The Biting Ant is a tribe of Batiri goblins who inhabit the village of Yellyark in Chult. They take their name from their distinctive stylized wooden ant masks and mark their territorial boundaries with the heads and skulls of enemies—both humanoids and beasts.
Defense and Survival
The tribe has developed an ingenious defense mechanism against giant carnivores. They built their village atop a “net” of strong, supple tree branches bound with vines, which is rigged to a heavy tree bent down like a giant spring. When a predator threatens to overrun the village, goblins can cut a vine to trigger the mechanism, launching the entire village a thousand yards through the jungle in a protective ball. The huts inside are cushioned by layers of leaves and moss, allowing the tribe to preserve their structures, totems, food, basketwork, and weapons with minimal damage that can be repaired afterward.
Population and Leadership
The tribe consists of forty goblins total:
- Queen Grabstab (goblin boss) - tribal leader
- 24 adult goblins
- 15 noncombatant children
Tactics
The tribe relies heavily on early warning systems for survival. Sentries are always posted around the village wearing ponchos made of vines and leaves, granting them advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while remaining still, but disadvantage when moving. They also surround the village with tripwires attached to shells and skulls filled with pebbles. These tripwires can be noticed with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check, or by anyone with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher. If sentries spot approaching enemies or if tripwires are triggered, the entire village goes on alert, making stealth approaches impossible.