Vote Up A Villain! [Villain Complete!] (3.5)

[DracoDei]

Punch-Clock Villainy seems the most amusing motivation for a plant.

[aaron_the_cow]

LOVE
FTW

[LucyHarris]

I'll go and be original and say Rage. It's utterly and irrationally angry and ready to take it out on anybody that has the misfortune to stumble across it.

[Vadin]

Punch-clock Villainy is just so great.

"No, honey, I've got work tomorrow, remember? I'll be busy destroying the world all day. We'll have to push the barbecue to next weekend."

[Owrtho]

Well, it does seem ammusing, so I'll change my vote from apathetic malice to pcv

Owrtho

[afroakuma]

Maybe not a barbecue - I assume most plant villains are herbivores, or at least raw foodies - but probably a picnic or two.

[Vadin]

Maybe not a barbecue - I assume most plant villains are herbivores, or at least raw foodies - but probably a picnic or two.

"Ah, darn, suns up. Looks like I better go slay the living..."

"Whew! Finally nighttime. Oh, look! Adventurers! Hey, guys! Who wants a cold one?"

[Reverent-One]

Switching my vote from Apathetic malice to Punch clock villiany

[afroakuma]

Vote changes acknowledged.

[streakster]

Changing my vote from Love to Punch-Clock Villainy. Because that line was awesome.

[Thane of Fife]

I like the idea of Love.

[Zeta Kai]

Alright, rather than waste my vote, I'll root for something that has a chance of winning. I hereby change my vote from Hunger to Love.

I just think that Love has more potential for a good story than PCV. I'd like to see Afro's mad fluff-writing skills.

[afroakuma]

Thank you, Zeta. They will be mad indeed.

[obvious pun]

Punch Clock Villainy

[Fako]

I want to change my vote to Punch Clock Villainy... that line is just too funny to resist!!!

[Zeta Kai]

Great, one guy's zinger has threatened to rob us of Afro's mad fluff-writing skills.

[afroakuma]

Monster's already in the cookpot, Zeta. I have every confidence that good things will happen.

[Juhn]

Punch-clock villainy is generally reserved for mercenaries and faceless mooks. This does not a good villain make, from what I can see.

[TheCheshireHat]

I vote Love. It usually makes for interesting villains

[afroakuma]

Alright, Love took this round! The published villain, the Maiden's Weeping, will be posted shortly.

Thank you to all who voted!

[afroakuma]

Maiden's Weeping
Diminutive Plant
HD 8d8+18 (54 hp)
Speed Fly 5 ft. (perfect)
Init: +12
AC 26; touch 26; flat-footed 18 (+8 Dex, +4 deflection, +4 size)
BAB +6; Grp -4
Attack Vine slash +19 melee (1d8+2, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack 4 vine slashes +19 melee (1d8+2, 19-20/x2)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Vines, thorn shred, infest, pollen, taproot
Special Qualities Fire vulnerability, levitation, telepathy 200 ft., fast healing 10, plant traits
Saves Fort +6 Ref +10 Will +6
Abilities Str 15, Dex 27, Con 15, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 24
Skills Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +18, Hide +19, Knowledge (courtly romance) +16, Tumble +19, Use Magic Device +18
Feats Ability Focus (infest), Combat Reflexes (B), Improved Initiative (B), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (vine slash)
Environment Temperate urban
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 13
Treasure By host
Alignment Neutral evil

The maiden's weeping is an enchanted flower with the ability to take over the bodies of humanoids.

The "original" sprig of maiden's weeping resembles a blood-red rose whose petals have pink edges. Tiny white spots, like miniature tears, speckle the flower, which is in full bloom. The stem is a deep green, featuring small, narrow, elegant leaves arranged radially. Nonsentient sproutings collect and retain dew, and feature light blue, pink and lavender spots instead of white.

Combat
If the maiden's weeping identifies a target for infestation, it will employ pollen to incapacitate that person at any cost short of being set aflame. The maiden's weeping takes advantage of everything available to protect itself from fire. If it does not have a target to infest, it will simply aim to kill.

Vines (Ex) The maiden's weeping has vines that can extend to attack up to 10 ft. away. Despite being a Diminutive creature, it has a reach of 10 ft. with its vine attack.

Thorn Shred (Ex) The maiden's weeping can expend a full-round action to tear into a creature in its square with its thorns. The thorns deal 4d8+8 damage and 1d4 Con damage from severe wounds.

Pollen (Ex) The maiden's weeping has three kinds of pollen, which it can expel in a 30' radius once every three rounds as a standard action:

Sleeping pollen: As the spell deep slumber, affecting up to 20 HD of creatures, caster level 13th. Save DC 15.

Poison pollen: Inhaled, DC 16; primary damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 1d8 Dex and 1d8 Con.

Charm pollen: As the spell charm monster. Save DC 16.

