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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/bat

Name:
	Bat  (Lesser Animal)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 1-100
	Climate/Terrain: Any land
	Frequency      : Common
	Organization   : Swarm
	Activity Cycle : Night
	Diet           : Omnivore

Description:
	Bats are common animals in many parts of the world. While ordinary Bats
	are annoying but harmless, larger varieties can be quite deadly. With
	almost 2000 different species of bats known, one can find wingspans
	from less than two inches across to 15 feet or more. The small body of
	the ordinary bat resembles a mouse, while the wings are formed from ex-
	tra skin stretched across its limbs. The larger bats are scaled up but
	otherwise similar in apperance.

	Despite the common belief that bats are blind, nearly all known species
	have rather good eyesight. In the dark, however, they do not rely on
	their visual acuity, but navigate instead by echo-location. By emitting
	a high-pitched squeal and listening for it to bounce back to them, they
	can 'see' their surroundings by its natural form of sonar.

Combat:
	Ordinary bats attack only if cornered and left with no other opition.
	If startled, bats tend to become frightened and confused. This causes
	them to swarm around and often fly into things. The typical bat swarm
	ends up putting out torches (1% chance per bat encountered per round),
	confusing spell casting, inhibiting combatants' ability to wield wea-
	pons, and otherwise getting in the way.

Habitat/Society:
	While bats are found almost anywhere, they prefer warm and humid cli-
	mes. Some species hibernate during the cold season and a few are known
	to migrate. Bats live in caves, dark buildings, or damp crevices, han-
	ging by their toes during the day, and leaving at dusk to feed during
	the night. In large, isolated caverns there may be thousands of bats.

Ecology:
	Most bats eat fruit or insects, though some include small animals or
	fish in their diets. The rare vampire bat travels at night to drink the
	warm blood of living mammals, but its victims are rarely humans or de-
	mihumans. Care must be taken not to confuse the vampire bat with the
	true vampire in this regard.

	Rot grubs and carrion crawlers are among the few creatures known to
	live in the guano on the floor of large bat-infested caverns, making
	any expeditions into such caves dangerous indeed. If the noxious odor
	from the guano is not enough to subdue the hardiest of adventurers,
	these crawling denizens are.