Umber hulk

articleissues
primarysources = April 2008DD-in-universe

Infobox D&D creature


caption=An umber hulk, pictured on the cover of volume one of the "D&D Miniatures Skirmish Rules" booklet. deletable image-caption
name=Umber hulk
alignment=Chaotic evil
type=Aberration
subtype=
source=
first=

An umber hulk is a fictional creature in the "Dungeons & Dragons" roleplaying game. They are large, bipedal, insectoid aberrations with an ape-like build. The creature has the ability to confuse any creature that sees all four of its eyes at once. They are often found in the Underdark, where they are sometimes captured and enslaved by other races, such as illithids. Despite their bestial appearance, umber hulks possess a significant intelligence and language of their own.

Publication history

The umber hulk was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The umber hulk was introduced to the game in its first supplement, "Greyhawk" (1975). [Gygax, Gary and Robert Kuntz. "" (TSR, 1975)] It is described as a human-shaped creature with gaping maws flanked by pairs of exceedingly sharp mandibles.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

The umber hulk appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), [Gygax, Gary. "Monster Manual" (TSR, 1977)] where it is described as a subterranean predator with iron-like claws that enable it to burrow through solid stone, and it eyes cause a dangerous confusion in opponents.

The vodyanoi, an aquatic relative of the umber hulk, was introduced in the "Fiend Folio" (1981) [Turnbull, Don, ed. "Fiend Folio" (TSR, 1981)] The marine variety of the vodyanoi appeared in "Dragon" #68 (December 1982).

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the umber hulk, although in this edition it was a "hook beast", known as a hulker. The hulker first appeared in "Creature Catalogue" (1986), and then appeared in the module "City of the Gods" (1987) for the Blackmoor setting, and later in the revised "Creature Catalog" (1993).

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

The umber hulk and vodyanoi appear first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), [Cook, David, et al. "Monstrous Compendium Volume One" (TSR, 1989)] and are reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). [Stewart, Doug, ed. "Monstrous Manual" (TSR, 1994)]

The umber hulk was detailed in "Dragon" #152 (December 1989), in the "Ecology of the Umber Hulk". [Jones, Tony. "Ecology of the Umber Hulk, The" Dragon #152 (TSR, 1989)]

The undead hulk for the Spelljammer campaign setting appeared in "Dragon" #184 (August 1992).

The saltwater vodyanoi appeared in "Dungeon" #79 (March 2000).

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The umber hulk appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000). [Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)]

"Savage Species" (2003) presented the umber hulk as a player character race. [Eckelberry, David, Rich Redman, and Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. "Savage Species" (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

The umber hulk appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003), along with the truly horrid umber hulk. [Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)]

The dark umber hulk was introduced in the "Tome of Magic" (2006). [Sernett, Matthew, David Noonan, Ari Marmell, and Robert J. Schwalb. ' (Wizards of the Coast, 2006)] The psi-hulk"' appeared in "Expedition to Undermountain" for the Forgotten Realms (2007).

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The umber hulk appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), along with the shadow hulk. [Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)]

Licensing

The umber hulk is considered a "Product Identity" by Wizards of the Coast and as such is not released under its Open Gaming License. [cite web |url=http://www.d20srd.org/faq.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=D20srd.org]

Umber hulks in Spelljammer

In the Spelljammer campaign setting, the starfaring race of neogi were seldom seen without at least one umber hulk slave, the enslavement of which was considered a rite of passage in their savage society.

Vodyanoi

The vodyanoi (named for a Russian water spirit) are freshwater aquatic versions of the umber hulk. They lack the confusion ability of umber hulks, but can summon electric eels once per day. Saltwater vodyanoi twice the size of their freshwater brethren are rumored to exist.

D&D Miniatures

The umber hulk appeared as part of the D&D Miniatures: Harbinger set #78 (2003).

References