Unbeknownst to many, the Alphatian nobles actually held at bay dangers that most Mystarans were unaware of. To answer the age-old question "why didn't those Alphatians expand to the east?", one need look no further than the current troubles on the Jennite borders.
Crawling from under refuse, hiding and breeding in dark corners, and adapting to most any danger, these creatures are enough to put fear into the hearts of all Sundsvall tenants.
One finds, in travelling Skothar, that there are patches of poisoned ground upon which nothing grows. In some of these places, the area actually gives off heat and is unhealthy to people. The unhealth that develops from being too long in these areas is resistant to the most powerful of healing magics. Nothing lives for long in the areas of glowing slime, just remember that, should you ever be in one.
Well, actually, what I just said was not true. There is one creature that crawls forth from the slime. Ugly dull brown carapace, wings that work much better than their natural brethren, and the ability to reason, to think.
The Kukarachans!
But why, you may ask, did the Alphatian nobility keep these creatures a secret during their domination of the world?
The answer is simple. The Kukarachans represent a threat to any worker of
magic. Not only are they resistant to effects, but they can gobble up the power
of magic that is wielded against them. By absorbing the energy, they mutate into
other, hideous versions of themselves...
Kukarachan Warrior, updated by Geoff Gander here.
Kukarachan Mentor
AC5
HD5
Att (by weapon or spell)
This kukarachan has transformed from a thought-based spell. His head grows
large, and his AC is reduced by 3, while his HD goes up by 4. Any further
magical attacks upon him cause him to be able to make the same magical attack in
return. He can store this power in his chemical field and release it at a time
of his choosing.
Kukarachan Terror
AC9
HD12
Att 1 mandible (3-18)
A kukarachan who has been struck by a matter-based spell, becomes a huge
four-legged beast. His AC drops to a 9 and his HD goes up to 12. He is no longer
as intelligent as before and must be guided by the more intelligent kukarachan
or react in fear to everything that moves.
Kukarachan Dragon
AC6
HD10
Att 1 mandible (2-16) or 1 breath (3-24)
A kukarachan that has been transformed by an energy-based spell. It breathes
either a line of lightning (3' x 30') or a cone of fire (30' x 30), depending on
what spell affected it originally.
Kukarachan Zealot
HD3
AC2
Att2 weapons (weapon +2)
Looks just like a warrior, except it can manipulate its chemical field to heal
other kukarachans. The heal can be done 5 times a day and for d10 points of
damage returned.
Kukarachan Lich
HD10
AC-2
Att2 weapons +2 or Death Ray
This one looks like a warrior, but is fish-belly white. It's formerly buggy
eyes, are now cavernous holes. Needless to say, it has been struck by
Entropy-based magic, and is no longer quite...kukarachan. They are just as quick
to start eating other kukarachans as humans...hideous creatures.
I envision the Kukarachans (as Jeff created them) to be the products of magical fallout from Alphatian testing in Skothar. Not considering the Jennites to be equals, the Alphers would likely think nothing of firing off all sorts of experimental magics at them, in the hopes of depopulating the region for colonisation later on. The Kukarachans would have been normal roaches who were exposed to just the right mixture of magic, and the rest is history.
Most likely, kukarachans could subsist on almost anything (just for kicks, let them eat metal, wood, gems, the whole lot!) - and their reproduction rate would be frightening. In order to prevent themselves from depleting a region of its resources before too long, let's say the kukarachans are semi-nomadic; they settle in one region and strip it of most of its resources for about 20-50 years, then move on somewhere else. Perhaps their horde also splits into more manageable numbers (say, no horde has more than 2,000 kukarachans or so, otherwise rivalries and infighting become a threat - they may be relatively mindless, but they will fight each other for food).
More on Kukarachans and their Environment:
As the Esterhold Peninsula is a relatively bleak place (aside from a few lush coastal regions) the Kukarachans at an instinctive level know when they have depleted an area's resources for too long, and move on (as discussed in an earlier post). How they choose their next site is open to conjecture, but in all likelihood they amble along in their horde, until they come upon a spot that is relatively predator-free, with enough resources to sustain them, and they build their nests.*
As for how much in the way of resources a horde would need, well, let's say that for a 2,000-member horde, over a 20 year period, would need quite a large swath of land. At least one 24-mile hex, I'd say. Of course, anything found within the claimed territory is considered food - this means adventurers are fair game, as are mundane animals, monsters, plants, and fungi. This is one reason why Kukarachans are so dangerous; when they move into an area, they are capable of wiping out whole villages in a matter of days in order to satisfy their appetites (and a good human or two would sate a Kukarachans for a couple of days). As a result, bigger animals are targeted first, then the Kukarachans are forced to move on to smaller animals, then perhaps insects, and then plants. By the time more of the forests have been destroyed, it's time to move on. Repeat the cycle again.
