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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BOZ" data-source="post: 42089" data-attributes="member: 1241">WHISPERING PINESLarge PlantHit Dice: 5d8+30 (52 hp)Initiative:  -5Speed: 0 ft.AC:  25 (+15 natural)Attacks:  ---Damage:  ---Face/Reach:  10 ft. by 10 ft./0 ft.Special Qualities:  Blade sense, Susurration, Plant, Enchanted Wood, SR 24Saves:  Fort +9, Ref ---, Will -2Abilities:  Str --, Dex --, Con 23, Int --, Wis 5, Cha 1Climate/Terrain:  Temperate and warm forest and mountainsOrganization:  Stand (10-100)Challenge Rating:  5Treasure:  ---Alignment:  Always neutralAdvancement:  6-8 HD (Large), 9-16 HD (Huge), 17-32 HD (Gargantuan), 33-50 (Colossal)High in certain mountainous regions, there grows a species of magical pines.  Every branch grows perfectly straight and carries an inherent charm.  Subsequently, wizards and those who manufacture wooden weapons intended for enchantment search these forests for this valuable wood (300 g.p. per board foot).  Druids bent on preserving these pines sometimes arrange for a treant to be located in or around a stand of these trees.   Whispering pines are at least 10' tall (the above stats reflect this weakest example), and grow as tall as 100' high.  For every 2 feet in height that a pine grows above 10', it gains 1 Hit Die. COMBATWhen a pine detects a blade in its range, it automatically begins its whispering susurration.  Whispering pines are not truly capable of any other action.   Blade Sense (Su):  Whispering pines can detect the presence of any bladed weapon or saw-like tool within 50 yards.   Susurration (Su):  This sound is a moderately loud susurration which resembles the sound of many voices whispering.  A character encountering these trees must make a Will save (base 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 trees (50 yards); otherwise, the victim eventually starves to death in 5-20 days.   Druids of 3rd level or higher are immune to the effects of the whispering.  At 12th level, druids may communicate with the pines most of the time (70%), and thus learn the passage of creatures through the vicinity.  However, like asking a question of a treant, the answer may take a week to complete.   Once the trees begin their susurration, a charm plants spell is the only thing that can cause them to stop.  In such an event, the entire stand makes its saving throw as a group rather than each individually, adding a +1 to its saving throw for every 10 pines.   Plant:  Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing.  Not subject to critical hits.   Enchanted Wood (Su):  The wood and bark of a whispering pine is incredibly durable and resistant to damage and magic.  Only magical blades of +1 or more enchantment can fell these trees, and the lumber can be worked only with enchanted tools; likewise, the wood from whispering pines can only be burned by magical fire.  If struck by any nonmagical blade, the trees regenerate 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 a Fort 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.   In the fall, some druids harvest the needles of the pines with silver hand sickles, while chanting special prayers to the gods of nature.  To accomplish this, they trim the ends off the lower branches, dry them for 10 days, and pluck the needles from the boughs.  Druids then use these 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 in 1-4 rounds after consuming the tea with severe cramps as the spell symbol (of pain).   Any weapon manufactured from the wood of the whispering pines is automatically masterwork and +1 in value.  Also, any wand, rod, or magical scepter has one extra charge or is 10% more effective.Whispering pines first appeared in Dragon Magazine #119 (1987, "The Dragon's Bestiary: A Walk Through the Woods", William L. Bowman, Jr.)</blockquote>

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