Wixit

It was pointed out to me by Rovewin of Athas.org, that the wixit is mentioned in the Revised Dark Sun Campaign boxed. However, they are not drawn up in any of the books. So, in an effort to rectify the situation, I have created the wixit below.

Stats after the jump.


Wxit
Climate/Terrain: Sandy Wastes
Frequency: Uncommon
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or School
Activity Cycle: Anytime
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1d12
Armor Class: 5
Movement: 13
Hit Dice: 3
Thac0: 17
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attacks: 1-6
Special Attack: Poison
Special Defense: None
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: S (3' long)
Morale: Steady (11-12)
XP Value: 175

Wixit
The wixit is a brown chitinous creature with a poisonous sting. It glides easily over the sand in search of prey. Wixit gather in family groups, called schools, and communicate with grunts and other simple sounds.

Combat
Wixit hide just below the surface of the sand, feeling the vibrations of the surface with their feelers. When prey comes close, the wixit will strike out with their tails and then retreat. Wixit will try to let the poison do its job and avoid the victim of their sting for a couple of minutes, before striking them again. Wixit sting for 1d6 points of damage. Victims must save vs poison against poison type D.
Solitary wixit rarely attack targets of size M or larger, but a wixit might think a target is smaller if they are laying down. In larger groups, wixit are more brave. In groups of 10 or more, all the wixit in the group increase their morale to champion (15-16).

Habitat/Society
Wixit do not have territory, or permanent layers. They wander the sandy wastes seeking, and sometimes following prey. While travelers may encounter a single wixit, it is far more likely to find them in a large family group, called a school. Schools mingle whenever they meet and it's possible for them to join different schools at that time. Wixit schools never grow beyond twelve. If it does, one wixit will leave the family unit and seek out a new school.
Wixit breed throughout high sun. Females lay 1 or 2 eggs, but keep them in a special pouch in their body. Young hatch a year later and are expelled from their mother's pouch. The young travel with their family unit. Young have 1 HD and gain 1 HD per year of life, until fully grown and sexually mature.

Ecology
Wixit generally wander the sandy wastes, seeking small prey to devour. Their chitin is valuable, as it is a major component for medium shields and tortoise blades. Wixit hunters generally use piercing weapons and try to stab between the chitinous plates. Slashing weapons decrease the value of the carapace by, at least, half and bludgeoning weapons often destroy it completely. A single intact wixit carapace sells for 3 ceramic pieces.