From: [j q m 1584] at [is2.nyu.edu] (Jacques M. Mallah)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: New monster
Date: 23 Oct 1995 21:42:04 GMT

Upcir

Climate/Terrain:    Any
Frequency:          Very rare
Organization:       None
Activity Cycle:     Continuous
Diet:               Carnivore
Intelligence:       Genius
Treasure:           G
Alignment:          Neutral evil
# Appearing:        1-2
Armor Class:        -9
Movement Rate:      6"
Hit Dice:           5
Thac0:              10
Attacks:            Bite
Damage per attack:  1-12+poison
Special Attacks:    See below
Special Defenses:   +1 or better weapon to hit; See below
Magic Resistance:   75%
Size:               S (3' long)
Morale:             12
Psionic Ability:    Immune to psionics
X.P. Value:         10,000

     Upcir resemble giant jet black beetles.  They are related to
certain other, similar, monsters.  Foreclaws with prehensile
abilities allow them to use small items (such as rings).
     The origin of these powerful monsters is not known, but each
has memories that go back thousands of years.  They can communicate
by telepathy with any creature of low or higher intelligence.
     These creatures can walk on walls and ceilings easily at 6" speed.  
They are never surprised.

Combat:   In combat, this monster can use its mandibles, and any
creature bitten must save vs. poison or die instantly.  It is a
skillful fighter due to centuries of experience.
     However, against several opponents or when otherwise
appropriate the monster prefers to attack from above, using its
special abilities.
     It has a nonmagical breath weapon: once per day, it can breathe a 30' 
diameter cloud of poison (save vs. breath or die.  The colorless gas also 
blinds victims for at least one round, permanently 20% of the time.  The 
gas will quickly degrade.)
     It can use the following, up to one per round at will: Detect
(good, magic, or invisibility), dispel magic, continual (light or
darkness) (1/day), comprehend languages, identify, animate dead, unseen 
servant (1/turn), teleport (1/day, no error, to a place on any plane), 
suggestion, disintegrate (4/day), cone of sleep (50' long by 20' wide, save 
vs. spell or sleep for 2-12 turns).  These abilities are performed at the 
20th level of magic use.
     This monster has a hard exoskeleton, giving it a low AC.  It
can only be hit by magical weapons.  In addition, any inanimate
weapon that is about to cause damage to it has a 1 in 2 chance of
being teleported to a random location on the Astral plane before
doing so.  Any creature about to directly strike it for damage has a 1 in 2
chance of instead being subject to a maze effect.
     It is immune to the following attack forms: any psionic attack, mind 
affecting magic, stunning, poison or gas, death magic, energy drain, 
petrification, polymorph, suffocation or drowning, disease, acid, cold, 
electricity, fire, and magic missile spells of any type.  It has saving 
throws of 5 in all categories.  It automatically feather falls (as ring).

Habitat / society:  Each Upcir typically divides its time between
several lairs in various planes, which can be nearly anywhere. 
Such lairs typically have furniture for the monster, treasure
including rare books, and zombies.
     It is not unusual for these monsters to engage in trade with
certain evil humans or similar creatures, which also keeps them
informed about current events.  Note that they have considerable
financial resources.  They are sometimes found travelling,
apparently due to curiosity.
     They are opposed to the Blood War on the Lower Planes, seeing
it as a waste of potentially valuable resources.

Ecology:  Lairs are always near a fresh meat supply.  They can eat
meat of any type, but the average meal will be a local animal. 
They do not sleep, and will heal 1-3 hit points per day even if
active.

                         - - - - - - -
              Jacques Mallah ([j q m 1584] at [is2.nyu.edu])
       Graduate Student / Many Worlder / Devil's Advocate
"I know what no one else knows" - 'Runaway Train', Soul Asylum
                http://pages.nyu.edu/~jqm1584/