GreatWyrmGold
2010-10-21, 06:44 PM
Just in case I can't edit my original entry in the current monster competition, I'll post a new version, edits and all, here.
Deathrose
"No, I'm serious. First, Vadania wandered over; she keeled over. Thamior dragged Vadania over and said that she was dead before collapsing. Suddenly the ground rose up; Kenthokk, in a rare moment of inteligence, yelled to run before the thing, made of roses and dirt, mauled him. They were terrifying, like Death's roses would be if he was a gardener. I know it sound crazy, but think: If I'd killed them like you claim, I'd have taken their gear and never shown my face around here again, wouldn't I have?"
-Amaryllis Leagallow, Halfling Rouge
Large Plant
Hit Dice: 6d8+36 (62 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+15
Attack: Slam +11 (1d8+7)
Full Attack: 2 slams +11 (1d8+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Poisonous Scent, Rend 2d4+10
Special Qualities: Blindsight 50 ft, Flower Bed Disguise, Intoxicating Scent
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +1
Abilities Str 25, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +9*
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Solitary or field (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 6?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
You see a field of lovely flowers, and feel a desire to stop and smell the roses.
Suddenly, the rose patch rises. It looks like a stooped-over humanoid form with no head, made of dirt and thorny vines, with the roses growing out of its back. Its arms are covered in barbed vines.
Deathroses are deadly but beautiful. They look like average, harmless roses until approached; those nearby feel drawn towards the beautiful flowers and their intoxicating scent. This scent is poisonous, capable of killing in less than a minute. If noticed or passed, a bed of deathroses will rise up and flay its prey to death.
Those scholars who believe in deathroses argue over it. Some insist that it is one of many plants who gather fertilizer in the form of bodies; others insist that they act far more cruelly than that suggests. They also wonder who, if anyone, created them. In general, though, it is agreed not to smell the roses.
Combat
Deathroses generally prefer to let their prey die from scent, not from mauling, but if they believe their prey is getting away, then they will rise. When they do so, they attempt to kill and/or maim as many creatures as possible.
A Deathrose's slam attacks deal bludgeoning and slashing damage.
Flower Bed Disguise (Ex): Deathroses at rest look like ordinary rose beds, perhaps with a few bones nearby. It takes a DC 30 Spot check to recognise a deathrose bed for what it is. Those who realise that the roses are not normal recieve a +5 bonus on saving throws against its intoxicating scent; those who are warned about it by an ally only get a +2 bonus.
Intoxicating Scent (Su): Whenever a creature with an Intelligence score comes within 60 feet of a deathrose bed, it must make a DC 20 Will save or be compelled to walk towards the deathrose bed and sit in it. Naturally, this puts it in range of its poisonous scent (see below). Any creature so compelled has -2 Dexterity and Wisdom as long as it remains within 60 ft of the deathrose bed and for 1d6 minutes thereafter, or until it is attacked or otherwise forced into a stressful situation. If the deathrose bed stands up and attacks, anyone under compulsion gets another saving throw with a +5 bonus. A successful saving throw allows the target to ignore the effects of that particular deathrose bed's intoxicating scent for 1d6 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +3 racial bonus.
Poisonous Scent (Ex): Any creature within 10 feet of a deathrose bed is exposed to a poisonous scent. The poison has a Fortitude saving throw DC of 17 and an initial and secondary damage of: 3d6 Constitution damage, 1d10 Strength damage, and 1d4 damage to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. (The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.) This scent remains for 1d4 minutes per hit die of the deathrose bed upon its passing or death.
Rend (Ex): If a deathrose bed hits the same target with both slam attacks, it deals an additional 2d4+10 points of damage.
Skills: A bed of deathroses has a +10 bonus on Hide checks in fields or other areas with wildflowers, as long as it is disguising itself as a flowerbed.
NOTE: The terms "bed of deathroses" and "deathrose" are used interchangably. They mean the same thing.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Lore
Little is known of deathroses, but Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (local) checks can reveal the following information:
Knowledge (nature):
{table]DC|Knowledge
7-|Whatever these are, you know that you should avoid them, seeing as they just mauled you.
8|This is clearly some kind of magical plant, with a magical scent.
18|These sound like a kind of plant you've heard of-deathblossoms or something like that. They have a deadly scent.
