Ankhegs
The creatures known as Anhegs resemble enormous termites in both physical form and societal structure. Colonies of Ankhegs nest in massive mounds which are formed from clay, stone, and wood. Ankhegs also have a major caste system, with varying types being born based on the needs of the entire colony.
There are three castes in termite society. Workers are around the size of a human and perform most of the colonies work, including building the mounds and finding food and water. Soldiers are around the size of ogres and help to defend the colony from invaders, as well as to raid other creatures. Nobles are massive creatures who make decisions for the colony and are the only caste that can reproduce.
Moundlike Homes
Ankheg Mounds are around the size of the towns of of other species in terms of area covered, but extend hundreds of feet into the sky. These homes were built by workers, using their natural adhesives as a means to fix the parts together.
Below each mound lies a massive network of interconnected tunnels, which sometimes extend tens of miles away from the mounds edges. These tunnels are used by the Ankhegs to more easily move about, as well as the only means to enter the mound, which is completely sealed with the exception of battlements in several areas.
Natural Adhesives
Ankhegs naturally develop a particular solution inside their bodies. This solution, when exposed to air, will quickly harden into a crystalline substance. This substance is incredibly strong but also hard to produce, and is thus used primarily to adhere other building materials, but is also used to build incredibly important structures, such as defenses for the nobility.
Ankhegs also have the ability to fire out this solution at high speeds by rapidly convulsing muscles within their head. This, while a potent tool for the ankheg, can prove fatal, with the Ankheg's head bursting from the strain.
Strange Cunning
The Ankhegs together posess a strange cunning. Although they are not intelligent in and of themselves, they can quickly communicate and only seek the betterment of the colony. This allows them to seemingly move in perfect coordination.
Ankhegs also have been genetically hard wired to certain responses. These individual responses are sophisticated, but Ankhegs are almost completely unable to function without them.
Diet
Ankhegs are generally herbivorous, primarily consuming large plants. Due to the sheer amount of Ankhegs in a colony, they are often driven to devouring all of the plants within a few miles of their mounds, and storing within the mounds what they do not consume.
Ankhegs require meat, however, for one particular role. In order to raise a member of the nobility, meat is required. Thus, when a new noble is born, Ankhegs raid nearby towns for food, primarily taking livestock.
Art Credit: Wizards of the Coast
Ankheg Worker
Medium beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
- Speed 25ft., burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages —
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Adhesive Spittle. At the start of the Ankheg's turn, any creature grappled via its bite attack is coated in the Ankhegs adhesive. The creature suffers a 10 ft. penalty to its speed (to a minimum of 5 ft., unless the creatures speed is already lower). If a creature coated in spittle would take fire damage, they are set on fire, taking 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of their turns for one minute or until the spittle is removed (including via the fire damage), or the fire is extinguished (via either water or a creature using their action to do so). The spittle can be removed by dealing it or the creature affected by it slashing, fire, or acid damage, or by applying water.
If the spittle is not removed within 1 minute, it hardens, restraining the creature and causing its AC to become 18, if it wasn't already higher. The spittle can only be destroyed by dealing damage to it (it has AC 18, vulnerability to fire damage, and 20 hitpoints), although any attack that hits the creature that is coated in the spittle also deals damage to the spittle.
Spittle on the ground hardens and is removed similarly to spittle that coats a creature. However, a fire that catches on this spittle also deals damage to any touching it and can only be removed via water or the destruction of the spittle. In addition, the area coated in unhardened spittle counts as difficult terrain and causes any creature moving through it to be coated in the spittle, and the area coated in hardened spittle requires a DC 10 acrobatics check to move across without falling prone if the moving creature is moving more than 10' per round.
Two objects covered in spittle that are touching when the spittle hardens are fused together, requiring the spittle to be destroyed before they can be moved apart.
Pheremones. The Ankheg can communicate with any other Ankheg within 120' of it instantaneously via pheremones. The Ankheg can chain this communication through other Ankhegs.
Mental Cohesion. The Ankheg and any other Ankheg it can communicate with via pheremones count as a single creature for the puroses of effects that would call for a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw or deal Psychic damage. For such a saving throw, the Ankheg uses the highest modifier amongst Ankhegs in the group. Any effects caused by such an effect are applied to each creature that it would effect.
