Wandering Monster: Antian

The following text & stats are designated Open Gaming Content as per the OGL:

Antian

	Grub	Queen	Warrior
Freq.	Very Rare	Very rare	Rare
Num.	3d10	1	2d10
Lair%	90%	95%	30%
Horde	None	None	6
Move	1" (Dig 6")	3"	15"
Int.	Non-	Low	Very
Align.	N	N	NE
Size	S (3' long)	L (15' long)	M (7' long)
L/XP	Variable	7/1350+14	5/300+6
AC	6	7	3 (1)
HD	2-5 (d8)	10d8	6d8
Attk.	1	1	2
Dmg.	d6+1	3d6	d4/d4
S.A.	None	See below	See below
S.D.	None	None	See below
N.A.	None	None	None
R.M.	0%	0%	0%

Antian Grub

Combat: Antian grubs attack by biting prey with their mandibles for d6+1 points of damage. They are able to find prey by scent and detect vibrations other creatures make while moving, breathing, and so on; however, they are otherwise sightless and unable to hear sounds.

Description: Antian grubs are worm-like larval young, typically d3 feet long. They are found only in an antian lair, typically in cesspools prepared by antian warriors; these pools are filled with all manner of dung, offal, and refuse, which the grubs delve in and out of while they feed upon the detritus. Antian grubs are always hungry and will attack any prey that comes near. Although otherwise slow moving, they are able to burrow through even semi-solid material (e.g., hard-packed earth) quite rapidly.

Antian Queen

Combat: An antian queen attacks with a bite from its mandibles once per round for 3d6 points of damage. A corosive substance coats the hide of an antian queen; the flesh of living beings touched by this acid will melt at the rate of d8 points of damage per round, while metallic or wooden objects striking the hide of an antian queen will be dissolved in but a single round. Note that metallic objects save against this effect at +3.

Description: An antian queen is a giant slug-like creature, having been fed a special substance while in larval form that mutated its normal development. They are slow moving and dull of intellect, but dangerous to the unwary nonetheless. They exist only to lay eggs from which antian grubs are hatched, and are zealously guarded by warriors. Typically there are d8 grubs and d4+2 warriors present with an antian queen at any time. Only a single queen will ever be encountered in a typical antian lair; however, it is rumored that deep beneath the earth large colonies exist in which several queens breed their horrors.

Antian Warrior

Combat: An antian warrior attacks every round with four arms for d4 points of damage each, or will wield weapons and/or shields. Typical weapons are long swords, battle axes, and morning stars. Each shield wielded by an antian warrior grants a +1 bonus to the creature's armor class. Oftentimes, antian warriors carry darts or javelins strapped to the inside of their shields, hurling these missiles as they close for melee combat.

Antian warriors are very quick and agile, likely to strike first in any given round; they add +1 to all initiative rolls, and will strike first whenever a tied initiative roll is indicated. Cold and lightning attacks have no effect upon an antian warrior, while fire causes but one-half normal damage against them.

While defending their queen (i.e., in her proximity), an antian warrior attacks with a berserk frenzy, adds +2 to attack and damage dice, never checks morale, and fights until all intruders are slain.

Description: Antian warriors have a hard carapace that is black in color, and appear as some kind of weird cross between a giant ant and a snout beetle. They serve as both workers and warriors, seeing to the needs of their queen and the grubs in their lair.

They are quite intelligent and speak their own language; sometimes (10%) the know the Common Tongue as well. They have an acute sense of smell, and scholars speculate that they are able to signal and communicate with one another by emitting certain hormones or fragrances. Antian warriors will sometimes ally with other intelligent beings, if such alliance will further the ends of their own nest. At a minimum, a steady supply of food (particularly human, demi-human, and humanoid captives) and weapons of steel must be offered to secure the cooperation of an antian colony. They are able to create tools and other implements, but they usually trade captives and treasure taken from raids for weapons of steel, as they do not work metals. Antians that do no trade will be armed with wooden clubs, stone axes, flint knives, and the like.

A typical antian colony will have numerous (d6) brood chambers where grubs are nourished to maturity, several (d4) rooms where eggs are kept warm and safe, areas for the storage of food stuffs (d4+1), a chamber where the queen resides and lays eggs, and possibly pens where captives are kept to be devoured by warriors and grubs at their leisure. It is 1 in 10 likely that an antian colony will be inhabited by 10d10 giant ants, and some conjecture that antians are able to communicate with such creatures telepathically or by means of released hormones. An antian lair is usually made up of tunnels and chambers dug out of hard-packed earth or soft stone, and will be a confusing warren of tunnels that ascend and descend in seemingly random fashion, interconnecting the whole. Antian warriors, of course, will be intimately familiar with the layout of their own lair, and will use this knowledge to their best strategic and tactical advantage, often setting traps for the unwary.

Antian warriors are rarely encountered outside of their lairs; if so, they will be on an expedition to trade for weapons or other things they need, but normally such encounters will be with a war band intent upon taking captives back to their lair to supplement their diet. They are omnivorous, eating both vegetation and flesh, but prepare meat when it can be had. Only a few bold adventurers have brought back tales of the existence of antian grubs and queens.