Arboreal Sentinel
Large Construct, Neutral
Armor Class: 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 (10d10 + 30)
Speed: 30 feet, climbing 30 feet
Challenge Rating: 1 (200 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 10 |
Saving Throws: Strength +5, Wisdom +6
Skills: Nature +5, History +4 (With advantage from Spectral Echo), Perception +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire Damage
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities:
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Truesight (30 ft), Tremorsense (30 ft)
Languages: Understands Common and Druidic but cannot speak
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Arboreal Sentinel is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The Arboreal Sentinel has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): Thorn Whip, Guidance, Druidcraft
1st level (3 slots): Entangle, Goodberry, Faerie Fire
2nd level (2 slots): Barkskin, Spike Growth
3rd level (1 slot): Plant Growth
**Descriptions of spell levels:**
– **Cantrips (at will):**
– **Thorn Whip:** A long vine lashes out at a creature within range, pulling it closer to the Sentinel.
– **Guidance:** The Sentinel imbues an ally with a fleeting spark of inspiration, granting them a bonus to a skill check.
– **Druidcraft:** The Sentinel creates harmless sensory effects, such as a puff of wind or a flower blooming.
– **1st level (3 slots):**
– **Entangle:** Grasping weeds and vines sprout in a 20-foot square area, ensnaring creatures that fail a Strength saving throw.
– **Goodberry:** The Sentinel creates a handful of magical berries that can heal allies.
– **Faerie Fire:** Fires that illuminate objects and creatures in a designated area, granting advantage on attacks against affected targets.
– **2nd level (2 slots):**
– **Barkskin:** The Sentinel imbues itself or an ally with the toughness of bark, increasing AC.
– **Spike Growth:** The Sentinel causes the ground to become jagged and filled with spikes, harming those who traverse it.
– **3rd level (1 slot):**
– **Plant Growth:** The area becomes overgrown with magical vegetation, slowing movement and providing cover.
**Special notes about the spellcaster’s spellcasting abilities:** The Arboreal Sentinel can cast spells as a bonus action to enhance its combat effectiveness or to control the battlefield to test the worthiness of the interlopers. It will often use spells like **Entangle** or **Spike Growth** to create obstacles before engaging in combat directly. Additionally, it uses **Guidance** or **Faerie Fire** to assist itself or allies in combat scenarios, reinforcing its role as a guardian testing the players’ strength and wisdom.
Actions & Abilities
Vine Grasp: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 3 slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of its next turn. The restrained target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, escaping on a success.
Guardian’s Challenge (Riddle): The Arboreal Sentinel presents a riddle (crafted by the DM) to the players. If answered correctly, the players gain inspiration and advantage on their next ability check made before the end of their next turn. If failed, the Sentinel becomes enraged, triggering combat. Example Riddles: “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?” (Answer: An Echo) “I can fly without wings. I can cry without eyes. Wherever I go, darkness flies. What am I?” (Answer: A Cloud)
Natural Surge (Recharge 4-6): The Arboreal Sentinel channels the arcane energies of the forest to unleash a burst of radiant energy. Each creature of its choice within a 15-foot radius must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save also have disadvantage on their next attack roll or ability check until the end of their next turn.
Dodge: The Arboreal Sentinel can take the Dodge action, allowing it to impose disadvantage on attacks against it until the start of its next turn.
Defensive Retreat: When the Arboreal Sentinel is reduced to half its hit points or fewer, it can use its reaction to attempt to escape. It may move up to its walking speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Appearance
Amidst the whispering leaves of an ancient forest, the Arboreal Sentinel towers at a striking 7 feet tall, its slender yet powerful silhouette cutting an impressive figure against the green backdrop. With an upright posture that exudes authority, it stands like a vigilant guardian, embodying the essence of nature’s resilience and mystique.
The creature’s coloration is a deep, earthy brown, reminiscent of time-weathered wood, interspersed with vibrant greens and delicate strands of gold that shimmer like sunlit dew. This rich palette enhances its imposing stature, while glowing patches of luminescent emeralds pulse softly across its bark-like skin, creating a breathtaking visual contrast that draws the eye and ignites the imagination.
The texture of the Sentinel’s surface is rough and coarse, mimicking the aged bark of ancient trees. Scars and grooves tell tales of its long guardianship, while areas adorned with bioluminescent fungi and velvety ethereal flowers offer a surprising softness. This unique blend of ruggedness and delicacy invites exploration, evoking both wonder and caution in those who dare approach.
Its face is an intricate tapestry of intertwining roots and vines, imparting a fierce yet wise countenance. Deeply set emerald eyes gleam with intelligence, hinting at a profound understanding of the forest’s secrets. Instead of a traditional mouth, a natural fissure serves as its vocal passage, producing harmonious chants that resonate through the air—captivating, enchanting, and a tad intimidating, with no visible teeth to denote menace.
The Arboreal Sentinel boasts long, sinewy arms that stretch gracefully toward the ground, each limb coiling with vine-like tendrils that twist and curl like living ribbons. Its split, root-like fingers are adept at manipulating the environment, ready to strike with unexpected speed. Below, sturdy legs provide a tree-like foundation, rooting it firmly in place as it stands guard, prepared to leap into action at a moment’s notice.
