Giant bees, or monstrous bees,[3] were extra-large varieties of their smaller cousins.[1][2]
Description[]
Giant bees could reach lengths of about 5 feet (150 centimeters).[1]
Like their tiny cousins, giant bees came in multiple varieties, including honeybees and bumblebees. Of the two, giant bumblebees were the larger species.[2]
Behavior[]
A giant bee defends itself!
Giant bees were not ordinarily aggressive, unless they were acting in defense.[1]
Abilities[]
Like normal-sized bees, a giant bee could inject a poison into another creature, but pulling away from the sting would result in the death of the giant bee. Giant bee venom weakened the general constitution of one stung, without harming the targets strength or agility.[1] The venom of a giant bumblebee was stronger for giant soldier honeybees and giant bumblebees, and the poison from a queen was stronger still.[2]
Giant bees were very skilled at orienting themselves in their environment.[1]
Sub-Species[]
- Upper Planes Giant Bee
- Giant bees that lived in the Upper Planes were celestial creatures,[4] and more intelligent than normal giant bees.[5] They served the good-aligned deities,[6][7] being particularly favored by the halfling goddess Sheela Peryroyl,[3] and were capable of being summoned for short periods of time by spellcasters with the spell Summon monster II.[4]
Ecology[]
Giant bees maintained small hives, numbering up to 20 individuals in typical situations,[1] but some giant honeybees had much larger hives numbering up to ten times that amount in workers with up to a dozen soldiers, two to five drones, and a single queen.[2] Giant bumblebees kept burrowed nests instead of hives, with up to a dozen individuals.[2]
Habitats[]
They could be found in parts of Kara-Tur.[8]
Usages[]
Like smaller bees, giant bees produced honey.[1][2] A chunk of honey known as "bee bread" was capable of providing daily nourishment for a typical humanoid. In rare cases, a variety known as "royal jelly" was found, which was said to have mild healing and curative properties and even the ability to slow aging! Jars of this coveted unguent could cost between 3,000 and 8,000 gold pieces.[2]
Trivia[]
- Magical amber amulets of vermin were sometimes crafted on Toril that contained a small bee that would grow into a giant bee when the amulet was broken.[9]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 284. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 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. 14. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 286–287. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 31–32. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 259. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 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. 8. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 115. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.