d20 Ronin Arts A Dozen Plants and Herbs.pdf

A Dozen Plants and Herbs

A Dozen

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons ®

Player’s Handbook

by Michael Hammes

Plants and Herbs

Introduction

While looking through the standard rules, I realized that

there is not much mention of herbs and plants in general.

Considering that flora is all around us, and plays a very impor-

tant part in our lives, I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add

a little to the lexicon of plants and herbs that exist with the d20

fantasy world.

The format is a bit changed from most of the other Dozen

collections:

Appearance: This is a brief description of what the plant or

herb looks like.

Knowledge (nature): This gives the DC for correctly iden-

tifying the given plant or herb. If the Knowledge (nature) check

is failed then the individual is either unable to identify the plant

at all, or comes to some sort of wrong conclusion (“Yeah, those

berries are safe to eat”).

Qualities: These are the specific game-related qualities that

the plant or herb possesses.

C ORNUCOPIA F RUIT

Appearance: This trunk of this eight-foot tall tree looks very

fibrous and coarse. A canopy of large dark green fern-like leaves

spreads out from the tree’s top. Large globular orange fruit, some

as big as a dwarf’s skull, hang down from this canopy.

Knowledge (nature): DC 16. Growing in tropical and sub-

tropical lands (anywhere with sufficient heat and humidity), the

cornucopia fruit tree is not actually a tree but an herbaceous plant,

as it has no wood in it at all. It grows a false trunk from an under-

ground stem, which, although it looks woody, is actually quite

soft and fleshy. A large flower spike composed of numerous

flowers emerges from the plant in spring. The flowers bend

down throughout the next couple of months, becoming the fruits

by mid-summer. After the fruits have ripened, the stem dies and

is replaced the next year by another from the underground stem.

Qualities: The fruit from the cornucopia tree is particularly

rich and filling, tasting much like banana bread. A single

coconut-sized piece of the fruit provides all the food and water

required to sustain a human for 24 hours.

R OLE -P LAY A LERT !

The use of these plants and herbs are another way to

make the campaign world more real by adding yet another

wrinkle of flavor. Give the PCs several pieces of

Cornucopia Fruit before they set out from the village, have

the local innkeeper suggest some Imbiber’s Joy for the hung-

over PC, or have the local peasants put fresh sprigs of

Martyr’s Blood over their doorways and window lintels as

soon as some evil threat is mentioned.

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A Dozen Plants and Herbs

D REAM W EAVER

Appearance: This six-petaled flower has almost translucent

purple petals. Small thorns grow from its dark green stem, their

color going from dark green close to the stem to dark purple at

their tip.

Knowledge (nature): DC 17. The dream weaver can be

found in the forests and near glades in all temperate climates, as

it prefers shade and the moisture common in forests. Consistent

with its name, it blooms only at night.

Legend has it that the dream weaver are actually the tears of

the Nido, goddess of the moon, shed when her mortal lover was

killed by her jealous husband Solus, god of the sun.

Qualities: When blooming, the smell of the dream weaver’s

scent has a hypnotizing effect on any creature that comes with-

in 30 feet of the flower. A creature must succeed at a Will save

(DC 13) or find itself fascinated , unable to tear itself away from

the pleasant smell; it simply sits down and, as long as nothing

disturbs it, will remain until it dies from thirst and starvation.

If the result of the augury is weal, the plant opens its petals.

If the result is woe, the petals immediately shrivel up and die. If

the result is both weal and woe, the plant begins to open its

petals, but then they shrivel up and die. If the result is nothing,

the plant remains as it is.

No matter what, the flower may answer only one augury and,

once it has done so, it slowly dries out, turning to dust within 24

hours.

F IREFLY P LANT

Appearance: The buds on this sparse shrub glow with a soft

green light that gives the entire bush an almost spectral appear-

ance.

Knowledge (nature): DC 13. Growing in swamps, fens,

stream banks, marsh borders, and other places with frequent

standing water, this small, thinly branched shrub has blue-green-

ish twigs. A sparse cover of elliptical, green-white leaves that

alternate along the stem grows along with elliptical furry buds

that glow with an inner phosphorescence. The buds last from

late winter to early spring, when they turn into greenish flowers

that last until late summer or early fall.

Qualities: The key quality of the firefly plant is its phos-

phorescence. Each bud and flower gives off faint phosphores-

cence, with the flowers being slightly brighter. The phospho-

rescence provides no practical light, but it is easily noticeable in

the dark up to a distance of 30 feet for a single bud or flower.

The most common color of the phosphorescence is green, but

blue and violet also occur.

Residents of the swamp often use these buds to mark loca-

tions, or wear them on their clothes when traveling in a large

group at night.

F ATE ’ S K ISS

Appearance: This is obviously not a normal flower.

Although it looks like a tulip, its petals are a soft velvety gray in

color.

Knowledge (nature): DC 20. This rare flower grows only

near religious sites or other places where the use of divination

magic is widespread. Although a magical plant that appears to

feed on magic, (it radiates a faint divination aura when detect

magic or other such magic is used on it), it is still a plant and

requires soil in which to grow.

