Monsternomicon, Vol. 2: The Iron Kingdoms and Beyond - 4plebs [PDF]

Mazak Fruit Always N Medium Plant CR 2 Hit Dice: 2d8+6 (15 hp) Immunities/Resist: Plant traits Senses: Listen +0, Spot +0 Initiative: +4 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armor Class: 15, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 natural) Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+0 Attack: Slam +0 melee (1d4–1) Full Attack: Slam +0 melee (1d4–1) Special Attacks: Improved grab, pollen spray

W

Space/Reach: Special Qualities: Saves: Abilities: Skills: Feats: Environment: Organization: Advancement:

HEREWEDISMISSTHEGRASSES CREEPERS FLOWERSANDTREESWEENCOUNTERDAILYASLITTLE MORETHANSCENERY SOMEWEEDSREFUSETOBE IGNORED4AKETHEEASTERNMAZAKVINE APLANT THATREQUIRESTHEDEATHOF ANOTHERLIVINGCREATURETOSURVIVE as an example. /NEMAYMOSTEASILYDISTINGUISHTHEMAZAKPLANTBYITS TWODISTINCTLYFORMEDANDSEPARATEGENDERSTHEFEMALEFRUITEDVINEANDTHETHORNYMALEVINE4HEFEMALEMAZAKFRUIT GROWSASAFAR SPREADINGCREEPER MUCHLIKEAMELON)TSTHICK ANDTHORNYTENDRILSPOSSESSAWOODENFIBERSTRONGENOUGH TOALLOWTHEPLANTTOGROWVERTICALLYASTALLASSEVENFEET &ROMTHESESTANDSSPROUTPLUMP BLOODREDCITRUS LIKEFRUIT TRACEDWITHLIGHTERPINKISHVEINS$ESPITEGROWINGNATIVEIN APARCHEDENVIRONMENT THESEFRUITSLOOK ANDTASTE RIPEAND PARTICULARLYJUICY THOUGHSLIGHTLYSWEETFORMYTASTES4HE SKORNEFINDTHEFRUITSOMUCHTOTHEIRLIKINGTHATTHEYCULTIVATETHISCREEPERINPRIVATEGARDENS-ANYEVENSEEKOUT WILDSTRAINSTOTRANSPLANTORCROSSBREEDWITHTHEIRFAVORITE cultivated plants. They serve the red fruit as food and make ITINTOAREFRESHINGSWEETWINE4HEFRUITISHARDYANDSURVIVESEXPOSURE MAKINGITIDEALFORLONGOVERLANDJOURNEYSBY skorne scouts. 3UCHANABUNDANTSOURCEOF FOODANDFLUIDINADESERT SEEMSTOOGOODTOBETRUE ANDOF COURSEITIS-YSHORTVISIT TOTHEEASTTAUGHTMESOMETHINGTHATTHESKORNEHAVEKNOWN FORCENTURIESIF NOTMILLENNIAEVERYBENEFITGAINEDINEASTERN )MMORENCOMESATACOST)NTHECASEOF THEMAZAKFRUIT WHAT sustenance it provides is only a means to a very cruel end. 7ITHINEACHMAZAKFRUITLAYTHOUSANDSOF FINESEEDS EACH COATEDINTHEPLANTSJUICE DRIPPINGMEAT5PONCONSUMPTION MAZAKSEEDSLODGEWITHINTHEBELLYOF THECREATURETHAT DEVOUREDTHEMWHILETHEJUICESQUICKLYABSORBINTOTHEBLOOD

!

