[Creature] Comforting the cold with blessed boughs

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Arcadian Holly



Huge Plant (good, extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d8+54 (94 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (+14 natural, -2 size) , touch 8, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+24
Attack: Thorny Bough +14 melee (2d6+10 plus touch of golden ice)
Full attack: 4 thorny boughs +14 melee (2d6+10 plus touch of golden ice)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Reprimand the wild, spell-like abilities, touch of golden ice
Special Qualities: All-around vision, damage reduction 10/evil and slashing, hallowed haven, immunity to electricity, low-light vision, plant traits, resistance to cold 10, spell resistance 24
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +7
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 11, Con 23, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 9
Skills: Disguise +19, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Great Fortitude, Snatch, Subduing Strike, Track
Environment: Any cold land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 10-18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: --

Arcadian holly appears as a very large, exceedingly beautiful holly tree with smooth bark, and green branches. These branches are always covered in clusters of tiny white flowers amidst waxy leaves with sharp points. The trunk splits off into half a dozen large root clusters which normally is buried within the ground or snow, but when it wishes the holly can stand upon them and move at a very respectable pace. Four of the thicker branches in equal spaces around its trunk are incredibly flexible and end in many supple branches that it may use as hands, though all its branches are capable of at least partial movement. Few would notice but here and there single berries grow at the end of these branches, which possess tiny pupils through which the holly sees the world.

Arcadian holly, as their name suggests, hail from the garden-like paradise of Arcadia. From its colder regions hollies of awing size and beauty grow, their leaves gathered as charms and their berries for medicines. The first arcadian hollies came to the material realm in the form as a gift of blessed berries. They were given to a nature-loving traveler to the plane. He planted the berries upon his return home and found to his astonishment that upon reaching the size of saplings they brought out their roots from the ground and began to walk about. They aided him and others with their gardens and farms until they reached their full growth. They then parted ways and went into the wilds, aiding those they ran across and many taking to guarding special untamed areas.

To help the hungry or injured an arcadian holly allows a cluster of blooms to come to fruition, which have the properties of goodberries. Out of each cluster the holly produces is one berry that is tough and unchewable. If planted or even tossed to the ground it will soon take root and eventually another arcadian holly will grow with the instinctual wisdom and knowledge of their parent.

Arcadian holly stand about 35 feet tall, with a 'trunk' about 4 feet in diameter. They can understand celestial, common and sylvan but are unable to speak any language but crude signing that others of their kind comprehend.

Combat
Arcadian holly rarely attacks, instead attempting to remain as still and silent as possible. If forced to fight it will try to do as little damage as possible, snatching up its opponent and flinging him away. If genuinely fighting for its life or the life of another however it will wade in, pummeling with its strong branches.

An arcadian holly's thorny bough attacks deal bludgeoning and slashing damage and are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Hallowed Haven (Sp):
All ground within a 10 foot radius of an arcadian holly is considered hallowed as the spell with a permanent magic circle against evil affect. As well, any creature within this radius cannot be struck by lightning or any electricity-based spells or powers, and is considered under the affects of a delay poison spell.

Reprimand the Wild (Su):
An arcadian holly can make a touch attack against any animal. If successful the beast is affected as if from the Calm Animals spell. Animal companions and familiars are also affected, though can make a DC 18 will save to resist this affect. The save DC is Wisdom-based.

Spell-like abilities: Caster level 12th. Save DC's are Charisma-based.
At will - Bless, Detect Evil, Remove Curse
3/day - Goodberry
1/day Find the Path, Overgrowth (enrichment only), Hallow.

Touch of Golden Ice (Su):
Evil creatures subjected to an Arcadian Holly's touch feel cold spread throughout their bodies. This results in the ravaged creature taking an initial 1d6 dexterity damage, and 2d6 secondary dexterity damage unless they succeed on a DC 18 fortitude save. An evil elemental or evil undead takes an extra point of damage, and an evil outsider or an evil cleric of an evil deity takes an extra 2 points of damage. The save DC is Wisdom-based.

Skills:
An arcadian holly gains a +20 bonus on disguise checks to appear as a normal holly which is opposed by a Survival or Knowledge (Nature) check instead of Spot.

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ARCADIAN HOLLY LORE
Characters with knowledge (nature) or (the planes) can learn more about an arcadian holly. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following information is revealed, including information from lower DC’s.

DC/RESULT

9 This beautiful, frost-coated tree is obviously an unusual type of holly. (This result reveals all plant traits)

14 This creature is an Arcadian Holly, a blessed and intelligent plant creature originally hailing from the peaceable kingdoms of Arcadia, that has the gift of mobility. This reveals it to have the good and extraplanar subtypes.

19 Wherever the arcadian holly stands is hallowed ground which will suffer no evil. As well, those within fear neither poison in their veins nor the thundering sky. This result reveals all the affects of its Hallowed Haven ability.

24 It is said that the leaves brings with them the piercing purity of the Arcadian frosts. Evil beings who are touched feel their very souls chilled and dumb beasts are chastened. This result reveals its touch of Golden Ice ability.

29 The frigid wood of the Arcadian holly repels much damage. Only the cutting edge of an axe filled with hot hatred of evil does it feel fully. This reveals its damage reduction.

34 Arcadian hollies have the innate ability to lift curses, find their way through the wildest blizzards or winding fjords, and give powerful blessings to those who deserve it. This reveals its spell-like abilities.

[F.H. Zebedee]

Impressive! I think I saw this one of yours before, and it was just as awesome then. Really, any game that uses your monsters picks up this incredibly gorgeous mystique of nature and the unknown. The 40 ft. speed seems a bit odd, but who am I to say.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Impressive! I think I saw this one of yours before, and it was just as awesome then.

Yeah, think I posted it a couple years back, but I've since fixed it up a bit.

The 40 ft. speed seems a bit odd, but who am I to say.

Well, it's pretty big, so my thoughts were it'd likely move a little faster than your average human.