As it moves, the Sentinel exhibits an elegant fluidity, the vine tendrils flowing behind like ethereal wisps. Its regal posture and calm demeanor communicate a powerful presence, easily shifting from tranquil stillness to an agile defensive stance, embodying the tranquility and fierceness of the wildfire it protects.
Adding to its enchanting allure, the Arboreal Sentinel is crowned with a delicate layer of luminous spores that shimmer and twinkle like stars, casting a magical glow over its immediate surroundings. These spores dance in the air, enhancing the ethereal atmosphere of the Ruins of Eldrim, and serve as a reminder of the ancient, untamed energies it safeguards.
With faint elemental patterns tracing its arms, this captivating creature not only stands as a guardian of the forest but also as a vibrant representation of the convergence between nature’s strength and the delicate beauty of magic. The Arboreal Sentinel invites adventurers to explore its domain while simultaneously warning of the fierce protection it offers to the forest and its secrets.
Tactical Information
Arboreal Sentinel: Day-to-Day Life, Combat Behavior, and Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
The Arboreal Sentinel inhabits the shadowy depths of the Ruins of Eldrim, where it stands vigilant among fallen stones and the whispering trees of the Mistwood Forest. Composed of living wood and vibrant flora, the Sentinel derives its sustenance from the energies of the forest, weaving through the expanse of roots and vines at dusk to absorb ambient magical energies.
The Sentinel exhibits a profound understanding of its domain, often shifting its form slightly to camouflage itself amidst the foliage. This guardian is not inherently aggressive; instead, it thrives on the balance between protection and preservation. Each day, it performs rhythmic movements akin to a dance, encouraging the growth of nearby plants and ensuring that the ecosystem flourishes.
The Sentinel’s social interaction is limited to its environment and the muffled echoes of past seekers. Although it has never exhibited signs of companionship, it does draw on the wisdom of the spirits that haunt the ruins, occasionally emitting whispers that seem to beckon to the worthy. However, for those who intrude without proper intent, it becomes a watchful figure—silent yet imposing, interpreting disturbances as threats to the sanctity it is charged to protect.
Combat Behavior
When faced with combat, the Arboreal Sentinel begins by sensing the intentions of those who encroach upon its sacred ground. Typically, it will make its presence known through a deep reverberating chant, warning intruders to depart peacefully. If provoked, the Sentinel transitions smoothly between roles, revealing its true martial prowess.
In combat, the Sentinel’s first response is to challenge its opponents with a riddle—a clever tactic designed to test intellect over brute strength. If players successfully answer, they gain not only safe passage but also favorable buffs as a blessing of the forest. However, a wrong answer awakens the Sentinel’s ire, causing it to unleash its formidable vine grasp.
When initiating combat, the Sentinel prefers to remain at a distance, striking at foes using its Vine Grasp while keeping them at bay. It focuses on immobilizing the most formidable threats first—likely spellcasters or damage-dealers—utilizing its vines to limit their movement and actions. The Sentinel is also astute at employing its surroundings; it might create Vine Obstacles to complicate the players’ tactical maneuvers, obstructing potential escape routes or dividing the group.
If faced with overwhelming odds, the Sentinel can utilize its Nature’s Bounty healing aura to sustain itself, boosting its resilience. Should things turn dire, the Sentinel may resort to a strategic retreat, melding seamlessly into the surrounding environment, leaving behind illusory echoes as distractions that lead foes astray.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
Outside of combat, the Arboreal Sentinel is governed by an ancient understanding of the balance between knowledge and nature. Encounters with it begin with an aura of wisdom and authority; it communicates through a series of melodic tones and gentle vibrations that resonate in the air, inviting seekers to engage in a dialogue—albeit a cryptic one.
In response to threats or challenging inquiries, the Sentinel exhibits an ethereal patience. It seeks not to harm but to eduate, offering cryptic insights and hints as it poses riddles. Should players attempt to bribe the Sentinel with promises of offering or treasures, it may be intrigued, exchanging questions instead. Should its tranquility be disrupted, it transforms, becoming more assertive but not wholly hostile.
If approached with threats, the Arboreal Sentinel’s demeanor darkens, shifting to a more imposing presence. It may unleash a burst of radiant light if adventurers attempt to bypass it without engaging, forcing them to confront its power directly. In encounters where players demonstrate charisma or display an earnest desire to understand rather than conquer, the Arboreal Sentinel may very well lower its defenses, choosing instead to foster an alliance or share its knowledge regarding the Tear of Aeloria.
Ultimately, the Arboreal Sentinel serves as a complex blend of guardian and teacher, teaching lessons of respect, humility, and the importance of understanding the magic that binds all life. It represents a creature that balances the forces of nature with the wisdom of ages past, making interactions with it a defining moment of exploration and learning for any adventurer brave enough to seek their fortune through the Ruins of Eldrim.
Speak Your Mind