Corpseroot
Level 11Attacks
Abilities
The corpseroot takes 10 additional damage from axes.
30 feet. A plant entering or starting its turn in the corpseroot's aura begins to wither and must succeed at a DC 27 fortitude save or become Sickened 2 (Sickened 4 on a critical failure). A plant that succeeds is temporarily immune for 1 minute. A plant that stays in the aura for 7 consecutive days must succeed at a DC 27 fortitude save or die. If the plant was a creature or tree, it rises as a corpseroot. The newly risen corpseroot can't create more corpseroots but has all other corpseroot abilities. Plants that are neither magical nor creatures automatically fail saves against blight.
When it isn't in danger, the corpseroot spends 1 minute rooting to the earth, becoming planted in place. While the corpseroot is planted and immobile, creatures must actively Seek and succeed at a DC 36 perception check (DC 40 perception in forests) to detect the corpseroot's true nature.
A creature with void healing draws health from void energy rather than vitality energy. It is damaged by vitality damage and is not healed by vitality healing effects. It does not take void damage, and it is healed by void effects that heal undead.
Requirements The corpseroot has a creature Grabbed or Restrained
The corpseroot buries its roots into the creature, dealing (1d6+11) piercing damage and draining the target's life force (DC 30 fortitude). On a failure, the creature is Drained 1 (or increases the value by 1 if already drained), and the corpseroot regains 10 healing HP. If this would make a creature drained 5, the creature dies.
Requirements The monster's last action was a successful Strike that lists Grab in its damage entry, or the monster has a creature Grabbed or Restrained Effect If used after a Strike, the monster attempts to Grapple the creature using the body part it attacked with. This attempt neither applies nor counts toward the creature's multiple attack penalty. The monster can instead use Grab and choose one creature it's grabbing or restraining with an appendage that has Grab to automatically extend that condition to the end of the monster's next turn.
Description
Corpseroots are rotten, undead trees that grow bright-red poisonous fruit and spread blight to surrounding plants, transforming healthy trees into new corpseroots. These cunning killers drain the life from creatures through their root systems, posing as dead trees until their victims come within reach.
Corpseroots most commonly form from rotten husks of trees that died from supernatural blights, making them common threats in the Fangwood and Fierani forests. The most powerful are ancient trees used as shrines and sacrificial altars, their roots absorbing the blood, flesh, and terror of those condemned under their boughs. Some of these ancient corpseroots still command the respect and devotion of the cults that inadvertently created them.