Parasite

Parasites live in or on other organisms, feeding upon them in some manner, yet returning little or nothing. Common parasites are usually just nuisances, though they can cause complications; they are easily killed by a cure disease spell. Presented here are several uncommon parasites.

Bloodring

This small worm has metallic skin and four eyes that look like tiny red gems. It coils into the shape of a ring and waits for an intelligent creature to wear it. Once donned, the bloodring drains 1 point of blood per hour, up to a maximum of 6 points per day, using most of its energy to power its magic resistance, but it also grants half that resistance to its host. A well-fed bloodring grows 1 inch per week to its maximum size of 1 foot.

Ear Seeker

This is a small insect normally found in wood, where it eats dead cellulose. However, it needs warm places to lay its eggs, and it prefers human or humanoid bodies, especially ears. When an adult enters an ear, it lays 1d8+8 tiny eggs and then crawls out to die. The eggs hatch 4d6 hours later, the larvae burrow into the surrounding flesh, and generally head inward.

The host cannot feel the eggs, but hatching causes a tingling sensation, and burrowing is painful. The parasites cause 1d4 points of damage per round until the host dies. A cure disease spell kills the eggs or larvae, but does not heal any damage.

Goldbug

This beetle has a flat, circular body and a golden, contoured shell that makes it look like a gold piece. Eyes, antennae, and legs are on the underside of the body; when legs and antennae are folded, the bottom looks like an oddly designed gold piece. Examination fails to reveal the bug’s true nature 50% of the time, unless the handler uses magic or, for example, if the handler bites the creature to determine if it is real gold.

The golding usually rests in a nest with others of its kind, or on a bed of real gold pieces, until someone takes it. The goldbug waits until its host sleeps, then tries to suck his blood. A bite hits a sleeping victim automatically, with a 10% chance the victim wakes up. Blood is drained at a rate of 1-3 points per round, until the goldbug drains the equivalent of its own normal hit point total. It can go long without eating, but prefers a meal once a day.

If disturbed or threatened, the golding has a poisonous bite that inflicts 1d4 damage. Victims must roll a save vs. type F poison with a +3 bonus to their roll (see the DMG).

Wizard Louse

These harmless-looking creatures are difficult to see. They join a host by jumping from another. Though they’re harmless in small numbers, in a week they breed enough to form a nest that allows them to feed on their preferred food: spells. When they infest a wizard or priest (or even their clothing), they remove one spell from the spellcaster’s memory, once each day. The spell is chosen at random from all those memorized. Wizard lice cannot be removed by simple bathing. Washing with strong soap or another powerful cleaning agent kills them. A cure disease spell is also effective against them.

Vilirij

The vilirij is a flat creature that looks like a patch of skin. It flies at night looking for likely victims, sometimes waiting above doors or on ceilings. When a potential host is near, the creature lands on exposed skin (preferring a seldom-seen area) and adheres there. It injects a poison that anesthetizes the wound and affects the victim’s mind, preventing the victim from noticing the vilirij. Others see the creature as a patch of discolored skin. It sucks blood from the victim at a rate of 1d4 points per day until removed. The creature is easily recognized by those who have dealt with it before.