Living Effigy
CREATURE 11This massive collection of bone-white branches and blood-matted fur stalks the grove it protects with relentless dedication, hunting down trespassers and delivering retribution at its creator's command with brutal efficiency. These fetid guardians are created in a bloody ritual using the twigs of a dying plant and the fur of a rabid animal and are given life with the sacrifice of an intelligent creature. They're usually seen at the side of corrupted druids, keeping their sanctums safe from trespassers. Other druids or rangers might stomach the gruesome ritual if they find themselves desperate enough to need protection at any cost.
These twisted constructs are almost undetectable in the wild despite their prodigious size, gliding invisibly between the trees. The unnatural growth that surrounds an effigy at all times gives its presence away—but by the time the vines wrap around an intruder's legs, it's far too late to escape the creature's wrath. Without warning, the effigy then emerges from the soil in an explosion of rocks and wood splinters, carving a bloody path through its enemies. Effigies often leave a single obvious escape route when they attack, forcing their prey to delve deeper into the woods where more of their kind lie in wait.
The living effigy can't leave the confines of the grove in which it was created.
30 feet. Twisted vines lash around the effigy, hampering its opponents. Spaces within the aura are difficult terrain. A creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed at a DC 30 Fortitude save or treat squares in the area as greater difficult terrain instead until the end of its next turn. The effigy can activate or deactivate this aura using a single action, which has the concentrate trait.
The effigy deals 3d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 30 basic Fortitude save) to up to five creatures Grabbed or Restrained by it, in a space of its wall of thorns, or prevented from flying by its earthbind.
The effigy can Burrow through any earthen matter, including rock. When it does so, it moves at its full burrow Speed, leaving no tunnels or signs of its passing.
The effigy ignores difficult terrain caused by plants and fungi, such as bushes, vines, and undergrowth.
The effigy plunges through the ground, forcefully expelling rocks and other debris along its path. The effigy Burrows twice. Any creature that's adjacent to it during this movement takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage (DC 30 basic Fortitude save). On a critical failure, the creature is also knocked Prone. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.
The monster can instead use Grab and choose one creature it's grabbing or restraining with an appendage that has Grab to automatically extend that condition to the end of the monster's next turn.