Soft Underbelly. The Ankheg has resistance to non-magical piercing and slashing damage dealt to the upper half of its body (while on all sixes), which is covered in a shell, but vulnerability to all piercing and slashing damage dealt to the lower half of its body (while on all sixes) which is not. By default, an attack is made to the upper half of the Ankheg while it is standing upright, and to the lower while it is prone.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled by the Ankheg (escape DC 13). While grappled in this way, the Ankheg cannot attack other creatures with its Bite attack, and it makes its Bite attacks with advantage.
Construct. One target (creature or object) within 5' of the Ankheg is coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle.
Spittle Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, ranged 30/120 ft., one target. Hit 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is coated with the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle. Whether the attack hits or miss, each creature and object within 10' of the target must make a DC 8 dexterity saving throw or be coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle (with non-creature objects automatically failing this saving throw). In addition, the Ankheg takes 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage.
Art Source (Could not find artist): https://rpgrunkleplaysgames.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/topsystem_ankheg.jpg
Ankheg Soldier
Large beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
- Speed 40ft., burrow 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages —
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Adhesive Spittle. At the start of the Ankheg's turn, any creature grappled via its bite attack is coated in the Ankhegs adhesive. The creature suffers a 10 ft. penalty to its speed (to a minimum of 5 ft., unless the creatures speed is already lower). If a creature coated in spittle would take fire damage, they are set on fire, taking 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of their turns for one minute or until the spittle is removed (including via the fire damage), or the fire is extinguished (via either water or a creature using their action to do so). The spittle can be removed by dealing it or the creature affected by it slashing, fire, or acid damage, or by applying water.
If the spittle is not removed within 1 minute, it hardens, restraining the creature and causing its AC to become 18, if it wasn't already higher. The spittle can only be destroyed by dealing damage to it (it has AC 18, vulnerability to fire damage, and 20 hitpoints), although any attack that hits the creature that is coated in the spittle also deals damage to the spittle.
Spittle on the ground hardens and is removed similarly to spittle that coats a creature. However, a fire that catches on this spittle also deals damage to any touching it and can only be removed via water or the destruction of the spittle. In addition, the area coated in unhardened spittle counts as difficult terrain and causes any creature moving through it to be coated in the spittle, and the area coated in hardened spittle requires a DC 10 acrobatics check to move across without falling prone if the moving creature is moving more than 10' per round.
Two objects covered in spittle that are touching when the spittle hardens are fused together, requiring the spittle to be destroyed before they can be moved apart.
Pack Tactics. The Ankheg has advantage on any attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Ankheg's allies is within 10ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Pheremones. The Ankheg can communicate with any other Ankheg within 120' of it instantaneously via pheremones. The Ankheg can chain this communication through other Ankhegs.
Mental Cohesion. The Ankheg and any other Ankheg it can communicate with via pheremones count as a single creature for the puroses of effects that would call for a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw or deal Psychic damage. For such a saving throw, the Ankheg uses the highest modifier amongst Ankhegs in the group. Any effects caused by such an effect are applied to each creature that it would effect.
Rising Attack. If the Ankheg moves at least 5' straight upwards before making a melee weapon attack, it deals an additional 7 (2d6) damage.
Soft Underbelly. The Ankheg has resistance to non-magical piercing and slashing damage dealt to the upper half of its body (while on all sixes), which is covered in a shell, but vulnerability to all piercing and slashing damage dealt to the lower half of its body (while on all sixes) which is not. By default, an attack is made to the upper half of the Ankheg while it is standing upright, and to the lower while it is prone.
Actions
Multiattack. The Ankheg makes two Bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled by the Ankheg (escape DC 13). While grappled in this way, the Ankheg cannot attack other creatures with its Bite attack, and it makes its Bite attacks with advantage.
Construct. One target (creature or object) within 10' of the Ankheg is coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle.
Spittle Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 30/120 ft., one target. Hit 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is coated with the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle. Whether the attack hits or miss, each creature and object within 10' of the target must make a DC 12 dexterity saving throw or be coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle (with non-creature objects automatically failing this saving throw). In addition, the Ankheg takes 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage.
