The Darkblight
A dryad is forever linked to her tree - should it perish, she dies as well. But when Arlantia's tree was consumed by fire, she rejected death's embrace. Hideously burned in the conflagration, she staggered on until she found an oak that had survived the blaze. Murdering the dryad bonded to this oak, Arlantia claimed it for her own, invoking dark powers to bind it to herself. The fey and her stolen tree survived, but changed, the energies of life now intertwined with death. The tree itself awakened into sentience, and knew the wardens of the forest would see it as blasphemy against nature. Drawing upon the necromantic energies that coursed within its frame, the tree awoke those that had perished in the fire, clothing their dead flesh in wood and vine. And so was born the darkblight, a corruption of nature that threatens to consume the forests of the world.

Thematic Link
The theme of the darkblight is one of corruption and the perversion of the cycles of nature. The creatures of the darkblight form an ecology founded on the destruction of life. The blight is spread by the blightspawned fey, descendants of the dryad Arlantia. The blightspawned fey survive by infecting trees with darkblight, awakening them as arbor mortis - the trees of death. These trees endure a brief existence trapped between life and death, their fading essence sustaining the blightspawned fey. The guardians of the arbor mortis are the moldering shamblers, vine-wrapped corpses animated by the trees of death. At the core of each shambler is a kernel of life essence, a seed containing the beginnings of a new blightspawned fey. In this fashion, from living fey to dying tree to undead and back to fey, the circle of death of darkblight spreads.

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Blightspawned Fey
The creature before you might have been a beautiful woman, once. Thorns the length of a man's hand and patches of damp black mold grow from her bark-like skin. She gazes at you with piercing green eyes, readying a thorny length of vine.

Blightspawned Fey CR 5
Usually CE Medium fey
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +12, Spot +12
Aura siphon healing

Defense
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17
(+3 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 52 (8d6+24)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities freedom of movement; DR 5/cold iron; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness arbor mortis dependency

Offense
Spd 30 ft.
Melee thorned vine +7 (2d4+1) or vampiric touch +7 melee touch (4d6)
Ranged javelin +7 (1d6+1)
Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with thorned vine)
Special Attacks spawn weapons
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th):
At will--cause fear (DC 15), entangle (DC 15), ray of enfeeblement, tree stride, vampiric touch
3/day--ray of exhaustion (DC 17)
1/day--dominate person (DC 18), freedom of movement

Tactics
Before Combat A blightspawned fey prepares for battle by casting freedom of movement on herself.
During Combat Blightspawned fey start by catching as many foes as possible within an entangle spell, followed by dominate person on a foe who seems weak-willed. They then use ray of enfeeblement or ray of exhaustion against the most effective remaining combatants. Blightspawned fey prefer to stay back from melee, but close enough to make use of their siphon healing ability.
Morale Blightspawned fey escape using tree stride when the battle appears lost or when reduced below 15 hp.

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk +4; Grp +5
Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Skills Concentration +9, Escape Artist +14, Hide +14, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +10, Spot +12, Survival +9 (+11 in aboveground natural environments), Use Rope +11 (+13 with binding)
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft. with darkblight creatures
SQ infect, thorns
Combat Gear thorned vine (treat as a spiked chain, hardness 5, hp 5)

Special Abilities
Arbor Mortis Dependency (Su): Like a dryad, a blightspawned fey depends upon a tree for survival, drawing the energies that sustain her from an arbor mortis tree. If a blightspawned fey strays more than 300 yards from her tree or the tree dies, she becomes ill, and will die within 4d6 hours if she does not bond with a new arbor mortis tree. Each arbor mortis can sustain only one blightspawned fey.

Dark Mind (Su): Blightspawned fey can communicate telepathically with other darkblight creatures within 100 feet. Darkblight creatures include blightspawned fey, arbor mortis and moldering shamblers.

Infect (Su): Once per week, blightspawned fey can spread the darkblight by entering an uninfected tree using her tree stride spell-like ability. After staying within the tree for a period of one hour, the tree is transformed into arbor mortis. The tree must be at least equivalent to a size Large creature to sustain the infection, and no larger than a Gargantuan creature. A remove curse, remove disease or heal spell cast upon the tree before the transformation is complete cures the tree and ejects the blightspawned fey.

Siphon Healing (Su): As an immediate action, a blightspawned fey can absorb a conjuration (healing) spell cast within 60 feet, applying the affect to herself instead of the intended target or targets. This ability works even if the fey is out of the spell's range or area of effect.

Spawn Weapons (Su): Once per round as a free action, a blightspawned fey can create a thorned vine or javelin from the vines surrounding her body. As a standard action, she can create 50 feet of vine rope (treat as hemp rope, 2 hp, burst DC 23).

Thorns (Ex): Any creature striking a blightspawned fey with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes 2d4 points of piercing damage from the fey's thorns. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.

Ecology
Environment Any forest
Organization scout (1), incursion (1 arbor mortis, 1 blightspawned fey, 2-8 moldering shamblers), or infestation (2-4 arbor mortis, 2-4 blightspawned fey, 4-24 moldering shamblers)
Treasure Standard
Advancement by character class; Favored Class rogue
Level Adjustment -

Born of a dryad that turned her back on nature, blightspawned fey are filled with hatred for all living creatures. For the past decade, they have been spreading throughout the forests of the world, leaving behind blackened stumps where once great trees stood. They care only for their own survival, at any cost. Cowards by nature, blightspawned fey strike prefer to strike from ambush and with overwhelming strength.

Ecology
Blightspawned fey cling to life by spreading darkblight to otherwise healthy trees. An infected tree becomes an arbor mortis, a tree of death. The blightspawned fey bonds with the arbor mortis, drawing sustenance from the decaying life beneath its bark. Within scant weeks, the arbor mortis tree dies, consumed by darkblight, requiring the blightspawned fey to infect a new tree to prolong her life.

