Matthew Martin, accessed at his deviantArt page here
[Pity the poor advespa. Created for the 3.0 Monster Manual II, it seems to have appeared in exactly one other product–a Forgotten Realms novel–and then sunken into complete obscurity. Well, not complete obscurity. A quick Google search will turn up a few illustrations like the one above, because there’s always a market for bug furries.]
Devil, Advespa A wasp the size of a horse
appears, save she has the face of a beautiful woman. Her forelegs end in nimble
clawed hands.
Advespas
are devils who serve as spies and reconnaissance for infernal
forces. Their speed, aerial agility and shape-changing ability offer them
unparalleled access to scouting and espionage. They are seen as frivolous and
flighty by many other devils, but their skills are always appreciated. Wasp
devils are prideful creatures—the ability to assume mortal form is rare among
devils, and advespas see it as an honor that they can walk undetected in
societies other devils would be considered a menace. Those who let this get too
far to their heads may end up serving as steeds to higher ranking devils and
find themselves on the front lines.
Most
advespas spend their days in Dis, the Iron City,
where they act as courtiers in hellish society and plot and scheme
amongst themselves. Advespas are fiercely loyal to members of their own swarm. This loyalty does not extend to other
swarms—advespa swarms are especially petty and backbiting with respect to rival
advespas.
Most
advespas have a female face, although male and androgynous advespas are not
unknown. This face is in fact composed of a series of chitinous plates, like a
mask. Advespas can grow new faces and try out appearances as they see fit—a
fact which appeals even more to their vanity. An advespa stands six feet high
at the shoulder, grows to nine feet long and weighs about 300 pounds.
Shores of Swords 