Qualities: Picking the flower allows the creature doing so to

receive the benefit (or is it curse?) of an augury (as per the

spell). The creature must query the flower within one round of

picking it and the Fate’s Kiss reveals the answer immediately

after the question is asked. Failure to query the flower within

one round of picking it causes it to shrivel up and turn to dust

immediately.

I MBIBER ’ S J OY

Appearance: This herb, as tall as a man, looks much like a

big piece of parsley, with small white flowers growing in three

compound clusters on the end of the splitting stem.

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A Dozen Plants and Herbs

Knowledge (nature): DC 15. Growing in the cool, damp

meadows and valleys of low mountain ranges, Imbiber’s Joy

grows some 5 to 8 feet in height.

When in bloom, which the plant is during midsummer, its

leaves are yellow in color, giving way to pale yellow, fingertip-

sized, oblong fruits in late summer.

Qualities: Brewing the leaves of the plant is recommended for

creatures suffering from the effects of excessive alcohol con-

sumption (since there are no standard rules for intoxication, the

GM can create whatever effects he or she desires, from removing

the nausea of a hangover to removing any penalties associated

with being drunk).

More than occasional use of Imbiber’s Joy, however, can cause

the creature to develop distaste for alcohol. Any creature that uses

Imbiber’s Joy more than one time per week must succeed at a

Fortitude save (DC 15 +1 for each additional use of the herb

beyond the second in one seven day period). Failure means that

the creature has developed an adverse reaction to consuming alco-

hol, causing it to immediately reject (i.e. spit up) any alcohol that

it tries to drink. Whether this effect is temporary or permanent is

up to the GM.

Martyr’s Blood derives its name from the legend of Saint

Cilihud, the Martyr. It is said that the flower sprang into existence

from the drops of blood shed by Saint Cilihud after the treacher-

ous Bishop Vendakin struck him down as he tried to stop the mad

cleric from summoning the avatar of Cruak the Many in the Deep

Wood.

Qualities: Freshly picked Martyr’s Blood acts as a ward to

repel evil spirits. If displayed prominently on someone’s person

it acts as a continuous protection from evil spell.

When used as a material component it doubles the duration of

any Abjuration [Good] spell (i.e. dispel evil, holy aura, magic cir-

cle against evil, protection from evil ). It does the same when its

leaves are used as an ingredient for potions based on those spells

or in inks to inscribe such spells on scrolls.

Note that the wildflower must be fresh in order to provide its

effect; under normal conditions the flower can be considered fresh

for one week before losing its potency, both as a ward and as a

material component/ingredient.

N EEDLER

Appearance: This cactus, about the height of a man, has hun-

dreds of wicked-looking needles with black tips.

Knowledge (nature): DC 19. A needler is the bane of desert

dwellers. Although it feeds itself by preying on small animals, the

fact that it is mindless means that it will attack anything that it

senses, firing its poisonous needles in every direction.

Qualities:

M ARTYR ’ S B LOOD

Appearance: This wildflower has paired oval pale green

leaves with translucent spots. Blood-red five-petaled flowers top

the branching erect stem.

Knowledge (nature): DC 15. Martyr’s Blood is a perennial

herbaceous wildflower that blooms in uncultivated ground, often

near woods, hedges, or other growth which shelters it from con-

stant sun. The flowers bloom in mid- to late-summer and are fol-

lowed by small round crimson seeds that have a resinous smell

when crushed.

A needler has the following statistics (see next

page):

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A Dozen Plants and Herbs

NEEDLER

cacti surrounding it is by a large air hole on the needler’s top.

This air hole is covered by an inward-opening flap that allows

the needler to draw in the air required to fire its needles, but

does not allow that air to escape in any other way.

Once it has killed its prey, the needler moves over the

corpse and plants its roots into the victim, drawing forth the

nutrients. A needler always moves on once it has finished

digesting its victim. A handful of corpses of its victims, most-

ly small animals and vermin, can usually be found to mark the

progress of a needler.

Medium Plant

Hit Dice:

2d8+6 (15 hp)

Initiative:

Speed:

10 ft. (2 squares)

Armor Class:

13 (–1 size, +4 natural), touch 9,

flat-footed 13

Base Attack/Grapple:

+3/+12

Attack:

Needles +6 ranged (1d6 + poison)

Full Attack:

Needles +6 ranged (1d6 + poison)

Space/Reach:

5 ft./5 ft.

Combat

A needler always attacks in the same way:

It stands motionless until prey comes within range, then

attacks by shooting a fusillade of poisonous needles. Because

of its limited detection range, it does not pursue fleeing prey

unless the prey’s movement rate is as slow, or slower, than the

needler’s.

Blindsight (Ex): A needler has no visual organs but can

ascertain all foes within 30 feet using sound, scent, and vibra-

tion.

Camouflage (Ex): Since a needler looks like a normal

plant when at rest, it takes a DC 20 Spot check to notice it

before it attacks.

Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can

use one of those skills instead of Spot to notice the plant.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 12, initial and secondary

damage 1d4 Con. The save DC is Constitution based.

Spikes (Ex): With a sudden intake of air, the needler is able

to loose a volley of hundreds of needles as a standard action

(make a single attack roll for everyone within a 30 radius of the

plant). This attack has a range of 30 feet with no range incre-

ment. Any creature with a natural armor bonus of +3 is

immune to this attack as the needles are unable to penetrate

such thick skin. A needler can make up to four such attacks in

a 24-hour period.

Special Attacks:

Poison, spikes

Special Qualities:

Blindsight 30 ft., camouflage,

plant traits, resistance to cold 10

and fire 10

Saves:

Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1

Abilities:

Str 10, Dex 20, Con 16, Int —,

Wis 13, Cha 9

Environment:

Temperate deserts

Organization:

Solitary or patch (2–4)

Challenge Rating:

Treasure:

1/10th coins; 50% goods; 50%

items

Alignment:

Always neutral

Advancement:

3–5 HD (Medium); 6–10 HD

(Large)

Level Adjustment:

—

A needler is a carnivorous mobile plant that looks much like

a cactus. A needler’s shallow roots act like little feet, moving

the needler along at a respectable pace for a plant; it can with-

draw these roots from the ground, or a victim, and re-plant

them as a move-equivalent action.

A needler has the same lifecycle as a cactus, blooming with

red flowers in early spring and growing burgundy fist-sized

seeded fruit by early fall. The only way to tell a needler from

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A Dozen Plants and Herbs

P EASANT ’ S H OPE

Appearance: This waist-high shrub has thin, oval leaves,

white flowers, and bright blue berries the size of large peas.

Knowledge (nature): DC 11. Peasant’s Hope is a shrub that

grows wild most anywhere and also takes well to cultivation. It

grows from 3 to 6 feet in height with thin, oval, lanceolate

leaves. It blooms in late summer and the berries arrive in fall to

early winter, a fact that makes the shrub stand out when all other

vegetation is leafless.

Popular myth has it that Peasant’s Hope is a gift from the

goddess of hearth and home given to the peasant Allydra, who

took the goddess in and fed her when she was disguised as a dis-

eased crone.

Qualities: The bark and fresh fruit of Peasant’s Hope are tra-

ditionally gathered prior to the first autumnal frost. Because of

its varied uses in herbal and folk medicine, Peasant’s Hope pro-

vides a +4 chemical bonus to any Heal checks for long-term care

(see the Heal skill).

Knowledge (nature): DC 14. Wizard’s Temptation grows

in rich woods along mountains throughout the world. It is most

easily recognizable by the fact that its stems invariably have

exactly seven finely toothed leaves. The plant grows a single

rounded cluster of white flowers that bear purple berries in late

summer.

The main focus of the plant is its root, which is relatively

large and fleshy. It is oblong, pale yellow to pale brown in color,

and adds a ring annually; the root tastes like bitter licorice.

Qualities: After chewing on a thumb-sized piece of root for

one minute the creature must make a Fortitude saving throw

(DC 13). Success means that the root provides the creature with

enhanced mental acuity (although the creature does become a bit

excited and jumpy) and grants a +4 enhancement bonus to

Intelligence for one hour. Failure means that the creature

becomes confused (as per the spell) for the same amount of time.

Note that taking more than one dose of Wizards’ Temptation

per day increases the difficulty of the saving throw by 2 for each

additional dose (i.e. DC 15 with 2 doses in a 24-hour period, DC

17 with three doses, etc.).

S WEETBERRY B USH

Appearance: This prickly bush is filled with ripe purplish-

black berries the size of a man’s thumb.

Knowledge (nature): DC 14. A sweetberry bush can be

found in all temperate climates. The bright purple flowers that

bloom in late spring herald the fruit of a sweetberry bush, which

ripens in mid- to late-summer.

The fruit of the sweetberry bush is indeed quite sweet, a fact

that makes it very likely to be eaten by those ignorant of its poi-

sonous qualities.

Qualities: The berries of the sweetberry bush are quite poi-

sonous: Ingested, Fortitude DC 13, 1d2 Con/1d6 Con.

W YRMROOT

Appearance: This plant is some two feet tall with woody

stems covered by fine hairs. The leaves are green on top and

white on bottom and the flowerheads are also greenish-white.

Knowledge (nature): DC 13. Wyrmroot grows in wild

meadows and other uncultivated open spaces in temperate to

cold climates. The plant blooms from mid-summer to early fall

and the leaves and flowers have an extremely bitter taste,

although the root is much less so.

Qualities: The dried herb, that is the leaves and tops but not

the root, is harvested when the plant is in flower and then dried;

it is this portion that has medicinal properties. When the flow-

ers are brewed as a tea it acts as purgative and diuretic, a rather

messy method but one that rids the body of all manner of toxins.

It can do this in one of two ways; the selection is up to the GM:

W IZARD ’ S T EMPTATION

Appearance: This small plant, about a foot high, consists of

a single stem bearing seven finely toothed leaves.

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