Blightspawned fey grow from the seed of the arbor mortis tree, implanted in the corpse of a humanoid or fey by a moldering shambler. The remains of the moldering shambler form a cocoon around this corpse. After three days, a newly born blightspawned fey tears its way out of the husk fully formed and aware. She infects a tree as soon as possible, forming the bond that sustains her life.

New blightspawned fey are created only rarely, usually when an arbor mortis tree has lost it fey or a moldering shambler is left uncontrolled. Increasingly, however, blightspawned fey are banding together in infestations and deliberately increasing their number.

Curing Darkblight
A blightspawned fey's cocoon or a tree infected with darkblight can be cured of their disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. Blightspawned fey themselves cannot be cured, death is their only release.

Habitat and Society
Blightspawned fey prefer to dwell deep in the woods, far from those who would destroy them. They detest all other creatures and distrust even other blightspawned fey, until recently only rarely working in large groups. Any who invade their dark glens are slain, their corpses animated by the arbor mortis as moldering shamblers.

Most blightspawned fey live apart from each other. Each is guarded by their current tree and a handful of moldering shamblers. Any new blightspawned fey created by the shamblers are driven off by the elder fey, sent away to find distant trees to infect.

As the darkblight has come to the attention of treants, druids, and other guardians of the forest, the blightspawned fey have found their lives imperiled. Increasingly, the blightspawned fey are banding together in small enclaves, pockets of death within the woods. These infestations of darkblight creatures are better able to defend themselves against the allies of nature. Individual blightspawned fey from the infestation are sent out to spread the darkblight to new locations.

Treasure
Blightspawned fey have little use for wealth. Any treasure carried by their victims is typically buried beneath the fey's arbor mortis tree, and left behind when the blightspawned fey moves on to infect a new tree. Any useful magic items are kept if their function is known, although the blightspawned fey disdain armor and most weapons. A typical blightspawned fey's horde consists of coins, jewels and treasure buried beneath the tree, along with a potion or two carried by the fey herself.

Sample Encounter
Fleeing a group of druids, a blightspawned fey has invaded the woods not far from a small farming community. With the aid of an infected elm tree, she has slain a number of the ettercaps that lair within the woods, now animated as moldering shamblers. The blightspawned fey, arbor mortis tree and 2 ettercap moldering shamblers constitute an EL 9 encounter. The blightspawned fey has collected a potion of shield of faith +3 and a javelin of lightning from past victims.

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Arbor Mortis

The mold-covered, disease-ridden elm before you uproots itself and takes a ponderous step forward, branches waving menacingly. Although you can see no eyes, the terrible creature somehow senses your presence. The already misty air grows cold with the chill of the grave as the tree strides closer.

Arbor Mortis CR 7
Usually CE Large plant
Init +6; Senses blind (but see dark mind), dark mind, lifesense 60 ft.; Listen +13, Spot +13
Aura info

Defense
AC 17, touch 7, flat-footed 17
(-2 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 76 (9d8+36)
Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +6
Defensive abilities negative affinity; DR 5/cold iron; Immune plant traits; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness consumption

Offense
Spd 10 ft.
Melee 2 slams +10 (1d8+5 + 2d6 negative)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks lifebane touch
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th):
At will—animate dead*, mind fog (DC 20), slow (DC 16)
3/day—blight (DC 18),hold monster (DC 18), mass inflict moderate wounds (DC 19)
1/day—fear (DC 17), confusion (DC 17)
* See animate dead under Special Abilities

Tactics
Before Combat An arbor mortis tree surrounds itself in mind fog to a radius of 40 feet, renewing each patch of fog as it fades.
During Combat An arbor mortis tree uses confusion as soon as it can catch at least two foes in the area of the spell. It uses slow and hold monster against foes battling any moldering shamblers the arbor mortis controls. Any serious harm it suffers is directed against a moldering shambler using its sacrifice minion ability. Mass inflict moderate wounds is reserved until it can heal the arbor mortis tree and its shamblers as well as harm the tree's foes.
Morale Already condemned to death, an arbor mortis tree does not fear destruction. It fights to the bitter end, striving to slay as many foes as possible.

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 7, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; Grp +15
Feats Ability Focus (mind fog), Blindfight, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills Concentration 17, Hide +3 (+11 in forested areas), Knowledge (nature) + 12, Listen +13, Spot +6
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan (cannot speak); dark mind
SQ canny foe, lifebane touch, sacrifice minion

Special Abilities
Animate Dead (Sp): Arbor mortis can animate only corpses, not bones. An arbor mortis tree must be able to move to animate the dead, as it wraps the corpse in vines and implants a seed within it. Any dead animated by arbor mortis become moldering shamblers. An arbor mortis tree can control 4 times its Hit Dice in undead.

Canny Foe (Ex): Arbor mortis can use its Intelligence modifier in place of its Dexterity modifier for Initiative checks.

Consumption (Ex): The balance of energies within an arbor mortis tree is precarious, and cannot be long sustained. In time, the negative energies overwhelm the remaining life within the tree, killing it. An arbor mortis tree can survive for 1 day per HD before being consumed.

Dark Mind (Su): Arbor mortis can communicate telepathically with other darkblight creatures within 100 feet. Although lacking eyes, an arbor mortis tree can see and hear anything that the other creatures in the dark mind link can see. Darkblight creatures include blightspawned fey, arbor mortis and moldering shamblers.

Lifebane Touch (Su): The blows of an arbor mortis tree causes 2d6 points of negative energy damage to living creatures. Lifebane touch has no effect on creatures healed by negative energy.

