The Death's Head Tree

A Death's Head Tree is a species of Dread Plant. Its seeds germinate on soil where copious amounts of blood have been spilled. Battlefields and temples where sacrifice of living creatures were performed are fertile soil for the Death's Head Tree. On average, it takes around fifty-five years for a Death's Head tree to germinate and grow into a size where it can bear its fruit, the eponymous Death's Heads. Each of these appears to be a severed head of any of the standard human and demi human races, except for the fact that each head grows from a branch of the tree and is attached to the branch at the neck. The tree, is immune to fire and fire-based magic which will create a nasty surprise to those who first encounter it. In time, these heads ripen and “fall” from the tree, actually floating away on organic gases, seeking the bodies of warm-blooded creatures in which to plant their seeds. The tree can move its branches to attack and defend, and in this effect it can use its Deaths Head fruit to attack, by biting. These bites are capable of inserting seeds of the Death's Head Tree into the flesh of the victim, which if left untreated will quickly germinate into another Death's Head Tree in hours, and killing the host.

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Death's Head Tree

Huge Plant, Neutral Evil

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• Armor Class 11 (natural armour)
• Hit Points 105 (10d12 + 40)(50/105/160)
• Speed 0ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	1 (-5)	18 (+4)	4 (-3)	6 (-2)	3 (-4)

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• Proficiency +3
• Saving throws Strength +6, Constitution +7, Wisdom +1
• Damage Resistance bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons, necrotic
• Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
• Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, Exhausted, Frightened, Grappled, Paralysed, Poisoned, Prone, Unconscious
• Senses Tremor sense 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
• Languages -
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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False Appearance. While the Death's Head Tree remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.

Mimicry. The Death's Heads can mimic simple sounds they have heard, such as a person yelling for help, a baby crying, or an animal chittering. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check.

Death's Heads The Death's Head Tree possesses 7 (3d4) eponymous Death's Heads. These heads are unquestionably humanoid, with functioning eyes, ears, noses, and a head of hair (Adopting the features of the humanoids who's blood fed the tree).

Actions

Multiattack. The Death's Head Tree makes as many bite or slam attacks as it has Death's Heads, in any combination.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, the head inserts it's seed into the target and it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. For every 24 hours that elapses, the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. This reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A new Death's Head sapling sprouts from the corpse capable of producing a single Death's Head fruit within 24 hours.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Bonus Actions

Bear children. As an bonus action, on its turn the Death's Head Tree can drop one of its fully ripened fruit. The dropped fruit become Death's Head and rolls its own initiative.

Death's Head Tree Profile

Role: Standard / Ambusher
Motive:
Environment Forest, Hills, Swamp
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Always
Diet: Carnivore
Moral: 19-20 Fearless
Description:
Combat:
Interaction:
Loot: 3d6 (10) 50 gp gems and roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table B

Death's Head

Tiny Undead, Neutral Evil

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• Armor Class 12
• Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)(8/18/28)
• Speed 0 ft., fly 25 ft. (hover)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (-2)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	4 (-3)	6 (-2)	3 (-4)

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• Proficiency +2
• Saving throws Wisdom +0
• Damage Resistance bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons, necrotic
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
• Condition Immunities Exhausted, Frightened, Poisoned, Prone, Unconscious
• Senses Passive Perception 8
• Languages -
• Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Mimicry. The Death's Heads can mimic simple sounds they have heard, such as a person yelling for help, a baby crying, or an animal chittering. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check.

Death's Heads These heads are unquestionably humanoid, with functioning eyes, ears, noses, and a head of hair (Adopting the features of the humanoids who's blood fed the tree).

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, the head inserts it's seed into the target and it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. For every 24 hours that elapses, the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. This reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A new Death's Head sapling sprouts from the corpse capable of producing a single Death's Head fruit within 24 hours.