natural tolerance toward the Grikflit's foul stench.  For their part, the Grikflit seem to have some sort of empathetic relationship with the Candle Heads, though it may be as simple as appreciating the yeasty smell that accompanies the creatures.

The following Grikflit is a typical example of the species, though larger specimens have been reported.


  1. I really don't know how I missed the pair of these at Hereticwerks. Weird stuff, but good. The 'Giddyup!' option is cool - is that common in fourth edition? The flatulence is just rough - how to live with that kind of character death, or explain it?

    1. Dying by flatulence isn't nearly as bad as being raised afterward.

      You probably black out as soon as the knife pierces your intestines, but there's a strong possibility you'll remember that stink.

      I've never seen a movement bonus like Giddyup!, but most mounts have an ability that only activates when the creature is actually being used as a mount. Some can attack when their riders attack, some gain random bonuses, and so forth.

  2. Hey. I thought I smelled something strange...
    I like the 'Giddyup!' feature too. That would work well for a few other exotic mounts. And yeah, death by flatulence...that's one of those thing that can make for a terrible or funny or terribly funny story...


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