Lifesense (Su): An arbor mortis tree notices and locates living or formerly living creatures within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsense ability. Unlike conventional blindsense, the tree can use lifesense for targeting spell-like abilities. This ability can detect undead creatures, but not constructs.

Negative Affinity (Su): Arbor mortis feeds off of negative energy (such as inflict spells), and is treated as an undead creature for effects that use negative energy. Unlike undead, arbor mortis is not harmed by positive energy.

Sacrifice Minion(Su): As an immediate action, an arbor mortis tree can redirect a single attack or effect to a moldering shambler with 100 feet, after the consequences of that attack or effect are known. It can do this even if the effect would have proved fatal or incapacitating. The moldering shambler retains its usual resistances and immunities against the effect, but does not get an additional saving throw.

Ecology
Environment Any forest
Organization solitary (1), incursion (1 arbor mortis, 1 blightspawned fey, 2-8 moldering shamblers), or infestation (2-4 arbor mortis, 2-4 blightspawned fey, 4-24 moldering shamblers)
Treasure Standard
Advancement 10-13 HD (Large), 14-22 HD (Huge), 23-27 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment -

Arbor mortis are driven by two desires: to defend blightspawned fey, particularly those bonded them, and an unrelenting hatred of all other living creatures. They gladly sacrifice themselves and their undead minions in defense of the blightspawned fey, knowing that they are doomed to death regardless.

Ecology
Arbor mortis, the tree of death, is an abomination, born of the union of life and death. Arbor mortis trees are created from otherwise healthy trees by blightspawned fey, who require the energies of the arbor mortis to survive. The tree may be of any species, but must be at least 9 feet tall to survive infection by the blightspawned fey. The larger the tree, the more powerful the arbor mortis it becomes, and the longer it can survive before the unlife it carries consumes it.

The negative and positive energies contained within the arbor mortis tree are used in the creation of its minions, the moldering shamblers. These vine-covered zombies serve as both the guardians and seed bearers of the arbor mortis.

Curing Darkblight
A tree infected with darkblight but not yet become arbor mortis can be cured of its disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. Arbor mortis trees themselves cannot be cured, death is their only release.

Habitat and Society
Arbor mortis trees are usually created in forests. Occasionally, they are found on the outskirts of inhabited areas, in particular parks or graveyards. When standing still in appropriate surroundings, an arbor mortis tree is easily mistaken for an unhealthy but otherwise normal tree.

An arbor mortis tree is in constant telepathic communication with any nearby moldering shamblers and darkblight fey, seeing what they see and hearing what they hear. Although subservient to the blightspawned fey, the arbor mortis act as commanders during battle, directing fey and shambler alike. In these battles, the arbor mortis and moldering shamblers are expendable, the blightspawned fey are not.

An arbor mortis tree that finds itself without any blightspawned fey to protect hunts the living, transforming them into moldering shamblers. It then directs a shambler to implant its seed in a suitable corpse. Even if the arbor mortis tree itself dies before the corpse grows into a new blightspawned fey, it will have ensured the further spread of darkblight.

Treasure
Any treasure found with an arbor mortis tree is generally buried beneath its roots, along with any other possessions of its victims.

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Moldering Shambler
Black mold and tangled vines obscure the rotted flesh of this lumbering corpse. The vines twitch and writhe as the monster shambles forth with arms outstretched..

The first adventurers who battled moldering shamblers thought they were battling the unholy union of a zombie and a shambling mound, and gave them a name that reflected their nature. Moldering shamblers are the servants of the arbor mortis trees, corpses given a semblance of life with necromantic power. Animate vines wrap around and through their rotted flesh, strengthening them and shielding them from blows. In battle, the vines ensnare foes struck by the shamblers, strangling the life from them.

Sample Moldering shambler
Ettercaps are ideal candidates material for animation as moldering shamblers, having much more durability than a typical humanoid. Their natural grace helps offset the clumsiness of the walking dead, while their already considerable strength is much enhanced.

This creature was created by first applying the zombie template to an ettercap, then the moldering shambler template to the resulting ettercap zombie.

Ettercap Moldering Shambler CR 4

NE Medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16
(+2 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 68 (10d12+3); fast healing 5 when rooted
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7
DR 5/cold iron; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness single actions only

Offense
Spd 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee slam +9 (1d6+6) or bite +9 (1d8+4) or claw +9 (1d3+2)
Special Attacks constrict 1d6+6, implant, improved grab, root

Tactics
During Combat Moldering shamblers attack their nearest foes, attempting to capture them with their improved grab ability. Once it is grappling, a shambler attempts to root, then constricts until the foe is dead. A moldering shambler only uses its implant ability when uncontrolled or when so commanded by its master.
Morale Moldering shamblers fight to the death.

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 15, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Base Atk +5; Grp +13 (+18 when rooted)
Feats Improved Grapple, Toughness
Languages Fey (cannot speak)

Special Abilities
Constrict (Ex): An ettercap moldering shambler deals 1d6+6 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Implant (Ex): A moldering shambler that is rooted and grappling a recently slain or helpless foe can attempt to implant a seed as a standard action. The foe must be a Small- or Medium-sized humanoid or fey, and must be alive or dead no longer than five rounds. A foe that is still alive receives a Fortitude save against this, the save DC is Strength-based. On a success, the foe still takes constrict damage, on failure, the foe is slain. Note that pinned foes are not helpless.

