FREQUENCY: Common ([Dungeon Level I])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Temperate Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Common ([Temperate Freshwater Surface], [Temperate Freshwater Depths])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Freshwater Surface])
FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Freshwater Depths])

NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 10
MOVE: 1" // 1"
HIT DICE: 1 HP
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Choke
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (1" long)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 6

This leech is about 1" long and resembles an inconspicuous twig. It is
always found in fresh water (streams, pools etc.)

Anyone drinking water containing a leech may (10% chance) take it
into his mouth unless the water is carefully filtered before drinking.
The leech will fasten itself onto the soft flesh at the back of the victim's throat,
sucking blood at the rate of 1-3 hit points of damage each
melee round, until it becomes completely distended; after ten <(10)>
melee rounds of sucking, the leech will be bloated and will not suck any more blood.

Each melee round the leech is in the victim's throat, there is a 50% chance
that the victim will choke, causing an additional 1-4 hit
points of damage. A victim who chokes in three <(3)> successive rounds will die
at the the third <(3rd)> choking.

Apart from magical means which may suggest themselves, the only
way to kill a throat leech in a victim's throat is to place a thin, heated
metal object such as a wire into the bloated leech; the hot metal will
cause the leech to burst and no further damage is inflicted on the victim.
However, the person administering the 'cure' by this method
runs a risk of burning the victim's throat for 1-4 hit points rather
than the leech -- the chance of a successful probe is 5% per each [dexterity] point of the person making the attempt.
 

    by Ian Livingstone

IA theory:
* USE garlic might kill the leech
* the throat leech is a good example of the value of consulting a sage: how is anyone going to know to READY torch (ea.) + READY thieves tools, then TARGET the victim of a throat leech?