Them «Encroaches»

Description (Initial Observations): Encroaches are found wherever food to their liking (i.e., food prepared for humans) is available. They inhabit ruins instead of populated cities because of their talent for turning popu- lated cities into deserted ruins. They are prolific and voracious, and there is vir- tually no way to remove them from any sort of building. Furthermore, they frequently (GMs option) carry terrible diseases similar to those used by plants with the bacterial symbiosis mutation. Encroaches are very fast for their size, but they are unintelligent and generally do not move more than a few meters in a straight line. It is their habit to spread their kind by hitching rides on more mobile creatures when the local popula- tion reaches saturation point or the food supply is exhausted (which is virtually always). Character parties will encounter encroaches in abandoned storerooms and kitchens. The little insects will pour out of cupboards and containers and try to crawl all over the party. They can be outrun by creatures faster than themsel- ves who are not surprised. Otherwise, nothing will prevent each and every character from being literally covered with encroaches. Encroaches are immune to all forms of electromagnetic, thermal and nuclear attack (and to poison as well); only direct kinetic force (squashing) will harm them. It is futile attack them en masse, since each one that is killed will be replaced tenfold. Slapping, picking off and stomping, rolling on the ground, and similar strate- gies will kill all but 1-10 per character. These will remain on a characters per- son or in his or her gear until they are brought to a new environment (which need not be too far away from the old environment) where there is food. Meanwhile, the encroaches will devour any carried food supplies that are not perfectly sealed. Any character who has housed encroaches for an hour or more will have 1-10 encroach eggs laid on his or her person, clothes, or gear. These eggs will hatch in two days, producing new encroaches ready to mate and start a new colony. The eggs will inevitably be in an inaccessible location (if that is in any way possible), but they can be killed with a fresher or energy bath, or disposed of by leaving the gear behind. Cities that have had experience with encroaches will ordinarily have devised horrible forms of execution specifically for any person or creature that infests the town with them.