FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Forest], [Tropical Wilderness Swamp], [Tropical Wilderness Plains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level I])

NO. APPEARING: 12-48
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVE: 3" / 18"
HIT DICE: 1/2
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1 hp
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Webs, egg insertion
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 7 + 1

The webbird is not actually an avian;
it might be some form of feathered insect || arachnid.
It is found in semitropical lands,
usually inhabiting the fringes of woodlands so it can seek prey in nearby open ground.
A webbird appears to be a beakless bird, about raven-sized,
with long feathered wings and a long spiky tail.
Careful inspection will reveal a slitted mouth with hard,
sharp ridges for biting and a drooping chest appendage about 4 inches long.

Food consists of small flying creatures. When large, warm-blooded
creaturescomewithin sight, a flock of webbirds will take to the air.
They then gather together and make low passes over the heads of the
intended victims. Each webbird can emit a 7-12 foot long strand of
sticky, inflammable web, once per round. The effectiveness of a flock’s
attack is determined by rolling 1 d6 and adding 1 for every 6 webbirds in
the flock. The area of attack is 12 feet by 12 feet square. Attacks are as
follows:
 
 

Die Score	Result
1-3	Ineffective attack
4-6	1 creature ensnared for 2-8 rounds
7-10	2-5 creatures ensnared for 2-5 rounds
11 and up	Entire area covered with webs, and all therein are held fast for 2-5 rounds

A strength score of 17 will shorten immobilization time by 1 round and
18 (with or without exceptional rating) by 2. Alcohol dissolves the
strands, 1 flask of wine being sufficient to free 1 man-sized creature. As
soon as a victim is heldfast, 1-4 webbirds will alight upon it. Next round
the webbirds will insert their chest appendages in exposed flesh and
inject 2-8 eggs. Grubs hatch from the eggs in 3-6 turns, and each grub
eats its way into the host and inflicts 1 point of damage per round (per
grub), eventually killing it. Fledgling webbirds will emerge from a corpse
within 7 turns after the victim hasdied. Pain from grubs isexcruciating.
(A cure disease spell will kill the grubs.)

Webbirds shun flame and fire. An individual with a torch will be safe
from attack as the webbirds will avoid him or herand attack unprotected
creatures. A webbird can be caught in a person’s hand (a successful
to-hit score) and crushed then and there. The monsterwill always inflict
a dying bite (1 hit point) upon its slayer.

Webbird feathers are metallic gray with greenish hues at wingtips and
tails. Underbellies are bright gray, shading to light green near the tail.

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