Thri-kreen

The **thri-kreen** were a species of insectoid anthropomorphic nomads and hunters. They were sometimes called **mantis warriors***.* They had the appearance of enormous bipedal, praying mantises -- growing to about 6 feet tall. Their whole bodies were covered with a hard exoskeleton which was usually yellow but could also come in shades of brown or pale green. They had six limbs -- two legs for walking, and four arms all of which ended in hands with four claw-like fingers able to wield tools and weapons. They had two black, multi-faced compound eyes that granted them darkvision, two small antennae, and a complex jaw structure that included large and very sharp mandibles.

Thri-kreen did not wear much in the way of clothing or armor, typically only wearing belts or harnesses to carry their equipment or their food. They did not adorn themselves with jewelry or other accessories.

Thri-kreen were very physically strong and incredibly agile -- quick on their feet and great jumpers. They could dodge incoming projectiles or deflect them. Despite their ability to avoid attacks, their exoskeleton was tough and resistant to impact -- making them hard to injure if one did hit them -- and the colors of their carapace were able to help them blend into the barren, sandy landscapes they hailed from. All of this was excellent for defense but also made the thri-kreen naturally superb hunters.

Their claws and mandibles also made excellent weapons. Their mandibles were coated in a paralytic poison which the thri-kreen secreted from their mouths. Aside from this, they were naturally psionic beings, able to use powers such as chameleon, know direction and location, greater concealing amorpha, and metaphysical claw.

Thri-kreen did not sleep, and were therefore immune to the effects of spells like sleep.

Thri-kreen behavior was difficult for humanoids to discern -- thri-kreen always seemed to be chaotic. In fact, the thri-kreen viewed the world through a simple lens: predator and prey. They saw themselves as noble hunters, entirely focused on survival. The weak were prey and died, the strong were predators and survived. As such, thri-kreen lacked more complicated ideas like honor and loyalty.

Thri-kreen mated in the spring, and the females would dig egg chambers and lay clutches up to 120 eggs. They would then rebury the clutch and abandon it. The eggs hatched in mid-summer, and the larvae survived on instinct alone. 90% of thri-kreen larvae died before reaching adulthood after 5 or 6 years. No thri-kreen naturally survived past 35 years old.

Thri-kreen lived in nomadic communities, spending much of their time hunting and foraging for food. They had no permanent settlements. Even within their community, thri-kreen only developed personal attachments to a select few others -- their clutch mates, whom they would defend at all costs, even sacrificing their own lives. Aside from this, thri-kreen were did not even particularly like each other and would view all others as either strangers or enemies.

Thri-kreen sometimes were requested to go out and explore the world, leaving their pack behind typically to gain information on new territory. These thri-kreen would often join in with caravans or other bands of travelers, wanderers, or adventurers in order to survive. A thri-kreen might adopt these new cohorts as new clutch-mates, bonding with them as they would the members of their pack.

## Real World

Thri-kreen are derived from *Dungeons & Dragons*. For canon information, please visit:

* Forgotten Realms Wiki