Leech, Giant Mine
CR: ½; Sz: Sm Vermin, H: 2 to 3’ long Up to 5’, W: ; Age: ; HD: 1d8+1 Hp: 5; Init: +2; Spd: 5', swim 10'; AC: 13 (+1 Size, +2 Dex); T: 11, FF: 11; BaB: 0; Grap: ; Atk:; Full Atk: Att: +1 melee (1d6-3 Touch); Spc/Rch: 5'x5'/5'; SA: anesthetizing mucus, Attach, blood drain, disease; SQ: Tremor-sense; Lang: ; AL: N; Sv: F: +3, R: +1, W: +0; Abil: S: 4/-3, D: 14/+2, C: 12/+1, I: -/, W: 10/0, Ch: 2/-4; Skills: Hide +13, Swim +6; Feats: Weap Finesse (bite): Equip: ; Loot: ; Possess: ; Holdings: ; Treas: None;; Tactics: Leeches wait in the mud and slime for prey to pass by. Generally, there will be some larger leeches (of greater HD) in any given group; RPGL: ; Descrip: Giant leeches are horrid, slug-like creatures that dwell in wet, slimy areas and suck the blood of warm-blooded creatures. Their skin is a mottled brown and tan with an occasional shade of grey. Leeches have a sucking disk at both ends and can attack in either of two directions. Once attached the other side will go dormant.; History: ; Envir: widespread in marine waters and exist in freshwater and on land in temperate & tropical region; Org: Cluster (2-5) or swarm (4-16); Lv Advance: 2-4 HD (Sm); 5-6 HD (Med); Exp:
Attach (Ex): If a leech hits an opponent with its touch attack, it has latched on with its suckered mouth and remains attached. An attached leech loses it Dexterity bonus to AC (it is AC 10 while attached).
Anesthetizing mucus (Ex): A leech has an anesthetic enzyme in its saliva that prevents warm-blooded creatures from feeling its bite. Creatures in the water that are bitten by a leech must make a Spot check (DC 33) or a Wilderness Lore check (DC 20) to notice being bitten.
Blood drain (Ex): A giant leech drains blood, doing 1d3 points of temporary Con damage each round that it remains attached. Once it has drained 4 points of Con, it releases its hold and swims off to digest its meal.
Disease (Ex): Swamp fever - bite, Fort save (DC 11), incubation period 1d4 days; damage 1d3 temporary Con.
Tremor-sense (Ex): Leeches in the water can automatically detect the presence of anything within 30 feet that is also in contact with the water.
Notes: (From “The Ecology of the Giant Leech DR 123 p 50-52
1. Leeches (both the small variety of our world and the giant variety of AD&D® game worlds) are segmented worms. The posterior and anterior segments of leeches are modified into suction disks. The posterior disk is larger and is used only to hold the leech in place against rocks and the like. The smaller anterior disk contains the leech’s mouth, which is equipped with three jaws of teeth which make a clean, Y-shaped incision.
A leech’s saliva contains an anesthetic; because of this, a leech bite is painless and almost always goes unnoticed. This viscous saliva acts immediately upon contact with the victim’s skin, and is only removed by alcohol, ether, or similar liquids. Additionally, leech saliva contains an anticoagulant (hirudin) and a substance which enlarges the blood vessels in the area of the bite (a vasodilator, in medical terms) for increased blood flow. Some leech saliva even contains a substance which dissolves pre-existing blood clots.
Due to these anticoagulants, blood continues to flow from a leech bite much longer than from a normal wound. Characters bitten by a leech lose blood at the rate of 1-4 hp per melee round for l-12 rounds after the leech is removed (or until the wound is bound). Clerical healing spells negate this excessive blood loss, as may other actions at the DM’s discretion. As an example, some swamp-dwelling races commonly use spider webs to help
clot leech bites. In addition to anticoagulants and vasodilators, a leech’s saliva contains antibiotics, so leech bites rarely become infected. It is suggested that the Monster Manual section dealing with increased chance of disease from leech bites be disregarded, and that leech bites should be treated as any other wound for chances of infection.
2. Not all leech species are blood-sucking parasites. Many are predacious species which feed on other animals, and many parasitic species eat other animals on occasion. Some leech species also eat carrion. Leeches typically rest attached to plants and other underwater objects, waiting for prey to pass by. Extremely sensitive to vibrations, leeches become restless and attempt to locate the source of the vibrations by stretching and waving their anterior disk through the water. A leech may thrive for months on a single meal. Once sated, a leech typically finds a sheltered place and stays relatively inactive for a time. A well-fed leech cannot be induced to feed again for weeks. It has long been known that blood in a leech’s digestive tract does not coagulate. his knowledge may be exploited by some evil forces in the AD&D® game world to keep blood used in ceremonial liquids for
a longer duration
3. A leech’s eyes typically consist of groups of light receptive cells (ocelli) which register light intensity but cannot see images. Leeches often react when light conditions change, such as when a shadow is cast by a passing boat, fish, or a wading person. Receptor cells on the leech’s skin are sensitive to slight amounts of certain chemicals. This keen sense of ‘smell’ allows leeches to home in on substances or organisms attractive to the leech or to avoid those which may be harmful.
4. Leeches have two main modes of locomotion. The most common is an ‘inchworm’ movement, by which the leech stretches forward and attaches its anterior disk, then moves the posterior disk forward and attaches it in turn. This method is slow (3/round) but very efficient. A leech can climb any vertical or overhanging surface in this manner, although it generally avoids those that are potentially harmful (such as one covered with thorns or salt). Additionally, a leech may swim very rapidly (12 /round) by employing vertical undulations, but it will not attack prey in this manner.
Leeches do not bite in self-defense. If attacked while unattached, a leech tries to escape as soon as it is wounded. An escaping leech swims away or attempts to crawl into a protective tangle. Since leeches are invertebrates, a relatively large leech can crawl through a very small space.
5. While attached to prey, leeches are very unresponsive to outside stimuli. Salt, ashes, or other dehydrating substances cause them to release their hold quickly, as will an open flame. An attached leech which is slain continues to draw blood at the normal rate for an additional 1d4 rounds.
6. Leeches are hermaphroditic, but they cannot fertilize their own eggs. Eggs may be laid in protective cocoons attached to underwater rocks or logs, or buried in the bottom ooze. Some species of leech carry their eggs in membranous sacs on their underside. In such cases, the young live for a time attached to the parent’s ventral surface, although they gain no nourishment from the parent in this manner.
[FONT="]7.[/FONT][FONT="] Leeches are very sensitive to traces of metals in the water. Copper in their water always proves fatal to captive leeches. Additionally, captive leeches must be provided with a rock or other rough surface to rub against, in order to slough off old skin.[/FONT]