Bloodwood
GM's Eyes Only
Spoilers. This page is written for the GM, and players who read on will learn things their characters don't know.
A carnivorous monster-tree of Azlotl's jungles.
Names. Ezcuahuitl (ez-KWAH-weetl) to Extli practitioners, Bloodwood on the street.
What it is. Along the lines of an Assassin Vine, Giant Flytrap, or Yellow Musk Creeper. Thorned tendrils drag prey up into its crown. Its heartwood is red and nearly as hard as iron.
Where it grows. The old Catfolk grew it in temple groves. It now grows wild around the ruins.
Why anyone wants it. Bloodwood takes an Extli binding better than anything else. A Bloodwood haft is what makes an extihuitl strike as magic, and a student has to go get the wood themselves. A GM can let it be bought instead, for about 10,000 sp. See Arts, Extli.
Stats¶
First draft, built from WWN's baseline stat lines.
| HD | AC | Atk | Dmg | Shock | Move | ML | Inst | Skill | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloodwood | 6 | 16 | +6 x3 | 1d6 | 1/13 | 0' (reach 20') | 12 | 2 | +0 | 12+ |
- Tendrils. Each hit also grabs the target unless they make an Evasion save. A grabbed creature is dragged 10 feet toward the crown at the start of each of the tree's turns. Breaking free takes a Main Action and a Str/Exert check against difficulty 9, or cutting the tendril (AC 12, 6 hit points).
- The crown. A creature dragged into the crown takes 2d6 damage at the start of each of its turns until it gets free.
- Ironwood. Blunt weapons do half damage to the trunk. Fire does full damage, but the red heartwood doesn't catch.
- Felling one. Once the tree is dead, cutting a haft-length of heartwood takes a day's work with good steel tools.
Still open: playtesting the numbers, and where its groves are.