This week's Frightful Friday! (or, perhaps, Surprising Saturday!) continues with the fantastical beast theme, but this time the creature is not a product of some mad wizard. Instead, the naturgeist ("spirit of Nature") is created by angry druids or even a vengeful nature deity. This creature may look a little odd, but, when earthquakes and tornadoes strike, buildings and weapons crumble in the naturegeist's presence, and numerous, powerful natural allies stride into battle, the characters won't be too concerned with its goofy appearance.
I hope you enjoy this week's Frightful "Friday!" If you've got any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Have a great weekend!
This creature looks like a bizarre amalgamation of animals and insects. The deer head’s eyes flash with a mixture of sorrow and rage. When it opens its mouth, it lets out a bellow unnervingly combining the cries of all its component creatures.
Naturgeist CR 15
XP 51,200
N Large magical beast
Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +27
Aura unmaking aura
Defense
AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 21 (+7 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)
hp 218 (19d10+114); fast healing 10
Fort +17, Ref +18, Will +13
DR 15/non-metal weapons; Immune poison; Resist cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20
Weaknesses animal mind-affecting vulnerability
Offense
Speed 40 ft., fly 50 ft. (good), swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +27 (3d8+8/19–20 plus trip), 2 claws +26 (3d6+8), gore +26 (3d6+8)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bypass metal armor, nature's entreaty
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th; concentration +24)
At will—wall of thorns
3/day—earthquake, whirlwind (DC 23)
Save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Statistics
Str 26, Dex 25, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 21, Cha 17
Base Atk +19; CMB +28 (+30 bull rush); CMD 45 (47 vs. bull rush, 49 vs. trip)
Feats Awesome Blow, Greater Penetrating Strike, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Penetrating Strike, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Fly +17, Handle Animal +18, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (nature) +21, Perception +27, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +11, Swim +28
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan (can't speak)
SQ apex beast
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Apex Beast (Ex) A naturgeist treats Handle Animal, Intimidate and Sense Motive as class skills.
Bypass Metal Armor (Su) A naturgeist ignores armor bonuses provided by metal armor.
Animal Mind-Affecting Vulnerability (Su) A spellcaster who uses any mind-affecting spell with a target of one animal (or more), such as charm animal or hold animal, imposes a -8 penalty to a naturgeist’s Will save.
Nature’s Entreaty (Su) Once per 5 rounds, a naturgeist may summon an ally as a free action, per summon nature’s ally VIII. Any summoned creatures remain for 10 minutes or until the naturgeist dismisses them or is slain. The creature typically summons rocs for terrestrial encounters, dire sharks for aquatic encounters or elementals appropriate to the location.
Unmaking Aura (Su) Within 60 feet of a naturgeist, all manufactured items erode, rust or otherwise fall apart. Metal items, manufactured stonework and constructs within the aura take 1d6 points of damage that bypasses hardness per round. Non-magical items do not receive a saving throw, but magical items may succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save each round to avoid the damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.
When humanoids despoil the wilderness, hunt animals to near extinction or otherwise grievously harm the natural world, a naturgeist forms from surviving, native creatures to exact wrath on the perpetrators. A naturgeist is a four-legged creature, but each leg comes from a different animal or insect; its head and torso are a patchwork of animals and insects as well. The creature measures about 8 feet in length, stands 6-feet tall and weighs roughly 2,000 pounds.
A naturgeist uses its aura of unmaking and its spell-like abilities to lay waste to the civilized area nearest to the devastation it vindicates. It usually focuses its attack on the most heavily armored characters, especially if the armor is crafted from metal. Druids and rangers have greater capability to stop the creature's attacks peaceably, but such characters might be reticent to do so if they realize what a naturgeist represents. If a druid or ranger can convince the creature that the community will redress the wrongs, it will cease its attack, return to a secluded area and revert to its constituent creatures.
While a naturgeist typically forms spontaneously, a cabal of five or more druids or rangers led by a druid of at least 15th level can perform a ritual that removes all spellcasting abilities from the participants for a week to call a naturgeist.
