Southland: Drover's Den

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Southland Index

Monster Territories Index

Drover’s Den

Seven Sisters Myth: The Sisters were lost in the desert.  They asked a series of animals for help, but none knew the way out.  Finally, they encountered a lowly ant.  He and his fellows ranged all over the land and knew it well.  They formed a chain and lead the Sisters to safety.  The Sisters made them masters of the desert and guardians of the knowledge of the Ancients. 

The land of the Giant Ants is hard to miss if you’re in the area.  The landscape of rock ant hills bears the name “Pinnacles” to describe it.  Not all of the hills are actually occupied, though they are all connected in a vast underground network.  Lines of workers can be seen bringing food to the hills.  Individuals about scavenge the area.  Drones of the hive forage as far south as Perth and Kalgoorie.  (They generally avoid the Swarmer areas, and vise-versa.)   

The Drovers are aggressively territorial.  Any known intrusion on a hill, will bring soldiers spilling out of every nearby hill, with an almost communal-like intelligence.  However, they not terribly vigilant.  Soldiers do not patrol outside the hills, and Drones generally ignore intruders, even those inside the hive.

There are individuals who have raided these tunnels.  The Drovers have a habit of grabbing and dragging precious metals and even other valuables back to their hive.  Items brought back by accident, end up in piles, which eventually clog up the tunnels and lead to the hill being abandoned.  Jumping into those hills is dangerous, but potentially lucrative.  

Giant Ant, Drone

HD 2, Hp 9, AC 17 (Natural)

Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0

Melee: Bite +1 to hit 1d6

While numerous and scary-looking, Drones are usually oblivious to individuals and groups walking around them.  Individuals that are immobile or sleeping are in danger, however.  Drones are looking for whatever looks like food or organic matter to carry back to the hive.  They usually only attack if attacked themselves or if defending the Queen.  Drones and Soldiers both make peculiar “clacking” noise as they move about.  Individuals, and especially groups, will not be sneaking up on anybody.

Giant Ant, Soldier

HD 2+2, Hp 11, AC 17 (Natural)

Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +1

Melee: Bite +3 to hit 2d4+3

Acid Sting: On a Natural hit, DC 12 Fort Sv or painful bite, all stat bonuses go to 0 for 1 turn.  A soldier may sting once per encounter.

Nasty and aggressive defenders of the hive.  They respond to any invading threat.  However, they are seldom outside of the hive.

Giant Ant, Queen

HD 4+4, Hp 22, AC 17 (Natural)

Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +2

Melee: Bite +5 to hit 2d6+4

Ranged: Acid Spray 4d8 and -1 to non-magical worn AC, DC 18 Ref Sv for half damage and to avoid AC damage.  DC 12 Fort Sv for the Queen to attempt to use again, DC 18 for a third attempt.

There is only one “Queen” of the Drovers, buried deep in their underground hive network.  Virtually immobile, she is a gigantic slug, perpetually involved in reproducing.  Her master chamber is where all of the Giant Ants are born.  There is also an Ancient magical artifact there that is the cause of their mutation.  It is a repository of their knowledge, which includes magical spells and a comprehensive geography of the Southland landscape.