Neutral Evil Man-sized Monster (6-ft, 185-lbs)
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
SURPRISE: 33% — Others +50%
SENSES infravision
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 15" — climb/brachiate 60-ft
HIT DICE: 5 (hp 23)
% IN LAIR: 30%
TREASURE TYPE: B
THAC0: 15
MELEE: 2 claws (1d4+1 each) and bite (1d6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: imitate calls, trap use - Hits As: +1
SPECIAL DEFENSES: none
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
MORALE: +20%
SAVES: Poison 11, Petrify 12, Wand 13, Breath 13, Spell 14
LANGUAGES: Kech
LEVEL: IV (XP 205 + 5 per hp)
Keches are green humanoids covered with leaf-like, leathery skin. Their long arms and prehensile-toed feet allow them to climb trees very rapidly (60 feet per round) and swing through the upper branches as well. Their human-like faces have large fang-filled mouths and protruding jaws.
Keches are evil forest fiends whose chief goals in life seem to be to mislead, snare, and devour humans. They roam throughout the deep woodlands of all climes, from tropical to subarctic.
There they dig pits, set snares, and rig deadfalls to catch the unwary traveler.
It is also common for these creatures to imitate calls of distess to lure prey into trapped areas and ambush.
As keches are likely to surprise prey 5 in 6, they usually rush upon 1 or 2 selected victims, slay them, and then carry off the corpses.
Attack is by means of clawing rakes and a bite.
Their camouflage coloration and skills in woodcraft make it 50% unlikely that their tracks can be followed. They move with 50% chance of silence.
[...] Several small bands will occasionally amalgamate in order to raid forest communities and carry off hapless victims to some faraway spot where the keches can feast undisturbed.