[Monster] Durkon's Worst Nightmare

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Spirit of the Virgin Lands

Huge Outsider (extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 17d10+170 (263 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 50 ft.
Armor Class: 30 (-1 dex, +23 natural, -2 size), 20% mis-chance
Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+37
Attack: Bite +23 melee (2d8+8 )
Full attack: Bite +23 melee (2d8+8 ) and slam +18 melee (2d6+8 )
Space/Reach: 15 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Primeval reversion, ressurect plant, spell-like abilities, verdant storm
Special Qualities: Amphibious, damage Reduction 20/-, darkvision 60 ft., death resistant, fast healing 15, immunity to electricity and fire, low-light vision, plant traits, spell resistance 32, superior woodland stride
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +9, Will +19
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 9, Con 31, Int 12, Wis 29, Cha 15
Skills: Autohypnosis +29, Balance +19, Climb +36, Intimidate +22, Jump +28, Knowledge (geography) +21, Knowledge (nature) +35, Survival +29, Swim +28
Feats: Diehard, Great Fortitude, Improved Grapple, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Snatch
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 22
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: 18-29 HD (Huge), 30-42 HD (gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: --

Spirits of the Virgin Lands are unique in composition, being of a natural material called Grystaline which seems to have properties of both plant tissue and organic crystal. It is unearthly beautiful and appears vaguely like that of a massive caterpillar composed of irregular triangles that repeat themselves endlessly in fold after fold of fractal patterns that twist into themselves to form its somewhat tubular shape. These triangles are misty and semi-transparent, like fleshy glass, and are a swirl of all shades of greens and greys with areas of light turquoise. Through the skin can be seen more layers of crystal like windows opening into more windows into more windows to a seeming depth far beyond the actual size of this creature. Thousand of triangular legs support it, but as it walks they seem to be enveloped or passed on along the body and new legs regrow. In fact the creature is actually continually spiraling in a self-revolving walk. Its one end can only be considered its head for that end is quite complex with a matrix of combining crystals.

However, most of the above is rarely ever witnessed for a great roiling cloud of oily, green-tinged smoke continuously surrounds the creature, only showing an occassional glint of its actual structure. Many come upon this cloud thinking there a forest fire.

Spirits of the Virgin Lands are at the same time lovers and destroyers of life. They see all non-plant thinking creatures as potential rivals and seek out to destroy them and revert their societies into the original pristine wilderness. Even fey are destroyed without a moment's thought if encountered.

Spirits of the Virgin Lands are neither demonic or devilish and do not wage war as they do; destroying all life if they can. Spirits of the Virgin Lands instead attempt to remove all opposition and keep the lands intact. For to them the destruction of forests, grasslands, swamps, whatever it be, is an utter waste and akin to slaughter. When they and their kind finally rule they will have something worth having conquered, not the molten slag of poison and dust that the other evil outsiders will be left with if either side eventually prevales.

And unlike the demons and devils whom wage their loud wars and attract all manner of attention, Spirits of the Virgin Lands rarely, if ever, leave behind any whom can spread a tale. Nor is anything but the land primeval and untouched there to show their passage. In this way they plan on taking over the multiverse, plane by plane, land by land, and none shall stand in their way. All fauna will give way to the pureness of flora.

Some say the Spirits of the Virgin Lands are natives to the Plane of Wood, while others the realm of Positive Energy. In fact, both are correct, as they come from where the two elements border one another.

Spirits of the Virgin Lands are far heavier than even their appearance hints at, being incredibly dense, and are several hundred tons all told.
They speak their own language, which consists of the manipulation of life force of such subtely none others can comprehend it, even if they realized it was a language. They also speak fey, but only to other plant creatures. No Spirit will deign speak to a flesh and blood being, though they are known to communicate with elementals from time to time.


Combat:
Spirits of the Virgin Lands rarely revert to physical combat, their natural abilities and spells the match for all but the most powerful opponents. If neccessary however they will attempt to crush their foes beneath themselves or slice them in two with their sharp head parts.

Primeval Reversion (Su):
Once per week a Spirit of the Virgin Lands can erase all presence of civilization within a five mile radius by calling upon the primal memories of the life force of the land itself. Within the blink of an eye a village can disapear and all signs of its existence erased. A DC 27 will save must be made by every one within this radius or they disapear from history as well. The reverted area cannot be detected as any different from the surrounding lands by magic or any other means, even by Miracle or Wish, for what is left is wholey natural. The save DC is wisdom based.

Resistance to Death (Ex):
A Spirit of the Virgin Lands is so full of life force that they recieve a +10 bonus to their saving throws against death spells and affects. Even if their save is failed the Spirit only takes half damage. The Spirits also only take half damage from negative energy damage and ability drain, rounded down.

