HYPERBOREA / Pinophytatian Horrors (Sailback Treants)

**Posted by francisca** 4/01/2014 9:37 pm

Pinophyatian Horror
No. Encountered: 2-4
Alignment: Neutral
Size: Large
Movement: 40
Dexterity: 12
Armour Class: 2
Hit Dice: 10
No. Attacks: 4 “rootacles”/bite
Damage: 2d6+adhesion/3d8
Save: 10 (-2 vs fire)
Morale: 11 (8 in the presence of fire)

Pinophytatian Horrors, also known as Sailback Treants, are conifer Treants. Unlike most Treants, they do not walk upright in a bipedal fashion. Rather, when they uproot themselves from the ground to move about, they tip over and place their trunks parallel to the ground. They ambulate by using all of their branches in a centipede like fashion, with the exception of the branches on the topside of the trunk, which are raised like a sail (hence, Sailback). Once parallel to the ground, it becomes apparent that what was thought to be a large knots on opposite sides of the trunk just above the ground, are in fact in-human (in-animal?), horrid, woooden eyes, which possess the same cold, dead stare of a doll's eyes.

When in ambulatory form, their four terrible, tenticle-like roots (rootacles, if you will) are exposed. They attack by lashing with their rootacless, which are as mobile as any cephalopod’s tentacles. The rootacles are covered in sap, and adhere to whatever they touch. If a man-sized creature is contacted by two rootacles, the Treant will pull it to its maw and bite it automatically for 3d8. The next round, the Sailback will automatically constrict it's victim for 2d6 damage per attached rootacle (no hit roll needed. In addition, it will of course bite again if two or more are attached, and the Sailback will attach any rootacles not already throttling the victim, for free. These additional rootacles will do damage the next round, should the victim survive that long... Due to the resin found all over and inside these creatures, they save at -2 against fire, and fire-based attacks do +2 damage per die.

Thankfully, Pinophytatian Horrors are only found in the coldest regions and high elevations. Additionally, they tend to be very territorial. Adults never stray more 100 yards from their home grounds, and attack anything within that range on sight. Saplings, after reaching about one foot in height, scurry away to find new grounds where they live their life out, often being mistaken for giant centipedes during this journey.

There are rumors of giant, ancient Pinophytatian Horrors, standing over 400 feet tall, referred to as Sequoioideaepods, having over 50 HD, and doing who knows how much damage. Eskimaux legends speak of the Sequoioideaepods being formed by eggs shed by Khalk-Xu, which fell to the ground, rather than the sea.

Last edited by francisca (4/01/2014 9:43 pm)

**Posted by francisca** 4/01/2014 9:39 pm

This is a bit more fleshed out description of one of my homebrew monsters from my Vikland game.

Recall what Chainsaw said: "penchant for extreme brutality".

Now you know what he meant.

**Posted by Crisippo** 4/02/2014 4:51 am

francisca wrote:
This is a bit more fleshed out description of one of my homebrew monsters from my Vikland game.

Recall what Chainsaw said: "penchant for extreme brutality".

Now you know what he meant.

Indeed i do. These were really menacing. I'm saving these for a late nigth/beer heavy session, because being attacked by a sideways walking spruce will have my players first; rolling on the floor with laughter, then gasping in horror as they realize the s*** their in and in the end rolling up new PC's

Thanks!

Last edited by Crisippo (4/02/2014 4:51 am)

**Posted by Ghul** 4/02/2014 5:59 am

Great work! I could see using these in my own campaign, too.

**Posted by mabon5127** 4/02/2014 7:09 am

Thanks! Great work!

**Posted by Chainsaw** 4/02/2014 7:46 am

Tough creatures, especially if they get the drop on your party, which is happened with us. Never saw it coming - walked right into the trap. Two guys were killed almost immediately (first two rounds) before we realized we should use fire and gained the upper hand. Tough day in a Vikland!

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 4/02/2014 10:37 am

Chainsaw wrote:
Tough creatures, especially if they get the drop on your party, which is happened with us. Never saw it coming - walked right into the trap. Two guys were killed almost immediately (first two rounds) before we realized we should use fire and gained the upper hand. Tough day in a Vikland!

"Let's take shelter under that nonthreatening sideways pine tree with the in-animal cold, dead stare of a doll's eyes!"?

Or, as they say in Mitchell: "Cedar lattice. Works every time."

Nice write-up, francisca!

**Posted by Antekos** 4/02/2014 11:23 am

Just the name alone, requires tossing these critters in a game session. Love the write-up!

**Posted by francisca** 8/16/2016 10:37 am

Like these weren't bad enough.....

Attack Addendum:

Pinophyatian Horrors with 55+ hit point are long enough that they may use the last 4-6 feet of their tail (tree-top) to sweep opponents off their feet. A successful sweep attack deals 2d6 damage, and knocks man-sized and smaller creatures prone. A successful avoidance save halves the damage and allows the target to remain standing.

**Posted by Ghul** 8/16/2016 12:11 pm

francisca wrote:
Like these weren't bad enough.....

Attack Addendum:

Pinophyatian Horrors with 55+ hit point are long enough that they may use the last 4-6 feet of their tail (tree-top) to sweep opponents off their feet. A successful sweep attack deals 2d6 damage, and knocks man-sized and smaller creatures prone. A successful avoidance save halves the damage and allows the target to remain standing.

Nasty. I like it.