Formian, Myrmarch

Formians hail from the plane of Mechanus. They seek to colonize all that they see and incorporate all living things into their hive as workers.

Expansionist in the extreme, formians are dedicated to spreading their colonies until they have taken over everything and their order is unquestioned. To further this end, they attack all other creatures, usually to put them to work building and expanding cities. Formians maintain these “conscripted” workers as well as those mentally dominated by the power of their taskmasters.

A formian resembles a cross between an ant and a centaur. All formians are covered in a brownish-red carapace; size and appearance differs for each variety.

Myrmarchs are the elite of formian society. Much more than those beneath them, these creatures are individuals, with goals, desires, and creative thought. Very rarely do these thoughts conflict with the wishes of the queen, though—most myrmarchs are still very loyal to her.

Myrmarchs are commanders in formian armies and leaders in formian communities. They are the hands of the queen, carrying out her direct orders and making sure everything goes as she desires. Myrmarchs also have a secondary role: stamping out chaos wherever and whenever they can. Those who foment disorder, and particularly creatures that revere or exemplify it (such as slad), are the hated foes of myrmarchs.

A myrmarch is about is about 7 feet long and about 5-1/2 feet high at the front. It weighs about 1,500 pounds. Its claws are capable of fine manipulation, like human hands. Each myrmarch wears a bronze helm to signify its position (the more elaborate the helm, the more prestigious the position).

Myrmarchs speak Formian and Common.

Formians are generally aggressive, seeking to subdue all they encounter. If they perceive even the slightest threat to their hive-city or to their queen, they attack immediately and fight to the death. Any formian also attacks immediately if ordered to do so by a superior.

Myrmarchs’ claws are like hands and thus serve no combat purpose.

Myrmarchs occasionally employ javelins for ranged attacks, coated with poison from their own stingers.

They fight intelligently, aiding those under them (if any such are present) and commanding them through the hive mind. If chaotic creatures are present, however, a myrmarch is singleminded in its quest to destroy them.

A formian myrmarch’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Hive Mind (Ex): All formians within 50 miles of their queen are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No formian in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 20, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—charm monster (DC 17), clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect chaos, detect thoughts (DC 15), magic circle against chaos, greater teleport; 1/day—dictum (DC 20), order’s wrath (DC 17). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.