Soothing Wasp

Soothing Wasp (CR 16)

Neutral - Tiny - Vermin

Lore:	Know (Nature)
33		49
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

27

Perception:
37	+27
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Keen Scent 60 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 10 ft.
• Hover 40 ft.
• Lesser Flight 40 ft.

Defense

AC

39

Man Def

39

Monster Health
475	237	31
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+13
Refl:	+18
Will:	+13

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Tiny
2.5 ft.		0 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+24

Man Off

+26

Action

0

Points

• Maneuver Offense Notes: -1

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Wasp Sting +24 (3d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
  plus: Poison

Full Attack (Melee):

• 3x Wasp Sting +24 (3d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
  plus: Poison

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 1x Soothing Wasp Spine +24 (3d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
  (Increment: 30 ft.; Max Range: 90 ft.)
  plus: Poison

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

10

STR

17

DEX

14

CON

6

INT

8

WIS

12

CHA

Skills:

• Perception: 27
• All other skills: 22 (no ranks)

Languages:

Feats:

• Spring Attack (EFFECT: Move before and after melee attack)

Special Abilities

Soothing Drone (Su; Aura 20') Automatic within 20 feet of any Wasp

Creatures that end their turn within 20 feet of a Soothing Wasp must make a Will save, DC 27, or become Sluggish for the remainder of the encounter. Those who succeed on the save are still Drowsy for the remainder of the encounter. Creatures affected by Soothing Drone never need to make more than one saving throw per round. If a creature making a save against Soothing Drone is already Drowsy and fails the save, it becomes Sluggish. A creature already Sluggish who fails a save becomes Asleep. An Asleep condition persists until the creature is damaged. Any creature may wake up an adjacent sleeping creature as a standard action.

Poison (Ex) Automatic after successful attack

Soothing wasps can deliver a poison with their stings, making their soothing drone more effective. Soothing Wasp Poison    (Injury vector; Poisoned intensity) Save: Fort DC 27;     Frequency: 1/round for 3 rounds Effect: 3d8+18 points of poison (physical, uncommon) per interval. This damage cannot awaken a drowsy or asleep creature. Fruition: Victim falls Asleep and cannot be awakened Fruition Duration: 1 day If the creature falls asleep while still under the effects of the poison, or due to its fruition, the creature cannot be awakened, either by damage or by an ally's efforts, until a full day after the poison has run its course. Few indeed ever wake up.

Soothing Wasp

Soothing wasps are a particularly dangerous kind of vermin, that are fairly uncommon, but widespread. They can be found almost anywhere, their haystack-sized nests tucked out of sight and very well hidden. They have been found in attics, basements, ruins, keeps, mausoleums, caves, attached to trees in forests, tucked against cliff faces, snuggled under over-hanging river banks, and many more places besides. It is rare to find an actual nest, as the wasps are cagey fliers who approach in circuitous ways, and finding a nest is usually very bad, as they like nesting in large numbers. They maintain a teetering peace if they are not disturbed, but are aggressively territorial against creatures and things they perceive as threats, and perhaps most disturbing, carnivorous. They will vigorously defend their nests, but also send out patrols of a few wasps at a time in the nearby area to hunt for food. One clue that a nest is nearby is that local fauna is nearly completely absent, having been thoroughly predated by the swarm.

Soothing wasps are brightly colored, featuring distinctive orange and black stripes. Notably, they are quite large, approximately the size of a humanoid head. They are rarely found alone, and more often, when you see one, there are many more nearby.

Combat Tactics

While Soothing Wasps are aggressive if defending their hive, they are not the vicious pack hunters one might expect of a predator. If they are not provoked, they are perfectly content to serve as efficient hunters of small to medium prey like rabbits, birds, and deer. If they feel their territory is being attacked, their menu will expand considerably to include 'everything that moves'.

Because of their Soothing Drone aura, and the fact that their poison makes their victims even more susceptible to the Drone, they are almost stately in their offense. They will tend to spread out and lazily orbit their enemies, keeping them at the edges of their Drone and looping in with Spring Attack to make attacks against different victims, trying to maximize the number of poisoned victims, and, once poisoned, let the droning do its work. If aggressively pressed, they will make full attacks with flanks, if possible, or even break off and flee.

Victims that fall asleep are not left alone! The wasps will continue to attack fallen victims, hoping to kill them while the poison numbs them to attacks. Once slain, they will summon the rest of the nest to feast on the corpse.

Soothing wasps will run away if they are being overpowered and are not near their nest, but will fight to the death if their nest is nearby. This is one of the few ways to figure out where such a nest might be, since they are usually very well hidden.

Out of Combat

Soothing Wasps are not unintelligent! They are smart enough to realize that a good neighbor is a valuable treasure, and as such, can be found living alongside and cooperating with nearly any form of monsters! Many creatures realize that a nearby nest of 'friendly' Soothing Wasps is a wonderful thing, and will seek to cultivate nests that are willing to coexist peacefully.

Soothing Wasps can even be found that are living in quiet harmony with nearby intelligent creatures, and it can be very unnerving to enter that bucolic Halfling settlement, only to realize the place is crawling with Soothing Wasps busily hunting for rats and such. Soothing Wasps can also be found that have learned to mistrust all other life, and the only warning their victims receive is when the rich drone of the wasps fills their ears with its seductive, soporific song.

You never know what you're going to get, so caution is always advised.

Rewards

XP: 76,800

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 43,125 gp.

Weight: 160 lbs.     Volume: 6.4 cu. ft.

• Soothing Wasp Carapaces are extremely valuable, and aside from items scavenged from various victims, make up the bulk of their treasure when harvested and sold.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)