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DRACONIC PARASITEEven dragons are not immune to parasitic infestation.Hoard ScarabHOARD SCARABS FEED OFF SCRAPS from the dragon’smeals and clean the wyrm’s teeth and scales. Theyinstinctively recognize the dragon as their providerand never attack it, but they are quick to feast uponthe flesh of any other living being.A hoard scarab has a dull gold carapace, and whenits wings are closed and its legs tucked in, it resemblesan oversized, malformed gold coin. The larvaeare nearly impossible to tell apart from true coins—until they attack as a metallic, chiming wave.Hoard Scarab LoreA character knows the following information with asuccessful Nature check.DC 10: Hoard scarabs hide in the treasure ofdragons and other powerful monsters, attacking anyother creature that comes too close. Dragons mightseed their hoards with the creatures deliberately,using them to weaken or distract would-be thieves.Some sages believe that hoard scarabs weredeliberately bred as a security measure, perhaps bydragons.DC 15: By adulthood the wings of hoard scarabsbecome useless, but larvae are capable of limitedflight.Hoard ScarabLevel 2 SkirmisherSmall natural beast XP 125Initiative +7 Senses Perception +2; tremorsense 4HP 38; Bloodied 19AC 16; Fortitude 14, Reflex 16, Will 12Speed 8, burrow 4, climb 8m Piercing Bite (standard; at-will)+5 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is grabbed andtakes ongoing 5 damage (both until escape). An attached hoardscarab doesn’t make attack rolls while grabbing a target andgains a +5 bonus to its AC and Reflex defenses.Alignment Unaligned Languages —Skills Stealth +5 (+10 amid gold coins or similar material)Str 8 (+0) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 12 (+2)Con 14 (+3) Int 1 (–4) Cha 9 (+0)Hoard Scarab TacticsA hoard scarab rests motionless among goldenobjects and waits for potential prey to come near,then lunges out to grab on and chew at its victim’sflesh. It doesn’t let go until it is slain or the victimmanages to tear it off.Hoard Scarab Larva SwarmLevel 7 LurkerMedium natural beast (swarm) XP 300Initiative +13 Senses Perception +5; tremorsense 4Swarm Attack aura 1; the hoard scarab swarm makes a swarm ofmandibles attack as a free action against any enemy that startsits turn within the aura.HP 51; Bloodied 25AC 21; Fortitude 18, Reflex 19, Will 16Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks Vulnerable 5against close and area attacksSpeed 8, burrow 4, fly 6 (maximum altitude 3)m Swarm of Mandibles (standard; at-will)+10 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 1 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5damage (save ends).Combat AdvantageIf the swarm has combat advantage against the target, thetarget is also blinded on a hit (save ends).Alignment Unaligned Languages —Skills Stealth +9 (+19 amid gold coins or similar material)Str 8 (+2) Dex 22 (+9) Wis 15 (+5)Con 19 (+7) Int 1 (–2) Cha 9 (+2)Hoard Scarab Larva SwarmTacticsA swarm hides in a dragon’s treasure, emerging tosurprise the nearest creature.Encounter GroupsBecause they are found within treasure, hoardscarabs are encountered in conjunction with the treasure’sowner.Level 8 Encounter (XP 1,800)✦ 1 young blue dragon (level 6 solo artillery, MM 78)✦ 1 hoard scarab larva swarm (level 7 lurker)✦ 2 hoard scarabs (level 2 skirmisher)SwarmtongueSWARMTONGUES ARE REPULSIVE, wormlike creaturesthat feed on the flesh of the largest and most dangerousmonsters. They are instinctively drawn todragons, whose elemental energy empowers them.When it begins to feed, the beast stretches wide itshorrific maw, disgorging a writhing, buzzing host ofslime-covered grubs onto its prey. These are not separatecreatures, but extensions of the swarmtongue’sown digestive system that consume tiny portions ofthe prey’s flesh. After it has slain its prey, it reabsorbsthe grubs, along with the nutrients—and elementalpower—they have consumed.Swarmtongue LoreA character knows the following information with asuccessful Dungeoneering check.212CHAPTER 4 | New Monsters