Shambling Mound¶
Rich soil squelches under every footstep. Curtains of menacing vines block the way, and muffled groans echo distantly under the darkening canopy. But by the time a hapless explorer realizes the ground is moving, it's too late—the shambling mound has devoured them.
Found in overgrown swamps, stinking marshes, dense wodes, and dark, damp rainforests, the shambling mound is a wandering mass of vegetation that feeds on everything in their path.
Noxious Origins¶
A shambling mound is most often a byproduct of nearby hags or mages, especially evil ones or those utilizing green magic. Latent magic seeps into the surrounding land, coalescing into a nocuous creature consumed by hunger. The shambling mound knows only that they must grow, and that to grow they must feed—and thus they wander in search of a hunting ground.
It is believed these magical origins are what give shambling mounds their ability to produce poisons, which vary from region to region. For example, the toxins from a shambling mound along coastal beaches or swamps might appear milky white and smell sweet like manchineel trees. Meanwhile, shambling mounds found in rainforests might give off a heady, intoxicating sweet scent at night, luring victims in with beautiful pale blooms like angel's trumpets and producing intense hallucinations for those unfortunate enough to become poisoned. But while their specific effects might change, each shambling mound's toxins typically have the same aim: enervate their foes and then magically absorb that lost strength and vitality.
Alchemical Ingredients
After a shambling mound dies, a creature can make a Reason test to extract toxins from the remains.
- ≤11: The creature extracts no toxins.
- 12-16: The creature extracts enough toxins to craft one vial of poison.
- 17+: The creature extracts enough toxins to craft three vials of poison.
Creating poison from the extracted toxins requires the completion of a special crafting project (see Chapter 12: Downtime Projects of Draw Steel: Heroes).
- Item Prerequisite: Shambling mound toxins
- Project Source: Texts or lore in Caelian
- Project Roll Characteristic: Reason or Intuition
- Project Goal: 45
As a maneuver, one vial of poison can be applied to a weapon. For 1 minute after the poison is applied, damage dealing abilities using that weapon deal an extra 4 + 1d6 poison damage.
Hearty Eaters¶
As a shambling mound drags their massive form through the undergrowth, they consume any organic matter they pass. What is more satisfying, however, is when they find a shadowed, overgrown place to lurk until the meal comes to them—a veritable feast for little effort. After a mound engulfs their prey, be they animal or adventurer, the meal-to-be is sealed in a sack of interwoven vines and leaves. This vegetative hunter can then sap the strength of those within to feast or empower itself.
Verdant Core and Expansive Sprawl¶
When fighting a shambling mound, most attention is drawn to the cavernous chamber that holds their consumed victims. However, the shambling mound protects a smaller magic crux at their core with a knot of vines, leaves, and other natural defenses. The mound can expose this core to free up their form and become deadlier, thus opening themselves up to more potential harm.
One must also be wary of the area around a shambling mound. Their vines reach out far, the full extent of their form hidden among other flora until they strike.
Shambling Mound
- Solo MonsterTrait
- Engulfing SacTrait
- Vine LashMain actionSignature
- Seismic SlamMain action
- EngulfMain action2 Malice
- LeechManeuver
- Tether DownTriggered action
- False AppearanceTrait
- Frothing FloraTrait
- Ravenous OvergrowthVillain Action 1
- CompostingVillain Action 2
- Exposed CruxVillain Action 3