A moldering shambler that successfully implants a seed is destroyed. It leaves behind a cocoon of vines and branches around the remains of its victim. In three days, the cocoon hatches into a blightspawned fey, destroying the body in the process. The cocoon and seed can be destroyed while leaving the body intact with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell. Attempts to open the cocoon or remove the seed by non-magical means result in the destruction of the body.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an ettercap moldering shambler must hit a Medium or smaller opponent with its slam, claw or bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Root (Ex): A moldering shambler that begins the round in a grapple on the ground in natural surroundings can attempt to root as a standard action, sending runners into the ground while wrapping its foe in strangling vines. To successfully root, the moldering shambler must win an opposed grapple check. If it wins the grapple check, the moldering shambler causes constrict damage and roots. While rooted, it gains fast healing 5, a +5 bonus to grapple checks, and a +4 circumstance bonus to resist bull rushes and trips.

While rooted, a moldering shambler cannot move from the square it currently occupies. It can uproot as a standard action. A successful bull rush or trip uproots the shambler, but it receives a +4 circumstance bonus against such attempts. Any other effect that moves the moldering shambler also uproots it.

Single Actions Only (Ex) Moldering shamblers have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A moldering shambler can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Creating a moldering shambler
"Moldering shambler" is an acquired template that can be added to any undead that already possesses the zombie template, hereby referred to as the base creature.

A moldering shambler uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: As base creature +1.

Armor Class: The tangled growths covering the moldering shambler improve its natural armor bonus by 3 above that of the base creature.

Defensive Abilities: Moldering shamblers gain fire and cold resistance 10.

Special Attacks: A moldering shambler gains the constrict, implant, improved grab and root special attacks.

Constrict (Ex): A moldering shambler deals its slam damage with a successful grapple check.

Implant (Ex): A moldering shambler that is rooted and grappling a recently slain or helpless foe can attempt to implant a seed as a standard action. The foe must be a Small- or Medium-sized humanoid or fey, and must be alive or dead no longer than five rounds. A foe that is still alive receives a Fortitude save against this, the save DC is Strength-based. On a success, the foe still takes constrict damage, on failure, the foe is slain. Note that pinned foes are not helpless.

A moldering shambler that successfully implants a seed is destroyed. It leaves behind a cocoon of vines and branches around the remains of its victim. In 3 days, the cocoon hatches into a blightspawned fey, destroying the body in the process. The cocoon and seed can be destroyed while leaving the body intact with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell. Attempts to open the cocoon or remove the seed by non-magical means result in the destruction of the body.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a moldering shambler must hit a creature of its size or smaller with a natural weapon. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Root (Ex): A moldering shambler that begins the round in a grapple on the ground in natural surroundings can attempt to root as a standard action, sending runners into the ground while wrapping its foe in strangling vines. To successfully root, the moldering shambler must win an opposed grapple check. If it wins the grapple check, the moldering shambler causes constrict damage and roots. While rooted, it gains fast healing 5, a +5 bonus to grapple checks, and a +4 circumstance bonus to resist bull rushes and trips.

While rooted, a moldering shambler cannot move from the square it currently occupies. It can uproot as a standard action. A successful bull rush or trip uproots the shambler, but it receives a +4 circumstance bonus against such attempts. Any other effect that moves the moldering shambler also uproots it.

During Combat Moldering shamblers attack their nearest foes, attempting to capture them with their improved grab ability. Once it is grappling, a shambler attempts to root, then constricts until the foe is dead. A moldering shambler generally only uses its implant ability when no other foes are nearby.

Morale Moldering shamblers fight to the death.

Special Qualities: A moldering shambler loses the normal damage reduction of the base creature, instead gaining damage reduction 5/cold iron. It gains fast healing 5 when rooted.

Abilities: A moldering shambler's Strength increases by +2.

Feats: Moldering shamblers gain Improved Grapple as a feat.

Environment: Moldering shamblers are found in any forest.

Languages: Moldering shamblers understand simple commands in Fey. They cannot speak.

Ecology
Arbor mortis create moldering shamblers from corpses, infusing them with negative energy and darkblight while wrapping their rotting flesh in vines. Moldering shamblers serve as both warriors and seed-pods, defending the arbor mortis and their blightspawned mistresses while carrying the seed of the arbor mortis trees inside themselves.

Moldering shamblers spawn blightspawned fey by implanting their seeds within freshly slain humanoids or fey, infecting the corpse with darkblight in the process. The shambler implanting the seed is destroyed, its flesh rotting away and its vines winding around the victim to form a protective cocoon. After 3 days, the cocoon hatches into a fully grown blightspawned fey.

Most arbor mortis trees restrain their moldering shamblers from implanting, preferring to keep their minions intact.

Curing Darkblight
A cocooned corpse infected with darkblight can be cured of its disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. This also destroys the seed implanted within the corpse. Moldering shamblers themselves cannot be cured, destruction is their only release.

Uncontrolled moldering shamblers
Moldering shamblers that become uncontrolled instinctively wander away from their old grove, staying near any other uncontrolled shamblers. They seek out and waylay fey or humanoids, implanting seeds in their victims. Few moldering shamblers survive more than a week without the guidance of an arbor mortis tree.

You comport yourself very well right from the very beginning. Your use of language isn't the flashiest in this contest, but there is something to be said for clarity, and after having read three florid submissions I thank you for it.

The darkblight is an interesting and useful conceptual choice, since I suspect most GMs use some sort of "perverted nature" plotline from time to time. The story of the dryad refusing to die when her tree fell to fire was very evocative and set the scene nicely for the rest of the submission.

And while I praised your use of language up at the top of my evaluation, I've got to take you to task on some language bits in the monster write-ups. I think the whole submission could have used one more proofreading pass before you posted it, because there are a fair number of missing or duplicated words in the text. I don't think these are deal-breakers, even at this level of the competition, but I do wish you'd taken care of the problem before I noticed it.

