FREQUENCY: Very rare (at best)
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Cold Wilderness Mountains]) <(at best)>
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Wilderness Mountains]) <(at best)>
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level V])

NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: -3
MOVE: 3" (15")
HIT DICE: 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-18
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise on 1-7 (d8)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: [SB]
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (3 1/2' long)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: V | 300 + 6

Creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth, the khargra occasionally
venture onto the PMP in search of high-grade ores
which they digest and USE as food. They 'swim' along the layers of
rock in small schools, riding on earth movements and the shifting of
geological strata as if swimming -- or surfing -- in the sea. When they
find a suitable vein of ore, they settle down to feed and ingest the
material, grinding it up and, through their curious metabolic and digestive
processes, actually separating out and refining the metal. The
slaggy waste material is excreted and the metal is deposited in the
khargra's internal reservoirs, there to be assimilated slowly into the
body.

Naturally a khargra prefers refined metal to unrefined ore, and if the
former is sensed reasonably close to hand, it will forego its normal
diet for this new rich source of food. Khargra consider armour and
weaponry a tasty meal indeed and are particularly fond of 'eating'
metallic treasure.

Khargra will leap from the wall or floor of a cavern or subterranean
passage like fish leaping from water, flying as far as 10'. They then
attempt to fasten themselves with their clawed arms onto large
metallic objects, which they will devour. Such attacks will surprise nearby
adventurers on a roll of 1-7 (d8), or 1-5 (d6) if
dwarves || gnomes are present.

A single khargra can swallow up to 5
pounds (50 gold pieces weight) of metal per melee round and has a
capacity of 100 pounds or sometimes more.

When khargra have emerged into the air from their normal rock environment,
they must crawl, pulling themselves along with their arms.

If assaulted, the khargra will fight back, annoyed at having its meal
disturbed.

When attacked with a metal weapon, a khargra will bite the
end off and swallow it on any roll of 16 or better.

They fight nonmetallic
opponents by delivering a powerful bite for 3-18 hit points
of damage, but their attack will be merely incidental to their main
objective of eating metal. They use their three strong clawed arms
to grasp and pull themselves towards their prey, and at least one of
the three arms must 'hit' a victim before a successful bite can be inflicted
on him, though the arms themselves do no damage. Once an
arm has grasped, however, it will not let go until the way is clear
for it to reach the metal. it desires or its victim has been killed.
Khargra have been known to bite right through large flesh creatures in
order to reach a concentration of metal beyond. Each arm 'hits' as if a
creature of 12HD.

Fortunately, khargra are very rarely seen on the Prime Material Plane
and can usually be appeased by the immediate surrender of all
metallic items.
 

by Lawrence Schick