28|These are deathroses, which are apparently normal roses that extrude a scent that compels the smellers to approach-where they are killed by the smell or else by the thorns of the beast,[/table]
Knowledge (local):
{table]DC|Knowledge
12-|You've never heard of deadly flowers like these.
13|You've heard of flowers like these. Rumors say almost no one survives an encounter with them.
18|You've heard rumors of deathroses like these. They tend to not leave more than one or two survivors. Their scent is supposedly dangerous.
23|You've heard of flowers like these-deathroses. Supposedly, to smell them is death.
28|(continued) Worse, that same smell lures people to their doom!
33|(continued) And it's not just their scent that's deadly-they can rise out of the ground to maul people. You've heard of some halfing, Amarilis or something like that, who claimed it killed the entire rest of her adventuring party on some road that's not traveled much.[/table]
(DCs increase by 5 unless the deathroses are recognized as not normal roses.)
Note: I am aware that the Lore DCs are not entirely "normal." The (local) ones are harder than normal, because you only know rumors. The DC to determine that it's probably magical is low, because it's quite obvious that it's not exactly normal. And finally, since they are supposed to be rare, and only a few victims survive, I have increased most DCs by 5. (The "mauled" and "bad news" comments are not serious.)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Thank goodness. I was afraid I'd never find anyone." Amaryllis sighed. The wizard was always hardest to replace.
I'll prove it, thought Amaryllis. I'll prove my innocence, and get a new group of allies, and even replace my gear! Amaryllis always tries to look on the bright side, even when there is none. Such are halflings...prefered victims of deathroses.
History
Once, there was a derro druid. He was the victim of one gnome prank too many, and set out to create a type of flower as revenge. He worked so angrily and madly that he failed to notice that the "gnome" hair he obtained was actually that of a halfling, or that some of his own hair was falling into the mixture...
He was swiftly slain by the scent and thorns of his creation, and the first deathrose bed went to the sunlight.
Deathroses were made, by their nature, evil and preferring the "flavor" of halfling and derro corpses as fertilizer. Derro are rare, but halflings are both common and likely to stumble across the beds.
Deathroses, although originating about a half-century ago, have not been noticed until a few decades ago (due to how many people encountering them die) and have not been treated seriously until recently. A few months ago, Amaryllis Leagallow reported a case that finally got the magical community at large to believe the reports...especially when reports from a nearby town stopped coming.
Deathrose
"No, I'm serious. First, Vadania wandered over; she keeled over. Thamior dragged Vadania over and said that she was dead before collapsing. Suddenly the ground rose up; Kenthokk, in a rare moment of inteligence, yelled to run before the thing, made of roses and dirt, mauled him. They were terrifying, like Death's roses would be if he was a gardener. I know it sound crazy, but think: If I'd killed them like you claim, I'd have taken their gear and never shown my face around here again, wouldn't I have?"
-Amaryllis Leagallow, Halfling Rouge
Large Plant
Hit Dice: 6d8+36 (62 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+15
Attack: Slam +11 (1d8+7)
Full Attack: 2 slams +11 (1d8+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Poisonous Scent, Rend 2d4+10
Special Qualities: Blindsight 50 ft, Flower Bed Disguise, Intoxicating Scent
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +1
Abilities Str 25, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +9*
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Solitary or field (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 6?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
You see a field of lovely flowers, and feel a desire to stop and smell the roses.
Suddenly, the rose patch rises. It looks like a stooped-over humanoid form with no head, made of dirt and thorny vines, with the roses growing out of its back. Its arms are covered in barbed vines.
Deathroses are deadly but beautiful. They look like average, harmless roses until approached; those nearby feel drawn towards the beautiful flowers and their intoxicating scent. This scent is poisonous, capable of killing in less than a minute. If noticed or passed, a bed of deathroses will rise up and flay its prey to death.
Those scholars who believe in deathroses argue over it. Some insist that it is one of many plants who gather fertilizer in the form of bodies; others insist that they act far more cruelly than that suggests. They also wonder who, if anyone, created them. In general, though, it is agreed not to smell the roses.
Combat
Deathroses generally prefer to let their prey die from scent, not from mauling, but if they believe their prey is getting away, then they will rise. When they do so, they attempt to kill and/or maim as many creatures as possible.
A Deathrose's slam attacks deal bludgeoning and slashing damage.
