Creature Catalogue Overhaul Project Revisited

[Shade]

The former. Added.

[freyar]

Let's go through this a paragraph at a time.

Whispering Pines (CR 5)

Whispering pines are a variety of magical tree that grows high in certain wooded mountainous regions. These trees are unusually straight and even, each branch perfectly uniform with the others, and the whole of the tree carries an inherent magicalcharm. This tree is sought out by wizards and those who manufacture magic weapons for its valuable wood.

Fine.

Whispering pines are usually found in a stand of up to 100 pines, and each tree therein can be from 10-100 feet in total height. These trees are not self-aware, but do possess an odd sense of self-preservation. They possess a Spell Resistance of 24, which serves to protect them from most magic. Druids sometimes arrange to have a treant in or around a stand of whispering pines to guard them from intruders. The pines also have a magical sense that allows them to detect any saw-like tools or unsheathed bladed weapons within 50 yards.

This seems like a good place to have SR. Let's also put the DR X/magic here. This should be high, maybe 20? I'd like to cut out the Druid bit for fluff text for later in the entry and move the "magical sense" bit to the sussuration description.

When a pine detects such an implement, it automatically begins a loud whispering susurration. This sound resembles many voices whispering at once, which is how the tree gets its name. Creatures hearing this sound must make a successful Will save (base is DC 17; DC is +1 per every 10 trees in the stand) or be compelled to stop and listen and attempt to hear what is being "said." The effect can only be broken by removing the affected target outside of the effective radius of the tree’s detection range. If allowed to remain in that area, the enthralled victimeventually starves to death in 5d4 days. Once the trees begin their susurration, the only thing that will stop them besides removing the blades is a charm plants spell, which the entire stand makes its saving throw as a group against, adding a +1 to its saving throw for every 10 pines. Druids of 3rd level or higher are immune to the effects of the whispering.

So let's put the last sentence of the previous paragraph at the top and possibly drop the druid immunity?

Will get to the rest later.

[Shade]

Updated.

[freyar]

Just realized something for the whispering. Let's say that a successful save grants immunity to the susurration for 24 hours (unless the target attacks the trees, as below), or else it might get confusing.

Let's put this after the whispering:

Only magical blades of +1 or higher enchantment can cut through these trees, and the lumber can be worked only with magical tools. The wood can only be burned by magical fire, which must first pass the tree’s spell resistance. If a whispering pine is struck by any normal weapon, the trees regenerates all the damage instantly and the tool will take 2d20 damage as if it were attacked by a powerful blow. The wielder of this blade must also make aFortitude save (DC 17) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds, after which he must make a Will save (DC 23) or be enthralled by the whispering susurration.

I think this is ok if we switch +1 to magic. Let's also change "normal" weapon to "nonmagical" and note that the 2d20 damage bypasses hardness. Finally, why is the DC 23 for the whisper? Let's also note that they must make an "additional" save vs the susurration.

I think this would go next:

The wood and bark of a whispering pine is incredibly durable and resistant to most damage and magic, making this valuable wood worth about 300 gold pieces per board foot. Any weapon manufactured from the wood of the whispering pines is automatically of masterwork quality, and if made into a magical weapon its bonus will be +1 higher than intended (a craftsman constructing a +1 longsword will instead make a +2 longsword). Also, any wand, rod, or magical scepter made from whispering pine wood will have 10% more charges or be otherwise 10% more effective.

But I'm not sure about this. It's a little funny in 3e terms. How about we say that it can be used as darkwood, is always masterwork, and reduces the cost of enchantment (either for weapons or for wands, etc) by some amount? Does that work?

I think the druid stuff should come last, but let's work out the above questions first.

[Shade]

Good suggestions. Updated.

[freyar]

Rather than reducing price by x gp, maybe by 1/4 or something?

Let's shift the treant bit down and turn the last paragraph from

Druids have a special relationship with whispering pines, and druids of 12th level or higher may communicate with the pines. They can learn the passage of creatures through the area, but this requires meditation and could take as long as a week to complete. In the fall, the druids will ritually harvest the pine needles with silver hand sickles, while chanting special prayers. They trim the ends off the lower branches, dry them for 10 days, and pluck the needles from the boughs. They then use the needles to create a tea which offers a state of mind which has spell-like scrying abilities similar to those of a reflecting pool. Anyone who attempts to harvest and use the needles without the sacred chants is stricken with severe abdominal cramps 1d4 rounds after consuming the tea.

To "Druids have a special relationship with whispering pines and sometimes arrange for a treant to protect whispering pine groves. Druids also often use speak with plants to communicate with the trees, getting particularly helpful responses. In the fall, the druids will ritually harvest the pine needles with silver hand sickles, while chanting special prayers. They trim the ends off the lower branches, dry them for 10 days, and pluck the needles from the boughs. They then use the needles to create a tea which allows the drinker to use scrying as a spell-like ability once at caster level 7 (essentially acting as a potion of scrying). Anyone who attempts to harvest and use the needles without the sacred chants is stricken with severe abdominal cramps 1d4 rounds after consuming the tea and does not gain the scrying effect."

[Shade]

That works.

Updated.

[freyar]

Drop the (now redundant) line in the middle about treants, and I think it's done. It's not a bad hazard, just too many things thrown together to be inspiring, I think.

[Shade]

Updated.

[freyar]

Ready to go!