[Creature] Taste of the fruit, my pretty...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Carnage Apple

Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 11d8+44 (93 hp)
Initiative: -5
Speed: 0 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (-5 dex, +15 natural, -2 size), touch 3, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+11
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Of one flesh
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, resistance to cold 15, taste of death, tombwood
Saves: Fort +11, Ref -, Will +7
Abilities: Str -, Dex -, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills: Listen +9, Spot +9
Feats: Corpsecrafter, Hardened Flesh, Iron Will, Necromantic Presence
Environment: Any temperate
Organization: Solitary or Plot (3-26 zombies)
Challenge Rating: 2 + CR of collective zombies
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 12-28 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

A carnage apple tree appears as a normal apple tree, though one of great age, being extremely large and gnarled. All its leaves have fallen, though mistletoe speckles it so thickly from a distance it appears healthily green. Its roots snake out across the ground and snapped off short by the rot and wood fungus that speckles it. Despite its decrepit appearance a small number of delicious looking apples hangs from its branches.

The first carnage apple is of unknown origin, many saying it came from the lower planes, others spread rumors of the first tree being the phylactery of a lich that regrew within the tree itself.

It is normally find nearby graveyards or crypts, tempting passerby with what appears as its last few fruits. Those that eat and subsequently choke on its seed are often buried, thought dead. Previous victims then come in the dark of night to dig up the entranced being. The tree drains their blood and life energy until they are dead. The bodies are covered over with a layer of bark and their drained muscles replaced with a woody strength fueled by negative energy. The tree uses these zombies as guardians, as well as transport to travel whenever the pickings in a location becomes scarce or hazardous. Together they uproot the tree and run off with their burden. Soon the seeds still lodged within the zombies sprout and begin to feed on the rotten flesh of its host. Eventually the zombie can no longer function and topples over. Over a lengthy period another carnage apple grows.

Carnage apples are capable of no speech, though they understand common or whatever their main prey speaks. They grow around 20 feet high with a trunk about 2 feet in diameter. It weighs surprisingly little, perhaps 3,000 lbs. at most.

Combat
A carnage apple is incapable of attacking, instead creating delicious looking fruits to entice the nearby hungered. Those that eat are often doomed to die and be brought into the embrace of the tree to serve it for a time before becoming the food for its seeds.

Of One Flesh (Su): Any creature that comes in contact with the tree must succeed on a DC 19 reflex save or become stuck fast as their very flesh melds with the bark's substance. Each round the victim must succeed on an opposed strength check or remain stuck, taking 1 point of Constitution drain from bloodloss. If this results in death, the body rises up as a zombie under command of the tree. A new bud quickly grows and by the end of the day a new fruit has formed. The save DC is Constitution-based.

The zombie of a carnage apple seems to be vaguely tree-like, with a thin layer of bark covering over them. As well, their fingers and toes lengthen with a distinctly root-like appearance. If within ten feet of the tree these zombies gain a +10 bonus to their strength. If the combined strength of the available zombies to lift an object above their heads meets or exceeds the carnage apple's weight, the zombies are capable of moving it at their base speed.

Taste of Death (Ex): The fruit of the carnage apple is affected by a spell alike to prestidigitation to make their appearance more attractive. If True Seeing or similar spells are used, the apples appear as lumpy, wrinkled flesh that is warm to the touch, complete with pulsing veins. Creatures that eat of a carnage apple find a seed lodging deep in their throat. They must make a DC 19 reflex save to cough out the seed or begin to suffocate.

Those that would normally die instead go into a deep trance that perfectly mimics death so that each day equals only a minute to the victim for purposes of breathing. This fools even Deathwatch and similar spells, though the victim still lives. A remove curse spell automatically ends this trance.

The tree may sense whatever its entranced victim senses and has full control over the body's movements. The save DC is Constitution based.

Tombwood (Ex): A carnage apple is healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as if it were an undead creature. This gives no other penalties or benefits of the undead type.

[ExHunterEmerald]

Oh wow.
I wanna see a wondrous item made of its wood...coffin, anyone?
I like it.
Oh, and VT, whatever happened to the Fell Beast contest? Is that gonna go anywhere?

[Eighth_Seraph]

This would be a good start, I think. The one thing that I want to see is what kind of zombie thing makes; unless it's the standard kind. Great stuff here, VT, though the tree seems pretty thin; only two feet in diameter? Did you mean radius?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Oh, and VT, whatever happened to the Fell Beast contest? Is that gonna go anywhere?

Sure is, but as I posted on the thread, it won't begin till the 1st.

The one thing that I want to see is what kind of zombie thing makes; unless it's the standard kind.

Basically the standard kind, except for the adjustments that the feats allow and the bit about when they are near the tree.

though the tree seems pretty thin; only two feet in diameter? Did you mean radius?

Thats basically the same as a treant. Apple trees don't get very thick.

[Evil_Pacifist]

You, sir, are strange.

[ExHunterEmerald]

Eeexcellent.
I thought so, but I hadn't heard a peep since, so I wasn't sure.
I know what I wanna do, it's just gonna be hard. Hmm...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

You, sir, are strange.

*glances at your avatar and remains a tactful silence*

I know what I wanna do, it's just gonna be hard. Hmm...

Well, I'm cutting it into two bits. It'll start on the 1st and go to the 15th, and then a second one will begin and end on the 31st.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Another one with the brain-zappy ray? Is that how you and D1 get all these ideas? Because my reaction to Sir Pacifist's remark was exactly that.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Another one with the brain-zappy ray? Is that how you and D1 get all these ideas? Because my reaction to Sir Pacifist's remark was exactly that.

Gonna have to translate that for me ;)