Triffids are dangerous for a number of
reasons. They will attack virtually any
living creature (not undead or animated
creatures like golems) fearlessly, unless
threatened by fire, which they avoid.
They can conceal themselves in vegetation so as to be unseen with a 94%
probability (6% chance of detection),
thus nearly always gaining surprise. A
druid has an additional 2% chance per
level of noting concealed triffids, but unless he has been exposed
to them before
he will not be aware of their dangerous
qualities. Adjust probability of detecting,
allowing for vegetation as follows: Thin
growth, +10%; moderate growth, no modification; thick growth, -5%.
The third danger triffids present is
their poisonous stinger. This stinger remains rolled up atop their
stems (see
physical description) when not in use,
and can shoot out 10 feet with great
speed and accuracy. Triffids will always
aim the stinger at an unprotected area of
the body, usually (75%) the eyes when
this is possible. If the stinger hits, it does
1-3 points of damage on impact, and two
saving throws vs. poison are called for.
Failing the first save means death. If the
first save succeeds and the second fails,
this indicates that poison did not enter
the blood, but did contact the eyes (75%)
or skin (25%), causing blindness in the
former case and crippling injury in the
latter, as well as 2-8 additional points of
damage. Special damage to eyes or skin
is permanent until healed. In addition,
the victim so struck must make a successful system shock roll or become
unconscious from pain for 1 turn. Making
both saving throws means the stinger
failed to eject any poison, although the
1-3 points of damage is still taken from
the blow.
The fourth dangerous aspect of triffids
is their intelligence. They are possessed
of an extreme cunning, letting them to
use their other abilities to the fullest.
They will crouch concealed by a forest
trail awaiting unsuspecting prey. They
have no eyes, but this lack of visual organs causes no difficulty since
they are
extremely sensitive to sound, as well as
to light and heat. In fact, they are attracted to loud noises, and
a loud, continuous
ruckus (e.g., melee) will soon attract all
triffids within several miles.
It is known that triffids are capable of
communicating with each other (see
physical description). It is speculated
that they possess a “communal mind”
like that of the social insects. A single
triffid is a cunning killer; a group of triffids is an intelligent
entity that has been
known to gather around small communities and “lay siege” to them, actually
knocking down small barricades and
fences by sheer mass, then attacking all
within. Simple traps will work only once
on a group of triffids before the remaining triffids grasp their meaning
and determine how to thwart them. If their organs of communication are
removed,
triffids will gradually deteriorate and die.
Triffids’ poison is much sought after
by assassins, and magic—users and alchemists as well, because of its
corrosive properties. If the poison merely contacts the skin it will cause
2-8 points of
damage per dose (5 ml) plus crippling
injury to the area struck, calling for a
system shock check as described above.
If the poison is swallowed, injected into
the blood, or splatters into an open
wound, a saving throw vs. poison must
succeed or the victim will die. Mature
triffids are speculated to hold about 100
ml of poison (younger triffids hold the
appropriate fraction of that), enough for
20 injections before running dry, and
produce 25 ml per day when their poison
sacs are not filled to capacity, unless
their stingers are removed. Triffids’ poison sells for 125 gold pieces
per dose
when available. Note that this poison is
an oily liquid which will simply run off a
weapon blade, and thus cannot be used
to envenom a weapon.
It is possible to build up an immunity
to triffid poison by surviving repeated
stingings. Every time a character or creature survives after either
contacting the
poison, ingesting it, or having it injected
into his blood (without resorting to a
Neutralize Poison spell or the like), he
gains a +1 (cumulative) on all subsequent saving throws versus triffids’
poison. No bonus to subsequent saving
throws is gained if both saving throws
are made vs. the stinger in one attack,
because the poison did not contact the
body.
Triffids age in 8 stages, each stage representing 1 point per hit die.
It takes
about 3 months to grow from one stage
to the next. For attack purposes, treat
triffids of 1 year or younger (4 points per
pose, at which point the stinging tendril
is strong enough to rip off shreds of flesh
and transfer them to the digestive cup.
Description: Triffids have a woody
bole, atop which is a long stem. The bole
is shaggy with little rootlet hairs and is
nearly spherical except for three bluntly
tapered projections extending from the
lower part. When supported by these
projections, the body is lifted about 1
foot off the ground. Triffids “walk” on
these legs like a man on crutches: 2 legs
slide forward, then the third leg slides
forward almost even with the front two,
and so forth. Their stems whip back and
forth as the triffids clumsily move around.
Their top speed is approximately that of
a brisk walking pace for a human. For
obvious reasons, they have difficulty
negotiating stairs or rough terrain.
The stem extends above the bole to a
height of up to 8 feet (or 10 feet in the
tropics). At the tip of the stem is a cup- or
funnel-like object which secretes a sticky
digestive fluid. The poisonous stinger
curls up within this cup when not in use.
Below the cup is the reproductive organ
From the bole grow 3 small bare sticks,
growing straight beside the stem. These
sticks can beat against the stem, creating a rattling, rapid tattoo
of noise
through which the triffids communicate
with each other. The body is covered
with short sprays of leathery green
leaves.
| Dragon | - | Monster Manual III | - | Dragon #53 |