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Ear seekers are small
maggot-like insects that occupy decaying wood. As adults, they are harmless
as they spend their days deep within rotting logs happily eating the wood. As
larvae, the ear seekers can be lethal to warm–blooded creatures.
Female ear seekers lay their eggs in
warm, moist areas. Generally, the warm moistness of decaying vegetable matter
suits them. On rare occasions, however, they will enter the ear of a living
creature and deposit their eggs there.
An adult ear seeker will lay 1d8+8
tiny eggs and then fly off to die. The incubation time of the eggs is 4d6
hours, at which time the tiny larvae hatch and begin to consume the only
available food source: the surrounding flesh. Preferring warmth, they
will burrow inwards to where the most food and body heat is. The host must
succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 18) or die in 1d4 days as the ear seekers
devour its brain tissue. Even if the save is successful, the host suffers 3d6
points of permanent Intelligence and Wisdom damage.
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After
sating themselves, the larvae will turn to pupae. The agony for the host
finally ends. This stage lasts about two weeks, at which time adult ear
seekers crawl out of the host and fly away.
A remove disease spell
destroys the eggs and larvae. A greater restoration spell will heal
the ability damage dealt by an ear seeker.
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