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Lifeforms
Fauna
Forest/ Jungle

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ID: 1255
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Comments: 5
Ideas: 0
Rating: 4
Condition: Normal
Submitted:
October 29, 2005, 7:17 pm
Updated:
July 13, 2007, 3:28 pm


HoH not available due to level or sub is not 10 days old
Black Leaf Bug
By: Kinslayer

It is whispered at harvest bonfires that sometimes swarms will combine into a monstrously huge pile of Black Leaf Bugs, able to instantly stop anything it comes across. What is left explodes in a shower of maggots.

Full Description
There are several different species of Black Leaf Bugs, each resembling the shed leaves of various deciduous trees. They all share a few traits in common: swarm behaviour, poor flight, behavioural mimicry of leaves blown by the wind, defenses, feeding modes, and means of reproduction.

In appearance, Black Leaf Bugs resemble a cluster of fallen leaves, blown about by the breeze. It is not uncommon to see more than one species represented within a swarm. When they encounter a large animal however, they quickly swarm and paralyze it. Individually, their bites are small, and their paralytic venom weak. However, in a swarm, the collective toxin can quickly subdue even a cow, and keep it paralyzed until the larvae have devoured it. The adult females feed on animal blood, leaving pinprick sized holes on the paralyzed victim, barely noticable even under scruitiny. Adult males, ironically, feed on dead vegetable matter. All however, swarm and inject their paralyzing toxin.

The eggs hatch within a few hours, and the tiny larvae burrow their way deep inside the victim’s flesh. The paralyzed victim is eaten from the inside-out, while it is still alive and conscious for the early stages. The skin & bones are not consumed by the developing larvae, but muscle & soft tissues are. This leaves (pun unintended) the victim in the latter stages resembling a horrific type of scarecrow—the frame & skin are stuffed with wriggling vile leaves. These burst out from the victim, and become a new swarm.



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Comments ( 5 )
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Voted MoonHunter
2005-11-04 04:27 PM
0xp
Bugs. This will need to get attached to the Insects thread when that scroll gets imported.
Voted Zylithan
2005-11-15 08:52 PM
0xp
I really like the scarecrow bit at the end. Bugs seems to be a popular creature here.
MoonHunter
2006-08-12 12:51 PM
0xp
I just reread this. This is a scary set of creatures. All of a sudden you need to worry about a cloud of leaves in the wind coming at you.

You can also use their victims as a "fear inducing feature", as if a few swarms rolled across a given swath of terrain the PCs are travelling, they could find the desicated corpes in odd positions.
Voted Murometz
2006-08-12 01:10 PM
0xp
wow...nifty! I echo the 2 comments. Scarecrow-nice! cloud of deadly leaves-nice!
Voted valadaar
2007-03-28 09:30 AM
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Nasty - and in a good way.

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Random Idea Seed View All Idea Seeds

The air had grown chill the minute they descended into the strange valley, which was unmarked on any of their maps. It was so strange here, devoid of animal life and completely silent. The horses were nervous the entire journey through the vale. As they set about to collect firewood for the campfire they could hear their own voices as dim echoes through the eerie silence. The food didn't taste anything that evening and their sleep was cold and troubled by nightmares. While they are clearing camp the next morning, one of them stumbles over a piece of stone jutting out of the ground nearby the horses. On closer inspection there seems to be runes engraved into the polished surface. The symbols true meaning is no more known among mere mortals and if they decide to dig deeper, they will discover that it is an ancient altar buried within the soil. Any historically oriented party member will recognize the largest symbol to be the insignia of the powerful warlock who ruled this realm several centuries ago. At their departure from the area, something will seem amiss with one of the party members and all will remember the stories of the warlock's thousand curses.
By: Ancient Gamer | UpVote

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