Grunts

Every army needs its basic rank and file; the pathetic cannon fodder there to create an obvious comparison for the bigger more impressive troops. Unranked angels serve the forces of Heaven, pitiful devils make the bottom line of the armies of Infernal Lords, no-name chumps fresh out of boot camp build the front lines of human armies. The grunt is no different. If you see some of these guys fishing through the dumpster behind a convenience store or harassing homeless folks in the park, get ready. Those are the early arrivals, there's WAY more and WAY worse where they came from.

— Ernest Conan, Former US General

Among the most numerous (besides the pest) and most infamous of the demonic hordes, the lowly grunt is one of the first things mortals might mentally picture when asked to think of a demon. This quintessential species possesses every trait associated with the lowest rank of the true demons; cruel, putrid, dimwitted, biologically impossible beasts that live for their bloodlust and for that alone.

The anatomy of the grunt is somehow quite easy to understand while making no logical sense in comparison to mortal creatures. Each grunt sports the same collection of body parts and anatomical traits with very little variation in regard to such traits. It's anatomy consists of the head of a goblin shark in a similar condition to those that have been pulled to the surface, an emaciated humanoid torso, and a pair of muscular humanoid legs covered in a layer of thin scraggly hair. Their feet appear human from a glance, but the toes of this species are often tipped with thick pointed claws. Though not always present, many grunts have large patches of gangrenous flesh where innards try to peek out. In spite of their humanoid bodies, none have been spotted possessing arms or even stumps where arms should exist.

Grunts are even more uniform in their behaviors than they are in appearance. These demons were practically designed to act as the common demonic shock troop as they naturally gather in groups. Sometimes small groups under ten individuals form wandering bands of vagabonds that attack creatures they think are weaker than them. Other times, several hundred grunts will live together to produce a cacophony of absurd squawks, hoots, barks, and yowls to drive away potential threats. Regardless these demons prefer to live amongst their own kind, even if only in wandering pairs.

Being demons, this species holds zero preference in food and will often simple stuff anything that will fit into their mouths. A grunt's mouth tends to be a bit loose due to the awful state of health they exist in, but this never stops one from trying to snap up anything it can within a five-mile radius. Such limitations do not keep it from using its many teeth on living things it can attack. They usually fight using a combination of bites and kicks, making good use of the claws on their feet.

Ideal Infantry

Possessing the perfect combination of a pathetic form, a primitive mind, and a desire for large groups, the grunt has been considered the perfect demon to test the waters of any potential world to invade. The only rules a grunt understands it must follow are those of Demonic Natural Law, and they will follow these tenets to a tee. They have an excellent understanding of the power high-ranking demons possess and the severity of refusing to swear absolute fealty to a demonic master. Such an ingrained sense of sycophancy has earned the grunt its spot as the lowest among the demon hordes.

These demons are always among the first few species to be sent out beyond the demon world and make up the majority of the initial waves of invading demons once a decision has been made. Along with other weak low-ranking demons such as pests, spitters, and rippers, many grunts are tossed into these worlds in large groups as a means to loosen the stability of spacetime within the soon-to-be-invaded world. These visitors spend most, if not all of, their time breaking things, eating refuse, harassing locals, and making a bad name for themselves. Often the natives of these worlds choose to see the first waves of demons as a harmless anomaly, with the mindless behavior of grunts playing a significant role in propagating such a mindset.

Once the fabric of reality has been properly tenderized and the rest of the demon hordes pass through, it will have been far too late to prepare. What had first been a mild annoyance or a creepy but temporary incident has become the end of the known world.

The grunt tends to be the most plentiful species among the first waves of invading demons, creating almost literal tidal waves of rotten flesh as they spill through tears between worlds and wreak havoc on mortal creatures. When traveling among larger demons, an army of grunts may appear to be fluid pooling around the knees of the larger creatures. Their small size and weak nature makes the grunt a very easy target or throwable object for the bigger troops, with demonic species such as the ungroth treating grunts like children's toys rather than fellow demons or living things worthy of any respect.

All in all, the grunt has proven itself time and time again to be the epitome of cannon fodder demons.

Some Have Tails

One very unique mutation found among some grunts is a strange tail poking out from their backsides. Most members of this species possess a bare behind, but those that have a tail always possess some method of injecting venom into their enemies. For the most part, grunts that exhibit this mutation are far more skilled at handling their unusual body parts better than one would expect. This should not imply they do not stab or bite themselves with their own tails, however.

The variation in the tails possessed by these mutated grunts is vast with many other alternate forms that have yet to be discovered by mortals. Among the most common tail types discovered are a winding venomous snake, a long bendy scorpion's tail, and the large round abdomen of stinging insects such as wasps. Less common tails include the head of a stonefish, the tentacles of various species of jellyfish, and the tentacle of a blue-ringed octopus. Those that have their own head, such as a cobra tail or monitor lizard tail, possess their own brains and have been known to attack the body of the grunt if it makes too many sudden moves or even if it trips and falls over.

Some grunts possess tails that defy the laws of gravity, particularly those with anatomical features of marine creatures like stingrays. This creates an almost ethereal image for what is considered among the least graceful creatures in Creation.

One other thing to note regarding these mutated tails is that they are considered a symbol of power among the species. This means nothing to other demons, a fact that the grunts themselves are well aware of, as even mutant grunts are less likely to challenge any demon bigger and/or stronger than it. However, the possession of a tail will make a grunt look more impressive to other members of its species. Among a group of grunts, the one with a tail is considered the leader.

Demons with Potential

Though considered among the greatest heresies among the demon world, there is a way to make a creature as pathetic and worthless as the grunt more powerful. Through rituals designed by the zealots, the grunt will double in size and nearly quadruple in mass in an excruciating transformation. The process is quick for the amount of change the affected demon goes through, and the results are permanent.

Due to the reckless meddling of a handful of demons, the Imperial Grunt has become a new species among the demon hordes.