10 ft./15 ft. Limited mobility, plant traits, restraining roots, seedling scent, vulnerability to fire Fort +6, Reflex +4, Will +0 Str 8, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 3 Hide +6, Move Silently +6, Climb +4 Stealthy Any desert or warm land Solitary or tangle (2–12 males and 8–24 females) 3–8 (Large), 9–14 (Huge)

ANDSWEAT7ITHINMOMENTSOF DEVOURINGEVENASINGLEMAZAK FRUIT THECOMPOSITIONOF ACREATURESSWEATCHANGESTOEMITA SLIGHTSMELLAPPARENTLYVERYODIFEROUSTORECEPTORSUPONTHE MALEMAZAKVINE 4HEMALEMAZAKVINE YOUSEE ISANAMBULATORYPREDATOR 3TUDDEDWITHSHARP STOUTTHORNSANDASTRONG FIBROUSROOT SYSTEMSIMILARTOTHEFEMALE THEMALEPOSSESSESTIGHTFLOWER BUDSCAPABLEOF DETECTINGANDTRACKINGTHESCENTOF CREATURES THATHAVERECENTLYEATENAMAZAKFRUIT5PONSENSINGSUCHPREY ALLTHEVINESOF APATCHˆPOTENTIALLYMILESWORTHOF MURDEROUS ROOTSINALARGERFIELDˆPURSUETHEIRVICTIM ENTANGLETHEHAPLESSBEAST ANDSPRAYITWITHANACIDICPOLLEN/NCETHECREATURE SUCCUMBSTOLIKELYOVERWHELMINGODDS THEVINESWEAVETHEIR WAYINTOTHECREATURESBODYUNTILTHEYFINDTHESTOMACH4HERE THEYUSETHESAMEPOLLENTHATLIKELYKILLEDTHEHOSTTOFERTILIZE THESEEDS4HUSPROVIDEDWITHAMPLESHELTER WATER ANDCOMPOST THESEEDSBUDTOFORMTHENEXTGENERATIONOF MAZAKS !LLTHIS)LEARNEDFROMMYSKORNECAPTORSAFTER)HAD GORGEDMYSELF ONSEVERALOF THEFRUITSTHEYHADOFFEREDME 4HEIRCRUELLAUGHTERTOLDMETHEYWERENOTLYINGABOUTTHE DANGEROF THESEMORE THAN CREEPINGVINES4HANKFULLYTHERE WERENOMALEVINESPRESENTATTHETIMEOF MYDINNER BUT)WAS PREPAREDFORTHEWORSTWHEN)FINALLYENCOUNTEREDTHEM4HE SCENTOF THEFRUITLINGERSFORHOURS ANDHAD)WANDEREDFROM CAMPWITHOUTTHEWARNINGOF MYSKORNECAPTORS)MIGHTHAVE fallen prey to the vine. 4HISINTRODUCTIONTOTHEDANGEROUSFRUITWASNOACCIDENT .OTONLYDOTHESKORNECULTIVATETHEVINEFORFOODANDWINE BUTMANYWARLORDSALSOUSETHEVINEASPARTOF THEIRPRISON GARDENSFORTHEIRMOSTHONOREDhGUESTSv)TWASJUSTSUCH APRISONGARDENINWHICH)WASHELDBEFORE)WASPERMITTED TOEXPLORETHE%MPIREWITH+ALEDAASMYGUIDE4HESESMALL HOUSESAREPRISONS BUTTHEYARENOTOF THESORTLIKETHECRUEL

116

"

Mazak Fruit PITSFORHOLDINGCRIMINALSANDTHEIRILK4HESEFINEGUEST HOUSESAREBUILTINTHECENTEROF AGARDENOF ROOTEDMAZAK VINES4HEFINEBUILDINGANDTHEBEAUTYOF THEGARDENGIVES THEHOSTAGETHESENSEOF BEINGANHONOREDGUEST(OWEVER AFTERAGUESTCONSUMESAMEALORDRINKLACEDWITHMAZAK JUICE THEHOSTAGECANNEVERLEAVETHEHOUSEFORFEAROF THE THICKMAZEOF MAZAKVINETHATENCIRCLESIT

!

Combat

5PONCATCHINGTHESCENTOF ONEWHOHASEATENAMAZAKFRUIT MAZAKVINESSWIFTLYCONVERGEONTHEIRVICTIMS&EARLESSAND UNRELENTING MAZAKVINESSWARMTHEIRPREY AIDINGONEANOTHERINIMMOBILIZINGATARGETANDSOAKINGITINTHEIRPOISONOUS ACIDICPOLLEN!GREATDISTANCEMAYSEPARATETHEFRUITBEARING FEMALEPLANTSANDVIOLENTACID SPEWINGMALES7ITHLUCKONE MIGHTPASSTHESEEDSBEFOREBECOMINGVICTIMOF THEDEADLY pollination process.

