b'Rust Monster \n'b'  Medium   beast ,  unaligned  \n'b'  Armor Class  14 (natural armor)  Hit Points  27 (5d8 + 5);  Wound Threshold  7  Speed  40 ft.\n'b' STATS STR: 13 (+1) DEX:  12 (+1)  CON:  12 (+1)  INT:  2 (-4)  WIS:  13 (+1)  CHA:  6 (-2)  \n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'  Senses   darkvision  60 ft., passive  Perception  11  Languages  \xe2\x80\x94  Challenge  1/2 (100 XP) \n'b' SPECIAL TRAITS \n'b'\n'b'  Iron Scent . The rust monster can pinpoint, by scent, the location of ferrous metal within 30 feet of it. \n'b'  Rust Metal . Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that hits the rust monster corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to  damage rolls . If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that hits the rust monster is destroyed after dealing damage. \n'b'\n'b' ABOUT \n'b' Rust monsters don\xe2\x80\x99t form colonies, but particularly large and ferocious specimens, with a faster rate of egg-laying, are still referred to as matriarchs. Aggressive and clever, a matriarch can represent a significant threat on her own if she has the chance to build a nest in an area rich in oxidable minerals. \n'b' The rust monster is an extraordinary arthropod of significant  size  at maturity, known for its appetite for metal and other minerals that it consumes oxidized, if not completely rusted. Since their food is primarily found in cities and mines, the creatures like to roam around these areas, causing a lot of damage. Others wander through the caverns of the Netherworld, searching for their next morsel, whether alone or in a group. \n'b' Rust Monster Nests \n'b' A female rust monster will bring back as much metal as possible to her nest, where she\xe2\x80\x99ll lay about twenty eggs. Her larvae will grow while gorging themselves on rusted metal, before taking their first molt, after which they\xe2\x80\x99ll be left to their own devices. They\xe2\x80\x99ll reach adult  size  after a few years. \n'b' Miners and mine owners are well aware of the scourge a growing population of rust monsters represents, so they\xe2\x80\x99re quick to employ adventurers at the first sign of these creatures, to find their nest and exterminate them. This attitude of trying to annihilate a species is a problem in the eyes of those who are close to druidic traditions. \n'b' In their opinion, rust monsters have a role to play and a balance must be found. \n'b' SPECIAL OPTION \n'b' When using this option, oxidation is not an absolute and limitless phenomenon. It\xe2\x80\x99s a chemical process that can transform certain metals and stones, but not all. For example, gold and mithral don\xe2\x80\x99t oxidize. On the other hand, iron, silver, copper, and bronze are very vulnerable to oxidation and, therefore, appetizing to rust monsters. Bauxite\xe2\x80\x94a red soil that is plentiful in some desert lands\xe2\x80\x94is an example of a type of naturally oxidized dirt, making it an ideal terrain for a population of rust monsters.'