Ressurect Plant (Su):
Any dead plant or plant-based object comes to life within 60 feet of a Spirit of the Virgin Lands as if from a true ressurection spell. Anything with wooden components fall apart instantly and the wood portions sprout into a full grown tree, or combine into a full grown tree if close by. Thatch and like materials grows into thick, waving grass and any clothing woven from plant fibers fall off their wearer and grows into the original plant. This growth takes several minutes and does no harm to those nearby.

Spell-like Abilities:
At will/Commune With Nature, Entangle, Find the Path, Know Direction, Plant Growth, Purify Food and Drink, Speak With Plants;4/day: Liveoak, Wall of Thorns; 1/day Fly, Shambler, Transport Via Plant. Caster level 20th. Save DC's are Charisma based.

Superior Woodland Stride (Su):
A spirit of the virgin lands may move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at its normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. This includes areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion.

Verdant Storm (Su):
At all times a Spirit of the Virgin Lands is surrounded by a flickering greenish cloud that extends up to ten feet from the creature itself. All plant life this smoke touches goes into sudden powerful growth, becoming healthier, more vibrant and instantly bloom if applicable. Any plant creatures are instantly healed of all damage.
Beings whom breathe in this smokey cloud begin to be converted into plant material and their cells multiply with the fractal pattern of flora.
Non-sentient beings within must make a DC 20 fortitude save every round or convert into a chaotic mound of unmoving plant matter. Those whom make the save convert into a Woodling (see p. 197 of the Monster Manual III).
Sentient beings are unable to withstand this change and the same save must be made or they die within 1d6 rounds as their body destroys itself. Those who make the save are staggered for as long as they remains within the cloud.
Undead under 10 HD that come within range of the cloud immediately fall dead, while those over 10 HD can survive, but take 20d6 damage.

One's breath can be held while inside the cloud for up to six consecutive rounds, but after that the smoke is absorbed by the pores of the body and the victim is considered to have breathed in the smoke.

Because of this cloud the Spirit gains a 20% miss chance.

The save DC is charisma based.

Wooden Reverence (Ex):
All plants, whether intelligent or vegetable minded, can sense the approach of a Spirit of the Virgin Land, of which they hold in awe. No plant creature or Woodling will harm the Spirit, even if summoned and commanded by another. In fact, any plant creatures nearby will do the bidding of the Spirit as if under the effects of a Suggestion spell, unless the plant has been summoned by a non-Spirit.

Skills: Spirits of the Virgin Land have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They also gain a +12 insight bonus to Knowledge (nature checks).

[Hoseki]

Subtype?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Subtype?

My apologies, added the Extraplanar ;)

[beholder]

Dire Tree/Fiendish Treant
play with that

[The Glyphstone]

Verdant Storm: So, basically, you can't attack this in melee at all unless you're Large with a Reach weapon?

Also, on Resistance to Death: What exactly is half of "you die"?

[Wren]

Only slightly dead.

Less dead, you know.. kinda dead.

[Hoseki]

Undead?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Dire Tree/Fiendish Treant
play with that

Bor-ring!

Verdant Storm: So, basically, you can't attack this in melee at all unless you're Large with a Reach weapon?

Or have a good fortitude save, yup.

Also, on Resistance to Death: What exactly is half of "you die"?

Reread the ability. +10 bonus to save to resist death spells. It also only takes half damage against negative energy damage. Death is not damage unto itself. Inflict Critical Wounds for example deals negative energy damage. Also, certain death affects cause damage even if you make the save, so this creature only takes half
damage from that.

Nowhere does it say anything about taking half damage from death ::)

[Maryring]

So technically you have a creature that once each week permanently removes anything and everything with no way of bringing it back? Sorry, no can do. If that is true, then I do not like it.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

So technically you have a creature that once each week permanently removes anything and everything with no way of bringing it back? Sorry, no can do. If that is true, then I do not like it.

By 22nd level I'd think you could be able to ressurect half the town's inhabitants ;)

This IS an epic level creature here, one around which an entire adventure should be focused around.

Its up to the DM if the players find it within the first week of its use. That way it can't even use the ability and instead focuses on its other abilities.

[Maryring]

But when even Wish or Miracle doesn't work. What to do then?

[InaVegt]

But when even Wish or Miracle doesn't work. What to do then?

epic level spells perhaps?

[Orion-the-G]

reminds me of a 2nd edition adventure I saw in some forgotten realms book. PCs were required to deal with a zhentarim logging camp and one of the possible 'endings' was the PCs summoning a forest elemental of some sort, which had the ability to revert a huge swath of area to it's 'natural state'. Except it did it more physically--simply causing worked earth and stone to shatter and reform itself, grass to grow, and any buildings to be torn apart. People didn't fare too well either as I recall.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

But when even Wish or Miracle doesn't work. What to do then?

