Seed Coin Pollinator
The Griffon's Saddlebag: Book Two p. 341 (Third Party)
- Size
- Medium
- Type
- plant
- Alignment
- chaotic evil
- AC
- 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points
- 7 (1d8+3)
- Speed
- walk 30 ft.
- Skills
- Deception +5, Persuasion +5
- Condition Immunities
- charmed, exhaustion
- Passive Perception
- 10
- Languages
- The languages its host knew in life
- Challenge
- 1/8
Traits
Proficiency Bonus
+2
False Appearance
The pollinator is indistinguishable from a normal commoner, and it appears and sounds exactly like the creature it was before becoming infested. However, a creature that has truesight sees a deep red aura radiating from the pollinator, and a creature within 30 feet of it that is under the effect of a detect poison and disease spell senses the insidious nature of the pollinator and knows it is a plant creature.
Unusual Nature
The pollinator doesn't require sleep. If the pollinator spends 1 hour in direct sunlight, it receives enough nourishment to sustain itself for one day. When the pollinator dies, it becomes an ordinary human corpse.
Actions
Dagger
Melee Weapon Attack: +2, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
Coin Spray (Recharge 6)
The pollinator hurls a flurry of seed coins at one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, one of the seed coins gets lodged on the target's body (for example, in a pocket or fold in its clothing).
recharge
D6
Other data
description
Once a seed coin has fully taken root in its host's mind, it begins to burrow into their flesh. From there, it begins to expand its vines through the veins of the deceased creature, utilizing the abundant moisture, nutrients, and direct access to the body's brain and lungs. Once it has spread, it puppets the form with these vines, though the bulk of it resides in the unmoving lungs and skull cavity. This rapid growth strengthens the body's cell walls, making them hardier and more plant-like below the skin's surface. The appearance changes little, but the pollinator is most certainly a plant and not a humanoid.
Seed Coins: Out of all the strange plants across the Material Plane, perhaps the most insidious among them is the seed coin. Taking the appearance of a humble copper piece, or occasionally a silver, they easily pass from hand to hand in marketplaces. When they take root, they develop into their second stage of growth, infested pollinators that only appear human. These walking 'flowers' latch onto and collectively build the third stage, a germination stall, which coordinates the coins and pollinators to further expand their reach.
Pernicious Parasite. Because it relies on such mundane and seamless camouflage, the danger of this plant's infestation is considerable. These simple but deadly plants have been known to eradicate entire cities, especially thriving and bustling trade centers. As such, many cities with large enough ports or roadways keep a constant team of investigators on hand to follow leads from their money changers. In a city as large as Antronec, it's impossible to register every merchant and stall, so the Mercantile Guild's currency department focuses on careful and consistent examination of their coinage at their various Fiscal Exchange Centers. If the Federal Mint and Savings suspects an infestation, their first step is usually to offer the city's populace 11 freshly minted copper pieces in exchange for 10 used ones. They do this in order to test if the coinage is made from plant matter and burns, or metal that melts normally.