Staves of swarming insects were decorated enchanted staves that allowed the fielder to create swarms of dangerous insects.[7]
Description[]
Staves of swarming insects usually were crafted to be thick, short, and stout. The entirety of these staves' shafts were carved with images of flying, biting, and stinging incests. Some of the carvings depicted wasps, bees, deerflies, horseflies, and other unpleasant vermin.[7]
Powers[]
When wielded by an individual who could access divine magics, these weapons allowed them to summon swarms of insects, similar to those carved on the shaft. Staves of swarming insects had limited number of charges and each summon expended a single charge. Each charge was represented by the carvings on the staff. When a charge was expended, a single insect carving vanished from the weapon. A staff of swarming insects could hold as many as fifty charges, but it could not be recharged, becoming a mundane staff when its magics were depleted.[7]
An average distance for the swarm summon was 60 feet (18 meters) and it increased the more proficient and powerful the divine magic wielder was. The same was true abut the number of insects spawned in a swarm. The initial number was sixty, and it increased with the power of the wielder.[7]
Insects summoned by the staves of swarming insects could be repelled by the protection from evil spell or by fire.[7]
Following the Second Sundering, a new version of staves of swarming insects appeared. It was usable not only by divine magic users, but also by bards, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards. The number of charges of these universal staves did not go beyond ten but they regenerated between five and ten charges per day. When the last charge was used up, there was a chance of the summoned insects devouring the weapon, destroying it completely. Unlike their divine magic counterparts, these staves allowed the owner to cast giant insect and insect plague spells. Another ability of these staves was creation of a swarm of harmless flying insects that disappeared ten minutes after being conjured.[10]
History[]
In the late-14th century DR, a colony of ixitxachitl of the Fang Rocks were believed to hoard magical treasures from Sembia. The exact nature of it was unknown, but some claimed that a staff of swarming insects was among them.[2]
Notable Owners[]
- Aerilaya, a wandering green elf cleric of Rillifane Rallathil who left Evermeet for Faerûn in the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR.[1]
- Iltharagh, a topaz dragon-lich who was armed with a staff of swarming insects in the late 14th century DR.[11]
- Nartheling, a fang dragon of Umbergoth who was armed with many magic items, including one of these staves in the late 14th century DR.[12]
- Shadowmoon Crystalembers, the Hierophant of the Emerald Enclave in the late-14th century DR.[5]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Ruined Kingdoms
- Video Games
- Ravenloft: Stone Prophet
- Card Games
- AD&D Trading Cards
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Anne Gray McCready et al. (March 1994). Elves of Evermeet. (TSR, Inc), p. 92. ISBN 1-5607-6829-0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Curtis Scott (March 1992). Pirates of the Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 57. ISBN 978-1560763208.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Steve Kurtz (1994). Al-Qadim: Ruined Kingdoms: Adventure Book. (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 1-56076-815-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jim Butler (1996). The Vilhon Reach (Dungeon Master's Guide). (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-0400-3.
- ↑ DreamForge Intertainment, Inc. (1995). Designed by Christopher L. Straka. Ravenloft: Stone Prophet. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 David "Zeb" Cook (1989). Dungeon Master's Guide 2nd edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 208. ISBN 0-88038-729-7.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 85. ISBN 0880380845.
- ↑ Andy Collins, Eytan Bernstein, Frank Brunner, Owen K. C. Stephens, John Snead (March 2007). Magic Item Compendium. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 262. ISBN 978-0-7869-4345-6.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (December 2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 203. ISBN 978-0-7869-6562-5.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.