Page 199 - Curse of Strahd_Neat

WOODEN STATUE Y4. GULTHIAS TREE
The giant statue bears an eerie resemblance to Strahd
von Zarovich. Close inspection reveals roots sprouting
from the ground around its base. These roots are part At the south end of the hilltop is a sickly copse, a grove of
of the Gulthias tree in area Y4. They wrap around the dead trees and shrubs with a huge, misshapen tree at its
statue, providing added support and durability. The core. Blood oozes like sap from its twisted trunk. Skulk­
roots not only prevent the statue from being toppled but
also allow the effigy to serve as a component in a ritual ing around the tree are six gangl y' humanoid creatures
to create a tree blight (see "Druids' Ritual" in the "Spe­ covered with needles. Embedded in the tree is a shiny
cial Events" section below). Planted in the "heart" of this battleaxe, beneath which lies a humanoid skeleton.
wooden effigy is a magic gem stolen from the Wizard of
Wines vineyard (chapter 12).
The statue has AC 10, 50 hit points, and immunity to The tree is a Gulthias tree (see the blights entry in the
poison and psychic damage. If the statue takes fire dam­ Monster Manual), the roots of which extend deep be­
age after being splashed with oil, it catches fire, taking neath the hill. Lurking among the dead trees and shrubs
2d6 fire damage each round. If the statue is reduced to 0 are three vine blights, six needle blights, and twelve
hit points, it collapses, and the magic gem tumbles onto twig blights. The needle blights are plainly visible, but
the field, glowing with a bright green light. the False Appearance feature of the vine blights and
the twig blights allows them to hide in plain sight. The
HIDDEN GRAVES blights attack anyone who harms the Gulthias tree,
Hidden throughout the field inside the boulders are six which has no actions or effective attacks of its own.
druids (CE male and female humans) and six berserk­ The Gulthias tree has AC 15, 250 hit points, and im­
ers (CE male and female humans), all descendants of munity to bludgeoning, piercing, and psychic damage. If
the ancient mountain tribe whose members are buried it is reduced to O hit points, it seems to be destroyed but
on this hill and all covered head to toe in bluish-gray isn't truly dead; it regains 1 hit point every month until
mud. They have long, tangled hair and wild-looking it is fully healed. With a successful DC 15 Intelligence
eyes. To honor their dark "god," they sleep in earthen (Nature) check, a character can determine that the en­
graves hidden under covers made of sod and dead grass. tire stump must be uprooted for the tree to truly die. The
Characters entering the circle who have a passive Wis­ Gulthias tree withers and dies in 3d10 days if a hallow
dom (Perception) score of 16 or higher notice the dozen spell is cast in its area.
covered graves scattered throughout the field. The dru­ The Gulthias tree creates blights from ordinary plants
ids and the berserkers rise from their graves and attack and is the only tree of its kind in Barovia. If the Gulth­
if anyone approaches or damages the statue, or if they ias tree is killed, no new blights can be created within
are discovered and attacked. Strahd's domain. Award the party 1,500 XP for destroy­
The druids are waiting to begin a ritual to summon ing the Gulthias tree.
forth an enormous tree blight. Only one druid is needed The skeleton lying at the base of the Gulthias tree is
to complete the ritual, but the druids won't begin with­ all that remains of a human adventurer who was killed
out Strahd's blessing. Thus, they are waiting for him by blights while trying to cut down the tree.
to appear. The ritual can't be completed if the statue is
destroyed or the magic gem is removed. TREASURE
If the characters discern or divine the gem's location The dead adventurer's tattered leather armor isn't sal­
with the aid of magic, they can try to dig the gem out vageable, but the axe embedded in the tree is a magic
of the statue's chest. Climbing up the statue is a sim- battleaxe. Its handle is carved with leaves and vines, and
ple matter, requiring no ability check, and a character the weapon weighs half as much as a normal battleaxe.
within reach of the chest cavity can use an action to dig When the axe hits a plant, whether an ordinary plant or
into it. Have that character's player roll a d20: on a result a plant creature, the target takes an extra ld8 slashing
of 13 or higher, the character unearths the gem and can damage. When a creature of non-good alignment wields
take it as part of his or her action. the axe, it sprouts thorns whenever its wielder makes an
attack with it. These thorns prick the wielder for 1 pierc­
DEVELOPMENT ing damage after the attack is made, and this damage is
If the druids and the berserkers are killed, their num­ considered magical.
bers are replenished as·otherfi ret'urn from forays into
the Svalich Woods. At the end of eac\i day, at dusk, FORTUNES OF RAVENLOFT
·
ld4 - 1 druids and ld4 -;1 bers'er-kers arrive until there . If your card reading reveals that a treasure is here, it's
are six of each. buried amid the roots of the Gulrhias tree, beneath the
skeleton of the dead adventurer. Characters who dig in
the ground under the skeleton automatically find it.

r 9 S t CHAPTER 14 I YESTER HILL
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