Ankheg Noble
Gargantuan beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 135 (10d20 + 30)
- Speed 20ft., burrow 10 ft., fly 30ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 5 (-3) 15 (+2) 6 (-2)
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages —
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Adhesive Spittle. At the start of the Ankheg's turn, any creature grappled via its bite attack is coated in the Ankhegs adhesive. The creature suffers a 10 ft. penalty to its speed (to a minimum of 5 ft., unless the creatures speed is already lower). If a creature coated in spittle would take fire damage, they are set on fire, taking 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of their turns for one minute or until the spittle is removed (including via the fire damage), or the fire is extinguished (via either water or a creature using their action to do so). The spittle can be removed by dealing it or the creature affected by it slashing, fire, or acid damage, or by applying water.
If the spittle is not removed within 1 minute, it hardens, restraining the creature and causing its AC to become 18, if it wasn't already higher. The spittle can only be destroyed by dealing damage to it (it has AC 18, vulnerability to fire damage, and 20 hitpoints), although any attack that hits the creature that is coated in the spittle also deals damage to the spittle.
Spittle on the ground hardens and is removed similarly to spittle that coats a creature. However, a fire that catches on this spittle also deals damage to any touching it and can only be removed via water or the destruction of the spittle. In addition, the area coated in unhardened spittle counts as difficult terrain and causes any creature moving through it to be coated in the spittle, and the area coated in hardened spittle requires a DC 10 acrobatics check to move across without falling prone if the moving creature is moving more than 10' per round.
Two objects covered in spittle that are touching when the spittle hardens are fused together, requiring the spittle to be destroyed before they can be moved apart.
Pheremones. The Ankheg can communicate with any other Ankheg within 120' of it instantaneously via pheremones. The Ankheg can chain this communication through other Ankhegs.
Mental Cohesion. The Ankheg and any other Ankheg it can communicate with via pheremones count as a single creature for the puroses of effects that would call for a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw or deal Psychic damage. For such a saving throw, the Ankheg uses the highest modifier amongst Ankhegs in the group. Any effects caused by such an effect are applied to each creature that it would effect.
Mental Coordination. The Noble can control any other non-noble Ankheg that it can communicate with via pheremones. If two or more nobles would issue commands, the Ankhegs try their best to satisfy both commands. If the commands conflict, the nobles make opposed charisma checks, wite creature following the instructions of the winner.
Soft Underbelly. The Ankheg has resistance to non-magical piercing and slashing damage dealt to the upper half of its body (while on all sixes), which is covered in a shell, but vulnerability to all piercing and slashing damage dealt to the lower half of its body (while on all sixes) which is not. By default, an attack is made to the upper half of the Ankheg while it is standing upright, and to the lower while it is prone.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled by the Ankheg (escape DC 13). While grappled in this way, the Ankheg cannot attack other creatures with its Bite attack, and it makes its Bite attacks with advantage.
Construct. One target (creature or object) within 5' of the Ankheg is coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle.
Spittle Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, ranged 30/120 ft., one target. Hit 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is coated with the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle. Whether the attack hits or miss, each creature and object within 10' of the target must make a DC 8 dexterity saving throw or be coated in the Ankheg's Adhesive Spittle (with non-creature objects automatically failing this saving throw. In addition, the Ankheg takes 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage.
Sample Encounters
The following are sample encounters which feature Ankhegs and are designed for players from 3rd to 9th level.
Foraging Scouts
This encounter is designed for a group of four third level characters. The characters are taking a wooden wagon through a large stretch of prairie.
Location
The encounter occurs on a relatively flat prairie. The Ankhegs arrive from below the party, through a tunnel system. At one point near the end of the tunnels, they have collapsed. If players try to dig through, they get into a much larger tunnel system, which eventually leads to a colony (assuming the players do not get lost).
Monsters
Two Ankheg Workers.
Scene
The Ankhegs come out of the grond 60' from the wagon, which they intend to bring back to the colony as a food source. They start by firing spittle out at the wheels to stop it, and will not attack the players if the players leave the cart uninjured.
Tactics
If the Ankhegs are attacked, they will defend themselves until either of them are reduced to 25 hitpoints. Then, one will stay and fire adhesive spittle in self sacrifice to stall, while the other flees back to the colony while collapsing the tunnels.
During combat, each Ankheg will focus on an unarmored (or lightly armored) enemy and bite them. They will then go aways a way and continue biting until the target is hardened or dead, and then leave them in place and go after another enemy, including an armored one.
Young Colony
This encounter is designed for a group of four eleventh level characters. The characters have been hired to destroy an Ankheg nest that has been developing.
