chokers

Nearly unchanged from the D&D Monster.   Chokers are vaguely humanoid but their arms and legs are sort of a cross between a humanoid’s arm or leg and a cephalopod’s tentacle. They typically weigh between forty and fifty pounds. As their name suggests they are very fond of ambushing prey and choking it to death. Chokers speak a crude pidgin of Common and Elven.   Origins and Second Age History: Chokers were created by a reclusive elven transmuter late in the Second Age to protect his or her subterranean lair. The identity of the wizard was lost to history. After the transmuter died, the chokers broke loose, began breeding and expanding their territories.   Surviving the Second Unmaking: Their numbers were small, but chokers are cunning and very good at hiding. Also, chokers were virtually unknown so Void Demons didn’t think to look for them. Void Demons generally only attacked chokers when they ran into each other by chance.   Recent History and Distribution: Chokers started the Third Age with low numbers but they are adaptable and breed fairly quickly. They are very common in underground realms in the norther hemisphere and exist in very small pockets in the south. They are not especially organized or civilized. They are a danger to miners and subterranean adventurers but they do not really concern themselves with the politics of other races.   Life cycle and Society: Chokers live underground. They dislike bright light but are not harmed by it. Chokers are territorial, but they are normally good at nonviolently establishing their territory with other chokers though it involves a lot of hissing and other attempts at intimidation. Chokers normally live solitary lives apart from when mating and rearing young. Chokers are not monogamous and mate opportunistically.   Chokers have a maximum life expectancy of around fifty years. They sexually reproduce and usually give live birth to litters of two or three. Choker young reach full adulthood after roughly five years. Chokers are capable of finding food on their own within six months at which point their parents usually cut them loose completely.   Chokers have no compunctions against attacking intelligent prey. They are especially intelligent but they are cautious of groups and will try to attack stragglers or shadow a group until they go to sleep.   Religious Practices: None. As far as anyone knows, chokers were not created by any of the Nine and thus far none of the Nine or their worshipers have tried reaching out to chokers in any meaningful way.