MONSTROUS PLANTS

The plant's trunk is yellowish to brown and smooth. Its pointed, two-lobed leaves are not as large as a hornwood's. Its vampiric tendrils appear much as do normal vines and creepers growing on other trees.

The bloodthorn, or vampire vine, grows singly in forests. Bloodthorns grow among hornwood trees and resemble them closely. On rare occasions bloodthorns will be found among other sorts of vegetation, but this is only 10% likely. 

It has 5-12 tendrils of 7-12-foot length that can lash out 5-7 feet. It uses these to attack its prey. Each tendril has numerous hollow thorns of one to four inch length through which it draws the juices of its victim [S3 p.11].

Any hit will cause a fluid drain equal to 25% of the victim's total initial hit points. 

The tendrils are armor class 4, the stalk/trunk armor class 3. Each tendril requires 5-10 points of damage to sever. This damage does not affect the main plant. Attack data and other specifics are as follows:

Any sort of flame or great heat will cause the tendrils to recoil, but electrical attacks cause the vine to regenerate damage equal to the number of hit points of the electrical attack mode. [S3 p.11].

Cold freezes the vines in the area struck, but thawing occurs in 2-5 rounds. [S3 p.11].

A vampire thorn vine can creep at ¼" per melee round, and light attracts — These [vines] are attracted to the strongest light source, i.e. continual light, [...] light, lantern, magic sword glow, torch light. [S3 p.11].

The choke creeper, or strangler vine, seems to be a cousin to the hangman tree (q.v.). The plant stem grows to near tree-trunk thickness, may be over 100 feet long, and may have a score or more of creeping, strangling vines.

Vines are attracted to light and movement. As they appear to be normal vegetation, they usually can grab unsuspecting victims. 

Once the victims are held, they are squeezed for 1-4 points of damage per turn. There is a 10% chance per turn of squeezing that a vine will use a strangling grip. The victim dies at the end of the succeeding round.

Each vine takes 2-16 points of damage to sever, and the larger the plant, the hardier the vine. Damage to attacking strangler vines does not affect the main plant.

There are typically 8 strangler vines along each 10-foot section of the choke creeper plant and double that number at its end portion. These mobile vines usually fan out to cover a 360 degree area. Each vine branch is 9-16 feet long. Vines creep 5 feet per round by use of flexible tendrils.

Small choke creepers have only 1 pip per hit die, and the huge old ones have 8 per die (200 points). 

A choke creeper is not affected by small, torch-sized fires, but a hot fire, such as of burning oil, will cause normal damage and mobile vines will move away. 

Cold will cause 1 point of damage per damage die and immobilize the plant sections struck for 2-5 rounds. 

Electrical attacks double the movement rate of vines for 2-5 rounds and do no damage to the plant.

The forester's bane is green to dark green. Stalks are purple. The bushy central plant grows luscious-smelling berries of white, greenish, golden, or bright yellow color. They are large, plump, and delicious, being very nutritious and rich in protein.

The forester's bane, or snapper-saw plant, is a low-growing shrub. Broad, tough leaves with sinewy ribs radiate 5-7 feet from the central plant. 

The bushy center hides 3-6 stalks with saw-toothed edges. 

When a creature steps on or near the leaves, the leaves snap shut around it, holding it fast. The jagged stalks then saw away at the prey. Trapping is automatic and subjects the victim to 3-6 attacks that round.

On successive rounds there is a 5% chance per 1 point of Strength that a victim can pull away and escape further attacks.

In addition to the damage which the main plant can withstand, leaves can withstand 9-16 points of damage and stalks 17-24. 

Lost leaves and stalk will grow back in 2-8 weeks unless the central plant is slain.

The central bush takes 25-30 (d6 + 24) hit points of damage to kill, and when it is dead, the leaves and stalks die [S3 p.13]

The leprous yellow-gray and ugly scarlet colors of this intelligent plant belie its peaceful and inoffensive nature, as do its spiky leaves, bloated, bottle-like stems, twitching tendrils and writhing roots.

If any intelligent creature comes within 5-ft of this creature, thinking questioning thoughts, the plant will communicate telepathically, mentally giving the creature assurance that it is friendly to it, and warning it of [any] dangerous plants [nearby]. 

If the plant is attacked, it will lash its spiked leaves at the attacker. Range is 5-ft, attacks as a 6 HD monster, inflicting 3-12 hit points of damage. 

If this fails to drive the opponent away, or if it is attacked from a distance beyond its lashing range, the plant will discharge a bolt of electricity at the nearest attacker, 30 hit points of damage, no saving throw! (It can do this once every other round, 4 times maximum.) 

The plant is AC 6 and takes 63 hit points. Once attacked it will not communicate with the party.

The retch plant, or globe palm, is found only in warm climates. It is a typical palm tree, except that each constantly has from 5-8 globe-like, coconut-sized fruit growing at its top.

Walking under a retch plant makes it 20% likely that one of its globes will fall. If there is solid contact with a tree trunk-such as banging against, running into, or climbing it — 2-5 of the noisome fruit will plop down.

Each globe is membraneous and taut and blue, violet, or lilac in color. When they strike they burst, and a nauseating fluid is splashed over a 5-foot radius. (A 25% chance for splash contact at 5-9 foot distance.) 

The sticky, foul liquid will cause creatures splashed to vomit and retch for the next 3 rounds and for 6 turns (1 hour) thereafter to be at 50% normal Strength. There is no saving throw allowed.

