Leshy, Lotus LeshyA plant whose body resembles a blooming lotus flower exudes an
air of serenity.Lotus Leshy CR 5Source Bestiary 5 pg. 157
XP 1,600
N Small plant (leshy, shapechanger)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14
Aura tranquility (20 ft., DC 15, 10 rounds)DefenseAC 20, touch 18, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 Wis,
+2 natural, +1 size)
hp 52 (7d8+21)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +6
Immune electricity, plant traits, sonicOffenseSpeed 30 ft.; lily pad stride
Melee slam +8 (1d4)
Ranged seed spray +8 (1d3 nonlethal/×3 plus dream pollen)
Special Attacks dream pollen, seed spray
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +16)
Constant—lily pad stride, pass without traceStatisticsStr 10, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 21
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Knowledge
[religion]), Weapon Finesse
Skills Diplomacy +9, Heal +11, Knowledge (religion) +13,
Perception +14, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +6 (+10 in aquatic
terrain), Survival +0 (+4 in aquatic terrain); Racial
Modifiers +4 Stealth in aquatic terrain, +4 Survival
in aquatic terrain
Languages Druidic, Sylvan; plantspeech
(lotuses)
SQ change shape (small lotus flower;
tree shape), verdant burstEcologyEnvironment warm lakes or ponds
Organization solitary
Treasure standardSpecial AbilitiesAura of Tranquility (Su) A lotus leshy
exudes a calming aura within a 20-foot
radius, which functions as calm emotions
(Will DC 15 negates). A creature that
succeeds at the save is immune to
that leshy’s aura for 24 hours. The
save DC is Charisma-based.
Dream Pollen (Ex) A lotus leshy can expel pollen in a 15-foot
cone. All creatures within the cone (as well as those who take
damage from seed spray) must succeed at a DC 16 Will save or
fall asleep for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Seed Spray (Ex) A lotus leshy can shoot several of its seeds
at targets within 30 feet. It can shoot up to 6 seeds as a
standard action, dividing the seeds as it chooses among
targets in range. Each seed deals 1d3 points of nonlethal
damage. The leshy rolls a single attack roll to determine
the accuracy of all of the seeds in the spray. The attack has
a ×3 critical multiplier, and the leshy makes only one roll to
confirm a critical threat.DescriptionEnigmatic lotus leshys are wise guardians of secluded
ponds and lakes. They spend most of their time in
meditation as lotus flowers, sometimes for decades at
a time. Although lotus leshys spend most of their time
floating in solitary reflection, they do not shun the
company of other creatures, and take humanoid form
whenever they wish to speak. They find discussions of
religion and philosophy particularly fascinating, and
delight in fresh perspectives. Although they study deities
of self-perfection and contemplation extensively, they do
not revere such beings.
Lotus leshys speak indirectly rather than providing
specific answers. They maintain that contemplation and
discussion are far more valuable than concrete answers,
whose usefulness is limited to the question at hand. In
addition, they believe those who receive direct answers
are more likely to blindly accept the words of others rather
than thinking for themselves. When confronted with
impatience, lotus leshys return to their lotus form rather
than engaging further. They avoid combat whenever
possible, preferring to calm tempers with their
tranquil auras or lull violent creatures to sleep
with their soporific pollen.
A typical lotus leshy stands 3 feet tall, and
weighs 15 pounds.Creating a Lotus LeshyLotus leshys grow best in warm ponds
and lakes in quiet areas. To grow a lotus
leshy, the maker must plant a lotus seed by
the water’s edge, and sit in quiet mediation
by the seed until it sprouts.
LOTUS LESHY
CL 12th; Price 9,000 gp
RITUAL
Requirements Knowledge (nature)
5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5
ranks, lily pad stride, plant
growth, summon nature’s
ally V; Skill Knowledge
(nature or religion) DC 19;
Cost 4,500 gpCreatures in "Leshy" CategorySource Bestiary 3 pg. 176
Originally grown as servants for more powerful fey and intelligent plant life such as elder treants, leshys are sentient plants who look after their unintelligent brethren and serve as nature's verdant watchers. Several breeds of leshy exist, each being kindred to a broad group of plants or fungi. Among the best known are superstitious gourd leshys, wise seaweed leshys, strange fungus leshys, and wary leaf leshys, though others are rumored to exist, such as the surly cactus leshy, the sinister flytrap leshy, the garrulous snapdragon leshy, and the enigmatic lotus leshy.
