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| Bloodthorn | Twilight Bloom | Boring Grass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate/Terrain: | Temperate forest | Any temperate or swamp | Any temperate |
| Frequency: | Rare | Rare | Rare |
| Organization: | Solitary | Stand | Patch |
| Activity Cycle: | Day | Day | Any |
| Diet: | Carnivore | Carnivore | Carnivore |
| Intelligence: | Non- (0) | Non- (0) | Non- (0) |
| Treasure: | Incidental | Incidental | Incidental |
| Alignment: | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1 | 1-10 | 1 |
| Armor Class: | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| Movement: | � | 0 | 0 |
| Hit Dice: | 10 | 3 | 4 |
| THAC0: | 15 | 17 | 17 |
| No. of Attacks: | 1 | 1 | 1/creature in contact |
| Damage/Attack: | 25% of hp | Nil | 5d4 |
| Special Attacks: | Blood drain, system shock | Poison | Boring, poison |
| Special Defenses: | See below | Nil | Must be dug up or burned |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Size: | L (10’ long) | L (8-13’ tall) | L to H (6-10’ diameter) |
| Morale: | Fearless (19) | Fearless (20) | Fearless (20) |
| XP Value: | 5,000 | 175 | 2,000 |
Bloodthorn
The bloodthorn, or vampire thorn vine, resembles a normal patch of thorny vines. A healthy adult bloodthom has a 10-foot-long yellowish brown trunk from which four tendrils spring. Each light green tendril is about 7 feet long and bears numerous slender, hollow thorns about an inch in length.
When warm-blooded prey approaches, the bloodthorn’s tendrils lash out, making one attack as a 6 Hit Die monster. If successful, the barbed thorns attach to the victim and drain bodily fluids. The bloodthorn’s prey loses 25% of its maximum hit points each round, until the bloodthorn or its victim dies, or the victim breaks free. The draining process is very painful, and the victim must make a successful system shock roll each round or fall unconscious. The victim can pull free with a successful Strength check, though this causes an additional 1-2 points of damage. Each tendril requires 10 points of damage to sever: these points do not count towards the total from the central stalk’s Hit Dice.
Bloodthorns are capable of limited movement and will creep towards heat and light, though open flame will cause one to recoil. An electrical attack will cause a bloodthorn to grow by one Hit Die, but it still attacks as a 6 HD monster. Cold immobilizes the bloodthorn for 2-5 rounds.
The bloodthom reproduces by shooting seed thorns away from itself after a good feeding (three or more man-sized victims). The seed thorn fly 10 to 20 feet and cause no damage if they hit. Any seedling growing near an adult plant will be killed before it can grow and compete.
Wizards and alchemists can often find uses for this plant’s hollow thorns.
Twilight Bloom
This plant, also known as the purple blossom plant, is a tall, thick-stalked plant which strongly resembles a palm tree. It has a scaled, branchless brown trunk topped by drooping, fern-like green foliage. Scattered among the foliage are several cup-like purple flowers with silvery stamens. The flowers point towards the sun when it is out, and close up completely at night. Around the base of the plant are its roots, which resemble a fine, mossy mat.
The twilight bloom gives off a very pleasant scent. The vibrations of any creature passing beneath it causes the plant to droop one of its blossoms, dropping a small amount of syrupy poison from the flower. A successful attack roll indicates the poison has landed on the victim, who must make a successful saving throw vs. poison or die instantly. Decomposing prey feeds the twilight bloom’s root network.
The twilight bloom reproduces like other plants. Insects are immune to its poison, but are attracted by its scent. If the poison is harvested safely, it remains potent for a full day.
Boring Grass
This grass has corkscrew blades that aggressively dig into any material that comes into contact with it. Magical protections, leather soles, and thick cloth delay the grass’s attack for one round as the grass moves through the protection; however, the grass cannot bore through metal. Penetrated materials do not count as protection, so a human in leather armor would have an effective Armor Class of 10 the second round of contact. Once the grass hits exposed flesh it burrows in, inflicting 5d4 points of damage each round it remains in contact. Further, the creature must save vs. poison or be paralyzed by secretions from the grass. Those making a successful saving throw are slowed to half their normal movement rate; this effect lasts for ld4 days or until a neutralize poison spell is used to counter it. A victim can pull free of the grass with a successful Strength roll, but will take 2d4 points of damage.
Boring grass can be effectively damaged only by fire or by careful digging and removal from the soil.
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