A bloated, colossal insectoid nearly ten feet in length, her chitinous plates a deep, earthy red. Unlike her swift and lethal children, the Queen is a sedentary engine of reproduction.
- Armor Class: 16 [3]
- Hit Dice: 10 (45 hp)
- Attacks: 1 × Bite (2d4)
- THAC0: 11 [+8]
- Movement: 0’ (0’)
- Saving Throws: D6 W7 P8 B8 S10 (F5)
- Morale: 12
- Alignment: Neutral
- XP: 900
Special Abilities
- Sand-Scoured Chitin: The Queen is immune to blinding and abrasive damage from sand or wind-based effects.
- Hive Morale: As long as the Queen is alive and within the nest network, all workers and warriors possess a Morale of 12.
- Pheromone Alarm: If the Queen is attacked or a nest breach is detected, a chemical alarm is triggered. 2d6 Warriors will arrive to defend her every 3 rounds until the threat is neutralized.
Combat & Tactics
The Queen is entirely immobile and relies on her colony for defense. She cannot pursue enemies or dodge area-of-effect spells. However, if a threat comes within range of her massive mandibles, she bites viciously. Her primary tactical defense is the continuous release of her Pheromone Alarm, ensuring a relentless wave of reinforcements until she is either slain or the intruders are overwhelmed.
Featured In: Issue #0 – The Hollow Tower
The swarming threats and ancient Anhurak architecture detailed here are perfect additions to any desert hex-crawl. If you want to drop your players into a fully realized, table-ready adventure featuring classic OSR threats, you can find the complete module available below.
