Mantis Men were a species of creatures known for their ability to remain motionless.[1]
Description[]
Mantis men were tall, spindly humanoids with long, thin limbs. Their feet ended in three clawed toes, and their "praying" hands each had three elongated fingers which were tipped with curved, hook-like claws. Their bodies were covered in tough, chitinous armour that was roughly divided into spike-fringed segments.
The head of a mantis man was topped by a row of short, stubby horns that started just above the brow and formed a single line to the back of the skull. Their faces were flat and square-shaped, with two small eyes and a tiny nose situated above a wide, grinning mouth, full of razor-sharp teeth.[2]
A mantis man could be fought normally, but if at any time it delivered a successful strike on its opponent, it would lift and kill them instantly with a bite to the neck. A victim's only hope, therefore, was to try and damage its arms and render it unable to attack.[3]
In the wild, mantis men lived alone or in small groups. When out hunting, though, they will always be on their own to avoid tipping off their prey by excessive numerical presence.[3]
Mantis men were attracted to bright and shiny things, and would often hoard any such items found on their victims.[3] For example, the mantis man of Kharé had a golden locket containing a sun jewel worn around its scrawny neck.[4]
Mantis Man head detail
Origins and Distribution[]
The so-called mantis men had, in their isolation, developed an alarming method of ensnaring their food. When first encountered, a mantis man would invariably be standing totally motionless, more like a life-sized statue than a real being. Its long arms and hands would be raised to its chest, clasped together as if the "statue" were praying devoutly. A wary creature could perhaps spot the blink of an eye, or a tremble of the hands, before the mantis man's arms would shoot forward to grab its prey![3]
The Mantis Men were from the northern Baklands.[3] However, a manis man was once encountered near a dwarf village within the cityport of Kharé.[5] In addition, they had also be reported in the Plains and Forests of Allansia.[6]
Their origins were mysterious. Despite their name and attack method, they were not particularly insect-like, especially when compared to similar creatures such as the giant praying mantises of Bone Island,[7] or the mantis demons of The Pit.[8] Nevertheless, they have been categorized as Humanoid/Insect here for want of a better designation.[9]
Further Notes[]
- Mantis Men appear as one of the 100 creatures in the "Out of the Pit" bestiary in Warlock Issue 2.[10]
- The hut behind the Mantis Man in Khare - Cityport of Traps is full of bones, including human ones. It is possible these are the remains of the creature's previous meals.[11]
- In Kharé - Cityport of Traps, the fighting process was handled somewhat differently. At the start of every Attack Round, throw two dice for the creature. If the number rolled is less than its skill, it has caught its victim and death is certain. If the number rolled is equal to or higher than its skill, it has missed.[12] Here things get a little confusing because you are then instructed to "roll for Attack Strength as normal",[12] it would it appear that if the Mantis Man rolls a higher Attack Strength, it has just parried your blow, though this is not explicitly stated.
- The Mantis Man's low stamina score is supposed to reflect the amount of damage its lethal arms can take before being destroyed.[13] So, if you reduce its stamina to zero, it is still alive though unable to attack. It is unknown whether the Mantis Man can regenerate damage suffered by its arms, or whether the arms can recover naturally from wounds through rest and recuperation.
- Out of the Pit states that the Mantis Men are from the northern Baklands.[3] However, their only appearance in canon comes from near a Dwarf village within the cityport of Kharé.[14] In addition, they also occur on the Encounter Tables for Plains and Forests.[15] Perhaps then they are found in such places not just in the Baklands but in other isolated areas in the Old World and possibly even Allansia and Khul.
The Red Manchurian from Sky Lord can be considered a much more mantis man-like creature.[16]
A Red Manchurian - a more literal version of a Mantis Man
Further Information in Canon[]
More information can be found at:Source[17]
Out of the Pit
(Large) (pg79-80#*, pg126)
Allansia
(pg135, pg152)
Kharé - Cityport of Traps
(para8, para37, para55#, para76#, para117, para153*, para348, para359, para401, para423, para429, para461, para472)
Warlock Issue 2
(pg4#)
Notes[]
# - denotes a reference with statistics
* - denotes a picture
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Sourcebooks
References[]
- ↑ Out of the Pit - p.79 (stats and illustrated), 80
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 153
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Out of the Pit - pp.79-80
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 117
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 8, 37, 55, 76, 117, 153, 348, 359, 401, 423, 429, 461, 472
- ↑ Allansia - p.135, p.152
- ↑ Bloodbones - 320
- ↑ Sword of the Samurai - 138, 294
- ↑ Non-canon
- ↑ Warlock Issue 2 - p.4
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 27
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 55, 76
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 77
- ↑ Kharé - Cityport of Traps - 8, 37, 55, 76, 117, 153, 348, 359, 401, 423, 429, 461, 472
- ↑ Allansia - p.135, p.152
- ↑ Sky Lord - 214
- ↑ Complete list of references catalogued by FF Titan Bestiary