Monster Monday: Holly King, Protector of the Winter Wood

Today's Monster Monday is the holly king, winter's answer to the verdant green man of spring. The holly king is a man of twisted holly wood with a cloak and crown of spiny leaves and red berries. Squirrels and small birds flit about him, taking shelter among his branches. Travelers finding themselves lost in the wilderness may receive aid from a holly king, but those who despoil the wilderness or abuse the forest's hospitality will find themselves on the receiving end of a holly king's druidic wrath.

photo by Erich Ferdinand, via Wikimedia

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2018 Jonah Bomgaars.

This thin, gnarled tree stands in the shape of a man, with a crown and cloak of spiny leaves and bright red berries.

Holly King  CR 7

XP 3,200

N Large plant

Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, -1 size, +8 natural)

hp 95 (10d8+50)

Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +9

DR 10/cold iron or slashing; Immune cold, plant traits

Vulnerability fire

Defensive Abilities spiny

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +10 (1d8+4 plus 1d6 nonlethal)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks nauseating touch +10 (DC 20)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10^th)

   At will – goodberry, tree shape (holly), tree stride (holly)

   1/day – magic circle against evil

Spells Prepared (CL 10^th)

   5^th (DC 21) – cure critical wounds, wall of thorns x2

   4^th (DC 20) – command plants, freedom of movement, grove of respite, thorn body

   3^rd (DC 19) – burst of nettles, cure moderate wounds, plant growth, spike growth

   2^nd (DC 18) – accelerate poison, animal messenger, frigid touch, pernicious poison, summon nature’s ally II

   1^st (DC 17) – call animal, calm animals, endure elements, entangle, hibernate, tripvine

   orisons (DC 16) – detect magic, detect poison, guidance, resistance

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 23, Cha 17

Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 23

Feats Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Handle Animal)

Skills Handle Animal +13, Knowledge (nature) +11, Perception +16, Stealth +10

Languages Common, Sylvan

SQ spontaneous casting, wild empathy (+13)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Nauseating Touch (Ex)

As a standard action, the holly king can make a touch attack, forcing the touched enemy to make a DC 20 Fortitude save or become nauseated for 1d6+1 rounds. On a successful save, the touched creature is merely sickened for 1 round.

Refuge (Ex)

Tiny or smaller animals, fey, and magical beasts who enter the holly king’s space can, if he permits them, find refuge in his branches and leaves. This grants them cover and gives them the defensive benefits of the holly king’s Spiny ability (see below).

Spellcasting (Su)

The holly king casts spells as a 10^th level druid, and can spontaneously cast summon nature’s ally spells in place of any prepared spell just as a druid can.

Spiny (Ex)

The holly king is covered with spiny leaves. His natural attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of nonlethal damage, and any creature attacking him with a natural attack or unarmed strike must make a DC 20 Reflex save or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Wild Empathy (Ex)

The holly king can use wild empathy as a 10^th level druid.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and cold forests

Organization solitary

Treasure none

Holly kings are intelligent, benevolent guardians of the forest and of small animals. They are much like treants, but of more humanoid in appearance. They appear to be twelve-foot-tall humanoids made of thin and gnarled wood, with branches and spiny green holly leaves forming a sort of crown and cloak around them. They are most commonly seen in winter, when they stride through snowy forests offering aid and comfort to small animals and lost travelers with their array of druidic magic and natural abilities.

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Plot Hooks and Encounter Ideas

• A black squirrel has stolen a valuable ring and secreted it away in a nook of the holly king where it has taken sanctuary. The party must negotiate the ring's release despite the holly king's insistence that it now falls under his protection.
• A holly king corrupted by an evil force is terrorizing a small village on the edge of the wood, isolated by heavy snowfall.
• As winter fades and spring approaches, each member of the party must compete in a series of contests against the holly king. Victory will summon the green man and usher in an early spring, but failure will ensure another month of winter for the kingdom.

-your aquifoil d20 despot