Bed Bug (Giant)
by Cab Davidson
| Stat | Bed Bug (Giant) |
| AC: | 5 |
| HD: | 4* |
| Move: | 120'(40') |
| Attacks: | 1+special |
| Damage: | 2d8 + 2d8 per round |
| No. Appearing: | 1d2 (2d100) |
| Save As: | F2 |
| Morale: | 8 |
| Treasure Type: | Nil |
| Intelligence: | 0 |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| XP Value: | 125 |
Flat, brown, foot long insects of surprising resilience, with distinctive round, ridged abdomen, the giant bed bug isn't named for its size, it is named for its prey. It is more or less harmless to its normal hosts (giants and their kind), inflicting no real damage while taking a blood meal. It can survive for months between feeds, and as a relatively benign parasite it can evade detection in bedding for months.
But the adaptations needed to allow this parasite to take the blood of giants are lethal to smaller victims. While it rarely comes into contact with humans, demi-humans and humanoids, this relatively harmless looking insect has lethally sharp mouthparts that inflict deep wounds. Upon hitting any creature smaller than a hill giant, that creature must make a saving throw vs. paralysis or the bug will continue to drain blood each round until either the victim or the bedbug is killed. The capacity to pump blood from beneath a giants skin grants it the ability to draw blood at a horrible rate from a lesser victim.
Giant bed bugs are rarely found wandering looking for new prey, but where they have infested a giant lair they can be discovered in terrifying numbers. There are many recorded examples of adventurers succumbing to these vile creatures after defeating the giants within their lairs. A giant bed bug that has recently (within recent weeks) eaten is no danger to any creature at all, but if sufficiently hugry they may attack almost any creature at all.