117

"

Mazak Fruit Improved Grab (Ex): 4OUSETHISABILITY AMAZAKVINE MUSTHITWITHITSSLAMATTACK)TCANTHENATTEMPTTOSTART AGRAPPLEASAFREEACTIONWITHOUTPROVOKINGANATTACKOF opportunity. Limited Mobility (Ex): 4HEFEMALEVINEHASNOMOBILITY SPEEDFT ANDTHEMALEVINEONLYMOVESWHENITSENSESEEDLINGS)TMOVESBYUPROOTINGREQUIRINGAMOVEACTION LASHING ITSVINESABOUTOBJECTS ANDPULLINGITSELF FORWARD)F ITHAS NOTHINGTOCLINGTO AMAZAKVINECANNOTMOVE Pollen Spray (Ex): 4HREETIMESPERDAY AMAZAKVINECAN RELEASEASPRAYOF ACIDICPOLLENATASINGLEOPPONENTWITHIN FEET4HISATTACKDEALSDPOINTSOF ACIDDAMAGE WHICH A2EFLEXSAVE$# NEGATES4HISPOLLENINFILTRATESTHE BLOODSTREAMOF THOSEWHOTAKEDAMAGE FORCINGA&ORTITUDE SAVE$# TOAVOIDPOISONINGONTHEFOLLOWINGROUND4HIS POISONDEALSINITIALANDSECONDARYDAMAGEOF D3TRENGTH -AZAKVINESCANONLYUSETHISABILITYONCEEVERYROUNDS -AZAKVINESAREIMMUNETOTHEACIDANDPOISONOF THISATTACK !MAZAKVINECANUSETHISATTACKONANOPPONENTITISGRAPPLING4HESAVE$#SARE#ONSTITUTIONBASED Restraining Roots (Ex): 2ATHERTHANJOININGAGRAPPLE MAZAKVINESCANUSETHEAIDANOTHERACTIONTOIMPROVEANADJACENTMAZAKVINESGRAPPLECHECK5PONSUCCESSFULLYMAKINGAN ATTACKAGAINST!# AMAZAKVINEGRANTSITSALLYABONUS ONITSNEXTGRAPPLECHECK-ULTIPLEMAZAKVINESCANAIDTHE SAMEALLYANDTHEBONUSESSTACK4YPICALLY ONETRYINGTOESCAPE THEGRAPPLEOF NUMEROUSMAZAKVINESMUSTONLYOVERCOME ONEAUGMENTEDGRAPPLECHECKANDNOTTHEGRAPPLECHECKSOF numerous participants. Seedling Scent (Ex):4REATMAZAKVINESASHAVINGSCENTFOR THEPURPOSESOF DETECTINGCREATURESWHOHAVEEATENAMAZAK FRUITWITHINHOURS4HISFORMOF SCENTFUNCTIONSATDOUBLE THENORMALRANGECANDETECTCREATURESATARANGEOF FEET UPWIND DOWNWIND  -AZAKVINESHAVEPOORPERCEPTIONBEYONDTHISABILITY 4REATTHEMASHAVINGTREMORSENSEATARANGEOF FEETBUTAS EFFECTIVELYBLINDBEYONDTHAT Vulnerability to fire: -AZAKVINESSUFFERHALF AGAINAS MUCH DAMAGEASNORMALFROMFIRE

Rare:!SIDEFROMITSDEADLYCONSTRICTINGABILITIES AMAZAK VINECANSPRAYDEADLY ACIDICPOLLEN4HISPOLLENCANTAINTA CREATURESBLOOD WEAKENINGITANDPREVENTINGITFROMFIGHTING THEPLANTSCLUTCHINGROOTS Obscure:4HESKORNECONSIDERMAZAKFRUITADELICACY ANDIT PRODUCESAFINEWINECOVETEDTHROUGHOUTTHEIREMPIRE4HE SKORNETERMhMAZAKRUNvMEANSTOPURPOSEFULLYSENDANOTHER INTOADANGEROUSSITUATION

