Cockroaches, also known simply as roaches, were crawling insects[3] with a reputation as urban pests.[4] They were a common nuisance in the city of Calimport, for example.[5]
Combat[]
Although typically harmless against adventurers,[6] 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.[1][2]
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,[7] 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.[8]
Ecology[]
A cockroach is menaced by a plaguechanged rat.
Cockroaches could be tracked by the pungent smell of their attar and droppings.[9]
Beshaba counted cockroaches among her favored animals, and was known to act through their presence.[10][11] Torog, too, favored cockroaches.[12]
Habitats[]
Cockroaches were found in urban areas[4] and the sewers that ran beneath them.[6] A number of inns had cockroach problems, including the Dran & Courtier,[8] the Pride of Zhentil Keep,[13] the Shattered Mirror,[14] and the Three Elves.[15]
Some species of cockroach hardy enough to survive the frigid climate inhabited the Great Glacier.[16]
Related Creatures[]
Giant cockroaches were especially large cockroaches that measured 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length. Compared to their more common kin, they were considerably more belligerent, attacking just about anything animate.[17]
Vfush Sweetwaterlake, a slyth scholar of insects and arachnids, claimed to have observed an undead species of cockroach.[18]
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.[19]
Some sages postulated that hook horrors were distant relatives of cockroaches.[20][21]
History[]
Prior to becoming an advisor at the Citadel of Assassins,[22] the archmage Knellict survived an assassination attempt organized by his prior employer, Zhengyi the Witch-King, by polymorphing his assailants into cockroaches.[23] Similarly, during her tumultuous tenure as guildmaster of the Welcomers of Phlan, the half-fiend[24] Sirana used this same maneuver on several of her own guildmembers.[25]
Trivia[]
The hishna spell pestilence brought forth a mass of crawling insects, among which were cockroaches.[3]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- Lichling
- Tirbana
Notes[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
Video Games
Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
External Links[]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Robert J. Schwalb (March 2009). “Worse than Death”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dungeon #164 (Wizards of the Coast) (164)., p. 20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ari Marmell (June 2007). The Sinister Spire. Edited by Chris Sims. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7869-4357-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Douglas Niles (August 1991). “A Journey to the True World”. Maztica Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 88. ISBN 1-5607-6084-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ari Marmell, C.A. Suleiman (November 2006). Cityscape. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 68. ISBN 0-7869-3939-7.
- ↑ Victor Milán (October 1995). War in Tethyr. (TSR, Inc), p. 184. ISBN 0-7869-0184-5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Logan Bonner, et al. (May 2012). Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 89. ISBN 978-0786960323.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 173. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jerry Holkins, Elyssa Grant, Scott Fitzgerald Gray (June 18, 2019). Acquisitions Incorporated. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 186. ISBN 978-0786966905.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ari Marmell (June 2007). The Sinister Spire. Edited by Chris Sims. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-4357-9.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 43. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 10. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ Brian R. James (April 2010). “Deities & Demigods: Torog, the King that Crawls.”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dungeon #177 (Wizards of the Coast) (177)., p. 70.
- ↑ Kevin Melka, John Terra (March 1995). “Campaign Book”. In Julia Martin ed. Ruins of Zhentil Keep (TSR, Inc.), p. 88. ISBN 0-7869-0109-8.
- ↑ James Lowder (December 1994). “Laughter in the Flames”. In James Lowder ed. Realms of Infamy (TSR, Inc.), pp. 293–316. ISBN 1-56076-911-4.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2001-09-05). Part #23: Cheap and Cheerful at the Three Elves. Elminster Speaks. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2016-09-17.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 87. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel (2003-10-24). Underdark Dungeons (Zipped PDF). Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-11.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (2006). Darkvision. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 7. ISBN 0-7869-4017-4.
- ↑ Grant Boucher, William W. Connors, Steve Gilbert, Bruce Nesmith, Christopher Mortika, Skip Williams (April 1990). Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-88038-836-6.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 193. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ Roster Book included in Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson (1985). Bloodstone Pass. (TSR, Inc), p. 5. ISBN 978-0394548562.
- ↑ Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 110. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
- ↑ James Ward, Anne K. Brown (November 1993). Pool of Twilight. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-5607-6582-8.