Guardian Wasps [45 pt] [GURPS 4e]

Guardian Wasps [45 pt] – Google Docs

Guardian Wasps [45 pt]

There is a lively discussion whether or not the first Guardian Wasps represented a botched attempt at the Control Insect spell, or else an extremely successful attempt.  After all, it’s typically expected to be a disaster when a spell permanently transforms a swarm of wasps into a hive mind with human-level intelligence.  One wasp can be alarming: six thousand, all subject to a single will, are usually terrifying.

However, in the case of Guardian Wasps it all turned out fairly well.  The species is mostly made up of acceptably sociable and reasonable individuals who are more than happy to enter into mutually-beneficial arrangements with other races, particularly when it comes to getting enough money to buy useful magical equipment on an installment plan.  Currently, Guardian Wasp hives are typically hired as caravan guards and scouts: the hive is paid in food, shares in the caravan, and assistance in turning pages.  Or other entertainment: Guardian Wasps are easily amused, and make for an uniquely attentive audience.

A Guardian Wasp hive’s personality is generally pleasant, although they have some difficulty reproducing the nuances of human emotional cues, and typically compensate by simply telling the truth at all times.  Its other weaknesses are largely physiological: it’s easy to tell when a hive is agitated or in the grips of strong emotion, and the wasps that make up the hive get sluggish in cold weather.  But Guardian Wasps are not designed to be callous, cruel, vicious, violent, cold-hearted, or even particularly alien.  The species is collectively well-aware that most other races have a well-founded fear and dislike of stinging insects, and so most Guardian Wasps try not to be too personally unnerving. They even take pains to avoid having their voices ‘buzz,’  It all works out very well.

Still: attack one, or its caravans, or its friends, and things will get very uncomfortable for the attacker, very fast.  Six thousand wasps, remember? All subject to a single will.

Attributes: ST -5 [-50], HP +11 [22]

Advantages: Flight [40], Injury Tolerance [Diffuse] [100], Innate Attack 2d6 [toxic, Follow-Up] [8]

Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded [50 degrees] [-5], Easy To Read [-10], No Legs [Aerial] [0], No Manipulators [-50], Truthfulness [-5], Unnatural Features 5 [swarm of sentient wasps] [-5]

Total Cost: 45 pt.  GMs may feel free to add whatever social stigmas or negative racial reputation modifiers that they like, although Guardian Wasps take pains to appear nonthreatening.

The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.

GURPS is a registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games, and the art here is copyrighted by Steve Jackson Games. All rights are reserved by SJ Games. This material is used here in accordance with the SJ Games online policy.