The Sample Encounter entry at the end of the submission is particularly welcome, as anything that helps me use these critters in a game is most appreciated.

The arbor mortis checks off all the boxes it needs to check off, even if I don't think it's the awesomest blighted tree to ever grace the game. It is functional, and near as I can tell it does exactly what it is supposed to do. It's a much, much cooler monster thanks to the presence of the moldering shambler, though, and while I'd prefer thematically linked monsters that didn't _require_ each other to work, I can't complain too loudly about this. You did what we asked you to do, and you did it well.

I really like the root power of the moldering shambler. These guys are terrifying.

I don't think any of these three monsters are a home run, but what they are is extremely solid delivery of a potent concept. i really enjoyed this submission and wish you luck in getting through to the next round.

MY RATING: 3 out of 3.

First impression: You use the words corruption, blight and destruction often enough in the opening two paragraphs that I just want to say, "I get it." The murder of one dryad by another is your buried lead here; if you had made that the centerpiece of the opener you would have grabbed your reader in a more compelling way.

Why don't "corruption blight destruction" work as well? Because they are abstract nouns, and those are always weaker than concrete ones. Your use of words like "oak" and "clothing their dead flesh in wood and vine" partially mitigates this. But the opener could have been bigger.

Blightspawned Fey
I kept reading, looking for the gaping hole. Didn't find it, other than the missing italics and bold. I like the abilities, the Tactics shows smarts, and it's not over-complicated. Siphon healing gives my Inner DM a case of the bwa-ha-ha, and really, it's just a smart move to make players sweat a little, totally in keeping with fey style. These are some badass fey, and will see use in an upcoming game of mine. Bravo for creating something vivid and useful for an underserved monster type!

Arbor Mortis
I'm not crazy about latinate names, but ok, it works. I'd argue that the animate dead ability should probably just be a spawn ability, but ok, it works. The spell list seems pretty extensive for a plant, and 8 abilities is a bit much... The sacrifice minion ability is again a very deft piece of design, but it comes at the end of a longish list.

Ok, I'm not entirely sold on the undead-generating anti-treant, and unlike Erik, won't just give it a pass. I think I could make it into a fairly terrifying encounter in the woods, but the tree could have used some trimming.

Moldering Shambler
I'm not sure that a template that can only be applied after another template is really a great idea. But if the moldering shambler were just the ettercap sample, it would still be a fun monster. It plays nicely with the fear of an Alien-style chestburster. Guaranteed to squick out some unfortunate player or at least lead to a messy end for a henchman.

Rating: 2/3. This is one of my two clear favorites.

Initial Comments (name, title, thematic link, design choices, playability, quality of writing, hook, theme, organization): A-

I love the evil druid thing. The darkblight is great. Excellent layout. Well written. A few flaws, some more editing would have been nice. I like the dark mind link. Excellent theme and organization. These are very playable and I don’t have to come up with some whacked out Boomer-esque campaign to come up with a reason to use them. Editing issues cost you an A (“blightspawned fey strike prefer to strike from ambush”).

Monsters (proper format, good build, abilities and tactics, quality of mechanics, interesting new mechanics): A+
Sample encounters are a nice touch. Overall excellent presentation and layout. I am stealing all of these. They are great.

Blightspawned Fey: A
Love the siphon healing and the infect abilities. Very well done.

Arbor mortis: A+
Sacrifice minion rules. These creatures’ powers work so well together. I love the morale info. Cool evil trees that are more than just evil treants. Long overdue.

Moldering shambler: A+
Shambling mounds and undead happen to be some of my all time favorite monsters, so seeing moldering shamblers—a mix of shambling mounds and undead—gave me a big smile. What can I say other than that these things rule.

Tilt (did it grab me, is it unique and cool, do I like it, flavor): A
Booya! Loved everything about this submission. I dream of getting stuff like this from freelancers.

Overall: A
Excellently designed and very usable monsters with great flavor and theme, dragged down only by minor editing issues.

I asked you to turn it up a notch and you did. Gloves were good but you were an alternate, country got a hesitant recommend from me, villain was an improvment and was strong and this submission is better yet. There is something to be said for peaking at the right time and you are doing it.

Strongly RECOMMENDED FOR TOP 6

This is without doubt one of my favorites this round.

See my post in the "In The Bleak Midwinter" submission, too, as I reference this submission there.

This is an example of RPG Superstar work--it is real, actual, publishable RPG content now, not some dazzling light display.

I am from the town of Live Oak, and I approve these encounters. :)

(Great job Russ!)

Russ you did an amazing job. I can truely see myself using these, or shaking in my boots should I face one. Love this, and defently got one of my votes. Please, somehow grace us with these sometime in the future with an adventure. Whether for Superstar or not.

As a fellow Live Oakian (Santa Cruz, Takasi?) I agree wholeheartedly. :)

Would I use this in a game - Yes.

Is it well written - Adequate.

Does the theme hold up - Yes.

3/3

Comments - Excellent entry and the idea and theme is pulled off very well. This one will likely share the top spot with In the bleak midwinter. One could easily fashion an adventure around theme with a nice clever tilt that would practically write itself. Well done, I am sure I will see your entries in the next round.

I very much like the mood of the Dryad-who-refuses-to-die, and ends up corrupting the forest around her.

Also, points for having your three creatures be one unified encounter. I like the tighter theme, despite it being a risk. (The risk being that I can use one of Christine's beasties, for instance, without using, or even reading, the other two, but with your submission, it's a threefer.)

The zombie/shambler was the least interesting of the three, IMO, and if I use this idea in a game, I'm gonna take the death/decay theme in a different direction and say that the Dryad's tree was slain by bark-stripping beetles or something, and she ended up bonding with the insects and using them to kill another Dryad. The three beasties would be evil ex-Dryad, cranky animated Arbor Mortis and swarms that pour out of her nasty gnarled half-dead tree to attack her foes.

