Wood Woad
Having disturbed the quiet of Ardeep forest we were ready for the fight of our lives as a forest guardian slowly emerged from the foliage; its glowing eyes assessing us. Weapons readied, we waited for the attack only for it to hesitate and ask "How... did Phalorm fall?". Needless to say we were surprised.
Keen to avoid conflict we obliged, speaking of the goblin hordes that had ravaged the lands many centuries ago. It was not until the creature fell to its knees and began to sob softly that it became apparent that we were not in danger... and that perhaps we had discovered something new after all.
Wood Woads are living plants magically given birth by a bloody, sacrificial ritual and imbued with a soul whose will and sentimentality is suppressed. These usually silent, pitiless, and immortal watchers of forest realms have unnatural strength, a hard bark hide, and can traverse the woodland unseen; making an encounter with one trouble for those unprepared.
Relic of the Forgotten
The method of creating wood woads is an ancient ritual remembered by few and practiced by fewer in current times. Most wood woads are created for a specific purpose, usually the defence of a particular location, a task for which they are perfect. Being entirely self-sufficient, given enough sunlight and nutrients from the soil, they often outlast the reason for which they were created. Those who do usually find new purpose serving other denizens of the forest such as treants or druids. Others, lost and forgotten, might begin to wander both in body and in mind.
A Mind in Discord
Regaining will and sentimentality is usually the result of the magic that binds these aspects weakening or failing for some reason. It can happen suddenly or be a gradual process. When it happens, the wood woad begins to recall memories it never experienced; memories of the imbued soul.
This presents a dilemma: are they the creature that was created by the ritual, the one whose memories they are starting to recall, or something entirely new? Answering this question is usually what leads to a life of adventure for a wood woad, their future lies in exploring their past through the present.
Immortal and Eternal
The ritual that births the wood woad also renders them immortal. Much like a treant or dryad, a wood woad will live forever under the correct conditions. Setting the wood woad apart are the significant regenerative abilities they possess; many an adventurer has thought to have felled a wood woad only to return later to find them ready to fight once more. They are not infallible however; due to their wooden constitution a wood woad can be permanently put to rest though the use of fire or complete destruction of the body.
Wood Woad Names
Seen as emotionless automatons, wood woads are rarely given a name by their creator and usually any name given becomes lost to the passage of time. As a result, a name is usually adopted and most often it is inspired by where they find themselves or by some detail they latch onto from the memories they now recall. In some situations they may be able to recall the name of the soul inside them and decide to take up that name.
Art Credits
Created by theonetrueduddy
Wood Woad Traits
Your wood woad character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma score is reduced by 2
Age. Sprouting 3 days after the ritual completes, wood woads mature into their humanoid shape very quickly over a few months, and can exist seemingly indefinitely unless destroyed.
Alignment. Wood woads tend towards the lawful neutral alignment, but may adopt traits of the soul within them.
Size. Wood woads usually stand between 6 to 7 feet tall, and weigh between 200 to 400 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Natural Armor: Your thick bark gives you a base AC of 16 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Living Plant. Whilst you were created by magic, you are a living creature. You count as a plant type creature and are vulnerable to fire damage.
Photosynthesis. Instead of eating or sleeping, you benefit from a long rest after spending a total of 4 hours partially taking root to absorb water, nutrients, air, and bright light simultaneously whilst performing photosynthesis.
Forest Ambusher. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in terrain with ample obscuring plant life, and you have a climb speed of 30 feet when climbing trees. Whilst within 5 feet of a tree of Large or larger, you may use a bonus action to step into that tree and emerge 5 feet from another tree of the same size that is no further than your remaining movement speed.
Deathless Duty. As a bonus action you may spend a Hit Die to recover hit points equal to the die roll plus your Constitution modifier. Additionally the first time you would make a death saving throw, you instead automatically stabilize and then this trait does not function again until you finish a long rest.
Taking fire damage prevents use of this trait during your next turn.
Magically Infused. While the binding may weaken, your body is still infused with magical power. You know the shillelagh cantrip, and as an action you can cause a shield to replace one of your hands. This shield prevents use of that hand, and cannot be removed unless you choose to dismiss it as an action at which point it falls off and withers away. Once you use this ability it cannot be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
Languages. You can read, write, and speak Common and Sylvan. You may also choose one language of your choice that represents the race of the soul within you.
Random Height and Weight
| Race | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Woad | 5' 10" | +2d6 | 200lbs | x2d8 |