#advespa

[crocutable]

Here’s everything I inked today! I’m not sure how time will go to actually color these, and maybe some fans of old-skool RPG art would rather see the black and white linework.

[thecreaturecodex]

Devil, Advespa

Image © Matthew Martin, accessed at his deviantArt page here

[Pity the poor advespa. Created for the 3.0 Monster Manual II, it seems to have appeared in exactly one other product--a Forgotten Realms novel--and then sunken into complete obscurity. Well, not complete obscurity. A quick Google search will turn up a few illustrations like the one above, because there’s always a market for bug people.]

Devil, Advespa CR 4 LE Outsider (extraplanar) A wasp the size of a horse appears, save she has the face of a beautiful woman. Her forelegs end in nimble clawed hands.

Advespas are devils who serve as spies and reconnaissance for infernal forces. Their speed, aerial agility and shape-changing ability offer them unparalleled access to scouting and espionage. They are seen as frivolous and flighty by many other devils, but their skills are always appreciated. Wasp devils are prideful creatures—the ability to assume mortal form is rare among devils, and advespas see it as an honor that they can walk undetected in societies other devils would be considered a menace. Those who let this get too far to their heads may end up serving as steeds to higher ranking devils and find themselves on the front lines.

Most advespas spend their days in Dis, the Iron City, where they act as courtiers in hellish society and plot and scheme amongst themselves. Advespas are fiercely loyal to members of their own swarm. This loyalty does not extend to other swarms—advespa swarms are especially petty and backbiting with respect to rival advespas.

Most advespas have a female face, although male and androgynous advespas are not unknown. This face is in fact composed of a series of chitinous plates, like a mask. Advespas can grow new faces and try out appearances as they see fit—a fact which appeals even more to their vanity. An advespa stands six feet high at the shoulder, grows to nine feet long and weighs about 300 pounds.

Advespa (Wasp Devil)    CR 4 XP 1,200 LE Large outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +9, see in darkness Defense AC 16, flat-footed 12, touch 13 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural) hp 37 (5d10+10) Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +5 DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 15 Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (good) Melee 2 claws +7 (1d4+3 plus grab), sting +7 (1d6+3 plus poison) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Abilities abduct Spell-like Abilities CL 4th, concentration +6 3/day—command (DC 13), produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 14) Statistics Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14 Base Atk +5; CMB +9 (+13 grappling); CMD 23 (27 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Mobility Skills Bluff +10, Disguise +10, Fly +13, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +7 Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft. SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self) Ecology Environment Hell Organization solitary, pair, team (3-10) or swarm (11-20) Treasure standard Special Abilities Abduct (Ex) an advespa can move its full speed on a successful Combat Maneuver check to move a grappled foe. Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution based.