Telepathy (Su) The maiden's weeping can communicate telepathically with any creature that has ingested a Swain of Varrone's telepathic seed or is under the effect of charm pollen.

Taproot (Sp) The maiden's weeping can drop a root into the soil, calling any plant creatures within 400 ft. to come to its aid. The plant creatures know the general direction of the maiden's weeping and understand its vague directive to harm its foes. This ability is the equivalent of a 5th level spell.

Fire Vulnerability (Ex) The maiden's weeping takes double damage from fire. When damaged by fire, the maiden's weeping loses its fast healing ability for 1d4 rounds.

Levitation (Su) The maiden's weeping hovers and can drift slowly, employing stolen life energy to keep itself afloat.

Infest (Ex) The maiden's weeping can land on any humanoid of Small, Medium or Large size with a melee touch attack. The victim must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be filled with the shoots, vines and fluids of the maiden's weeping, which winds itself around the throat and over one ear. The maiden's weeping immediately mutates the host body to its needs, applying the Swain of Varrone template after 1 minute. Remove curse, neutralize poison and remove disease are ineffective against this infestation.On a successful save, the maiden's weeping is forced out of the square. The save DC is Con-based.

Creating the Swain of Varrone

The Swain of Varrone acquires a subtle patina of phloem vessels below the host's skin, as well as seed cases in the palms of the hands, green skin and leaf clusters around the neck and shoulders.

Size and Type: Size remains unchanged. Type changes to Plant. Do not recalculate base attack or saves.

Speed: Add 10 ft. to all movement types.

Armor Class: Add a +4 deflection bonus and +4 natural armor.

Attack: The base creature retains all proficiencies and gains two vine attacks with 10' reach that deal 1d6 damage. These are primary natural weapons.

Special Attacks: The base creature gains the maiden's weeping's Pollen and Taproot abilities, using its own ability scores for DCs. It also gains the Emotional Rape ability, described below.

Special Qualities: The base creature gains the maiden's weeping's Fire Vulnerability, fast healing 10 and plant traits. In addition, it can reattach severed limbs and gains the Telepathic Seeds and Illusion abilities described below. The Swain of Varrone cannot speak.

Abilities: Increase as follows: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +8.

CR: Same as base creature +4.

The Swain of Varrone's special abilities:

Emotional Rape (Su) The Swain of Varrone breaks down a woman's emotions over time. Each week that she sees the Swain at least once each day, she must make a Will save (DC 10+Swain's Charisma bonus) or lose one point of Wisdom and Charisma permanently. Each passing week permanently decreases the woman's Will save by 1. Only a full month away from the Swain will remove these effects. When the Swain has been separated from the woman for at least one week, she must make a Will save at the most recent DC or perish of emotional torture.

Telepathic Seeds (Su) The Swain of Varrone can grow seeds in the palm of the host's hand, which are plucked from the flesh and given to others to ingest. Any creature who ingests a seed immediately gains a telepathic bond with the Swain and the maiden's weeping. A creature who dies with an ingested seed sprouts a normal maiden's weeping (just the basic flower) when buried.

Illusion (Sp) The Swain of Varrone may employ alter self and ventriloquism, the latter working from the host's vocal capabilities. It uses these two abilities to give it a semblance of humanity.

If the maiden's weeping ever leaves the host body, it collapses instantly, flooding with cellular toxins. The departure deals 2d8 Str, Dex and Con damage, and requires a heal spell within three days for survival.

Maiden's Weeping

The origin of this plant is a bedtime story that happens to be true: A young lady of Varrone was jilted by an arrogant suitor who stole her chastity. To stifle her grief, an uncle hired an enchanter to ensorcel a rose. This rose brought peace and a feeling of love to the lady's heart, and she came to treasure its presence in her garden.

Another suitor discovered the wicked act of the young swain and challenged him to a duel, slaying him in the lady's garden. Emotionally crippled and still suffering love-sickness for her first lover, she had him buried and planted her rose on his grave, coming each day to cry over it.

The enchanted plant implanted its roots into the young swain's body, animating the corpse and coating itself with magic to appear human. When the plant-undead presented itself to the lady, she rushed to its arms, asking for her lover's undying affection. The plant-creature pushed a seed into her mouth, speaking directly to her heart and telling her the truth. She died seconds later, having lost all will to live.

The maiden's weeping awoke fully upon departing the young man's corpse, determining that the actions of the wicked lover were to blame, and that other women would also need love to fill their lives. Armed with this belief, it set to work.

The Villainous Turn

The maiden's weeping finds treacherous lovers, unworthy suitors and other heartbreakers and slays them in cold blood for defiling and expunging love. It seeks out an appropriate host body (usually a male) to infest, taking on the guise of a noble swain. In this form, it comes to a heartbroken young women, entering into her affections in an effort to foster love.

