The creature commonly called the gloomwing is the adult stage of the tenebrous worm (see below). These huge moths are native to the demi-plane of Shadow. Their bodies and wings are covered with shimmering, geometric patterns of black and silver. They have large, fern-like black antennae tipped with white and eight legs each ending in a pearly claw.

Combat: A gloomwing's shimmering markings make it a difficult target. The markings also provide excellent camouflage, and the moth is 50% undetectable in darkness, twilight, or moonlight.

Gloomwings normally swoop to the attack. This allows them to seize and carry away victims less than 3 feet tall and that weigh less than 61 pounds. Such victims are securely held in the moth's eight claws while the moth attacks. When fighting creatures too large to carry away, the moth hovers, biting and flailing with its two front claws.

During combat, the moth emits a potent pheromone that can attract other gloomwings and can cause weakness in any non-insect. The weakness effect has a 25-foot radius.

There is a 20% chance each round that additional gloomwings will arrive when one or more gloomwings are emitting this strong scent. If they do arrive, they will join in combating any opponents.

Habitat/Society: Gloomwing moths are short-lived, solitary hunters. They use a variety of pheromones to ward off rivals and to find mates. They form groups, but only to attack large prey, and then only when drawn to the fray by the combat pheromone. When two gloomwings of the same sex meet they flee unless there is combat pheromone in the air.

Ecology: Gloomwing moths live only 4-9 weeks. During this time they search for mates and eat voraciously. Egg-laden females use corpses of small sized or larger creatures as incubators for their eggs. The eggs hatch in 12 days, sprouting 10 small tenebrous worms. The corpse cannot be resurrected unless the infestation is removed with a cure disease spell first. Unless killed, the young worms completely devour the body when they emerge.

These natives of the demi-plane of Shadow resemble giant caterpillars. In combat, they strike with powerful mandibles. The head and upper body are covered with poisonous bristles that inflict damage to anyone whose bare skin comes into contact with them. The victim dies unless a neutralize poison or slow poison spell is administered. The mandibles of this worm are attractive and worth from 1,000 to 3,000 gold pieces per set.