Zombie Grub

Animated skeletons are a stock in trade for experienced practitioners of necromantic magic. These dark arcanists have developed a number of methods for stripping the flesh from a corpse in preparation of creating mindless skeletons to serve them. One mage, whose name has long been lost to time, developed a unique creature to aid in this transformation - a creature that has since escaped into the wild and can now potentially be found among any sites where corporeal undead may be found. Adventurers delving into such places should beware, for the presence of these Zombie Grubs foretells the presence of other foes that are likely far more dangerous than an Adventurer would first surmise.

Description

The Zombie Grub was most likely derived by alchemical alteration of the common Corpse Grub, or its more aggressive cousin, the Rot Grub. Its size, shape, color, and dimensions are identical to those of the aforementioned creatures; it is indiscernable from either of these creatures at a glance. Only by observing their preferred choice of food can a Zombie Grub can be definitively identified.

Ecology

Zombie Grubs feed exclusively on undead flesh. It is believed that their true sustenance comes from absorbing the negative Energy emanating from the decaying or tainted flesh of Zombies, Ghouls, or Ghasts. (It is unknown whether Zombie Grubs are also capable of feeding off higher forms of corporeal undead such as Vampires, but it is highly unlikely that these beings would permit themselves to become the target of the grubs in the first place.) An infestation of Zombie Grubs can reduce a common Human-derived Ghoul to skeletal form in approximately 10 minutes.

When Zombie Grubs feed on a Zombie (allegedly the food source they were 'designed" for), the resulting undead creature becomes a Grub Skeleton - a mindless creature easily controlled by a skilled necromancer, and easily confused with a Common Skeleton by any Adventurer. It does not, however, lose its desire to consume living flesh, so in the absence of any such control, it will mindlessly attack living beings in order to feed.

Name

Zombie Grub

Type

Creature

Size

Tiny 2in (5cm) long by .5in (1cm)

Number Appearing

18+ ( 4d8 )

Attacks

Zombie Grubs will not attack living flesh; they are attracted only to undead flesh, which they rapidly devour.

The results of Zombie Grubs feeding on the more sentient and devious corporeal undead can be much more dangerous. The resulting Skeleton Ghoul or Skeleton Ghast retains the speed, agility, ferocity, and even paralytic poisoning capabilities of their attacks. These have surprised - and caused the demise of - many an adventurer.

Reproduction

There is much debate in among sages and scholars as to whether the Zombie Grub's reproductive capabilities were engineered into them when the creatures were first developed, or they evolved on their own since the creatures escaped into the wild. In any event, the method is unique. As a Zombie Grub matures, its own body will become filled with small egglike nodules.

When the creature reaches full maturity - when there isn't really any room left for more nodules, the Zombie Grub will, at its next feeding opportunity, release a gaseous cloud of vapor that has a sweet, floral aroma, but that is apparently repellent to other Zombie Grubs, as any also feeding within 5' (1.5m) will immediately drop off their prey and slither away. The one remaining grub then burrows into the undead flesh where its body rapidly dissolves, leaving only the nodules behind. These will "hatch" into a new generation of Zombie Grubs in less than a day.