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Insectoid
Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 7:22 pm
by Mephisto of the FoS
Undead exoskeletal remains of an insect. May be of the Giant Ant, Giant Tick, or Stag Beetle varieties. The entry's illustration is that of the Drow Vampire for some reason (a typo).
Was there ever a correction to this?
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 3:44 am
by alhoon
Eh? Where was that definition?
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:11 am
by Mephisto of the FoS
alhoon wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 3:44 am
Eh? Where was that definition?
The one I sent is from Mistipedia referring to this
Skeleton, Insectoid
Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III - p101
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 11:32 am
by Igor the Henchman
No idea if they ever corrected it. I remember finding it pretty funny
Anyway, I was never too bothered by it, it's not too difficult to just imagine a generic bug.
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 1:02 pm
by Mephisto of the FoS
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 6:50 pm
by alhoon
I think it's more like a tri-kreen, it doesn't say insect, it says insectoid. Or how were those ant-people with four hands?
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 3:01 am
by Mephisto of the FoS
alhoon wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 6:50 pm
I think it's more like a tri-kreen, it doesn't say insect, it says insectoid. Or how were those ant-people with four hands?
Description from
Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III - p101
Skeleton, Insectoid
These nightmarish automatons are the animated exoskeletons of dead insects.
The compendium has the stats for a Giant Ant, Giant Tick and Stag Beetle exoskeleton.
But I think I found why they placed a drow vampire for the monsters picture by mistake.
Insectoid skeletons are created with the use of a special version of the animate dead spell. It is believed that this spell was created by a drow necromancer, but the truth of that supposition is unknown.
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 9:06 pm
by alhoon
Animated exoskeletons? That... doesn't sound blasphemous. Does the insect has to be dead or it could have just grown out of its exoskeleton?
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2024 2:19 am
by Mephisto of the FoS
alhoon wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 9:06 pm
Animated exoskeletons? That... doesn't sound blasphemous. Does the insect has to be dead or it could have just grown out of its exoskeleton?
Dead...
Insects do not have an internal skeleton like we do, known as an endoskeleton. Rather, the outside of their bodies is their skeleton, an exoskeleton made of a substance called chitin.
I think you misinterpreted exoskeleton for
exuviae left behind during
ecdysis.
Exuviae are the remains of an exoskeleton and related structures that are left after ecdysozoans (including insects, crustaceans and arachnids) have moulted.
Ecdysis is the moulting of the cuticle in many invertebrates of the clade Ecdysozoa. Since the cuticle of these animals typically forms a largely inelastic exoskeleton, it is shed during growth and a new, larger covering is formed.[1] The remnants of the old, empty exoskeleton are called exuviae.
Process of ecdysis of a cicada (the thing left behind is an exuviae not an exoskeleton).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysis#/ ... ated-2.gif
But what you thought could be maybe used to create a kind of insect boneless (instead of soft easy molded skin they have a crispy thin layer, easy to brake).
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 3:50 pm
by IanFordam
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2024 7:22 pm
Undead exoskeletal remains of an insect. May be of the Giant Ant, Giant Tick, or Stag Beetle varieties. The entry's illustration is that of the Drow Vampire for some reason (a typo).
Was there ever a correction to this?
Ah, hah! The Lady Fordam unearthed my copy of the
Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III with the corrected picture!
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 5:17 pm
by IanFordam
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Thu May 16, 2024 4:31 pm
Oh I have never seen it and sill can't!
Can you sent please to my e-mail?
I have sent the image! However, before you peek I encourage you to remember that the Lady Fordam has no respect for canon...
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Fri May 17, 2024 8:22 am
by Mistmaster
IanFordam wrote: Thu May 16, 2024 5:17 pm
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Thu May 16, 2024 4:31 pm
Oh I have never seen it and sill can't!
Can you sent please to my e-mail?
I have sent the image! However, before you peek I encourage you to remember that the Lady Fordam has no respect for canon...
Wise lady. Canon is simply a guideline.
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 8:02 pm
by Baron Von Stanton
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Thu Apr 11, 2024 2:19 am
alhoon wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 9:06 pm
Animated exoskeletons? That... doesn't sound blasphemous. Does the insect has to be dead or it could have just grown out of its exoskeleton?
Dead...
Insects do not have an internal skeleton like we do, known as an endoskeleton. Rather, the outside of their bodies is their skeleton, an exoskeleton made of a substance called chitin.
I think you misinterpreted exoskeleton for
exuviae left behind during
ecdysis.
Exuviae are the remains of an exoskeleton and related structures that are left after ecdysozoans (including insects, crustaceans and arachnids) have moulted.
Ecdysis is the moulting of the cuticle in many invertebrates of the clade Ecdysozoa. Since the cuticle of these animals typically forms a largely inelastic exoskeleton, it is shed during growth and a new, larger covering is formed.[1] The remnants of the old, empty exoskeleton are called exuviae.
Process of ecdysis of a cicada (the thing left behind is an exuviae not an exoskeleton).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysis#/ ... ated-2.gif
But what you thought could be maybe used to create a kind of insect boneless (instead of soft easy molded skin they have a crispy thin layer, easy to brake).
The molt, or exuviae, are unsuitable for raising as undead as the molting process subjects the (outer layers of the) exoskeleton to enzymes designed to leach out as much nutrients and resources for reabsorption, leaving the castoff molt brittle and friable.
Though, some crustacean and trilobite exuviae are useful as necromantic tinkertoys as those are more durable due to being heavily impregnated with calcium carbonate.
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:34 pm
by alhoon
The "mechanical" properties of the animated corpse / exoskeleton / exuv-? are of little interest when it comes to the undead creature. A skeleton doesn't have tenonts and still moves. A 2000 years old skeleton used to animate dead is as tough as a fresh skeleton.
Re: Insectoid
Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2024 3:15 am
by Mephisto of the FoS
alhoon wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:34 pm
A 2000 years old skeleton used to animate dead is as tough as a fresh skeleton.
Baron Von Stanton was referring to exuviae which are not skeletons (internal or external) rather a layer or insect suit as the shedding skin of reptiles.
Maybe a spell that animates exuviae could be used to also animate reptile shading skin. Though these animated skins and exuviae would be almost useless in battle they could be used only for shock effect.