You need to reread it:
"The reverted area cannot be detected as any different from the surrounding lands by magic or any other means, even by Miracle or Wish, for what is left is wholey natural."

Its only saying that these high level spells cannot detect anything has happened, not that a spell can't redo the damage, or raise the bodies back.

[Phasm]

So, what if the party druid turned himself into a shambling mound? Would the Spirit detect him as animal or plant- and if animal, why? What about a geomancer with the Drift 2 traits of photosynthesis and blood as tree sap?

I want to see an epic-level druid/blighter up against this thing... ;D "AHAHAHAHA! Deforestation! *poof* Firrrrrre! *whoosh* Burn, baby, burn!"

[Jothki]

Would it be possible to blow away the Verdant Storm with a strong enough wind-based spell?

[Spuddly]

If a druid shifted into an elemental, would the Spirit know?

How do Spirits feel about pollinators and plants whose survival depends on vermin (practically anything that flowers, for instance)?

[Orion-the-G]

Clearly the spirit doesn't care becuase it destroyed it's entire botany class for being affronts to the natural order.

[Blue_C.]

They see all non-plant thinking creatures as potential rivals and seek out to destroy them and revert their societies into the original pristine wilderness.

So no worries about vermin then. They're in the clear, as they don't think (in the DnD sense of the word, anyways).

[Rei_Jin]

Resistance to Death (Ex):
A Spirit of the Virgin Lands is so full of life force that they recieve a +10 bonus to their saving throws against death spells and affects. Even if their fail is saved the Spirit only takes half damage. The Spirits also only take half damage from negative energy damage and ability drain, rounded down.

Hehe, fail their saved.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Would it be possible to blow away the Verdant Storm with a strong enough wind-based spell?

No, as its part of the Spirit. It may blow away bits of the smoke, but the Spirit is always producing it.

If a druid shifted into an elemental, would the Spirit know?

Doubtful as it doesn't have any actual abilities to sense this type of thing.

Hehe, fail their saved.

You've found my decret. I'm syslexic
:-/

[Seffbasilisk]

...how'd they get here? What happens two meet each other? Are they flammable?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

...how'd they get here? What happens two meet each?

C'mon now, this is DM territory here.

Are they flammable?

Note the immunities ::)


Or were your questions sarcastic? ;)

[Phasm]

Ooh! Ooh!

Sphere of Annihilation!! ;D

Or if that fails, just pound on it with Epic-level ranged spells and +3 holy icy burst seeking composite longbows. Remember, boys and girls, if it has hitpoints it can be killed!

[NEO|Phyte]

Ooh! Ooh!

Sphere of Annihilation!! ;D

Or if that fails, just pound on it with Epic-level ranged spells and +3 holy icy burst seeking composite longbows. Remember, boys and girls, if it has hitpoints it can be killed!*

* Unless its an Ikea Tarrasque (or similar creation)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Aye, its definetely killable, and except for its ability to wipe out a town once a week I find it to be much less deadly than the terrasqe thats two levels lower.

[The Glyphstone]

What if it fails its save against a death effect that's simply "Fort Negates", with no half-damage option? FOr example, Power Word Kill (though that's probably a bad example, since it has 263 HP to start out with) - what happens? That's a case of 1/2 you die :D. Or Wail of the Banshee? I know it has a +32 to Fort against those, but a lot of Epic casters could get a DC that high...and there's always natural 1's.

[Kresalak]

Are they flammable?

Law of nature: Everything is flammable. Even something immune to fire.

If it fails it's save against a Fort negates effect (PW:K has no save; it's auto death if 100 HP or less), it still dies. It just has a +10 bonus on saves vs. such things.

The whole "erase from existance" thing reminds me of Chainfire, by Terry Goodkind. You wouldn't actually know anyone was ever there, but you would probably find clues, places where there is something... missing.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

FOr example, Power Word Kill (though that's probably a bad example, since it has 263 HP to start out with) - what happens? That's a case of 1/2 you die

No its not, it a 'die or nothing happens to you' power. The Spirit gets a bonus to saves against death spells, but if it makes the save, there is no damage to half.

As I mentioned 'death' is not actually a form of damage.

So if it fails the save, it dies. Splat. If it makes the save, it goes on its merry way without even a rash.

[The Glyphstone]

Got it.

What about the (Extraplanar) subtype? That makes it vulnerable to spells like Banishment and Dismissal...where does it go if successfully Banished?