Dreadshade Dryad
Medium Fey, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class: 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 110 (13d8 + 52)
Speed: 30 ft., Fey Shift 30 ft.
Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 20 |
Saving Throws: Dexterity +8, Wisdom +6, Charisma +8
Skills: Perception +9, Stealth +11, Nature +6, Arcana +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire
Damage Resistances: Psychic
Damage Immunities: Poison, Necrotic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., True Sight 20 ft.
Languages: Sylvan, Common
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Dreadshade Dryad is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The Dreadshade Dryad has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Druidcraft*, *Thorn Whip*, *Vicious Mockery*
1st level (4 slots): *Entangle*, *Faerie Fire*, *Healing Word*
2nd level (3 slots): *Barkskin*, *Misty Step*, *Moonbeam*
3rd level (3 slots): *Plant Growth*, *Fear*, *Bestow Curse*
4th level (2 slots): *Greater Invisibility*, *Grasping Vine*
5th level (1 slot): *Tree Stride*, *Awaken*
The Dreadshade Dryad casts spells before combat to manipulate the battlefield. She often begins encounters using *Entangle* or *Fear* to control the terrain and disrupt the adventurers before teleporting away with *Misty Step* to maintain the upper hand in battle. Her bioluminescent nature may enhance spells like *Faerie Fire* to ensnare enemies with both beauty and danger. Despite her fall from grace, she skillfully blends her deep connection with nature and her newfound darkness into her spellcasting, creating an atmosphere of unease and wonder in combat.
Actions & Abilities
Multiattack: The Dreadshade Dryad can make two attacks using her *Shadowy Tendril* or cast one spell and make one *Shadowy Tendril* attack.
Shadowy Tendril: *Melee Spell Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. **Hit:** 3d10 + 4 necrotic damage. *Special Effect:* If the target is a creature, they must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet towards the Dreadshade Dryad.
Fey Shift (Recharge 5-6): The Dreadshade Dryad teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see. Upon teleporting, she leaves behind a ghostly image that lasts until the start of her next turn and grants disadvantage on attacks against her. The image can be disrupted by being attacked (it has hit points equal to 5 + the Dreadshade Dryad’s Wisdom modifier).
Nature’s Wrath: Once per turn, when a creature is within 10 feet of the Dreadshade Dryad, she can force them to roll a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. **On a failed save:** The creature takes 3d8 psychic damage and is stunned until the end of their next turn. **On a successful save:** The creature takes half damage and is not stunned.
Forced Laughter (Recharge 4-6): All creatures within 20 feet of the Dreadshade Dryad must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. *Special Note:* Frightened creatures must spend their turn trying to move away from the Dreadshade Dryad.
Flora’s Bane: *Action:* The Dreadshade Dryad causes nearby plants to entangle her enemies. All creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained until they can break free with a successful DC 15 Strength check on their turn. Restrained creatures cannot move and have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Psychic Backlash (Recharges on 5-6): When the Dreadshade Dryad takes damage from a spell or psychic attack, she may unleash a wave of psychic energy. All creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 4d10 psychic damage and be confused until the end of their next turn (confused creatures roll a d10 at the beginning of their turn to determine their actions).
Vine Snare: When an enemy within 10 feet of the Dreadshade Dryad hits her with a melee attack, she can use her reaction to make a *Shadowy Tendril* attack against the attacker.
Shadowy Grasp: The Dreadshade Dryad makes one *Shadowy Tendril* attack.
Ghostly Veil (Costs 2 Actions): The Dreadshade Dryad temporarily becomes invisible until the start of her next turn or until she attacks or cast a spell.
Nature’s Call (Costs 3 Actions): The Dreadshade Dryad summons *Choking Blooms* in a 20-foot radius centered on a point she can see within 60 feet. The area becomes difficult terrain, and any creature that starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 poison damage and be poisoned until the end of their next turn.
Vine Entanglement: Grasping vines burst from the ground in a 15-foot radius centered on a point she can see within 60 feet, forcing all creatures in the area to succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or become restrained until the start of their next turn.
Whispers of the Vale: The sounds of the Luminous Vale intensify, causing all enemies in the lair to have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws until the end of her next turn.
Illuminate Shadows: The area around her glows with faint luminescent light, giving her and her allies advantage on Dexterity saving throws until the next round.
Appearance
The Dreadshade Dryad stands tall at an imposing 7 feet, exuding an ethereal presence with her slender, elongated body. Her silhouette looms gracefully against the solid white background, a haunting figure of both beauty and dread. The deep mossy green of her skin, reminiscent of ancient forest canopies, melds with dark bark-like patches, allowing her to seamlessly blend into her surroundings. Interspersed with these earthly tones are striking bioluminescent threads that pulse in soft blue and violet hues, creating a mesmerizing glow that highlights her otherworldly nature.
Her skin boasts a unique texture—a combination of rugged bark and smooth satin—making it an intriguingly tactile surface that shimmers as light dances across her form. With sharp, angular features, her face portrays a captivating blend of allure and menace. The once-emerald eyes now glow like pools of ghostly silver, capable of piercing through the souls of those who dare to gaze upon her. Her mouth is filled with slender, pointed teeth, forming enchanting smiles that can reveal the danger lurking beneath.
Each of her limbs is exquisitely refined; slender arms taper into delicate fingers that resemble slender twigs, perfect for gripping and ensnaring. Her legs, equally elegant yet powerful, are built for swift movement and agility. The absence of wings or tails does not diminish her innate connection to nature; instead, she manipulates the flora around her with a mere flick of her wrist, calling upon the energies of the forest.
Her hair, a wild cascade of creeping vines, intertwines with phosphorescent blooms that flicker in rhythm with her emotions. This living crown sways and whispers with her every movement, adding to her mystique. Shadows swirl around her body, making her silhouette appear ever-changing—a visual manifestation of her elusive nature.
With an upright, confident posture, the Dreadshade Dryad moves fluidly, almost as if she glides rather than walks. Each motion is deliberate and graceful, captivating onlookers with its haunting beauty. When threatened, her movements become swift and unpredictable, embodying the very essence of the shadows that dwell within the Luminous Vale.
Notably, her bioluminescent features cast an enchanting glow, suffusing the area with an eerie yet captivating light. The Whispering Vines of her tattered robes vibrate with ancient energy, occasionally resonating with soft, melodic whispers that can be heard only by those attuned to the mystical forces of the Feywild. In her presence, nearby plants respond, unnaturally blooming and swaying, amplifying the potent magic that embodies the Dreadshade Dryad and showcasing the balance of beauty and danger that defines her essence.
Tactical Information
Dreadshade Dryad: Behavioral and Tactical Information
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
Within the depths of the Luminous Vale, the Dreadshade Dryad’s behavior is a complex interplay of beauty, sorrow, and malevolence. Once a guardian full of life and warmth, her newfound identity as a specter of shadows now defines her existence. Her motivations are primarily driven by a consuming desire to protect what remains of her homeland, warped by the bitterness of betrayal.
In her day-to-day life, the Dreadshade wanders through the twilight-dappled glade, observing the remnants of life and beauty she once nurtured. The flora surrounding her employs a symbiotic relationship, responding to her mood; the trees stoop low, and the flowers either bloom sadly or shun the light around her. She interacts sporadically with the surviving creatures of the Vale—some abandoned by the light of the Weave, others transformed into darkened versions of themselves. These entities serve as her eyes and ears; they report any potential threats, ensuring that she remains vigilant against incursions into her territory.
In her daily routines, the Dreadshade uses her powers to maintain the delicate balance between lush growth and dangerous decay. She fosters fear within intruders through illusions and whispers, encouraging them to divert their paths. Temperamentally, she embodies a paradox: oscillating between destructive rage and desperate longing for companionship. She thrives in solitude, yet feels a nagging loneliness that drives her toward potential allies—those who may seek to restore the Vale rather than destroy it.
Combat Behavior
When combat erupts, the Dreadshade Dryad employs a calculated approach that leverages her environment and magical abilities. Preferring to engage her enemies on her own terms, she usually initiates combat from a hidden position, using the shadows cast by her surroundings to obscure her initial movements. As enemies step into her territory, the flora responds to her call, blooming into deadly Choking Blooms that ensnare any who get too close.
Her primary tactic involves a hit-and-run methodology. Once engaged, she quickly teleports using her Fey Shift ability, leaving behind an illusory image to confuse attackers. She targets spellcasters and ranged fighters first—those most capable of disrupting her control over the battlefield. By utilizing Nature’s Wrath, she can disorient and instill fear in her foes, pausing their advance while she flits through the shadows.
Should she find herself outnumbered or in a precarious situation, the Dreadshade will not hesitate to leverage her Forced Laughter ability to frighten adversaries into chaos, using the confusion to exit combat and reset her position. She knows when to be merciless and will unleash her more devastating powers when they least expect it. Relying on the terrain, she will manipulate the covering foliage to block line of sight and diminish the effectiveness of ranged attacks against her.
In moments of desperation, if significantly wounded, she may call upon a surge of psychic fury, unleashing waves of chaotic energy, while simultaneously retreating into the depths of the Vale—melding with the shadows and shrubs that represent her twisted corner of the Feywild.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
Away from the maelstrom of combat, the Dreadshade Dryad possesses an intricate persona ripe for exploration. She communicates using a blend of subtle gestures, haunting whispers, and the properties of the flora surrounding her. When adventurers intrude upon her domain, their approach ignites either ire or intrigue.
Initially, she may observe them from the shadowed branches, listening to their conversations and gauging their intent. If sensing malice, she will not hesitate to unleash her psychic torment against them, utilizing Forced Laughter to terrify them into fleeing. On the other hand, if approached with reverence or a clear intent to restore the Vale, the Dreadshade could be swayed into dialogue.
In such encounters, she may employ misdirection, speaking in riddles or compelling her surroundings, trying to assess the worthiness of those who tread upon her sacred ground. The whispers of the Whispering Vines may be her voice, urging the stand of nature to reveal the truth hidden in layers of deception.
Should negotiation arise, she can be both wise and manipulative. Her desperation for allies can be alluring, leading her to drop hints about ancient powers, hidden treasures, or unsolved botanical mysteries within the Luminous Vale. However, any attempt at bribery with disrespectful offerings or greed may invoke her wrath, presenting deadly consequences.
In moments of extreme threat, when cornered and with no options left, she might surrender to despair, willing to unleash the full potency of her magical fury in a final gambit—becoming a terrifying vision of the power of despair entwined with the woe of nature itself.
The Dreadshade Dryad serves as a critical part of the storytelling experience in the Luminous Vale, her actions leaving an indelible mark on players as they approach the fine line between ally, enemy, and the vast complexity of nature itself.