Flower Bed Disguise (Ex): Deathroses at rest look like ordinary rose beds, perhaps with a few bones nearby. It takes a DC 30 Spot check to recognise a deathrose bed for what it is. Those who realise that the roses are not normal recieve a +5 bonus on saving throws against its intoxicating scent; those who are warned about it by an ally only get a +2 bonus.
Intoxicating Scent (Su): Whenever a creature with an Intelligence score comes within 60 feet of a deathrose bed, it must make a DC 20 Will save or be compelled to walk towards the deathrose bed and sit in it. Naturally, this puts it in range of its poisonous scent (see below). Any creature so compelled has -2 Dexterity and Wisdom as long as it remains within 60 ft of the deathrose bed and for 1d6 minutes thereafter, or until it is attacked or otherwise forced into a stressful situation. If the deathrose bed stands up and attacks, anyone under compulsion gets another saving throw with a +5 bonus. A successful saving throw allows the target to ignore the effects of that particular deathrose bed's intoxicating scent for 1d6 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +3 racial bonus.
Poisonous Scent (Ex): Any creature within 10 feet of a deathrose bed is exposed to a poisonous scent. The poison has a Fortitude saving throw DC of 17 and an initial and secondary damage of: 3d6 Constitution damage, 1d10 Strength damage, and 1d4 damage to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. (The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.) This scent remains for 1d4 minutes per hit die of the deathrose bed upon its passing or death.
Rend (Ex): If a deathrose bed hits the same target with both slam attacks, it deals an additional 2d4+10 points of damage.
Skills: A bed of deathroses has a +10 bonus on Hide checks in fields or other areas with wildflowers, as long as it is disguising itself as a flowerbed.
NOTE: The terms "bed of deathroses" and "deathrose" are used interchangably. They mean the same thing.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Lore
Little is known of deathroses, but Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (local) checks can reveal the following information:
Knowledge (nature):
{table]DC|Knowledge
7-|Whatever these are, you know that you should avoid them, seeing as they just mauled you.
8|This is clearly some kind of magical plant, with a magical scent.
18|These sound like a kind of plant you've heard of-deathblossoms or something like that. They have a deadly scent.
28|These are deathroses, which are apparently normal roses that extrude a scent that compels the smellers to approach-where they are killed by the smell or else by the thorns of the beast,[/table]
Knowledge (local):
{table]DC|Knowledge
12-|You've never heard of deadly flowers like these.
13|You've heard of flowers like these. Rumors say almost no one survives an encounter with them.
18|You've heard rumors of deathroses like these. They tend to not leave more than one or two survivors. Their scent is supposedly dangerous.
23|You've heard of flowers like these-deathroses. Supposedly, to smell them is death.
28|(continued) Worse, that same smell lures people to their doom!
33|(continued) And it's not just their scent that's deadly-they can rise out of the ground to maul people. You've heard of some halfing, Amarilis or something like that, who claimed it killed the entire rest of her adventuring party on some road that's not traveled much.[/table]
(DCs increase by 5 unless the deathroses are recognized as not normal roses.)
Note: I am aware that the Lore DCs are not entirely "normal." The (local) ones are harder than normal, because you only know rumors. The DC to determine that it's probably magical is low, because it's quite obvious that it's not exactly normal. And finally, since they are supposed to be rare, and only a few victims survive, I have increased most DCs by 5. (The "mauled" and "bad news" comments are not serious.)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Thank goodness. I was afraid I'd never find anyone." Amaryllis sighed. The wizard was always hardest to replace.
I'll prove it, thought Amaryllis. I'll prove my innocence, and get a new group of allies, and even replace my gear! Amaryllis always tries to look on the bright side, even when there is none. Such are halflings...prefered victims of deathroses.
History
Once, there was a derro druid. He was the victim of one gnome prank too many, and set out to create a type of flower as revenge. He worked so angrily and madly that he failed to notice that the "gnome" hair he obtained was actually that of a halfling, or that some of his own hair was falling into the mixture...
He was swiftly slain by the scent and thorns of his creation, and the first deathrose bed went to the sunlight.
Deathroses were made, by their nature, evil and preferring the "flavor" of halfling and derro corpses as fertilizer. Derro are rare, but halflings are both common and likely to stumble across the beds.
Deathroses, although originating about a half-century ago, have not been noticed until a few decades ago (due to how many people encountering them die) and have not been treated seriously until recently. A few months ago, Amaryllis Leagallow reported a case that finally got the magical community at large to believe the reports...especially when reports from a nearby town stopped coming.