Blood soaked tree effigy
Isolated in a barren landscape stands a dead tree shaped like a contorting humanoid. Garlands of blood-soaked rags adorn the branches. The trunk has all manner of incisions on it, but only a closer look will reveal what they are.This effigy was built by a bugbear with an artistic talent for creating creepy effigies to terrorise its victims. The incisions on the trunk depict all manner of tortures and killing methods. The rags are soaked in the blood of their fearful victims, the blood never coagulating. Once the bugbear died in a bloody and horrific battle, their spirit did not pass on, but rather, stayed around its masterpiece, haunting it forever as a frightful haunter.
Creepy tree (CR 11)
The following encounter has been built using four available Pathfinder haunts and three newly created haunts.- Frightful haunter (CR 8)
- Spectral screams (CR 2)
- Foreboding Mist (CR 3)
- Buried alive (CR 4)
- Spectral vermin (CR 5)
- Chilling chains (CR 3) [New]
- Isolated (CR 4) [New]
- Grasping roots (CR 6) [New]
Spectral screams from previous victims haunt the grounds around the tree.
XP 600
NE haunt (10-ft. radius just as the tree comes into view)
Caster Level 3rd
Notice Perception DC 10 (to hear the moaning spirits approaching)
hp 4; Weakness Intimidate; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
Spectral forms of disembodied heads emerge from the floor and scream at everyone in the area, their jaws distending to an impossible width. Creatures are affected by scare. The spectral heads take pride in terrorizing their victims; if a creature succeeds at a DC 16 Intimidate check to demonstrate its own frightening nature, the spirits decide the PC is the true winner of the current contest, after which they lose interest in the PCs for 1 hour as if reduced to 0 hit points.
DESTRUCTION
The spectral screams are destroyed if the Frightful haunter is killed.
XP 600
NE haunt (10-ft. radius just as the tree comes into view)
Caster Level 3rd
Notice Perception DC 10 (to hear the moaning spirits approaching)
hp 4; Weakness Intimidate; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
Spectral forms of disembodied heads emerge from the floor and scream at everyone in the area, their jaws distending to an impossible width. Creatures are affected by scare. The spectral heads take pride in terrorizing their victims; if a creature succeeds at a DC 16 Intimidate check to demonstrate its own frightening nature, the spirits decide the PC is the true winner of the current contest, after which they lose interest in the PCs for 1 hour as if reduced to 0 hit points.
DESTRUCTION
The spectral screams are destroyed if the Frightful haunter is killed.
Foreboding mists lurk in around the tree, drawing their substance from the unrest of all who are buried below. They manifest regardless of the weather, and target the minds of those who fail to recognize they are not entirely real.
XP 800
NE haunt (15-ft. radius)
Caster Level 3rd; Notice Perception DC 15 (to notice a chill fog forming)
hp 13; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
A chilly fog descends, twisting and condensing into claws that grab and prod those within it. This fog functions as per (DC 13).
DESTRUCTION
Casting consecrate on the ground underneath the mist prevents it from returning.
XP 800
NE haunt (15-ft. radius)
Caster Level 3rd; Notice Perception DC 15 (to notice a chill fog forming)
hp 13; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
A chilly fog descends, twisting and condensing into claws that grab and prod those within it. This fog functions as per (DC 13).
DESTRUCTION
Casting consecrate on the ground underneath the mist prevents it from returning.
The spirits of those who the bugbear interred here are still trying to escape.
XP 1,200
NE haunt (a ring around the effigy, 10 feet in length, and 50-ft away from the effigy)
Caster Level 5th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear a shovel cleaving through dirt)
hp 18; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
On the first round, spectral gravediggers create a single 15-foot-deep pit covering the haunt’s entire radius. Creatures in the area must succeed at a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or fall to the bottom of the pit, taking 2d6 points of damage.
Creatures who succeed leap to a square at the edge of the pit. The walls of the pit are uneven (Climb DC 20). On the second round, the spectral gravediggers fill the pit with loose, spectral dirt, burying everyone still inside. Buried creatures are pinned, but they can reduce their condition to grappled with a successful DC 15 Strength check. They take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage each minute, and begin to suffocate after 10 minutes. Creatures outside of the pit can dig out the buried creatures. Each 5-foot cube of spectral dirt weighs 1,000 pounds; a creature can move 5 times her maximum load worth of dirt per minute, or 10 times her maximum load if she has a shovel. If the haunt is dispersed, buried creatures automatically rise to the surface.
DESTRUCTION
The haunt can be permanently destroyed if the area is hallowed.
XP 1,200
NE haunt (a ring around the effigy, 10 feet in length, and 50-ft away from the effigy)
Caster Level 5th; Notice Perception DC 20 (to hear a shovel cleaving through dirt)
hp 18; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
On the first round, spectral gravediggers create a single 15-foot-deep pit covering the haunt’s entire radius. Creatures in the area must succeed at a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or fall to the bottom of the pit, taking 2d6 points of damage.