Leshys begin their existence as sentient though bodiless spirits of nature of the sort contacted by spells such as commune with nature. These spirits normally have no way to directly manipulate the physical world, but a skilled spellcaster (typically a druid) can grow a special plant body for one of these spirits, giving the spirit a home to animate.
Once accepted into a body, a leshy's spirit remains within unless the body is destroyed. Leshys do not fear death as many other creatures do, knowing that should they fall, their spirits merely return to the natural world and can be called to inhabit a new leshy body at some point in the future. As a leshy's body dies, the magic animating it unravels in a burst of life energy that infuses its surrounding and quickens the growth of any plants in the vicinity. Some leshys even voluntarily discorporate to save the lives of ailing plants, knowing that their sacrifice may mean the continuation of countless otherwise helpless flora. Regardless of how a leshy dies, leaving the body traumatizes the spirit, and the leshy retains only faint memories of past corporeal existences. Leshy spirits need not return to the same form if bound again to a body. During the course of its existence a single spirit can inhabit any number of different types of leshys. A leshy without a body has no power to affect or contact the material world.
The rites and special materials required to create a leshy's physical form vary between individual leshys. Once the creator assembles the necessary materials, a leshy must typically be grown in an area of natural power, such as a treant's grove, a druidic circle, or a site of pristine natural wonder. A newly born leshy is a free-willed, neutral being, under no obligation to serve its creator.
As a group, leshys share certain common attributes. They resemble plants but with vaguely humanoid appearances, and are always Small. While leshys of the same species share the same general shape, leshys have all the diversity of the plant world in appearance. For example, one fungus leshy may have a classic red, white-dotted mushroom cap, while another might have the spongier and darker contours of a morel, while a third might have the coloration of a pale gray cave mushroom. Growing a Leshy The process of growing a leshy has some similarities to making a construct, but doesn't require the Craft Construct feat. Typically, the creator of a leshy must be a powerful druid, but anyone capable of making the required Knowledge checks and casting the required spells may attempt the process.
Growing a leshy body takes 2 weeks per Hit Die, during which the nascent form must be well fertilized, watered as needed, and kept safe from harm. During this period of growth, certain rare nutrients and fertilizer must be used to prime the leshy's transformation from a normal plant into a sentient one—the cost of these components varies according to the leshy, but is never less than 1,000 gp. The cultivator must make a successful Knowledge check at this time (usually a Knowledge [nature] check) in order for the plant body to be properly formed—the exact check as well as the required DC varies according to the leshy. If the check fails, the plant withers and dies and the cultivator must begin anew.
If, on the other hand, the skill check is successful, the cultivator must then step in and perform a 24-hour ritual within a day of the leshy's cultivation. During this ritual, the cultivator must cast a number of spells (see each individual leshy for a list). At the ritual's climax, there's a flat 50% chance that the attempt to create a leshy succeeds—if this final check fails, no appropriate spirit is close enough to answer the call. The plant body rots and the creator must begin anew with fresh materials if he wishes to try again. At the GM's discretion, this final chance for success might increase to 75% or even 100% for particularly magical areas where leshy spirits are much more common than normal. Discovering such a rare and magical site should be the focus of its own adventure.
If the ritual is successful, the leshy awakens fully formed and able to serve as a minion. A freshly created leshy is under no particular compulsion to obey its creator, but most regard their makers as friends and allies.
Plant creatures are particularly adept at growing leshys. Such creators gain a +5 racial bonus on their Knowledge checks, halve the time required to grow the leshy, and reduce the cost to create the creature by 25%. A plant creature is always successful in luring a spirit into the body, and need not make the final percentile roll for success.
Leshys with more Hit Dice than normal can be created. Each additional Hit Die adds 2,250 gp to the cost of creating the leshy (and thus 4,500 gp to the overall price), increases the DC of the Knowledge check by +2, and requires an additional 2 weeks of growth. Attempts to create leshys larger than Small always fail—the strange spiritual energies that animate these creatures are only capable of doing so to a body no larger than that of a human child.
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