You Can’t Polish A Turd

Or in my case, I didn’t even bother trying to polish it. Let me explain. Recently I got my rejection letter from Wizards of the Coast about my DDI article that I was working on. I got the pitch accepted, but the turnover was flat out denied. In case you never got a chance to hear my tale, it basically goes like this: pitch > acceptance > celebration > procrastination > do a horribly rushed job of writing 3,000 words > give zero editing passes > send it off to WotC > wait for fame and fortune > receive brutally honest rejection letter > ???. If you want more great info from someone with actual freelancer credentials and shit loads more experience than me, be sure to read my friend Phil the Chatty DM’s experiences with writing for WotC as well. (Shameless Plug: Also be sure to check out his Kickstarter if you like Cortex+.)

Why Are You Showing Us Turds?

Anyway, since I did spend several hours coming up with this nonsense I figure I may as well release it in some form or another just so the time spent wasn’t totally in vain. If I have to live with the horror of knowing I wrote this than you should too. So let this be a lesson to you all about just how unoriginal I actually am, and let it also be a lesson to anyone aspiring to write for WotC as to what type of stuff they aren’t looking for in DDI submissions. Let it also serve as a testament as to how out of the loop I currently am with 4e D&D. This was supposed to be a monster template ala Dark Sun Creature Catalog. Enjoy! Or…y’know…don’t, because this stuff is pretty bad.

Oh and also, if for some reason you want to see more or hear more about my experiences with this just say so in the comments and I’ll probably publish the other 3 plant-creature monster templates in all of their terrible glory.

Dreadgnarl Lore

Most treants and other sentient plant-life call the feywild home, or at least the place of their origin, this is not the case for dreadgnarls. Dreadgnarls actually originated from within the demiplane of dread, a place where the land itself infuses a malevolent sentience into all living things, right down to the very motes of the earth.

The first dreadgnarls came from just outside the village of Barovia within the Svalich Woods. A forest often traveled by the Vistani people, these woods served as a temporary home to many Vistani who camped within the its ample clearings. Vistani are nomadic and mysterious people said to be without boundaries of realms or the planes, and so they were responsible for bringing the first dreadgnarl seedlings to the Muckroot Trade Moot in the Murkendraw of the feywild, and then into the rest natural world.

Dreadgnarl Traits

Dreadgnarl treants appear as common looking trees often found around swampy areas, but can also appear most anywhere else trees thrive. Once night falls however, their malevolence begins to manifest as their bark shifts to an ashen gray-black color. Their trunks both absorb and reflect moonlight which serves to fuel their darkened abilities and play tricks on the eyes.

Their fog drooling mouths are formed of split bark that form rows of jagged “teeth” and emit a perpetual baritone hum while agape. The roots and branches of a dreadgnarl do not form arms and legs as most treants, but function more as earthy tentacles.

Unlike others, dreadgnarl treants are capable of stalking their prey through preternatural means. On nights when the moon is its fullest, they are known to mysteriously move entire swamps and forests from one location to another, causing the land to play tricks on even the most seasoned explorers.

Skill Modification: +2 bonus to athletics or stealth checks.

Attack Powers

Haunting in appearance and ruthless in combat, dreadgnarl will stop at nothing to have their adversaries join the ranks of corpses that rest beneath their roots.. Twisting, snapping, undulating roots carry them swiftly to their prey, all the while casting a macabre silhouette against the backdrop of night sky. The deep rumble of theirv voices can be heard for miles, some people call this noise the trumpet of death and refuse to venture out of their homes on evenings when it can be heard.

Triggered Actions

Strangulate

These treants have preternatural strength and the ability to twist and re-shape their branches to constrict their foes with a deadly grip.

[titled_box title=”Strangulate * At-Will” variation=”green”]This creature makes a basic melee attack against a target within its reach.This creature may immediately make a grab attack against the same target as a free action[/titled_box]

Burst of Vermin

Animals don’t often congregate around dreadgnarls aside from the occasional flock of bats or other nocturnal creatures. Some of these creatures make permanent dwellings inside dreadgnarls and form a close bond, lashing out at those who threaten their home.

Minor Actions

[titled_box title=”Burst of Vermin * Encounter (reliable)” variation=”green”]This creature is first bloodiedClose burst 3 (creatures in burst); Level + 3 vs. Reflexdamage equal to this creature’s basic attack and the target takes an ongoing 5 damage per tier.half damage and no ongoing 5 damage[/titled_box]

Fog Breath

A stream of choking fog billows forth from the crooked maw of the treant as it taunts its enemies with a hallowed voice.

Utility Powers

[titled_box title=”Fog Breath (necrotic, poison) * Encounter (recharge 4+)” variation=”green”]Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); Level + 3 vs. Fortitude5 ongoing poison and necrotic damage (save ends)The blast creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter or until the creatures uses Fog Breath again. Any enemies that enter the zone or start its turn there takes 5 poison and necrotic damage per tier.[/titled_box]

While many of the dreadgnarls have no need for abilities beyond subterfuge and raw power, they do have a variety of other useful and grim manifestations from the demiplane of dread at their disposal.

Standard Actions

Reanimate

Drawing from the spirits of fallen souls deep beneath the soil, dreadgnarls can spawn unnatural life from the very ground they tread upon.

[titled_box title=”Reanimate (necrotic) * Encounter” variation=”green”]This creature summons 1d3 zombies or skeletons of the appropriate level for the encounter to fight alongside it. When this creature reaches 0 hp, all of the summoned zombies and skeletons immediately collapse into lifeless heaps.[/titled_box]

Bleak Presence

There is still a wreath of dark power from the demiplane of dread that surrounds dreadgnarl creatures. This halo of evil fills mortal creatures with unexplainable fear, depravity, and flickering visions of the stark landscapes of Barovia.

[titled_box title=”Bleak Presence (necrotic) * Aura 2″ variation=”green”]This creature summons 1d3 zombies or skeletons of the appropriate level for the encounter to fight alongside it. When this creature reaches 0 hp, the summoned creatures immediately collapse back into lifeless heaps.[/titled_box]

Constricting Grasp

Otherworldly strength granted by dark powers allows dreadgnarls to wring the life out of their foes.

Related

[titled_box title=”Constricting Grasp * TRAIT” variation=”green”]Targets grabbed by this creature suffer 5 ongoing damage per tier until escaping the grab.[/titled_box]