The Sybil Ants
The prolific virtual pen of Bearded-Devil has written about me. How exciting! Elsewhere on the interwebz, Matt Jackson’s CollaboDungeon 02 has gone live. CollaboDungeon 02 is bigger and perhaps niftier than its predecessor. Check it out, and be a collaborator. (It’s okay in this instance; normally, collaborators get shot.)
My previous post perhaps included one too many puns, assuming such a thing is possible. It’s okay. I forgive me. Since only a fool laughs at his own jokes, I’m still kind of giggling about the Sybil ants. Therefore, today’s monster, written for the wonderful Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game. (Nota Bene: The link for the Basic Fantasy RPG is an affiliate link.)
Swarm of Sybil Ants
Armor Class: 12
Hit Dice: 4**
No. of Attacks: 1 bite plus paralysis
Damage: 2d4
Movement: 60′ (10′)
No. Appearing: 1d6, Wild 2d6 , Lair 4d6
Save As: Fighter: 4
Morale: 7 on first sighting, 12 after engaged
Treasure Type: U
XP: 320
The hissing Sybil ants build vast networks of tunnels and chambers in the Saar Chasm. These stealthy, precognitive insects have swarmed more than one careless traveler, their venom quickly inducing paralysis but not unconsciousness, making it easier to drag their hapless prey underground to be drained of blood over a period of several days.
A swarm of Sybil ants covers up to a 10-foot square, but it may move in column, et cetera. It makes only one melee attack against a creature adjacent to or within its mass. If more than one target exists, randomly determine which one is affected. A creature bitten by the swarm must make a save versus Poison or become paralyzed for 1d4 days. A creature that starts its turn within a swarm must make a saving throw versus Poison or be unable to take any actions other than moving at half speed due to the large number of insects crawling and biting the creature.
A swarm of Sybil ants takes half damage from weapons. It is immune to magical effects that target a single creature. Since Sybil ants have low-level precognitive abilities, they are surprised only a 1 (in 6). If a swarm of Sybil ants has lost at least 50% of its hit points, its bite inflicts 1d4 points of damage and saving throws against the swarm’s effects are made with a +2 bonus.
