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[DracoDei]

Ok, this went pretty quick and easy, so here you go.

Suggested Plot Hook: Either the couple inside were witnesses to a crime by the PCs and fled to this for protection, or the PCs are hired by someone to punish the couple for a Romeo and Juliet style forbidden love that they committed against their extended families (sounds like a Dwarf thing to do). In either case, the Rejuvenation ability can provide complications if the PCs don't figure it out (and maybe even if they do) with the witnesses returning to availability (once the new location is discovered by someone who can actually WALK), or the client demanding a refund (perhaps with a penalty amount) for a job left half-done. The only exception I can think of is if they are witnesses and the PCs feel they can intimidate them into silence easier than killing them.

TOTAL ENCOUNTER LEVEL 5

Spoiler

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A 4th level commoner would normal be a CR 2 by the book (Yeah, I know this is too high, but it doesn't make as much difference in this case) halving this we get a CR 1
2 CR 1's makes an EL 2 or 3... call it 3
The Devotion bower itself is CR 3 (2 base, +1 for 4 Extra Hit-Dice)
2 EL/CR 3's make an EL 5

Red-Blossomed Black-and-Lilac-Rose of Allurehn Queen of Eternal Romance (Yeah, I was drawing a blank so I decided to go a bit "Exalted" with the name)
Devotion Bower (Racial Hitdice only)
Medium Plant(+2 Medium Humanoids in pocket dimension)
Hit Dice 6d8+18(45 hp)
Initiative +2
Speed 0 ft
Armour Class 15 (-5 Immobility, +10 Natural), touch 5, flat-footed 15
Base Attack Bonus/Grapple +4/+7
Attack
Intrensic: Thorny slam +7 melee (1d6+3) OR Launch Major Thorn +5* Ranged (1d6+3* Range Increment 60 max range 600)
AND
Resident Reinforcement Husband:
Thorny slams +4 melee (1d6+3) OR Launch Major Thorn +2 Ranged (1d6+3 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
AND
Resident Reinforcement Wife:
Thorny slams +4 melee (1d6+3) OR Launch Major Thorn +2 Ranged (1d6+3 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
Full Attack
Intrensic: 2 Thorny slams +7 melee (1d6+3) OR Launch Major Thorn +5* Ranged (1d6+3* Range Increment 60 max range 600)
AND
Resident Reinforcement Husband:
2 Thorny slams +4 melee (1d6+3) OR 2 Launch Major Thorn +2 Ranged (1d6+3 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
AND
Resident Reinforcement Wife:
2 Thorny slams +4 melee (1d6+3) OR 2 Launch Major Thorn +2 Ranged (1d6+3 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
*To hit and damage both get a +1 bonus for attacks made by the Devotion Bower itself due to Point-Blank Shot.
Space/Reach 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks Resident Reinforcements
Special Qualities Bastion of Faithfulness*, Blossom in the Wasteland, Electricity Resistance 20, Fire Resistance 20, DR 5/Slashing, Immobility, Lovers' Rescue*, Lovers' Paradise*, Rejuvenation, Telepathy, Haven's Truth
*This ability is listed in the long version in the original entry for this, it will not be relevant to the initial encounter unless your campaign has a romantic sub-plot, and probably not even then.
Saves Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +11
Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills Diplomacy +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +9, Knowledge(Religion) +9, Listen +9, Survival +9
Feats Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot
Treasure 2 rings worth 10 GP each (wedding rings on buried corpses of couple who live inside).

Selected Stats for couple living inside (feel free to adjust):
Commoner 4
BAB +2
Saves +2*/+1*/+1
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Diplomacy +5
*I can't imagine how this would matter.

This looks like a normal tree for the area, except that the branches are now in motion, and you note thorns whose placement and size are inconstant with this type of tree.

Blossom in the Wasteland (Su): Even where sun and rain and good soil are not available a Devotion Bower will yet grow and if the need is great enough, can even thrive. A Devotion Bower can grow ANYWHERE. However in places that could not normally support it a Devotion Bower may never have more than a certain number of hit-dice. The base amount is 2, and is increased by 1 for each inhabitant of the extradimensional space of between 1 and 9 hit-dice (racial + class derived), 2 for each inhabitant of between 10 and 19 hit-dice, 3 for each of between 20 and 29 hit-dice, and so on. Growth to add hit-dice is at the same rate as a pine-tree. If inhabitants die or leave and the Devotion Bower has more hit-dice than it should be allowed to according to this calculation, then it loses 1 hit-die per week until it is once again within the limit.

Immobility(Ex): Because it is firmly rooted can't move its trunk or roots (other than by altering its shape and that requires days per inch moved), only its vines and branches it can not take movement based feats including but not limited to the following: Acrobatic, Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack. Devotion Bowers do not derive any benefit from class features, feats or spells that improve movement speed.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a Devotion Bower or Undying Devotion through simple combat: The "destroyed" tree and spirits within it will often restore themselves (as an Undying devotion) in 3d6 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A Devotion Bower (and the spirits within it) that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its either its old location or to a random location within 5 miles of its old location on a successful level check by the tree or any one of its inhabitants (roll a separate check for each) (1d20 + HD) against DC 18. Can be destroyed permanently(IE by-passing the checks) by a Succubus, Incubus, Erinyes or other such evil outsider with a similar sexual focus performing a ritual within 1 mile of the tree. This ritual requires 8 hour to complete and the tree must have been destroyed and not rejuvenated yet, 300 gp worth of materials, and involves the sadistic sexual murder of at least 3 sentient creatures. The target must be uniquely specified but neither line of sight or line of effect are required. If the Lover's Rescue ability is negated by the Devotion bower becoming an Undying Devotion then any Love Buds are immediately separated and may die and all inhabitants become infertile.

Resident Reinforcements (Su): Inhabitants of a Devotion Bower's extra-dimensional space may each take control of a number of limbs (vines or branches) equal to the number of manipulative appendages they have or the number of natural weapons they have, whichever is greater. They may attack (thorny slams with branches or grappling with all the vines they control, or trips or disarms with either) with these limbs, using the tree's strength score and damage die, but their own base attack bonus and dexterity. Each controlling intelligence is entitled to a separate attack of opportunity each round (or more than one in the case of Combat Reflexes or similar ability) provided it is not performing a maneuver with those limbs that would normally disallow such (such as grappling). A controlling intelligence may also forgo the normal attacks (but not attacks of opportunity) to use the limbs to cast spells. Note that if there is more than one spellcaster within, the tree may appear to have the Quicken Spell feat, or an Epic version there-of, even if this is not the case. Because the tree and/or other inhabitants can cover for the casting limbs such spellcasting never provokes attacks of opportunity or requires a concentration check to cast on the defensive.

Telepathy (Su): A devotion bower can communicate telepathically with any creature within 500 feet that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the devotion bower if it wishes—no common language is needed.





I can provide the resulting Undying Devotion for a follow-up encounter if you use this (or maybe even if you just tell me you will BE using it).