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Documentation Area

Document Path: /doc/monsters/giant_centipede

Name:
	Giant Centipede  (Lesser Animal)

Stats:
	No. Appearing  : 2-24
	Climate/Terrain: Any
	Frequency      : Common
	Organization   : Nil
	Activity Cycle : Any
	Diet           : Carnivore

Description:
	Giant centipedes are loathsome, crawling arthropods that arouse almost
	universal disgust from all intelligent creatures (even other monsters).
	They are endemic to most regions.

	One of the things that makes the centipede so repulsive is its resem-
	blance to the worm. Its long body is divided into many segments from
	which protrude many tiny feet. Hence the name centipede (or hundred-
	footed). The giant centipede is to named because it is over 1-foot
	long. The body is plated with a chitinous shell and it moves with a
	slight undulating motion. The creature has the added benefit of protec-
	tive coloration, and varies in color depending on the terrain it inha-
	bits. Those who favour rocky areas are gray, those that live under-
	ground are black, while centipedes of the forest are brown or red.

Combat:
	When hunting, centipedes use their natural coloration to remain unseen
	until they can drop on their prey from above or crawl out of hiding in
	pursuit of food. They attack by biting their foes and injecting a para-
	lytic poison. The poison can paralyze a victim for 2-12 hours, but it's
	very weak. Due to its small size, the giant centipede is less likely to
	resist attacks. Although a single giant centipede rarely constitutes a
	serious threat to a man, these creatures frequently travel in groups.
	When more than one centipede is encountered, the monsters will fight
	independently, even to the point of fighting among themselves over
	fallen victims.

Habitat/Society:
	The centipede behaves like most other insects, roving from place to
	place in search of food; it has no set territory or dwelling. The cen-
	tipede simply goes where its hunger leads it. It is an aggressive and
	hungry carnivore that must eat at least once a day to survive. Hungry
	centipedes often resort to cannibalism.

Ecology:
	Giant centipedes have several natural advantages, including poison and
	protective coloration, allowing them to compete with other small preda-
	tors for game. Their poison bestows a certain immunity from being hun-
	ted, but hungry and skilled animals such as coyotes and large predatory
	birds hunt them effectively in lean times.

	Their preferred targets are small mammals that are easily overcome by
	their weak poison. If they are very hungry, however, they have been
	known to attack anything that moves, including humans.