Creatures who succeed leap to a square at the edge of the pit. The walls of the pit are uneven (Climb DC 20). On the second round, the spectral gravediggers fill the pit with loose, spectral dirt, burying everyone still inside. Buried creatures are pinned, but they can reduce their condition to grappled with a successful DC 15 Strength check. They take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage each minute, and begin to suffocate after 10 minutes. Creatures outside of the pit can dig out the buried creatures. Each 5-foot cube of spectral dirt weighs 1,000 pounds; a creature can move 5 times her maximum load worth of dirt per minute, or 10 times her maximum load if she has a shovel. If the haunt is dispersed, buried creatures automatically rise to the surface.
DESTRUCTION
The haunt can be permanently destroyed if the area is hallowed.
Horrific death by thousands of tiny teeth and creepy crawlers was a particular favourite of the bugbear.
XP 1,600
Alignment CE free-roaming vermin around the effigy (30-ft. radius around the effigy)
Caster Level 5th
Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear scratching in walls hp 22; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
This free-roaming haunt lives on the hollowed-out tree. Once someone inspects the tree from up close, they start swarming out of the tree as the summon swarm spell.
DESTRUCTION
Burning the tree or chopping it down destroys the haunt.
XP 1,600
Alignment CE free-roaming vermin around the effigy (30-ft. radius around the effigy)
Caster Level 5th
Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear scratching in walls hp 22; Weakness tricked by hide from undead; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
This free-roaming haunt lives on the hollowed-out tree. Once someone inspects the tree from up close, they start swarming out of the tree as the summon swarm spell.
DESTRUCTION
Burning the tree or chopping it down destroys the haunt.
Icy shards coalesce around limbs, forming shackles.
XP 800
Alignment NE (the outskirts of the effigy, 20 ft. radius)
Caster Level 6th
Notice Perception DC 20 (to notice the icy particles forming hp 6; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 week
EFFECT
Cold iron shackles reduce the target's speed by half (Reflex save DC ) as per the cold iron fetters spell.
DESTRUCTION
Alchemist's fire will destroy the haunt.
XP 800
Alignment NE (the outskirts of the effigy, 20 ft. radius)
Caster Level 6th
Notice Perception DC 20 (to notice the icy particles forming hp 6; Weakness slow; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 week
EFFECT
Cold iron shackles reduce the target's speed by half (Reflex save DC ) as per the cold iron fetters spell.
DESTRUCTION
Alchemist's fire will destroy the haunt.
Few things are scarier to humanoids than being left alone against an invisible danger. And the frightful haunter knows it.
XP 1.200
Alignment NE (20-ft, radius emanating from the effigy)
Caster Level 4th
Notice Perception DC 10 (to notice the absence of one's companions hp 8; Weakness does not work on people who are adventuring alone; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
Upon getting closer to the tree, a sense of isolation washes over groups of intelligent creatures. Targets have to save from the isolate spell (save DC 16). Creatures who succeed remain invisible to their allies for one round, those who do not succeed remain invisible to their allies for 6 rounds.
DESTRUCTION
Having a sincere chat about each other's contribution to the team destroys this haunt.
XP 1.200
Alignment NE (20-ft, radius emanating from the effigy)
Caster Level 4th
Notice Perception DC 10 (to notice the absence of one's companions hp 8; Weakness does not work on people who are adventuring alone; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
EFFECT
Upon getting closer to the tree, a sense of isolation washes over groups of intelligent creatures. Targets have to save from the isolate spell (save DC 16). Creatures who succeed remain invisible to their allies for one round, those who do not succeed remain invisible to their allies for 6 rounds.
DESTRUCTION
Having a sincere chat about each other's contribution to the team destroys this haunt.
The long-dead roots from the tree crawl out of the ground and lash out against any who dare approach the effigy.
XP 2.400
Alignment NE (20-ft, radius emanating from the effigy)
Caster Level 6th
Notice Perception DC 25 (to notice the ground trembling hp 12; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
Black dead roots reach for creatures within reach, damaging and grappling them as per the black tentacles spell.
DESTRUCTION
Planting tree seedlings lays to rest the roots of the dead tree.
XP 2.400
Alignment NE (20-ft, radius emanating from the effigy)
Caster Level 6th
Notice Perception DC 25 (to notice the ground trembling hp 12; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
EFFECT
Black dead roots reach for creatures within reach, damaging and grappling them as per the black tentacles spell.
DESTRUCTION
Planting tree seedlings lays to rest the roots of the dead tree.
Oo sounds like a rather fun and varied encounter. Love the terrifying lore behind it too.
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