Rancid Beetle Swarm

The sounds of boots crunching was all that Zumola heard before the swarm of brown-red beetles swarmed up over her. Three days later, her lifeless body was found, shambling back into town. The locals set fire to it from a distance... that and every thing around it for twenty paces.

Rancid Beetle Swarm

CR 6

XP: 2,400

N Fire Vermin (swarm)

Init: +8; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft, Tremorsense 40 ft; Perception -1

DEFENSE:

AC: 26, Touch 26, Flat-Footed 18 (+8 size, +8 Dex)

HP: 55 (10d8+10); regeneration / fast healing

Fort: +8; Ref: +11; Will: +2

Immune: swarm traits

OFFENSE:

Speed: 20 ft, climb 20 ft

Melee: swarm (2d6 plus beetle rot)

Space: 10 ft.; Reach: 0 ft.

Special Attacks: Distraction (DC 16)

STATISTICS:

Str 1, Dex 26, Con 13, Int -, Wis 9, Chr 2

Base Atk: +7; CMB: -; CMD: -

SPECIAL ABILITIES:

Beetle Rot (Su): Supernatural Disease; Swarm - Injury; Save Fort DC 16; Onset 1 minute; Frequency 1 day; Effect 1d6 Con; Cure 2 saves. This saving throw DC is Constitution based.

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid killed through Beetle Rot rises as a Rancid Beetle Zombie, uncontrolled, in 1d4+1 days.

ECOLOGY:

Environment: Warm land

Organization: Solitary or infestation (2-12 swarms)

Treasure: None (incidental)

Role: None

Source: S:CoT, pg. 182

Rancid beetles are a variety of beetle that have feed for too long on necrotic or undead flesh, typically found in charnel houses, laboratories and mass graves. They lay their eggs through the bite, which is the actual effect of the Beetle Rot disease. While the swarm itself is not very resistant to environmental extremes, they have been known to ride along inside of a rancid beetle zombie to find new areas to feed.