I like Swarms more than half-plant pseudo-Zombies, which we've got enough of between Myconids and Yellow Musk Creepers and Orcwort or whatever.

Some sort of spiny evil Acacia Dryad, complete with symbiotic swarm just sounds cooler to me.

I liked this a lot. I'm a big fan of the Blighter PrC, and these would be great allies for a BBEG of that persuasion.

I LOVE stealing healing!!!

Out of all of the entries this round, this is the one I most easily see myself using in its entirety. Almost every entry has at least one good monster - this has three! And they work together well, and above all, in a way that leads itself directly to use in a scenario. I can really see the spread of a Darkblight as a basis for a scenario, and that's what this round is about, from my perspective. It's well written, too.

An easy choice for one of my three votes.

Undead! Templates! Fun!

Another intrinsically linked trio, which for me is a bit of a downer, but they are all good creatures.

Firstly I'm glad beyond all reason that MY DM doesn't read this board. He would cackle like the mad man he is and I'd be fighting the Darkblight during the next adventure.

This is a solid entry, I love just about everything in it. It's something I can definately use. Good work!

Awesome work loved it.(Will be using in the near future, already copied and printed it.(That's ok right?)

I really liked this, and for once I think I can use the stats as written, which is a big plus.

Wow! Way to bring the funk, Russ. One of the judges said your entries were getting better each round and I heartily agree. I love the killer dryad origin story, and a sort of hidden but delicious quirk is the way these creatures rise and fall, live and die. They are not just evil baddies who sit somewhere stewing in their evil. They MUST consume and infect, and where one dies another rises in its place, and then another, and then another. It's a nice evil 'circle of life' kind of thing.

The creatures work well together in synergy, besides being all creepy cousins of each other. Arbor mortis drops mass inflict moderate wounds to heal allies and hurt enemies. I almost think the minions should be immune to entangle--come on, they're made of vines and stuff, right? That might be too disgusting though, moving about with impunity and grappling people.

My only reservation is that I wonder if the moldering shambler's "implant" ability is a little too good--for a CR4 creature to have a once per round DC 19 save-or-die ability (for the sample 10 HD, 18 STR creature), that's pretty rough. The fact that the minion itself dies when it uses it is ultimately not much of a limit, since the creature's sole reason to exist is as a fungible minion that attacks in large numbers. One dead minion monster, meh. One dead PC? AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

True, it does have to grapple you first, but it's a pretty awesome grappler (better than an ogre; almost as good as a hill giant when rooted). The real limiting factor is the DM, who decides when the fey/tree bosses will tell minions to use the ability. Maybe you could require multiple grapple checks to successfully implant, like how a mind flayer needs 4 grapples to suck your brain out and insta-kill you, or putting a time lapse on it (like how 1st/2nd Ed mind flayers worked--hit with tentacle = eat your brain in 1d4 rounds), or just upping their CR a notch or two.

Still, implant aside, I love the root and constrict combo, which is a gnarly ability by itself and neatly circumvent's the zombie's primary limitation of only taking single actions. Easier to attack when you don't have to move, and harder for the victim to escape when you're rooted to the ground.

You dropped in a couple of fun metagame powers (steal healing, sacrifice minion) but did it in a way that made perfect sense within the context of the monster. They didn't feel tacked on but worked very well. All in all, dude, these monsters rock the house. Well, the forest... :)

As a side note, a question I wondered aloud yesterday was whether any of the monsters submitted would end up being similar to one another. Having read all of the entries now I don't see any, but I actually had drawn up a squicky forest-themed undead (a 'boreal wight') that would have been similar to the moldering shambler.

As a fellow Live Oakian (Santa Cruz, Takasi?) I agree wholeheartedly. :)

A little north of Sac, near the Sutter Buttes. We're a REAL city. :P

Like it! Great ecology between the three critters. Interesting but not overwritten. Didn’t give me a high “wow” factor but had a good “usable” factor. I’ll go B.

This entry is tied for my favorite with Jason Nelson's winter theme. Like Jason's all of these monsters are eminently usable. The primary difference is that in my current campaign my PCs will be going through a dreary forest/swamp (with a fey kingdom that is close to the swamp) so these creatures may just show up. They will be at about the right level to take on some of these creatures all at once.

I really liked the "sacrifice minion" ability of the arbor mortis (like Wolfgang I could have done without the latin name as it seemed off compared to the other two names) and especially the "siphon healing" ability of the blightspawn fey. Very evil. I love it.

You have one of my votes.

This is a great submission - really a good job of focusing on the /theme/ requirement of thematically-linked monsters. The cycle-of-life aspect is great. Each part is creepy, hauntingly tragic, and nasty once encountered.

Good show.

This certainly works. Like one or two judges stated, it says "RPG published material" witha big stamp. Limited focus, solid mechanics, and controlled narration.

I'm almost surprised that it's recieving such strong support because it's more clean than extraordinary-but extraoridnary in this round got clunky in many cases.

I think Implant has more than enough limitations to justify its application in a CR4 creature.

I like this entry, without loving it. In a book I'd nod and think "I could use this if the situation arose." I wouldn't be inspired to create a situation for it.

But it's in the running for a vote, no doubt. This is solid design work, and that needs to count.

I like this. It works even better with my current group since we've a ranger in the party.

There is unrest in the forrest
There is trouble with the trees
For the darkblight wants more hosts
And will give them a wasting disease.

Very creative concept and very solid writing. As much as I like the Gloves of Force Shaping IMO this was your best entry of the four rounds. It was between you, Clinton and Russel for my third vote and you earned it. Good luck.

