NEW MONSTER: SCUTTLE BAT

SCUTTLE BAT

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 4-16

ARMOR CLASS: 6

MOVE: 15”/18”

MANOUVERABILITY CLASS: C

HIT DICE: 2+1

% IN LAIR: 50%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ ATTACK: 1-6

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nausea, wounding bite

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

SAVE: Fighter 3

INTELLIGENCE: Semi-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil

SIZE: S (3 to 4' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

LEVEL/ X.P. VALUE: III/ 65 + 3/hp

Scholars are often divided in opinion on how to classify the scuttle bat. Some claim they are arachnid, while others insist they are kin to mammals. Still others claim they are no natural thing at all, but smack of dark magic. In any case, all agree they are dangerous and to be avoided.

When flying, their legs dangle below them in a repulsive and obscene manner. They can climb walls with ease and hang from ceilings when resting or sleeping. They hunt at night, but even in the day about 25% or so of the colony will remain awake at any one time.

These creatures give off a strong odor of rotting garbage, feculent material, and carrion in a 10' radius. It is so overpowering that it causes retching unless a saving throw versus poison is successful. Any individuals who fail this roll must attack at -2 on “to hit” dice rolls for the duration of the encounter. Places where scuttle bats dwell and excrete their wastes take on this same characteristic.

Scuttle bats attack by means of a vicious bite. Their saliva is highly acidic and those bitten must make a saving throw versus poison or lose another hit point each round for the next 1-6 rounds as it corrodes nearby flesh. Successive bites have a cumulative effect.

This fierce beast has about the same mass as a goblin. Its dark gray or brown leathery wings have a span of six to seven feet when fully extended. Its eight legs are short and furred, as is its body. The hairless pale-skinned face bears sharp teeth, while the eyes are beady and black.