Description
I was tracking an outlaw just outside Picalah when I heard a faint moan. I cleared the brush and saw the man calling out to me, but his eyes… his eyes were all dead inside. Nishka, my Seskii wasn’t so sharp though, Weepvine got her. Damn, I loved that pooch.”Deavrin Jexx, Bounty Hunter
The Weepvine is an ivy-like plant that runs low to the ground and spreads very quickly (much like kudzu). Its tendrils are quick and strong and anyone who accidentally blunders into a patch would be entangled and eventually strangled to death. After slaying its prey the vine burrows into its brain and uses it to call out for help luring more victims.
No one knows why but the Iron Wind seems to target Weepvine.
Details
- Level:
- 1 (3)
- Motive:
- Spread
- Environment:
- Any fertile land, rarely in the Steadfast
- Health:
- 3
- Damage:
- 4
- Armor:
- 3
- Movement:
- None. It grows quickly but not fast enough to actually be mobile
- Modifications:
You can make the hazard as dangerous as you like; as they feed they often grow larger root systems and get much stronger, so a well-fed Weepvine may look small but its bulk lies beneath the surface.
Larger plants have health equal to their level x3 and do damage equal to their level +1.
Alternatively a larger patch of Weepvine might be collectively stronger than a single plant, a victim that stumbles in a large patch might be ganged up on by up to three plants, normal rules apply.
- Combat:
Weepvines attack by surprise, either by climbing over a sleeping foe (which would take about an hour), being stumbled into, or by luring it’s prey. It’s “armor” is actually the fact that the bulk of its body is underground, if it were somehow exposed it would have none. Also against fire and defoliants it has no armor. It is immune to mind-effecting attacks.
It makes a Might attack inflicting 4 points of damage and immobilizing it’s prey who must make a Might roll to escape each round (the vine counts as one level higher for this). When holding a foe attacks against it have an equal change of damaging its prey.
- Interaction:
Recognizing the Weepvine for what it is depends on if the observer has ever encountered one. If so they could spot it with an Intellect roll (and whatever skill a character might have); having never encountered one would be a one step penalty to the roll.
One strange thing about the Weepvine is that Iron Wind seems attracted to it and intent on destroying it. Against Iron Wind the vine has no defense it is destroyed in a number of rounds equal to its level. Some crafty Beyonders have fled the Iron Wind by running into Weepvine, thus buying time for escape; though this plan is not without its risks.
- Use:
Weepvine makes a good “trap” type encounter, or it could represent a threat to a local community that has to be eradicated.
- Loot:
Half the time none, the other (Level -1) random cyphers.