SKULL BEETLE "Frside a pale Bete serab bed atthe gloss. Dark tbiches marked! tis sony carapace, sygeesting a aaondts, af trying te Bite thrgh the glass.” —Tower of Daom, pg. 165 Fine Vermin Hit Dice: 1/2 8 (2 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 20 fi, climb 10 fi. AC: 19 (+8 size, +1 Dex) Attacks: Bite +1 melee Damage: Bite 1d2 Face/Reaeh: 1/2 fi by 1/2 0A Special Attacks: Poison, Acid Spray Special Qualities: Vermin Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 13, Com 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2 Skills: Spot +10, Hide-+5 Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite) ‘Climate/Terrain: Temperate forests, underground, and urban Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 1/3 ‘Treasure: None Aligument: Always neutral ‘Advancement: 1d8 HD (Diminutive) ‘Skull beetles are disgusting creatures found in the damp forests and cities of the Northern Core. Bloated mackeries of normal beetles, skull bectles are nearly six inches long from head to abdomen. Loosely resembling rhinoceros beetles, skull beetles are fut-bodied and almost totally white, with only their backs marked with dark splotches that froma pattern resembling human skull. Unlike most beetles, the skull beetle’s carapace is waxy, with a sofiness and flexibility more akin to ‘waxed leather than chitin. The skull beetle has wings beneath its carapace, but they are insufficient to lift the beetle’s bulk. The skull beetie’s mouth sports a large set of spiny mandibles with which it delivers its deadly bite. ‘Skull bectles are greatly feared throughout the Northern Core. These loathsome and deadly vermin ean bbe found from Darkon to Borea, though their greatest concentration appears ta be in and around the eity of \Nartok in Darkon. The skull beetle thrives in damp conditions, and is frequently found in marshes, bogs and swamps, forest undergrowth, sewers, catacombs, and other underground structures. ‘The skull beetle is a stupidly aggressive creature, attacking any other living thing it stumbles across, ‘including other skull beetles. Skull beetles will even attack creatures hundreds of times their size, simply because they can. Unfortunately, the virulence of the skull Keotle's toxin often means that they stand a grad chance of slaying whatever they encounter. Because skull beetles will attack each ather at all times, skull beetles never make face to face contact to ‘mate. Rather, the female skull beetle will drap a froth of eggs in a sheltered place. Pheromones given off by the egg froth atiracts any male beeiles in the vieinity, who will then fight each other to femilize the eggs. Doe to the honible qualities of skull beetles, the people of Darkon believe that they are unnatural ‘ereatures, Popular lore has it that skull beetles were created by the Nightmage as a means to punish his ‘enemies from afar. Another rumor claims that darklings, goblyns, and other evil beings know recipes that make skull beetles edible and find them delicious. ‘Combat ‘Skull beetles attack any living creature they sense, scuttling at their target and attempting to bite or spit acid. Fortunately, skull beetles are deeply stupid and will continue to press their attack even if it fails to harm their target or even results in harm to themselves. Poison (Ex): The bite of the skull beetle carries ‘one of the most virulent poison known. Anyone bitten bby a skull beetle must make a Fortitude save at DC 20 ‘or die within Id4 rounds, literally popping open and melting into a puddle of thick, naxious yellow slime, ‘Those who make the initial saving throw must make a seenad Fortitude save at DC 15 ar lose the bitten limb, in Id4 rounds, ‘The affected limb dissatves into a puddle of slime as described above. Ifthe affected character was not bitten on a limb, they take 146 Con and 1d6 Str for initial and secandary damage. Those wha make the second saving throw take 1d3 Con and 1d3 Str for initial and secondary damage. Any character who falls to-0 in.an ability seare from a skull beetle’s bite dies of heart failure, but does not burst into a puddle of slime. ‘Acid Spray (Ex): Instead of their typical bite attack, skull beetles may spit a stream of scid from their mauths. This acid does 5d6 damage to a target within 2 feet. A successful Reflex save at DC 9 allows the target to dodge out of the path of the acid