The Fourth Day
Down to today, swarms of insects remain a serious problem in many parts of the world. The damage insect swarms can cause staggers the imagination. For example, a locust swarm in 1915 stripped Syria and surrounding areas of almost all vegetation, leading to the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon and the deaths from hunger and disease of nearly half that region’s population.
On the fourth day of searching / My party came upon: / four burning swarms, / three hell birds, / two bloodmad zogs, / and a birchwrath in a fell wood.
The burning swarm is the name given to vast hordes of a terrifying, insect-like creatures that come from the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma. Individually, each creature resembles a locust, but one made from hot ash and scorching pebbles. The burning swarm rarely finds its way onto the Material Plane, which is a blessing, for the swarm can cause enormous destruction.
AD&D Version
Frequency: Very rare (common on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma)
No. Appearing: 100-1,000 (or more)
Armor Class: 2
Move: 3″/15″
Hit Dice: 1 hit point
% in Lair: 0%
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-12
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Animal
Alignment: Neutral
Size: S (1″ long)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: VII/2,150 XP per 1/2″ radius (see below)
Hundreds to thousands of a tiny, locust-like creatures comprise the burning swarm. Individually, each tiny elemental poses little threat. It has but 1 hit point, and, while quite hot, can inflict at most 1 point of damage to exposed flesh.
As a swarm, however, these para-elementals pose serious danger. The burning swarm covers a 1/2″ radius per 100 creatures in the swarm. These radii do not need to be connected to each other, for the burning swarm can break apart and reform while it moves. Creatures within the area of the burning swarm have their vision obscured to 1″ due to the smoke and the roiling mass of flying para-elementals. Creatures within the area of the burning swarm also suffer 2-12 points of damage from the intense heat and toxic smoke for each melee round within the swarm, regardless of armor class. Creatures resistant to fire damage still take half damage due to the toxic smoke. The burning swarm sets fire to any inflammable material it touches.
The burning swarm is immune to fire damage. Slashing and piercing weapons are ineffective against the swarm, and bludgeoning weapons inflict minimum damage. Cold will drive the swarm away. Magical cold inflicts double damage against the burning swarm. Water does not unduly harm the swarm, but it may drive the swarm away, at least for a time. These para-elementals strongly dislike water, and they seek to fly away from contact with it. For purposes of saving throws, treat a 1/2″ radius of these creatures as a 16 HD monster.
A 1/2″ radius of these para-elementals has 100 hit points, but that portion of the swarm disperses if reduced to at least 50% its hit point total. The surviving creatures are absorbed by other swarms, if possible. This heals a swarm that has been reduced, but in no case will any 1/2″ radius of these para-elementals have more than 100 hit points.
5E D&D Version
Medium swarm of Tiny elementals, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 49 (11d8)
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft.
Ability Scores STR 3 (-4), DEX 14 (+2), CON 11 (+0), INT 2 (-4), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 3 (-4)
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Swarm. The burning swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the burning swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny elemental. The burning swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Fire and Smoke. A creature that starts its turn in the burning swarm’s space takes 4 (1d8) fire damage and 4 (1d8) poison damage from the intense heat and noxious fumes. In addition, the burning swarm can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 4 (1d8) fire damage and 4 (1d8) poison damage, and the creature catches fire. Until someone takes an action to douse the fire, the creature takes 4 (1d8) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
A creature that takes poison damage from the burning swarm must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of the first turn the creature is no longer within the swarm.
If the burning swarm has half of its hit points or fewer, it inflicts 2 (1d4) fire damage and 2 (1d4) poison damage.
Actions
Burns. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 9 (2d8) fire damage, or 4 (1d8) fire damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 4 (1d8) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
