Ear Seeker (CR 6)

Fine Vermin
Alignment: Always neutral
Initiative: +0

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AC: -
Hit Dice: -
Fort -, Ref -, Will -

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Speed: 1 ft.
Space: 0
Base Attack +; Grapple +
Damage: Special
Special Attacks/Actions: Burrowing

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Abilities: Str -, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis -, Cha -
Special Qualities:
Feats: -
Skills: -
Advancement: -

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Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or clutch (2-4)
Treasure/Possessions: None

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Source: Converted

Ear seekers are small maggot-like insects that occupy decaying wood. As adults, they are harmless as they spend their days deep within rotting logs happily eating the wood. As larvae, the ear seekers can be lethal to warm- blooded creatures.

Female ear seekers lay their eggs in warm, moist areas. Generally, the warm moistness of decaying vegetable matter suits them. On rare occasions, however, they will enter the ear of a living creature and deposit their eggs there.

An adult ear seeker will lay 1d8+8 tiny eggs and then fly off to die. The incubation time of the eggs is 4d6 hours, at which time the tiny larvae hatch and begin to consume the only available food source: the surrounding flesh. Preferring warmth, they will burrow inwards to where the most food and body heat is. The host must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 18) or die in 1d4 days as the ear seekers devour its brain tissue. Even if the save is successful, the host suffers 3d6 points of permanent Intelligence and Wisdom damage.

After sating themselves, the larvae will turn to pupae. The agony for the host finally ends. This stage lasts about two weeks, at which time adult ear seekers crawl out of the host and fly away.

A cure disease spell destroys the eggs and larvae. A restoration spell will heal the ability damage dealt by an ear seeker, but it must be cast twice; once for Intelligence damage and once for Wisdom damage.

The Ear Seeker first appeared in the Monster Manual (Gary Gygax, 1977).