TsaalgrendStrange, translucent gas bladders carry this tangle of thorny,
purple vines and clumps of mold through the air.Tsaalgrend CR 2Source Bestiary 5 pg. 251, Pathfinder #85: Fires of Creation pg. 88 XP 600 N Small plant Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4DefenseAC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size) hp 19 (3d8+6) Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1 Immune plant traits; Resist acid 5,
electricity 5 Weaknesses light blindness,
vulnerable to fireOffenseSpeed 10 ft., climb 10 ft., fly 40 ft.
(poor) Melee bite +5 (1d4+2 plus grab),
2 tendrils +3 (1d4+1 plus grab) Special Attacks grab (Medium), sporesStatisticsStr 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 8 Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 15 (17 vs. trip) Feats Flyby Attack, Multiattack Skills Climb +10, Fly +5, Perception +4 Languages spore communicationEcologyEnvironment any underground Organization solitary, pair, cluster (3–6), or pod (7–20) Treasure noneSpecial AbilitiesSpores (Ex) As a standard action, a tsaalgrend can release a
cloud of toxic spores in a 10-foot-radius spread. Each living
creature within this area must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude
save or become paralyzed with fear as it vividly hallucinates
for 1d4 rounds. A creature that successfully saves against
this effect is immune to the same tsaalgrend’s spores for 24
hours. This is a mind-affecting fear and paralysis effect. The
save DC is Constitution-based.DescriptionA tsaalgrend is a predatory creature resembling a tangle
of sturdy vines with jagged purple thorns. Its coloration
is mottled with brown, green, and yellow mold patches
that flake and fall as the creature writhes through the air.
The tsaalgrend’s vines barely conceal two translucent,
gas-filled sacks that act as balloons, enabling it to float
along above the ground. Two longer vines stretch from
the creature’s center, allowing the tsaalgrend to snare
its prey. An opening filled with rows of spiky thorns,
positioned on the creature’s underside, serves as the
creature’s mouth. This orifice constantly emits a wet,
rancid stench and a wheezing sigh as warm gas escapes
from its floatation chambers.
Tsaalgrends are complex, ambulatory fungi, but
also symbiotically support a multitude of other molds,
fungi, mosses, and epiphytes. The most powerful
mold growing within tsaalgrends produces potent,
hallucinogenic black spores. Tsaalgrends mainly use
these fine spores for hunting, and they are capable of
ejecting spores in a wide area to stun prey. Any creature
that breathes in the spores is immediately subject to an
overwhelming terror response as its mind floods
with primal, animalistic fears. The victim’s
breathing becomes quick and shallow, its
heart rate rises dramatically, and nearby
sounds become dull over the rush of
blood in its ears. The creature’s mind
begs to flee, but its muscles simply
seize tight. Most victims find this
experience maddening enough that
their frustration and panic heighten
the actual chemical effects of the
tsaalgrends’ spores.
Daring alchemists occasionally
hunt and trap tsaalgrends with the
intention of harvesting the black
spores from living specimens and
using them to fabricate new and
potent inhaled poisons. Securing a living
tsaalgrend is important to the process, for
the spores lose potency soon after they
are released, making storage for later
use impractical. Such alchemists
often run afoul of fungus-focused
druids, who commune with and
protect these unusual plants.
Tsaalgrends display a limited
intelligence—easily on par with apes—
and can overcome simple puzzles and challenges.
They communicate basic concepts with each other
through the deliberate transfer of spores. These
bouts of communication involve bursts of various
colors and scents, granting tsaalgrends with large
and more varied symbiotic colonies something akin
to leadership roles. Most often, tsaalgrends “speak” to
each other to coordinate hunting efforts. The plants
also respond to some spoken language, though they lack
a well-developed sense of hearing and show difficulty
differentiating any but the simplest words and phrases.
Several distinct patches of stubby 1- or 2-inch growths
track light and movement, essentially serving as eyes.
A tsaalgrend typically grows to be over 3 feet long, and
weighs about 40 pounds.
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