Creatures splashed must be washed in alcohol (wine, beer, brandy, etc., will do) or be much more likely to attract carnivores in the area at double the normal frequency of checks, with double probabilities of encounter. The odor is discernible within a 50-foot radius. It persists for 1-4 hours.

Giant sundews appear as 3-4 foot high mounds of gray-green tarry ropes or rags. Areas where they are found are often heavily fly-infested, and the air will often have a thick odor like sweet syrup.

Unlike its smaller cousin, this plant is almost sentient, being slightly aware of its surroundings. Preferring shaded, cool places to grow, the giant sundew grows only hair-like roots to lightly anchor it in place. Furthermore, it may at will withdraw these roots and pull itself along the ground with its sticky tendrils. It derives its sustenance primarily from the prey it catches.

The giant sundew is able to detect moving creatures by vibrations, and when anything moves within 5 feet of it, it will lash out with its tendrils.

Its lump-like body is covered with hundreds of tendrils, and up to 6 may attack each creature in range each round. 

These tendrils end in sticky globs of sap. For every 3 tendrils that strike a victim, that victim will suffer a -1 on its subsequent to-hit rolls. This effect is cumulative, so that if 6 tendrils hit, the victim will be -2 on its to-hit roll. 

If a 20 is rolled to hit by the sundew, that tendril will have struck the character across the mouth and nose, clogging these with its sap. The character will suffocate in 2-4 rounds unless the sap is removed. 

In addition to its clogging effect, the sap is composed of a mild enzyme acid that will cause 1 point of damage per tendril each round until the tendril is broken. 

The chance these tendrils may be broken is the same as that for opening doors for each character, and each tendril should be checked individually. 

The sap will dissolve and become harmless if soaked with vinegar or alcohol (such as wine), and this is the only non-magical way to prevent suffocation. 

Due to the plant's sticky exterior, missile and fire-based attacks will only do half-damage.

The deep green 5-8 foot tall stalks of this plant are topped by trumpet-shaped flowers of vivid orange, bright yellow, and intense red. 

Each flower has its own function. 

The orange one shoots 2-8 tendrils from its center, each 3 feet long, and any creature struck must save vs. the Poison from the pollen of a tendril or fall into a comatose slumber. 

The yellow bloom will bend over the sleeping victim immediately (sensitive rootlets note where the victim is) and tremble. This vibration looses a shower of sticky enzyme which causes 2-8 points of damage per round until the victim is completely rotted away. Each flask of water dumped upon a victim in the same round as the damage is done will reduce damage by 1 point; total immersion in water removes the sap entirely.

The red flower extends tubular tendrils of 1 foot length, sinking them into the slumbering victim, first drawing body fluids at the rate of 1-6 hit points per turn and then sucking up the residual matter after the enzyme has dissolved the victim's body.

Other color combinations of the plant's flowers are white, pale silvery-gray, pink or golden brown, chocolate brown, and russet.

A twilight bloom, or purple death, is a poisonous plant. This tall (8-13 feet), thick-stalked specimen has a branchless, scaled trunk with fern-like foliage at the top. These fronds droop a short distance. Mixed with these are cup-shaped purple flowers with silvery stamens; the flowers point upward. Around the base of the plant is a fine, mossy mat which is actually the roots. The flowers exude a very attractive perfume and sweet sap.

The vibrations of any creature passing beneath the cupped lavender blooms will cause them to gently tilt and drip a syrupy poison from the flower. There is a 25% chance of the creature being struck by this toxic sap. 

If the creature fails to save vs. Poison, it dies instantly, and its decomposition feeds the roots of the plant.

The body of the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing appears to be a grayish-brown tree stump from 2-3 feet in diameter. Eyestalks are 10-15 feet long, brown near the base, green at the tips, and with pinkish or violet flower-like eyes. Roots are from 9-12 feet long. The vertical maw located in the trunk has jagged teeth and thick, black lips. When shut, it appears to be an old scar on a normal tree stump.

This weird vegetable monster lurks in undergrowth or in grassy meadow-lands. It creeps slowly from place to place, using its 7 root tentacles for locomotion, early feeding, and even to capture live prey. Its 2 or 3 eyestalks are long enough to give the monster excellent, wide-angle vision.

The wolf-in-sheep's-clothing is 90% likely to attack by surprise. It uses its resemblance to a tree stump or its ability to sprout a growth resembling a small furry creature to attract prey. The lure-growth is moved so as to "look" at approaching prey and then it will "freeze" so as to be "unnoticed."

The creature's attack is to lure prey within 12 feet and then strike and grasp with 1-3 of its gnarled root tentacles. A successful strike inflicts 1-4 points of damage and entwines the victim. The prey will then be drawn to the stump's maw next round. 

Damage will be another 1-4 hit points plus a certain bite for another 7-12 hit points unless the victim manages to break free of the grasping root or roots.

Breaking a root tentacle by sheer Strength requires an unhindered grasp; thus, a creature held by a root cannot break it, but the creature may break free. Breaking free requires 13 or greater Strength. Each point allows a 5% chance. At 18 Strength, the chance to break free is 30% + 1% per 1% of Exceptional Strength; thus, a character with 18/70 strength has 100% probability of breaking loose. 

Only creatures with Exceptional Strength can break a root tentacle.

While the actual body (stump) of the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing can stand 9 hit dice of damage, its appendages can be broken or severed without permanent harm to the monster, as it can regenerate them in 1-4 weeks. Root tentacles take 19-22 hit points each and eyestalks 13-16 hit points.

YELLOW MUSK CREEPER

See Yellow Musk Creeper