Roark is an orange-skinned grung elite warrior who serves as one of King Groak’s most trusted and dangerous bodyguards in Dungrunglung. Unlike his king, Roark considers the entire Nangnang summoning ritual a wasteful distraction from the settlement’s real crisis: defending against the undead threat that grung poison cannot stop.
Role and Personality
Roark is dutiful and dedicated, but his true loyalty lies with the tribe first and King Groak second. He secretly believes the goddess-summoning obsession is nonsense, yet he dutifully abides the king’s wishes for now. He is suspicious of outsiders but remains open to receiving their help in defending Dungrunglung from undead attacks.
Position and Authority
Roark commands eight orange-skinned grung elite warriors who patrol the base of the 60-foot mud shrine on Groak’s Isle. These warriors are loyal to Roark first, King Groak second, and will attack strangers who reach the island without a grung escort.
Roark typically remains at King Groak’s side inside the shrine, standing ready with his shortbow near the king’s elevated pool. He rarely leaves his position as the king’s personal guard.
The Great Ritual
If the party’s attempt to fool King Groak during the Great Ritual is discovered, Roark leads the attack force against them. He commands sixteen grung elite warriors and forty common grungs in this assault, while King Groak retreats to make his final stand in the elevated pool.
Potential Alliance
The sidebar notes that if the balance of power shifts firmly to either Krr’ook or Roark, the grungs will not hesitate to tear King Groak apart in a violent frenzy. This suggests Roark could be a key figure in overthrowing the king if circumstances align with his priorities of defending the settlement from undead threats.