Rust and Redemption
Radiation born mutant roaches are terrible individually, but absolutely horrible in swarms. Many times the size of roaches in the before times, these firefly like creatures prefer dark areas, such as ruined subways and abandoned basements.
Some swarms are rumored to have an insidious group intelligence, one that is utterly inimical to humankind.
Roaches dislike bright illumination: in sunlight or other bright light, glowing roach attacks are hindered.
Motive: Hunger for flesh
Environment: Anywhere dark, usually in nests of four to ten (or more)
Health: 6
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (2 points)
Armor: 2
Movement: Short; short when flying
Modifications: Speed defense as level 3 due to small size; perception as level 5
Combat: A glowing roach attacks with radioactive mandibles. When four glowing roaches act together, they can make a single attack as a level 4 creature inflicting a moderate wound (4 points). Targets damaged by a group of glowing roaches must also succeed on a difficulty 4 Might defense task or face additional consequences from the effects of radiation and slashing mandibles, as determined on the Glowing Roach Effects table. The effects are cumulative and last until a target makes a recovery roll.
Sometimes a single glowing roach mutates further, allowing it to grow into a 20 foot (6 m) long monstrosity. Thankfully, these monstrous glowing roaches are rare and seldom come out into the light.
Monstrous glowing roach: level 5; Speed defense as level 4; Armor 2; mandible attack inflicts 7 damage and results in a check on the table
| d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Head wound: Intellect defense tasks hindered |
| 2 | Wounded leg: Speed defense tasks hindered |
| 3 | Gut wound: Might defense tasks hindered |
| 4 | Spit in eye: Perception tasks hindered |
| 5 | Limb numb: Physical tasks hindered |
| 6 | Lingering radioactive effect: Refer to Radiation in the Real World and possibly Incredible Mutations if your game has such fantastic elements. |
Interaction: Glowing roaches almost always react like voracious insects, despite their size. That is, except for swarms of ten or more, which act like sapient creatures. Sapient swarms may try to lure survivors, possibly even spelling out human readable letters in the sand that anonymously ask for help or promise it. But it's a ruse; they despise humans for all the ways people used to exterminate roaches in the before times.
Use: A visit to a ruined hospital or airport scares up a few glowing roaches when light is introduced to a dark place.
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The radioactive glowing roach’s attack sickens the character unless they succeed on a difficulty 4 Might task. A sickened character is overcome with nausea and loses their next action.