FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Desert])
NO. APPEARING: 4-40 (in lair 300-3,000)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 1-4 HP
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: 1-4 gems and 25% chance of 100-600 gold pieces
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Constitution drain
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (2" long)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 7 + 1

A brightly-coloured insect rather like a grasshopper about 2" long --
red, yellow, ochre and light blue - the pernicon inhabits the outer
regions of deserts and is much prized by the nomads of these regions
because the antennae on i t s head are water-diviners, vibrating and
giving off a low hum when within 120' of a large quantity of water.

The pernicon is usually inoffensive but will attack in large numbers if
disturbed, accidentally or otherwise. It leaps on i t s victim and grips
exposed flesh with the pincers at the rear of its abdomen. If it hits,
the pernicon will inflict 1-3 hit points of damage and will also drain
water and other body fluids from the victim, causing the loss of 1
point of constitution. Each round thereafter this process will continue
automatically, without the need of a 'to hit' roll.

Even when the pernicon is killed i t s pincers continue to grip fast, and
removing it from the victim's body will inflict a further 1-4 hit
points of damage. If a victim's constitution falls below 3 he collapses
unconscious. If it drops below zero he dies. If a victim is not killed he
will recover lost constitution points at the same rate as lost hit points.
However, if he is killed, a raise dead will only restore half of his
original constitution, a raise dead fully only 75% of it.

by Mary Patterson