*I don't think roaches IRL have nests; the ones I've seen didn't at any rate. For the sake of the argument let's say they do - perhaps they dig out a simple burrow underground, and coat the sides with mucous or some other substance from their bodies (a product of their mutation) to add stability. It would not be unknown for hordes on the move to use an abandoned burrow (if there are enough resources nearby), nor would it be out of the ordinary for one horde to exterminate another so it could control the other horde's nest. This could be another way in which the Kukarachan population is kept from growing out of control all the time. Nests would be quite simple - places to store eggs and larvae, and perhaps a simple storehouse or two for food (though Kukarachans normally eat their fill on the spot).
This pattern of growth, depletion of resources, and migration is pretty bad in itself, but every so often, say, once every few centuries, the conditions are just right, and nature is abundant enough, to ensure that almost all Kukarachans are well-fed. These ideal conditions lead to increased egg-laying, and the beginnings of what the Jennites call "Swarm Times".
Swarm Times:
This dramatic increase in population, where hordes split once every few years, as opposed to once a decade or so, leads to a net expansion in the amount of territory the Kukarachans are forced to use. This means, of course, that everything else must be displaced so that the expansion can continue. As a result, the Kukarachans successfully expanded during the last Swarm Time (about AC 890) eastwards from the Esterhold Peninsula onto the Steppes of Jen themselves. Eagerly, they devoured vast swaths of savannah grasses, while nearby Jennite tribes fought to feed themselves. Stronger tribes were able to fight off the Kukarachans, and drive them either back onto the peninsula or displace them southwards, while weaker tribes were overwhelmed and eaten. In the aftermath, those lands that were protected, or regained, were dry, dusty wastelands where only tangled roots and denuded bushes served as testament to the once-lush grassland that flourished there. Even now, 110 years after the last Swarm Time, those lands are still recovering, tended by Jennite druids.
To the Jennites, the Kukarachans are an omen from the Immortals, that great evil is brewing on the peninsula, and that, one day, they must sweep westwards and cleanse it before the entire world is bled of all vitality.
In game terms, Swarm Times occur every 2d100+50 years, and the population of Kukarachans grows by a factor of roughly 200% during those years (i.e.: the average horde size is roughly 6,000 creatures, instead of 2,000). With up to one hundred hordes living in and around the Esterhold Peninsula, this could pose a problem for everything else living in the region.
Centuries ago, during the initial colonisation of Esterhold, the Alphatians sought a means of cleansing large swaths of what is now Esterhold of its indigenous Jennite population, who refused to accept Alphatian suzerainty over their tribal lands. A wide variety of magicks were used against them, with the result being the devastation of much of the interior of the Esterhold peninsula, which became almost saturated with magic for a time. The Alphatians gave little, if any, thought to the potential consequences of their actions during those years, and subsequently founded their Skotharian colony, thinking that they were truly masters of the land. They were quite wrong; while they had gained dominion over the Jennites living in Esterhold, they could not control that which arose from the magic-seared interior of the peninsula - the kukarachans.
The kukarachans are a race of large, semi-intelligent insects descended from cockroaches, who had been exposed to high levels of Alphatian magic during the early years of the conquest of Esterhold. Over the following centuries, they continued to mutate, slowly becoming more intelligent, more resourceful, and more adaptable. Finally, they had reached a stage where they began to leave their own imprint on the lands around them, and they began to spread outwards from their original breeding grounds in central Esterhold. What makes these creatures so formidable is their adaptability - kukarachans can eat almost anything, and, when attacked with magic, they are capable of adapting to that form of magic, with often horrific results.
The kukarachans have been kept in relative check historically by repeated Alphatian forays into Esterhold's interior, which served to reduce the risk to interior communities and mining operations - at least, those that were populated largely by Alphatians. Free Jennite tribes living in central Esterhold had to fend for themselves - a policy that also reduced the number of free Jennites roaming the interior. If Alphatian authority were ever to falter in central Esterhold (as it did in the years following the Wrath of the Immortals scenario), the kukarachans would likely multiply greatly, and place even greater pressures on the cultures and communities surrounding them.
Kukarachan Warrior
Armour Class: 2
Hit Dice: 1*
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 2 weapons
Damage: By weapon +2
No. Appearing: 2-20 (up to 100 per nest)
Save As: F 1
Morale: 9
Intelligence: 6
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 13
This creature is the most common variant of the kukarachans. Standing about 7' tall, the kukarachan warrior is a powerful (+2 hit and damage) adversary capable of wielding a weapon in either hand. Its carapace provides excellent natural armour.