Location
At this point in time the nest is rather young. It lies in a self made glade, primarily above the surface. The mound is 120' in diameter and 300' tall, and is filled with criscrossing tunnels just big enough for the soldiers to get through. It is made of wood, boulders, and dirt, all adhered together by the ankheg spittle. Due to this, if the lair is dealt any fire damage, the entire lair will be lit on fire, and then eventually collapse as the only thing holding it together burns apart. Each section burns for 5d10 rounds befor collapsing.. At 60' above the surface, the diameter decreases to 90', leaving a 15' wide terrace upon which the Ankhegs can stand. This terrace contains the only surface entrances directly to the mound. The nobles dwell towards the top of the mound, the soldiers in the lower part of the mound, and the workers below the mound.
Below the mound lies a vast tunnel network. Players can enter anywhere from 3 miles away from the mound at the furthest entrance to around 120' from it at the nearest entrance.
Monsters
50 Ankheg Workers, 25 Ankheg Soldiers, and 2 Ankheg Nobles.
Scene
By default, 30 workers wander in the tunnels. For every half a mile the players walk within the tunnels, roll a d8 and subtract one, to show how many workers they encounter (in a group, stop this once all the workers are dead). These workers are too far away for the distress signals of other ankhegs to reach tem.
The rest of the workers work outside the mound, building it up using materials which are stored inside the mound. They are close enough that attacking any of them will alert all of the other Ankhegs except for the tunnel workers.
11 of soldiers will always remain at the mound, 5 are patrolling the terrace and 6 are guarding the nobles. They will remain in their posititions regardless of other actions.
The other 14 soldiers will investigate any report of death (via deaths near the mound, escaped workers, or missing workers), and will be dispatched in groups of 2, then 3, then 4, then 5 to do so.
The two nobles remain in their chamber laying and fertilizing eggs.
Tactics
Each Group uses different sets of tactics.
Workers/Soldiers in Tunnels
If the Ankhegs are attacked, they will defend themselves until either of them are reduced to 25 hitpoints. Then, one will stay and fire adhesive spittle in self sacrifice to stall, while the other flees back to the colony while collapsing the tunnels.
During combat, each Ankheg will focus on an unarmored (or lightly armored) enemy and bite them. They will then go aways a way and continue biting until the target is hardened or dead, and then leave them in place and go after another enemy, including an armored one.
Workers Near the Mound
The outside worker Ankhegs simply attempt to surround the players and adhere them in place while biting them. They will not surrender, instead fighting to the death. The swarm will, as a whole, target one person at a time, and will chase them until they are more than 600' away, before turning to a new target.
Terrace Soldiers
The Terrace Soldiers will fire Spittle Bolts at the targets, with no regards for their own safety, and will continue to do so until either they or their targets die, or all their targets are trapped. Once all their soldiers are trapped, they will descend into melee combat.
Reserve Soldiers
The Soldiers that serve in reserve will charge at their enemies and bite them to death with no regards for their onw safety, and will use a strategy of burrowing below trapped enemies before rising to attack to gain the benefits of rising attack.
Guard Soldiers
The Guard Soldiers will start by encasing all attackers using spittle bolt in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the nobles. They will then form a wall of bodies to prevent characters from reaching the nobles, and keep them in their mouths as an additional detterent.
Nobles
The Nobles will cower from the players and attempt to escape by burrowing out through the roof of the mound (which is 30' of ground above them), and then fly away. If they are impeded from doing so, they will move away from the players until reduced to 45 hitpoints, at which point they will attack and try to eat the party.
Useful Player Tactics
This particular encounter may seem difficult, but intelligent players who know about Ankhegs, as well as (possibly) important NPCs will come up with three easy solutions to the problem. The first is mind control, they second is psychic attacks, and the third is fire. Mind control gain easily take control of the entire swarm, psychic attacks affect most of the swarm at once, and fire will both burn the mound and cause it to collapse.
Additionally, if both nobles are destroyed, the swarm will act as if it is under the effects of the confusion spell, using a single roll each turn, and will die out within one year due to short lifespans and the inability to reproduce.
Compendium of Creatures
This is an excerpt from The Compendium of Creatures. Check out the updating work, which so far includes Aarakocra, Aboleths, and Angels, go to: http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HkqWHhSEb
Art Credit: Wizards of the Coast
