Stirge

Stirges are weird winged creatures that some say may have invaded from some other plane of existence. They are relatively small, just about 1 foot long with a wingspan of about 2 feet and an average weight of 1 pound. They vaguely resemble hairless bats with a rubbery tubular proboscis and no back legs (so that their body simply comes to a blunt point at the rear).

If a stirge hits a living creature, it grabs on with hooked claws on its wing joints and quickly embeds its proboscis in the victim's body. The proboscis has rows of tiny serrated teeth on the inside, and literally turns itself inside out as it carves a way into the victim's body. This causes 1d4 points of damage, and the stirge then proceeds to suck the victim's blood, inflicting an additional 1d4 points of damage each round.

Once attached, the creature can only be removed by killing it. The victim cannot use weapons larger than a dagger or hand axe to attack the creature, and cannot attack it at all if attacked from behind. Others may attack the creature with a bonus of +2 on the die roll, but any attack that misses hits the victim instead.

Special Abilities

Blood Drain — If a stirge hits, it attaches and inflicts 1d4 damage initially, then 1d4 damage per round as it drains blood.

Attached — Once attached, can only be removed by killing it. Victim cannot use weapons larger than dagger or hand axe, and cannot attack if attacked from behind. Others attack at +2 but misses hit the victim.

Stirges are bat-like flying mammals. They live in dark places and feed on blood.

Special Abilities

Blood Drain — A stirge attacks as a 4 hit dice creature. Once it has hit, the stirge has latched on to its victim and will continue draining the victim of 1d3 hp worth of blood per round, without needing any further rolls "to hit", until the stirge has drunk 10-13 (9+1d4) hp worth of blood, at which time its hunger is satisfied and it will attempt to depart. Only death will prevent the stirge feeding once it has latched on.