The First Day
Today begins a series of twelve days worth of posts about things monstrous and terrible. The first day is inspired by The Birch, a nifty short film available via Crypt TV.
On the first day of searching / My party encountered: / A birchwrath in a fell wood.
The birchwrath is a plant monster summoned from a wooded area in which birch trees grow. Few creatures know the ritual used to call a birchwrath. The sigils and chants are most often handed down within certain clans or tribes.
AD&D Version
Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 0
Move: 15″
Hit Dice: 16
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 2-8/2-8
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: Half damage from blunt and piercing attacks
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Neutral
Size: L (9′ tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IX/6,500 + 20/hp
The birchwrath exists to mete out vengeance for its summoner. Once conjured and instructed what to do, the birchwrath no longer responds to its summoner. The birchwrath is a faultless tracker within one day of a quarry’s passing. Once its engages its victim(s), the birchwrath attacks with its powerful hands. If both hands strike its opponent, the birchwrath does an additional 4-16 points of rending damage.
The birchwrath’s dense bark and woody tissues resist damage from blunt and piercing weapons, which inflict half normal damage. Attacks against a birchwrath based on fire gain a +4 “to hit” bonus and inflict +1 point of damage per damage die. The birchwrath makes saving throws against fire with a -4 penalty. If the birchwrath takes damage from fire, it becomes enraged, gaining a +2 “to hit” bonus and inflicting +2 damage per damage die with its attacks (including rending damage, if applicable).
The birchwrath always passes without trace. It is able to use any of the following powers at will, once per turn: trip, warp wood, and plant door.
The birchwrath does not speak, but it understands the Common Tongue and the languages of woodland beings.
5E D&D Version
Large plant, neutral
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d10+64)
Speed 40 ft.
Ability Scores STR 21 (+5), DEX 10 (+0), CON 19 (+4), INT 10 (+0), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +5, Survival +5
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common and Sylvan, but doesn’t speak
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
False Appearance. While the birchwrath remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.
Faultless Tracker. The birchwrath is given a quarry by its summoner. The birchwrath knows the direction and distance to its quarry as long as the two of them are on the same plane of existence. The birchwrath also knows the location of its summoner.
Passes without Trace. A birchwrath moves in a veil of shadows and muted sounds. It has a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can’t be tracked except by magical means.
Rend. As a bonus action against a restrained creature, the birchwrath rends the target’s flesh, inflicting 23 (4d8+5) slashing damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The birchwrath’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The birchwrath can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: grasping vine, spike growth, tree stride
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8+5) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the birchwrath cannot its claws on another target.
Nota Bene: I still have three bundles of products for sale:
- The Mutant Wastland Holiday Adventures bundle features three post-apocalyptic products.
- The New School Holiday Adventures bundle of six 5E-compatible products
- The Old School Holiday Adventure bundle includes 16 OSR products.
