Abeils (sometimes pluralized as "abeil"[2]), also commonly known as bee people, were humanoid bee-like creatures that lived in large hive-cities. They were divided into three castes: the laboring vassals, the fighting soldiers (also known as stormwings), and the ruling queens.[1]
Description[]
Abeils exhibited a mix of the features of bees and elves. Bristly fur colored in alternating bands of black and yellow covered their bodies. Their heads were elf-like, though their eyes were black and faceted, and they sported antennae. They had four-digited hands, translucent bee-like wings, and stingers.[1]
Vassals and queens had relatively slender limbs, while those of the larger soldiers were much more muscular.[1]
Abilities[]
All abeils could emit a sleep-inducing droning sound by beating their wings. This sound had no effect on other abeils. Soldiers could even beat their wings vigorously enough to deal damage.[1]
Every caste had its own kind of poison that could be injected through stinging their target. Vassals and soldiers could weaken anyone they stung for a period generally lasting from a few days up to two tendays, with the soldiers' poison being twice as effective, though the recovery period could be sped up through extensive rest and the use of spells such as restoration. The poison of a queen, though less effective in the short term, was permanent without the use of restorative spells.[1][3]
Abeil queens could cast divine spells as if they were high-level druids.[1]
Combat[]
Abeils generally fought while airborne, eschewing any armor that might weigh them down, and attacked from a distance if possible. If forced into melee range, they tended to swarm powerful opponents to sting them with their debilitating poison.[1]
Vassals rarely fought unless ordered to. Those armed for battle generally wielded light flails.[1]
Soldiers were, as the name implies, the caste most often drawn into battle. They wielded bows and ranseurs.[1]
Queens only fought if threatened directly. Rather than wielding weapons, they made use of their divine spells.[1]
Society[]
Abeils lived in hive-cities, with the majority of the population consisting of vassals, and about a third of soldiers. They were very expansionistic, splitting off and founding new hive-cities whenever they'd grown too populous.[1]
Vassals performed the hive-city's labor at the behest of their queen, including tasks such as gathering pollen, producing goods, and maintaining the city's structures. A small number of more individualistic vassals made up a group called the vassal court, which served as the queen's council.[1]
Soldiers patrolled the hive-city and its environs. They were suspicious of any outsiders, and considered nearby civilizations threats to their city.[1]
The queen ruled the hive-city with absolute power. She was the one to rear the juvenile queens, feeding them royal jelly to convert them into fully-fledged queens when the time came to found a new settlement.[1]
History[]
When a party consisting of Fox-at-Twilight, Liet Sagrin, Gargan Vathkelke Kaugathal, Davoren Hellsheart, and Billfora Brightbrows ventured into the former Netherese enclave of Negarath in the Year of Risen Elfkin, 1375 DR,[4] they found an abeil hive-city constructed in its ruins.[2]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- Tiger fly
Appearances[]
- Novels
- Depths of Madness
External Links[]
Abeil article at the Eberron Wiki, a wiki for the Eberron campaign setting.
Abeil article at the D&D Lore Wiki, a wiki for Dungeons & Dragons lore.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Ed Bonny, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter (September 2002). Monster Manual II 3rd edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 22–24. ISBN 07-8692-873-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Erik Scott de Bie (March 2007). Depths of Madness. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0-7869-4314-2.
- ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 289. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.