BUG
STAMINA: 14
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Small Bite
ARMOUR: Heavy
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Marsh, Jungle, Plains
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1
TYPE: Insect
REACTION: Neutral
INTELLIGENCE: Low
One of the largest species of Bug upon Titan, the HOVERBUG is a huge beetle-like creature, whose round shell is covered in red and black stripes. They are peaceable, herbivorous creatures, with small mandibles for nibbling on plants and fungi, but will defend themselves if attacked. The Hoverbug's main use is as a large, armoured flying steed, capable of carrying up to four passengers similar to a Flying Carpet (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 129), and either flying through the air at great speed or hovering in place, effectively levitating above the ground. Unlike a Flying Carpet however, the Hoverbug can only fly for 1-6 hours at a time before require food and rest.
They are mainly used in this manner by the Droug, Weevil-Men and other insectoid races, who appear to control the Hoverbug through sheer skill and a vocabulary of weird whistling and honking noises. Humans and others who wish to replicate this feat need various accoutrements to achieve the same effects; a Bug Whistle to summon the already domesticated Hoverbug into service, and a Zanti Horn to steer the creature in the right direction. Much of this knowledge was gleaned from the learned Hector of Karazan in Irritarian times, who was a true pioneer in the study of Hoverbugs as transport.
STAMINA: 4
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Small Bite
ARMOUR: Medium
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Jungles
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6
TYPE: Insect
REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Low
Travellers in the jungle know that nighttime is perilous due to the presence of many nocturnal predators, one such carnivorous example being the JUNGLE BUG. These are large beetle-like insects as big as one's head or larger, with shimmering emerald carapaces and curved biting mandibles. The Jungle Bug congregates in small groups at night, flying through the rainforest looking for prey to eat, including people! Fortunately, the loud buzzing noise they make tends to wake up any potential victims, but the insects are fast, vicious flyers, happy to attack anything they encounter in the search for fresh meat. The Jungle Bug is found in tropical forests across southern Allansia, some parts of Khul, and even oceanic islands in the middle of the sea, such as Bone Island.
STAMINA: 8
ATTACKS: 2
WEAPON: Large Bite or Poison Squirt (see below)
ARMOUR: Medium
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Plains, Wilderness, Hills, Forests, Dungeons, Ruins, Caves
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2
TYPE: Insect
REACTION: Unfriendly
INTELLIGENCE: Low
The LITTERBUG is a foul and depraved giant beetle-like insect that wanders about the wilderness of Khul, polluting and despoiling the environment around it, in the cavalier fashion that only a true creature of Chaos could aspire to. Resembling a Giant Stag Beetle, but with a deep-brown carapace and jointed legs covered in thorn-like spikes, the Litterbug's head is surmounted with a large set of sharply curved mandibles with which it grasps at prey.
Its main weapon however, are three vents on its underside, from which it squirts a jet of white poisonous liquid at its foes by raising its forelegs off the ground. Anyone hit by this spray suffers 4 STAMINA points of damage due to the poison, with no Armour Roll allowed. This disgusting substance is used both to flush out prey for crunching in its mandibles and to defend the Litterbug from attack by its enemies. They are particularly hated by Centaurs, who will attack any Litterbug they encounter to prevent the insect polluting the grassy steppes with its noxious by-products.
STAMINA: 10
ATTACKS: 2
WEAPON: Large Claw or Sting (see below)
ARMOUR: Heavy
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Forest, Plains, Hills, Wilderness, Caves
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1
TYPE: Insect
REACTION: Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Low
One type of Bug to keep a careful eye out for and avoid if possible, is the dreaded SCORPION BUG of Allansia. This huge insect has a plated exoskeleton for a body that ends in a paralysis-inducing sting, and two forelegs that feature sharp pincer-like claws. The Scorpion Bug is virtually blind, but can detect the slightest vibrations on the ground, including all movement and even something breathing. Typically, it waits in a hidden borehole, and as soon as it detects prey, erupts from its lair to inject the victim with venom before dragging the paralyzed carcass back down underground to feed. Anyone stung by the sting of a Scorpion Bug must Test their Luck, or be paralyzed for 1-6 hours. To make their ambushes easier, Scorpion Bugs are known to dwell near certain plants - Sleeping Grass, Weedleweed, and so on - that cause narcoleptic effects, and once a victim is soundly asleep snoring away, emerge and paralyze them!
STAMINA: 5
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Small Bite
ARMOUR: Medium
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Towns, Plains, Hills, Forests, Dungeons, Ruins, Caves
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3
TYPE: Insect
REACTION: Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Low
The VAMPIRE BUG is an insectoid sanguinivore that usually is found in the wild sucking blood from injured animals. However, their larvae start life in pools of stagnant water, and for this reason these dangerous pests are found more and more in the towns and cities of man, hiding among the trash and debris, and attacking at the first scent of fresh blood. Vampire Bugs grow up to a metre long and have a long shiny black body, with fast-beating translucent wings that accord them great maneuverability in the air. Once they have detected prey, their typical attack is to dive down, aiming their long blood-sucking proboscis at any open wounds. If a Vampire Bug makes a successful hit, it will land and begin sucking 2 STAMINA points of blood per Attack Round until it or its victim are dead. Worse, their blood is both toxic and acidic, and anyone foolish enough to let Vampire Bug blood touch their bare skin will lose 1 SKILL and 3 STAMINA points as the blood painfully eats away at their epidermis. This can be quickly neutralized by applying water to flush out any wounds.
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