Treasure

4HEBODIESOF SENTIENTCREATURESTANGLEDINAMONGMAZAKVINES OFTENRETAINTHEIREQUIPMENTANDANYTREASURETHEYMIGHTHAVE CARRIEDBEFOREDYING!3EARCHCHECK$# OF AMAZAK

Legends & Lore

Common:-AZAKAREFRUITINGVINESTHATGROWIN WIDEPATCHES OFTENINTHESHADOWSOF ROCKY OUTCROPPINGSOROTHERSHELTEREDAREAS Uncommon:/NEOF THEFEWREADYFOODSOURCES INTHEDESERT ANYCREATURETHATEATSAMAZAKFRUIT EXUDESANALMOSTUNDETECTABLESENT4HISSCENTALLOWS THEPLANTSTHICK THORNY ANDMOBILEVINESTODETECTTHE CREATUREANDSTRANGLEITINANATTEMPTTOGERMINATETHESEEDS WITHINITSSTOMACH

!

118

"

Mazak Fruit PATCHSTANGLEDUNDERGROWTHHASACHANCEOF REVEALINGSUCH REMAINSWITHSTANDARDTREASURE $ESPITETHEDEADLYNATUREOF THEIRVINES FEMALEMAZAK PRODUCESWEETANDTEMPTINGLYJUICYFRUITFORADESERTPLANT! DELICACYAMONGTHESKORNE THEDIFFICULTYINCULTIVATINGTHEM LEADSSOMENOBLEHOUSESTOPAYASMUCHASGPFORARIPE MAZAKFRUIT4HEJUICEFROMAMAZAKFRUITFERMENTSINTOA REFRESHINGWINE WITHBOTTLESOF EVENAVERAGEVINTAGESSELLING FORATLEASTGP

Mazak Wine Mazak wine is typical of most fruit wines except it has unexpected effects on humans and gobbers, in particular once it has aged in a bottle. A human that consumes 5 ounces or more of mazak wine aged 2 years or older gains the effect of low-light vision for a number of hours equal to the age of the wine.

Hooks

Almost all gobbers are allergic to mazak wine, resulting in them losing their natural camouflage ability as their skin takes on a ruddy complexion. They also experience a sensitivity to motion and sound and gain a +1 to reflex saves. These effects last for a number of hours equal to the age of the wine in years after the gobber consumes at least 5 ounces.

3KORNESOLDIERSCAMPEDNEAR4ERNON#RAGSTARTEDSEVERAL GROWTHSOF MAZAKVINEINHOPESOF MAKINGTHEIRFAVORITEWINE !FTERASUCCESSFULRAIDONTHESECAMPS TROLLKINWARRIORSDISCOVered the vines and found the fruit to their taste. They intend TOBRINGCUTTINGOF THEGROWTHSBACKTOTHEIRVILLAGEWITHLITTLE KNOWLEDGEOF WHATDANGERTHEPLANTHOLDS

Aged mazak wine is highly valuded by skorne (5 to 25 gp per bottle) and bottles over 10 years are extremely rare (300 gp+)

!SATESTTODETERMINETHEIRWORTHINESS ANOBLEOF HOUSE 3IVTAASHISENDSTHE0#SONALITERALhMAZAKRUNv4HESKORNE INSTRUCTTHEMTORETURNWITHSIXBUSHELSOF FRUITBUTLETTHEM DISCOVERANDDEALWITHTHEPLANTSDEADLYNATURETHEMSELVES

I have heard reports that this resilient vine not only survives in our native soil but that it thrives here. This is very worrying because the people of western Immoren have never experienced such a threat, and the vine may find permanent purchase in our lands before my warning can reach those who can stop it. The more I hear of such rumors the more clear it is to me that it is not just the skorne armies but all that they bring with them that truly threatens our way of life. Even if we drive the invaders out, our civilization may already be changed forever. —V P !

119

"