FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 8-32
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 6?
HIT DICE: 2-5 hp
%. IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: M (x10)
and X (in lair)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2 (weapons)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Missiles; spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spell use; invisibe
in natural terrain
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Average to exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
SIZE: S (1? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II/38 + 1/hp

Hurgeons are small creatures that resemble
hedgehogs, though they walk erect on
their hind feet and have hands for forepaws.
They are dark brown in color and have
bright brown eyes. These creatures speak
their own language and can speak with any
animal naturally. About 20% of them know
the elven or Common languages, and 5%
know the secret tongue of the druids.

Hurgeons live deep in woodland areas far
from civilized places, and they make their
burrows in the soil beneath the largest trees.
The burrow entrances are so skillfully cam-
ouflaged with flowers and leaves that only
spells or devices that detect invisible objects
will locate them. Hurgeons gather local
nuts, fruits, and berries, and several types
of edible roots for their meals. Their vegetarian
and inoffensive natures allow them to
make friends with local woodland creatures
and make arrangements for mutual assistance
with them in times of need.

Hurgeons are tool-users and construct
elaborate underground dwellings with numerous
rooms branching off from the main
tunnel. Work aprons and belts made from
leaves or softened bark are often worn. If
attacked, hurgeons use tiny daggers (1-2 hp
damage) to defend themselves. Many carry
slingshots that have an 80-yard range (with
no range penalties) and inflict 1 hp of damage
per shot; two shots may be fired per
round. They may use animal friendship,
invisibility to animals, faerie fire, locate
animals and plants, and pass without trace
as often as they desire, one spell per melee
round, at the 6th level of effect. They may
also cast an entangle spell once per day at
the 6th level of effect.

Half of the hurgeons encountered in their
lair will be male and half will be female. To
the casual observer, both sexes are exactly
alike; only druids can tell them apart. There
will be 4-10 children in the community as
well, though they are usually kept indoors
or in the immediate vicinity of the burrow.

The only contact that hurgeons have with
other humans or demi-humans is nearly
always through sylvan elves and druids
(who love and respect the ?hedgehog folk?)
or humans lost in the woods. Some wanderers
in deep forests claim to have witnessed
hurgeons performing a springtime dancing
ritual in woodland clearings, forming circular
paths that are called ?fairie rings.?

If a druid of 12th level or above encounters
a hurgeon colony and performs a great
service for the members, one of the hurgeons
may follow the druid and become a
companion to him. Though the hurgeon
will not have a telepathic link to the druid,
it will help the druid in whatever way it can
and act as a guide in unfamiliar territory.
The possibility that this will occur in a
given situation is left to the Dungeon Master
?s discretion.
 

Dragon magazine

MM

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Dragon #94

1st Edition AD&D