DCC Bestiary - Blood Grub

Back in the day, rot grubs were used to punish players for putting their poor unsuspecting ears to doors to listen.  And that's kind of mean.  The DCC Core Rulebook doesn't have an example of this kind of creature, but there is a sample encounter in Sailors on the Starless Sea, in the beastman tower.

Now, the concept of a burrowing parasite that crawls up a poor character's arm and into their flesh, driving them mad with pain and horror, well that's awesome.  

Well, awesome for everyone but that character.

To make this creature fun for the whole party, it needs better mechanics than 'save or you are dead', without getting too complicated.  It needs an attack roll to start chomping away, one or more chances to dig it out, and what happens if left alone -- it will kill the character not immediately, but over an hour or so. This can all be done with a couple simple mechanics.

I used this creature last Road Crew session, and it evoked the right amount of terror in the players, as the paladin gritted his teeth and cut it out, and then stomped on it over and over and over.

If you use this creature, and want to share some stories of mayhem and feasting, drop me a line at archadethered@gmail.com 

Blood Grubs

     These small creatures can be found feeding on carcasses, and are small, white, and harmless, ranging from 1” to 2” in length and a mottled grey color – unless handled improperly.

     If a corpse is handled or touched by an unsuspecting adventurer, the blood grubs have a single chance to burrow into the unsuspecting intruder’s flesh, with a +8 attack roll.  Otherwise, they will crawl slowly towards a living creature, seeking a warm haven inside their flesh, but are easily avoided or slain.

     If a successful attack is made, the grub burrows into it’s newfound host, inflicting 1d2 points of damage, but that is just the beginning.  Each turn (10 minutes), the creature makes another attack roll, and if successful, gorges himself on the blood and flesh of the host, while releasing toxins into the bloodstream and inflict pain and disorientation, causing 1d3 points of Personality damage.  If a 3 is rolled for Personality damage, the host will have hallucinations (judge’s discretion).  Should a host have their Personality attribute reduced to 0, they become comatose, and will die within 1d6 hours.

     To remove an embedded blood grub, someone else must look for the wriggling form under the skin, and cut it out.  As time goes on, the grub burrows deeper, so their Armor Class increases by +1 per turn to a maximum of AC 14.  Each attempt to cut it out successful or not, causes 1d3 damage to the host.

 

     Blood Grub: Init -2, Atk bite +1 melee (1d2); AC 7; HD 1d3 (2 hp); MV 5’ or climb 5’; Act 1d20; SP burrowing attack, feeding toxins; SV Fort -3, Ref -2, Will -3; AL N.