A bit repetitious and long. Loved the siphon healing and the vine javelins. I can't really picture how the tree can sacrifice a minion not to take damage, I can't really picture it. Is it like an instant replay? "Your sword sinks deeply into the rotted wood of the undead tree cutting it almost in half. Suddenly your sword springs back and the tree pulls it self back together. Behind you one of it's minions falls to the ground." It just seems like your rewinding a tape or something, it doesn't work for me. I don't like the trees having that many spells either it seems created from a mechanical perspective of defeating characters rather than fitting with the creature.

Overall nice work, there definitely aren't enough dark fey in D&D.

What's left to say?

Very evil, very usable, and covered the dark infestation angle without losing me in the description.

This is a voter.

Love this contribution. The Blightspawned Fey is begging to be thrust into a wilderness adventure thread, and it's both imaginative and mechanically interesting. The Arbor Mortis (I love the name, by the way) is just evil, evil, evil. And the Moldering Shambler template evokes images both sinister and creepy even before you delve into the description and the meat.

I could envision using each and every one of these in an appropriate campaign without hesitation. Russ moves to the head of the class.

Great crichers. Real useful.
Need more evil fey, I say.

I like this. It works even better with my current group since we've a ranger in the party.

There is unrest in the forrest
There is trouble with the trees
For the darkblight wants more hosts
And will give them a wasting disease.

Two different threads with Rush references now...

I guess the PCs are the ones to make sure the trees are all kept equal...

by hatchet...

axe...

and saw.

This is good stuff. You've already received my vote.

There is unrest in the forrest

There is trouble with the trees
For the darkblight wants more hosts
And will give them a wasting disease.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

Didn't you read my review? The RUSH quotes go with Christine's entry...

IMHO, this is the best entry in this round. One minor gripe: the names are somewhat ... less than evocative. I honestly don't know how many "____ Shambler" monsters are out there by now. Arbor Mortis is okay, though, in my book. Everything else is executed near-flawlessly. These are linked monsters I can perfectly imagine dropping into my game, no matter the setting. Kudos!

Mr. Taylor you have won me over. I must admit I didn't see the Superstar-ness in your first two entries. But last round you caugth my attention, and this round you have won me over as a fan. This is my favorite entry this round hands down.

I love the synergy that you created with your 3 creatures. IMHO there should be more creature ecologies of this sort in the game. Especialy if they are as thought out and well rounded as the 3 above. Every thing about this entry works for me. I will soon be dropping these three monsters on my unsuspecting heros. The circle of life now has a new twist. GREAT JOB!

I love these guys. This was the fifth entry I read, and so I had already seen a few references, giving me high expectations. And WOW! I was not disappointed. These are three creatures that I can use.

And three very good creatures at that. I like everything about this submission, especially keeping the special abilities of each creature to a minimum. To many abilities either get forgotten (and therefore wasted), or slow the game down as the DM struggles with them all. These creatures hit the balance just right. Not too complicated, but not too boring in combat either. My favorite ability is probably the root ability for the Moldering Shamblers. Great way to overcome the 1 action per round restriction.

One slight concern. The moldering shambler template looks like it could be a bit complicated to actually use, requiring first the addition of another template. I'm not sure as a DM I really want to go through the trouble of applying two templates to a creature just so I can run the encounter. Maybe a "sidebar" detailing how this works in practice would have been helpful that details all the changes needed from the addition of the two templates. Sort of a "Zombie Moldering Shambler" template so I only have to apply the "template" once. But at the same time, smart move "piggybacking" off the work already done in the SRD with the Zombie template. Great way to avoid reinventing the wheel.

But that is a minor quibble. I really like these guys. The mechanics look good, the backstory and flavor is great, and they would make interesting foes to fight. Well done, I would love to see more creatures like this in published books. A sure fire winner.

I like these monsters alot. They're creative, well designed and they have names that don't look like a cat walked across the keyboard. I'd say more but I've just read through 7 otehr entires and I'm tired. Suffice it to say that I like fey, especially evil ones, I'm going to be using them in an adventure soon, and you get a vote.
BTW, my players are going to hate you. Steal healing will make their lives a lot harder.

Alright, finally somebody got around to doing an 'alien' vibe connection between the 3 monsters (first thing that sprang to my mind)! But it's all about fey? And undead too? Ugh, how many of those two creature types do I have to see today, people?

False start: 5 yard penalty, repeat 4th down.

Matthew Morris wrote:

There is unrest in the forrest

There is trouble with the trees
For the darkblight wants more hosts
And will give them a wasting disease.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

Didn't you read my review? The RUSH quotes go with Christine's entry...

I was gonna say...

However, this is one of the best entries I've read so far in this round. And Seskadrin was one of my favorite villain.

Awesome. These 3 critters are superior to many of what I've read in published works. Your writing is great, clear, and professional.

Vampiric touch melee attacks and stealing cures!? I'm staying out of the woods.

Great job on these.

This one is excellent and definitely has my vote. I only wish my epic Ranger hadn't retired.... um. Wait...

Thanks for these.

Certainly one of the better organized and presented set of monsters. Clear what they are, how they work, and what you'd use them for.

As others have said, this is an entry up to publishable standards. I would not be surprised to see this in any monster compendium.

But, on the other hand, that's the problem. I would not be surprised to see these is any monster compendium.

Well done, and I suspect you'll make it to the next round, but I'm looking for something different than most, or so it seems. Gimme something that I haven't seen, give me something that surprises me.

Maybe it's me, but as the contest advances, I'm interpreting "superstar" more strongly, and publishable isn't a high enough standard (no offense to this entry, I'm just saying). I want someone coming at things from another direction, someone with what writers often call "voice". Hopefully we'll be getting that from everyone in the next round or two!

