Thri-Kreen

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:	Temperate or tropical arid land
FREQUENCY:	Uncommon
ORGANIZATION:	Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE:	Constant
DIET:	Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE:	Average to high (8-14)
TREASURE:	Varies
ALIGNMENT:	Chaotic neutral
NO. APPEARING:	2d12
ARMOR CLASS:	5
MOVEMENT:	18
HIT DICE:	6+3
THAC0:	13
NO. OF ATTACKS:	5 or 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK:	1d4(x4)/1d4+1, or 1d4+1 and by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS:	Paralyzation
SPECIAL DEFENSES:	Missile dodge
MAGIC RESISTANCE:	Nil
SIZE:	L (11' long)
MORALE:	Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE:	1,400

The figures given above are for mature adult thri-kreen. Others have the following abilities, based on their age (they age one age category per year until they reach mature adult):

				Claw/bite	Special ability
	HD	THACO	XP	damage	gained (see below)
Larva	1+3	19	65	1/1	--
Child	2+3	17	120	1/1	--
Young	3+3	17	175	1d3/1d3	leap
Young adult	4+3	15	270	1d3/1d3	--
Adult	5+3	15	975	1d4/1d4+1	venom, chatkcha
Mature adult	6+3	13	1,400	1d4/1d4+1	dodge missiles

Thri-kreen are a race of large, intelligent insects often referred to as "mantis warriors." They roam the deserts and savannahs, where they have marked-out hunting territories. They have no need of sleep and can remain active through the day and night.

Mature adult thri-kreen are roughly 7 feet tall at the shoulder and 11 feet long. Of the six limbs protruding from their midsection, two are used for walking; the other four end in four-fingered hands. The tough, sandy-yellow exoskeleton is extremely hard. A thri-kreen has two compound eyes, usually black with highlighted eyespots, two antennae, and a complicated jaw structure that manipulates food as the thri-kreen chews. The antennae help the individual to maneuver through brush and grasslands in the darkness (they also reduce any melee combat penalty from darkness or blindness by 1; missile combat is not affected). Thri-kreen often wear harnesses and even some forms of clothing, but they never wear armor.

The native thri-kreen language is made up of clicks and the grinding of its jaw appendages. While it is difficult for other creatures to speak this tongue, it is just as difficult for a thri-kreen to imitate more standard speech patterns. Thri-kreen speak their own language, but some understand the Common tongue.

Thri-kreen seldom live more than 35 years.

Combat: A thri-kreen's chitinous exoskeleton gives it AC 5 naturally. Unarmed, it can attack with four claws and one bite attack per round. If using a weapon, the thri-kreen can attack with its weapon and bite. The gythka, a pole arm with a blade at each end, can slash for 1d6 hp damage against man-sized or smaller targets, or 1d10 hp damage against a larger target. The gythka can be thrown as a spear to inflict 1d6+2 hp damage. Thri-kreen also learn special combat maneuvers as they grow older, learning all by the time they are mature adults.

Leap: This ability allows a thri-kreen to leap 20 feet straight up or up to 50 feet forward. They cannot leap backward.

Chatkcha: This is a crystalline throwing wedge. A thri-kreen can throw two chatkcha per round, up to 90 yards. A chatkcha causes 1d6+2 damage when it hits, and returns to the thrower when it misses.

Venom: This venom is delivered through an older thri-kreen's bite. Anyone bitten must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or be paralyzed. Smaller than man-sized creatures are paralyzed for 2d10 rounds, man-sized for 2d8 rounds, large creatures for 1d8 rounds, and huge and gargantuan creatures for only one round.

Dodge missiles: A mature thri-kreen can dodge missiles fired at it on a roll of 9 or better on 1d20; they cannot dodge magical effects, only physical missiles. Magical physical missiles (arrows, thrown axes, etc.) modify this roll by their magical bonus.

Psionics: Some thri-kreen have psionic wild talents. There is a 50% chance that any thri-kreen will have a psionic wild talent, described in the Complete Psionics Handbook.

Magical Items: Thri-kreen can use most magical items, though those designed for humanoid creatures cannot be worn properly, so will not function for a thri-kreen.

Habitat/Society: Thri-kreen organize into hunting packs; there are no permanent thri-kreen communities. Packs range over wide territories that they call their own. Small groups consist only of mature adults. Groups of more than eight thri-kreen are two-thirds mature adults, and one-third other age categories (in about equal numbers).

Ecology: Thri-kreen are carnivores. They seldom hunt other intelligent creatures for food, but will do so in times of need. Mantis warriors have a well-known taste for elves, which keeps both races at an uneasy peace at best.

Related Species

The tohr-kreen, or mantis nobles, are larger, more cultured versions of thri-kreen. Though many of them wander their world to gain knowledge, they sometimes build cities as well. They regard thri-kreen as somewhat barbaric cousins, though there have been incidences of a tohr-kreen creating a permanent settlement of thri-kreen, or teaching a pack more civilized ways.

The xixchil are spacefaring mantis. These creatures are skilled surgeons and artificers, who enjoy replacing lost limbs with "more efficient" substitutes.

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