Though it sounds charitable, the maiden's weeping is in fact quite evil. It takes up its murders without request or warning. It also enters a woman's affections too well, causing severe emotional dependence. Known as "brides," these women become so attached to their lover that, when it departs, they often die of despair. The maiden's weeping is all too aware of this effect, but it cares not at all, having fostered love in the heart of a woman forlorn. It also gains power from the souls of each woman to fall in love with it, and therefore has no problem with the constant emotional rape. It also has no problem with physical rape, if it believes that such a course of action will get it closer to a target.

The maiden's weeping has caused the deaths of over two hundred youths, with only a select few brides surviving. These have gone on to tremendously happy marriages, possibly through acquiring emotional fortitude after a spiritual battle with the evil flower.

Recently, the maiden's weeping has started to prey on younger girls, evoking the mystery of a handsome older man to break their defenses.

Encounters

The maiden's weeping is unlikely to be fought in its natural form. In human form, it will almost always seek scrolls of protection from fire or similar, and exploit magical items whenever possible. A trail of young graves with the distinct "rose of tears" covering will likely lead to the villain's next target, who could be a merchant's son, princess, mayor etc.

As the Swain of Varrone, the flower is intensely focused on achieving its goals. It will often charm servitors to bring it news on possible targets, the easier the better. It may engage in matchmaking or couples counselling, as it is still devoted to fostering love, even if only to exploit it in the long run. Once the flower has its bride, it will first warn off and then openly assault anyone who tries to stop it from seeing her daily. The maiden's weeping usually remains with a woman for two to three months, never caring if she dies or not. It is similarly cavalier with its host bodies.

Plot Hooks

•A young noblewoman has taken to pining for her new suitor every waking moment, to the point of forgetting to eat and sleep. Her parents fear enchantment, but no wizard has been able to find a cause.

•A lord's son has gone missing, and rumors have surfaced of his courting many ladies in many cities. Divinations suggest that his body has been stolen.

•A trio of local "playboys" have turned up dead.

•The new suitor to the queen has her absolute loyalty, and seems to have his own cadre of palace guards who instinctively obey his every whim.

•After the wasting death of a merchant's daughter, her suitor turns up dead as well - but where her passing was quiet and forlorn, his corpse is an oozing green mess, festooned with mulch and leaves to the point of being inhuman.

•A local druid has become intrigued by a mysterious plant, which she both opposes and is strangely fascinated by. A local ranger becomes concerned that she has been ensorcelled by this plant-creature.

[Zeta Kai]

Holy crap, that was frigging great! Sublime job, Afro!

You must have had this mostly prepared already. It got done so fast! Wow. I knew this would be so much better than PCV.

[gushingpraise]I'm really impressed by the depth & scope of this villain. It's a pervasive menace that seduces & kills in a truly cavalier fashion; a deadly lothario. It's alien mindset has led to it becoming a captivating & twisted antagonist. I can't say enough about it's concept, execution, & motives; they are all the best of what homebrew should be.[/gushingpraise]

Mechanically-speaking, though, I think that this may be a tiny bit overpowered. Yes, it has a vulnerability to fire, but it also has FH, up to 4 natural attacks per round, telepathy with a vast range, 5 different special attacks, & it can fly (albeit slowly). You might just wanna tone it down a little, to better fit its intended CR.

[Pronounceable]

This is better than Poison Ivy, probably the best plant ever. Very, very good job.

[afroakuma]

I checked it against Tribble's CR estimator, which hashed it at ~CR 10. Thing is, it's severely vulnerable to fire (loses fast healing) and an antimagic field will ground it.

When one bad fireball will take it out, I think it may in fact be a bit weak.

If there was a specific ability you had a concern with, though, please let me know.

You must have had this mostly prepared already. It got done so fast! Wow. I knew this would be so much better than PCV.

As soon as Plant was voted for, the idea of the Swain of Varrone came to me; i.e. a human-possessing plant that has vines and telepathic seeds.

As of the point where I said the monster was already in the cookpot, I was typing this up. A final PCV vote would've undone me.

[Pronounceable]

As of the point where I said the monster was already in the cookpot, I was typing this up. A final PCV vote would've undone me.

So it's a good thing I didn't give into temptation to change my vote into PCV.

[afroakuma]

Probably, yeah, although that would have tied it up and I'd have cast the deciding vote.

[streakster]

O.o


Holy crap.

That is one of the coolest things ever. Insanely good. Just...perfect.

[Zeta Kai]

As of the point where I said the monster was already in the cookpot, I was typing this up. A final PCV vote would've undone me.

Yeah, that's why I wait until the last vote is finalized before beginning my monster design. That and I'm lazy/busy.

[afroakuma]

I saw the general sentiment vering towards Love, so I was willing to take the risk.

[Lord_Gareth]

Afro, I kneel before your prowess at taking random For the Lulz votes and turning them into a mind-bending horror the likes of which only Call of Chthulu players are prepared to deal with.