Cockroach

Cockroaches, also known simply as roaches, were crawling insects with a reputation as urban pests.

Combat
Although typically harmless against adventurers, cockroach swarms of large enough numbers could pose a serious threat. To those unequipped to handle it, the collective stench of such a group could be overwhelmingly sickening. Damage was typically inflicted by biting, though some swarms were able to eject a corrosive acid as well.

Particularly diminutive adventurers, such as those shrunk to a tenth of their size per the effects of a version of the reduce spell in use between the Time of Troubles and the Year of Wild Magic, were a more realistic target for individual cockroaches. At this scale, a cockroach's bite could inflict significant damage, and would slow an opponent down for a few seconds.

Ecology
Cockroaches could be tracked by the pungent smell of their attar and droppings.

Beshaba counted cockroaches among her favored animals, and was known to act through their presence. Torog, too, favored cockroaches.

Habitats
Cockroaches were found in urban areas and the sewers that ran beneath them. A number of inns had cockroach problems, including the Dran & Courtier, the Pride of Zhentil Keep, the Shattered Mirror, and the Three Elves.

Some species of cockroach hardy enough to survive the frigid climate inhabited the Great Glacier.

Related Creatures
Giant cockroaches were especially large cockroaches that measured in length. Compared to their more common kin, they were considerably more belligerent, attacking just about anything animate.

Vfush Sweetwaterlake, a slyth scholar of insects and arachnids, claimed to have observed an undead species of cockroach.

A rare subset of cockroaches were valued for their use in detecting magic, as their shells turned blue in its presence. These cockroaches were sold in the markets of Vaelan.

Some sages postulated that hook horrors were distant relatives of cockroaches.

History
Prior to becoming an advisor at the Citadel of Assassins, the archmage Knellict survived an assassination attempt organized by his prior employer, Zhengyi the Witch-King, by polymorphing his assailants into cockroaches. Similarly, during her tumultuous tenure as guildmaster of the Welcomers of Phlan, the half-fiend Sirana used this same maneuver on several of her own guildmembers.

Trivia
The hishna spell pestilence brought forth a mass of crawling insects, among which were cockroaches.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Nightmare Keep &bull; Caravans &bull; Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle &bull; Tomb of Annihilation &bull; Acquisitions Incorporated: "The Orrery of the Wanderer"
 * Novels
 * The Harpers ( The Night Parade &bull; The Ring of Winter ) &bull; Prince of Lies &bull; Pool of Twilight &bull; Realms of Infamy: "Laughter in the Flames" &bull; Netheril Trilogy ( Sword Play &bull; Dangerous Games ) &bull; Night Masks &bull; Death of the Dragon &bull; The City of Ravens &bull; Throne of Bhaal &bull; Darkvision &bull; Sword of the Gods &bull; The Companions &bull; Timeless
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Outlaws of the Iron Route