A giant wasp was a monstrous version of the common wasp.[4][3][2][1]
Biology[]
The wings of these creatures were incredibly vulnerable to fire and were liable to burn up in the presence of hot flames. Though a giant wasp would survive these wings being burned off, their body would be rendered permanently flightless.[4]
Combat[]
Giant wasps fought other creatures with their powerful mandibles and poisonous, paralyzing stingers.[4]
History[]
At some point in the 14th century DR, a group of rangers introduced giant wasps into the Rimwood. Their intention was to hopefully drive out the area's fyrefly population by having the giant wasps compete with them for their precious cornflower pollen. However, this proved to be unsuccessful as the fyreflies adapted to eating quack grass and dried pigweed.[5]
Ecology[]
Diet[]
These creatures were carnivorous and hunted on a very regular basis, almost ceaselessly, which inspired a sense of fear in some creatures. They typically fed upon other giant insects, though humanoid races were also known to fall victim to them.[4]
Lairs[]
Giant wasps were known to make their nests out of either mud or "paper", with the latter supporting far larger adult populations that ranged from twenty one to forty members.[4][note 1]
If a giant wasp did not outright devour their paralyzed prey they were known to bring it back to their nests and place the paralyzed creature in their eggs.[4]
Habitats[]
Giant wasps were one of the few insects known to thrive in the North,[6] in places such as the Rimwood of Cormanthor, the Farsea Marshes,[7] and the Stump Bog.[8]
In northeast Faerûn, they could be found in the forests of Vaasa.[9] And in West Faerun, giant wasps could be found in the land of High Moor.[10]
They could also be found in the Moonshae Isles,[11] Thar,[12] and in the Shining South, they were known to inhabit the Mortick Swamp.[13]
A small number of awakened giant wasps served the druid Wyllow within her domain of Undermountain.[14]
Beyond the Prime Material plane, they could be found in Malbolge.[15]
Usage[]
The Fire Knives coated their knives with the poison of giant wasps.[16] Their wings could be used as an alternative ingredient for crafting a potion of speed.[17]
An amber amulet of vermin contained a wasp that would be released, at which point it would become a giant wasp.[18]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The text in the Monster Manual did not specify what this "paper" they made nests out of was, but it's likely that the designers were referencing paper wasps since they build nests out of a papery material derived from the fibers of dead wood and plant stems.
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Waterdeep • Dungeon #53: "Steelheart" • Dungeon #69, "Slave Vats of the Yuan-ti" • Dungeon #72, "Mistress on the Mere" • Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor
- Video Games
- Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon
- Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
- The Frozen North
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 329. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 284–285. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Richard Baker III, David Cook, Kevin Melka, Bruce Nesmith (January 1997). Introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. (TSR, Inc.), p. 22. ISBN 0-7869-0332-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 99. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), pp. 9, 20. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (December 1987). “Welcome to Waterdeep”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #128 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14.
- ↑ Paul Culotta (May/June 1995). “Steelheart”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dungeon #53 (TSR, Inc.) (53)., p. 57.
- ↑ Random encounters table included in Ed Greenwood (1989). Waterdeep (adventure). (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-757-2.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ Tom Prusa (1993). The Shining South. (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 1-56076-595-X.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 273. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Tom Armstrong (February 1988). “Better Living Through Alchemy”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #130 (TSR, Inc.), p. 40.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.