It communicates with its hideous brethren through chemicals emitted into the air from its antennae. These organs also receive such messages from other kukarachans, with an individual kukarachan being capable of sustaining several such "conversations" at once. These chemicals are also used to manipulate magical fields around its body.
When a group of kukarachan warriors are affected by a given spell, and survive, they transmit chemical messages to all other kukarachans in the immediate vicinity (100' radius), providing information on how to defend against that particular spell. Those who receive this message will become immune to that particular spell for the remainder of their lives. Further attacks have a 1 in 10 chance of causing a transformation, which takes three rounds to complete, and which will result in the creature turning into another form of kukarachan. The immunity lasts for one generation, being passed on to the offspring of the affected kukarachan, but successive generations are not immune.
Kukarachan Mentor
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 5*
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: by weapon or by spell
Damage: By weapon +1
No. Appearing: 2-12 (up to 30 per nest)
Save As: MU 5
Morale: 9
Intelligence: 11
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 300
Kukarachan mentors are created when a member of the warrior caste is targeted by a thought-based spell, such as charm, ESP, and fear, according to the guidelines given above under the kukarachan warrior description. During the transformation, the warrior's head grows larger, its armoured exoskeleton softens slightly (reducing AC by 3), it becomes more intelligent, and it becomes tougher overall.
Any further magical attacks against the kukarachan mentor allow it to make the same magical attack in return. Provided it survives the attack, it can store the magical energies from the spell in its chemical field and release it at a time of its choosing. Any spell may be captured in this way, and the relevant characteristics (such as range, damage, and duration) are identical to those of the original caster's spell.
Kukarachan Terror
Armour Class: 9
Hit Dice: 12
Move: 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 3d6
No. Appearing: 1-10 (up to 20 per nest)
Save As: F 12
Morale: 8
Intelligence: 2
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,250
If a kukarachan warrior is struck by a matter-based spell, such as meteor swarm, or ice storm, and it transforms as a result, it becomes a huge four-legged beast, resembling a 30' long, 12' tall cockroach with a huge set of mandibles. Its armour class drops to 9 due to its sheer bulk, but it becomes extraordinarily tough. Its intelligence also drops, and therefore it must be guided by more intelligent kukarachans or it will react in fear to everything that moves (50% chance each round that it will attack the nearest living creature - friend or foe).
Kukarachan Dragon
Armour Class: 6
Hit Dice: 10*
Move: 120' (40')
Flying: 240' (80')
Attacks: 1 bite or 1 breath
Damage: 2d8 (bite) or 3d8 (breath)
No. Appearing: 1-10 (up to 20 per nest)
Save As: F 10
Morale: 9
Intelligence: 3
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,750
When a kukarachan warrior is hit by a fireball or lightning bolt spell, and transforms, it becomes a kukarachan dragon. In form, these creatures strongly resemble kukarachan terrors, except that they are slightly smaller, and they possess wings. In addition to its vicious bite, a kukarachan dragon may breathe either a line of lightning (3' wide x 30' long) or a cone of fire (30' long and 30' wide it is end), depending on what spell affected it originally.
Kukarachan Zealot
Armour Class: 2
Hit Dice: 3*
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 2 weapons
Damage: By weapon +2
No. Appearing: 2-20 (up to 100 per nest)
Save As: C 3
Morale: 9
Intelligence: 9
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 50
Kukarachan zealots are created when warriors are affected by reversed clerical spells, such as cause critical wounds, curse, and the like. In all respects they are identical to the typical member of the warrior caste, except that they can manipulate their chemical fields to heal other kukarachans within ten feet of themselves. This healing ability can be used up to five times per day, and each use restores 1d10 hit points to all kukarachans within ten feet of the zealot.
Kukarachan Lich
Armour Class: -2
Hit Dice: 10*
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 2 weapons or 1 Death Ray
Damage: By weapon +2 or special
No. Appearing: 1-6 (up to 12 per nest)
Save As: MU 10
Morale: 11
Intelligence: 9
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,750
Kukarachan liches are created whenever warriors are hit by entropic spells,
such as finger of death. They resemble their common warrior counterparts from a
distance, except that they are pale white in colour. When approached, however,
it soon becomes apparent that they are quite different. Their carapaces,
although tough, look as though they are crumbling, and their heads sport empty
sockets where their multifaceted eyes once were. Nevertheless, they are just as
quick, and even tougher, than their living counterparts. In combat, kukarachan
liches may either attack twice per round with melee weapons, or they may cast a
death ray, which functions in an identical manner to the finger of death spell,
once per round. This type of kukarachan is the only one that cannot reproduce,
for obvious reasons, and they are almost as likely to start eating their fellow
kukarachans as other creatures.