After much thought, you get my final vote.

This is what I sort of expected to see with thematically linked-monsters; a practical interdependacy, rather than a more philosophical link. In the end, what convinced me was this, like Boomer's entry, slots neatly into any campaign world.

I was not especially struck with your previous entires - though Seskadrin nearly made my last vote last round, but this I can get behind.

I like the idea of a vine-whip wielding evil anti-dryad...She's just asking for Combat Reflexes, though! I like the status-to-death aspect; she can hop around, whittling away at the PCs ability ro fight while her minions get down to the serious business of mushing the PCs to pulp.

I think, because I'm a right bugger for this sort of thing, the only complaint I have with the theme is that the 'life' span of the minions seems way too short. At average 9 days/arbor Mortis, you're rapidly running out of trees. I have said maybe 9 weeks would be better, without deforesting the world too quickly (which you're likely to find with too many). I've never been enamoured of the whole dryad-linked to tree thing, since I find it very limiting (though at least in this case, the tree can move!) Big problem though, is that eventually, the blighted fey will run out of trees and die out at their current rate of usage.

Otherwise, can't complain; heck, you even managed to sneak Undead in! (For the record, I am now long convinced that all Undead should be templated, so good work there!)

Nice job.

One other point: monster description before stat block: very important. Sans a picture, I think the description really needs to be the first thing to help in understanding the creature. You were one of the few who did.

Great your work is I think.

One vote in the bag here.

Russ, I've said it before about your work, and so I'll say it again, "Awesome. Simply awesome."

You win the 'Most Like Ancient Sensei's Planned Entry Award'. So much so that I might have to trash my evil undead plants and come up with something new next year.

Your entry presents a very interesting set of encounters, with a tragic and evil ecology. I like the idea that they reproduce and make life, but that that life is only sustained by death. Spooky, uncomfortable, and original. Well done.

The only mark against originality is that this entry strongly resembles worts and yellow musk zombies. A weird plant entity makes bad guys that defend it and make trouble for PCs. But then, sometimes it's good to have your players thinking wort or yellow musk creeper right up until they meet the blightspawn and find themselves in a spot of trouble.

Remember to italicize spells and spell-like abilities in your text.

Blightspawned Fey are mechanically sound. Good job!

I am a little bugged by the sudden genius of the arbor mortis. It goes from unsentient to more intelligent than its blightspawned master? I could get behind sort of a 'Michael' effect where its doomed state forces a miraculous intellect and malevolence, but I think I prefer that happens to a more humanoid creature, not a plant.

I agree that one week per HD would be better. Or perhaps a method for the tree to advance in hit dice based on the number of people it killed. Maybe it gets another week each time it consumes on of its shamblers, thus providing a way for the blightspawn to keep her tree handy, but necessitating the need to find an animal or local ranger and kill him.

I would also avoid the template that can only be applied to another template. Both acquired templates and inherited templates are a lot of fun, and allow DMs to change things up if the need arises, but they are extra work. Doubling the work is not a great design choice, as there's enough content to offer another solution to that problem.

However, this is a strong, well-written entry and earns my top vote so far. Get out of my head. : }

Great job with this entry. I've liked your previous work in the past, but never quite enough to give it my vote, but this time I think you've got the strongest entry of the round. Good writing, great linked theme (I happen to like monsters that are designed to work together instead of simply 3 cold monsters or 3 lightning monsters) and great new rules concepts with the steal healing and reverse sheild other sacrifice minion ability.

My only quibble is that for all three of the monsters, you can cure them before they're fully transformed, but afterwards, they just have to die. Normally with monsters who's origins are some other creature type that got transformed you at least have the wish or miracle route to save someone. I'd make that modification, even if it's only rarely going to get used.

Russ: Just to confirm that I have now voted, and included The Darkblight as one of my votes. I liked this tightly themed and (for me) easily usable cycle of monsters, with a cohesive background that made sense.
And there was that (evil DM chuckle) steal healing ability of the dryad....

Siphon Healing (Su): As an immediate action, a blightspawned fey can absorb a conjuration (healing) spell cast within 60 feet, applying the affect to herself instead of the intended target or targets. This ability works even if the fey is out of the spell's range or area of effect.

I'm surprised nobody commented on it, but this is roughly the equivalent of an epic-level feat, but different. The Spell Stowaway [Epic] feat lets a character snag the benefit of one specific spell they can cast if it's cast nearby (thought it doesn't stop the original target from also benefitting).

This steals outright any healing spell, though it's an immediate action so it can only be done once per round.

All in all, a very cool ability, especially if the party starts throwing heal around.

I love the Siphon Healing ability just for the horror factor when the PC's realize they're in over their heads, especially if they see the Blightspawned Fey benefit from their healing.

The writing is a tad redundant, and you seem to have gotten a bit sloppy towards the end, but I've bought and forgiven far worse.

One hole, though, is the application of a template that requires a template. Since no Moldering Shambler is ever created from a pre-existing zombie, but only from unanimated corpses, making the DM do twice the math to make his monsters is cumbersome. Make the template actually apply directly to the base creature that it uses, and save everyone the paperwork.

I could see myself using these as either incidental encounters or as the centerpiece of a story arc. Great submission.

Saprolings? Loved those guys!

Yours are better of course. I noticed the same weaknesses others pointed out (am trying to avoid reading comments until I have my own critique set). Though I think if you had created one template I would have said "looks like a zombie with vines." From a design point I am glad you separated them, for usability I would combine them.

Yeah sacrificing saprolings is awesome, many great visuals (cocoon, root, thorned chain) and a simple, effective theme.

Congrats.