A knell beetle's carapace looks like it might conceal wings, but it acts only as durable armour. Two more limbs-jointed, agile, and wickedly hooked claws-jut from each side of a pair of long mandibles. Above the knell beetle's head is a hornlike growth shaped like the bell of a massive trumpet, tapering above the creature's shoulders and flaring out over its sharp jaws. Its four black, insectoid eyes sit in a chitinous brow ridge that runs just below this horn. Essentially, the creature lacks a true head; in its place is the large horn, which warbles and trumpets when the knell beetle communicates to other knell beetles.

Knell beetles, like most vermin, are mindless hunters. They live to breed and expand their warrens, breaking off into new colonies when one has grown too large for an area (typically when a colony has amassed more than fifty members). Knell beetles have also been known to be used as mounts by Underdark races. Hobgoblins have domesticated them in the past, as have some orc tribes. These groups know that in great numbers knell beetles only become more effective, and mounted units of knell beetles riders sometimes form the elite fighting units for certain tribes or cities.

Lurking in dark shadows, ettercaps are solitary creatures that exist only to eat and breed. They often make their homes near well-travelled paths or game trails where food is plentiful. They savour the taste of still-living flesh, often consuming incapacitated prey before it dies.

Ettercaps are very fond of spiders and often keep them as others keep bees. Some ettercaps have a number of monstrous spiders as pets, which are as loyal to it as a dog is to a human master.

Darkweavers are the exception to the rule that most ettercaps aren't terribly bright. Their native cunning has evolved to the point that they are able to call on the gods of forest and grove. The influence of the omni-rats has only accelerated this process.

Lurking in dark shadows, ettercaps are solitary creatures that exist only to eat and breed. They often make their homes near well-travelled paths or game trails where food is plentiful. They savour the taste of still-living flesh, often consuming incapacitated prey before it dies.

Ettercaps are very fond of spiders and often keep them as others keep bees. Some ettercaps have a number of monstrous spiders as pets, which are as loyal to it as a dog is to a human master.

Lurking in dark shadows, ettercaps are solitary creatures that exist only to eat and breed. They often make their homes near well-travelled paths or game trails where food is plentiful. They savour the taste of still-living flesh, often consuming incapacitated prey before it dies.

Ettercaps are very fond of spiders and often keep them as others keep bees. Some ettercaps have a number of monstrous spiders as pets, which are as loyal to it as a dog is to a human master.

Most cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.

This cranium rat, however, belongs to a hive mind gone rogue, broken away from Ilsensine and bent on its own purposes. It thinks of itself as independent from Ilsensine, a separate entity, and the only that matters. It is for this reason that it thinks of itself as the Omni-mind, the All-encompassing.The hive mind has been gathering other types of vermin to it, to act as defenders and servants.

In a normal hive, chewers help to expand tunnels for their brethren. In this hive, they lead fairly decadent lives, allowing beings of less intelligence to do their work. They still pack a fearsome bite, however.

Most cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.

This cranium rat, however, belongs to a hive mind gone rogue, broken away from Ilsensine and bent on its own purposes. It thinks of itself as independent from Ilsensine, a separate entity, and the only that matters. It is for this reason that it thinks of itself as the Omni-mind, the All-encompassing.The hive mind has been gathering other types of vermin to it, to act as defenders and servants.

The typical role of a devourer is to break prey items down into more consumable form for itself and the rest of the hive. In this hive, however, the ants provide all the food the rats need, leaving the devourers to do as they please. While the leisure may have made them a little rounder than typical, their acid is every bit as potent.

Most cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.

This cranium rat, however, belongs to a hive mind gone rogue, broken away from Ilsensine and bent on its own purposes. It thinks of itself as independent from Ilsenine, a separate entity, and the only that matters. It is for this reason that it thinks of itself as the Omni-mind, the All-encompassing.The hive mind has been gathering other types of vermin to it, to act as defenders and servants.

Ganglions, as their name implies, act as nerve centers for the Omnimind, helping to coordinate the actions of the others and channel the flow of the Omni-mind hivethink.

Most cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.

This cranium rat, however, belongs to a hive mind gone rogue, broken away from Ilsensine and bent on its own purposes. It thinks of itself as independent from Ilsensine, a separate entity, and the only that matters. It is for this reason that it thinks of itself as the Omni-mind, the All-encompassing.The hive mind has been gathering other types of vermin to it, to act as defenders and servants.

Mutilators are typically the defenders of the hive. With the other insects available as fodder, these rats spend most of their time hunting, though they still serve as fierce defenders when the hive comes under attack.

Most cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.

This cranium rat, however, belongs to a hive mind gone rogue, broken away from Ilsensine and bent on its own purposes. It thinks of itself as independent from Ilsensine, a separate entity, and the only that matters. It is for this reason that it thinks of itself as the Omni-mind, the All-encompassing.The hive mind has been gathering other types of vermin to it, to act as defenders and servants.

Predators are charge with seeking out life forms for the hive mind to dominate. This is very similar to their normal role, which is seeking out lifeforms for illithids to enslave and feed upon - now they simply do it for the hive mind instead.

Inferno spiders hunt and feed on creatures weaker than themselves. They use their flame webs to capture prey that might otherwise be too quick and nimble. In combat, inferno spiders first attempt to entangle prey with their webs and then close to bite with their poisonous fangs. Possessing only limited intelligence, inferno spiders remain cunning and tenacious hunters, darting in and out of combat repeatedly as they probe for weaknesses.

Burrow roots often hunt in groups, moving into a territory and infesting it. In civilised areas, they are hunted and either killed outright or driven back into the remote wilderness.

Beholders, harpies, and other intelligent flying creatures use burrow roots to drive earthbound foes from behind cover. Less intelligent flying predators roost above burrow root infestations, swooping down as the burrow roots attack or scavenging remains after a battle.

A darktentacles resembles an octopus with thirty-six tentacles, each of which can be up to 20 feet long. Instead of suction cups, each of its tentacles is lined with eyes. The creature uses some tentacles for movement and others for combat, striking with whichever tentacles are convenient.

This creature is capable of wielding weapons in its tentacles, and it often does so. It has no innate sense for magic items, but it tends to select the most effective weapons at its disposal. Because it hides so well, many characters have no idea that a darktentacles is present until abandoned weapons fly up from the ground and begin attacking them.