Giant fire beetle

Giant fire beetles were nocturnal giant beetles.

Description
Giant fire beetles were the smallest of all the giant beetles known to scholars. They grew to be about.

Abilities
These creatures had luminous glands, situated above each eye and near the abdomen, that glowed a red color. If removed, these glands would continue glowing for several days. The luminosity of these glands extended outward in a radius of.

Combat
Despite being small for giant beetles, these creatures had very powerful mandibles that could cause great injury to any human.

History
In 1492 DR, a group of troglodytes within the level of Undermountain known as the Troglodyte Warrens had domesticated giant fire beetles and were raising them for food. That same year the Harper agent Ulvira Snowveins was running a pet store in Skullport that offered, among other creatures, giant fire beetles for sale.

Sub-Species

 * An intelligent variation of giant fire beetles were known to inhabit the celestial planes. These were often sent in answer to a good cleric's summoning spells.

Diet
Giant fire beetles were an omnivorous species of insect.

Habitats
Giant fire beetles could be found in clusters or colonies in warmer flatlands. They lived both above and below ground.

In the land of Faerûn they could be found in the King's Forest of Cormyr, within Mount Hotenow, and down in the Underdark.

In the East they could be found in the Hordelands, Semphar, and on the island chain of Nada al-Hazan.

Beyond the Prime Material plane, some were known to inhabit the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Relationships
Fire beetles were a favored animal of the deity Moradin and thus would serve him, sometime acting as messengers to his followers.

Usages
The luminous glands of the giant fire beetle were prized by adventurers and miners alike.

Some were known to use their glands as an alternative material component to the spell dancing lights. Their blood was also a material component for the spell infra-invisible.

The inhabitants of Skullport sometimes sought out the larvae of fire beetles to use as a source of illumination.

Notable Fire Beetles

 * Phredd, a fire beetle that lived within Marigold's Menagerie.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Cities of Mystery, "Ike Likes Spiders and Snakes" • Waterdeep • Dungeon #30: "... And a Dozen Eggs" • Polyhedron #66, "Caravan" • Dungeon #47: "The Assassin Within" • Scepter Tower of Spellgard • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
 * Video games:
 * Icewind Dale &bull; Neverwinter Nights &bull; Icewind Dale 2 &bull; Neverwinter Nights 2
 * Board Games
 * Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins