Lagulient (S&W Bestiary Item)

As a kid canoeing across lakes in the Adirondacks, I was always fascinated and slightly disturbed by the numerous trees that had fallen into and under water. Paddling over them, they sometimes seemed to take on monstrous qualities - as though they might reach right up and tip us over...


Lagulient

Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 1d6 HD + 4
Attacks: one strike (2d6, 3d6, or 4d6)
Saving Throw: 12, 11, 9, 8, 6, or 5.
Special: Monster Summoning IV (see description)
Move: 9
Challenge Level / XP: 5 HD (7/700), 6 HD (9/1100), 7 HD (10/1400), 8 HD (11/1700), 9 HD (12/2000), HD 10 (13/2300)

The tree-like lagulients branched off from treants, distinguishing themselves from their cousins by choosing to spend the majority of their lives underwater. They spend most of their time sleeping there, but can be awakened and upset by anyone disturbing the still waters of the lakes and ponds where they reside. It’s unknown why lagulients originally sought to spend their time below water - perhaps simply to escape the noise of encroaching settlement. They are more chaotic than treants, and aren’t interested in protecting trees so much as they are in maintaining the quietude of their chosen homes. They are particularly infuriated by anyone who actually pilots a small vessel over and above them.

Lagulients are slightly less powerful and slower than their land bound relatives, probably due to their waterlogged state. They cannot swim, only walking on the bottom of bodies of water, and stay close to shore unless forced to retreat to deep water. Although they don’t have the ability to “awaken” normal trees, they do have the ability to summon water creatures for aid (treat as Monster Summoning IV substituting appropriate/available creatures).

Depending upon their size, they have different hit dice and damage; lagulients of 5 to 6 hit dice inflict 2d6 points of damage when striking with their branch-like hands. Lagulients with 7 to 8 hit dice inflict 3d6 points, and those of hit dice 9 to 10 inflict 4d6 points of damage. Fire based attacks against them do not receive any bonuses.

Text of this post is released under the OGL.
original photograph released under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 by Elkman, and GIMP'd by ze bulette