Reedzen


Climate/Terrain: Forest
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Nil
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Herbivorous
Intelligence: Very (11-12)
Treasure: Nil (see below)
Alignment: Neutral

No. Appearing: 1 (or 4-6; see below)
Armor Class: 3
Movement: 12, Cl9
Hit Dice: 7+7
Thac0: 13
# of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1d6/1d6
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: M (5'-7')
Morale: Unsteady (5-7)
XP Value: 2,000
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Appearance: Reedzens are humanoid creatures, somewhat related to trees. Their skin looks like thick, light brown bark. This gives them a natural armor class of 3. Their eyes are black.

Combat: Reedzens inflict 1-6 points of blunt damage per attack with their fists. However, before entering melee combat, reedzens generally use their ability to animate and control plants. Depending on the situation, they might use this ability in two ways.

They can animate one tree (no more than three times their height). The tree will move and attack like a small 7 hit dice treant (2d8 damage/attack, 2 att/rd), for the duration of one turn. This ability is usable 3 times per day. Reedzens can animate only a single tree at a time.They can also animate grass, thorns, brambles, small bushes and so on, the effect being similar to an entangle spell. This ability is usable 3 times per day, as well.

Reedzens also have a chance to control plant-like monsters (hangman trees, shambling mounds, yellow musk zombies, various fungi monsters, etc.). Plant-like monsters in a 120' radius must save versus magic or come under the control of the reedzen. On a failed save, the reedzen gains control over the plant-like monster as if charmed, for a duration of one turn. The reedzen doesn't need to concentrate to maintain his control and can engage in other activities. If two or more plant-like monsters are present, the reedzen can control only one of them. This power is usable once per day.

Reedzens also have the ability to transport via plants (as per the pass plant spell) at will. Combined with their climbing ability, this makes them virtually impossible to catch or capture. This might also explain their low morale score, as they usually have no problem fleeing from combat.

Habitat/Society: Being shy and elusive creatures, there is very little information available about reedzens. Reedzens tend to live in any forest of at least one square mile; in fact no reedzen has ever been spotted outside a forest. Reedzens tend to live alone and don't often interact with other creatures. They don't seem to have any kind of social structures, though some scholars suspect there may be small reedzen communities.

Reedzens have no use for money, and therefore hoard no monetary treasure. They know about magic items, however, and 50% of reedzen will own one magic item, usually taken from unlucky adventurers. This item will be a very simple one (i.e. a ring, cloak, potion, etc.). Complex items which necessitate reading (scrolls), using command words (wands and the like) or in-depth magic knowledge (books, crystal balls, etc.) will not be found. Reedzen also never use armors, shields or weapons.

Reedzens don't speak, and therefore do not interact much with other creatures. However, they have a type of empathy which they can use to " communicate " with any creature, if they absolutely need to. They can communicate easily with plants (as a speak with plants spell, at will) and so have very good knowledge of their forest.

Reedzens are neutral creatures, but resent deeply the presence of humans or humanoid creatures in " their " forests. Druids are tolerated. If humans or humanoids stay in the forest for more than a few hours, they are very likely to be attacked by a reedzen. If this is not enough to make the " intruders " leave, a group of 4-6 reedzens will attack a few hours later. This is the only case where reedzens gather.

Ecology: Very little is known about reedzen ecology. Reedzens are herbivorous, but some scholars assume that they are sustained by some kind of photosynthesis. This would allow them to live for long periods of time without eating (possibly months). Reproduction remains a mistery, since reedzens all look quasi-alike and there doesn't seem to be male or female species. Reedzen children have never been seen.

Variants: None.



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