Leeches were a species of segmented worms.[6]
Description[]
Leeches were slimy and had a slug-like appearance.[4]
Abilities[]
Biology[]
Leeches were highly vulnerable to salt and the application of sufficient amounts could kill them.[4]
Like many species of invertebrate, leeches had a set of ocelli in place of normal eyes. These were a group of light receptive cells that could register changes in light intensity, though not actual images. Because of this, giant leeches often reacted to changes in nearby light.[7]
Combat[]
Leeches typically hid themselves within the mud or slime typical of their habitats, then waited to strike upon any warm-blooded creature that passed them by. Though sometimes feeding solitarily, they would sometimes group up into large swarms numbering up to two or five hundred members.[4]
History[]
In the 14th century DR, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue was known to sell jars full of live leeches for 10 gp.[8]
In the late 15th century DR, a barber in Silverymoon by the name of Jooge Nopsmoth charged patrons a single gold piece to have blood extracted by means of leeches. He collected these leeches from a disused well beneath his store.[2]
Sub-Species[]
- Giant leech
- A monstrous variety of the standard leech.[4]
- Subterranean
- There were some species of leeches in the Realms that were native to subterranean habitats. One such species lived in the mud flats of Llurth Dreir.[9]
- Throat leech
- Threeb
- A variety of leech that was native to the jungles and swamps of the Abyss, such as the Gaping Maw and Slugbed.[10]
Ecology[]
Diet[]
These creatures fed upon the blood of warm-blooded creatures.[4]
Habitats[]
Leeches were only known to be found in the waters of temperate swamps and marshes.[4] In Faerûn, they were particularly known to inhabit the Vast Swamp,[11][12] the Lake of Steam,[13] and the jungle within the Cathedral of Emerald Scales.[14] They were also quite prevalent in the marshes of High Moor.[15]
Beyond Faerûn, they could be found in pools of water all throughout Chu' Yuan.[16] During the summer season, swarms of them could be found in the lakes, rivers, and swamps of the Ama Basin.[17] And in the Crowded Sea, they could be found on the island of Djinni's Claws.[18]
Beyond the Prime Material plane, they could be found in the Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze[19] and the Domains of Dread.[20]
Usage[]
Many peoples in the Realms would turn to the use of leeches when traditional medicines didn't prove effective. This belief was so widespread that they had somewhat of a placebo effect. Some even claimed they could be used to cure lycanthropy, though this was blatantly false.[8]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Barber of Silverymoon states that leeches should be treated as a swarm of insects.
- ↑ The 2nd edition alignment given in the original source is "Nil", which should be read as Neutral according to this Sage Advice answer by Skip Williams in Dragon Magazine Issue #155: "The nil alignment rating is a holdover from an early draft of the Monstrous Compendium material. Originally, a rating of nil indicated that a creature was not intelligent enough to have an alignment at all. However, the nil rating was dropped during rewriting and should have been replaced with the neutral alignment."
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 338. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jason Bradley Thompson (2017-02-27). The Barber of Silverymoon (PDF). In John Houlihan, Adam Lee eds. Dragon+ #12. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 4–5. Archived from the original on 2017-06-17. Retrieved on 2017-06-17.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Joseph D. Carriker, Jr., Jennifer Clarke Wilkes (August 2005). Stormwrack. Edited by John D. Rateliff, John Thompson. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 162. ISBN 0-7869-3689-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 David "Zeb" Cook, et al. (1989). Monstrous Compendium Volume Two. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-8803-8753-X.
- ↑ Skip Williams (March 1990). “Sage Advice”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #155 (TSR, Inc.), p. 86.
- ↑ Anthony Gerard (July 1987). “The Ecology of the Giant Leech”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #123 (TSR, Inc.), p. 51.
- ↑ Anthony Gerard (July 1987). “The Ecology of the Giant Leech”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #123 (TSR, Inc.), p. 52.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 144. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (January 2000). “Llurth Dreier: City of Ooze”. In Erik Mona ed. Polyhedron #140 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (March 2013). “Eye on the Realms: Abyssal Trade Goods: Not a Bad Thing”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dragon #421 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Cormyrean Marshes”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), pp. 6–7. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 141. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Tim Beach (October 1995). “The High Moor”. In Julia Martin ed. Elminster's Ecologies Appendix II (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0786901713.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ David Cook (August 1990). “Volume II”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 122. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ David Cook (October 1992). “The Djinni's Claws”. In Bill Slavicsek ed. Golden Voyages (TSR, Inc.), p. 2. ISBN 978-1560763314.
- ↑ Monte Cook and William W. Connors (December 7, 1998). The Inner Planes. Edited by Michele Carter and Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-0736-3.
- ↑ William W. Connors, Steve Miller (August 1997). Domains of Dread. Edited by Miranda Horner, Cindi Rice. (TSR, Inc.), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-0672-3.