Monster Monday: Borovoi - Slavic Forest Spirits

Today's Monster Monday Tuesday is the borovoi, a Russian forest spirit, trickster, and caller of storms. Borovoi are giant fey creatures who rule over large stretches of forest. They delight in leading travelers astray and then demanding heavy ransoms for returning them to safety. When angered, they bring down the fury of a winter storm on their enemies, and summon forth the wolves and bears of the forest to tear them to pieces.

Illustration from 1906 cover of Leshy Magazine No1, via Wikimedia

A more common name for these beings is leshy or leshii, but that name is already taken by a group of monsters in Pathfinder - tiny, adorable little plant constructs that look like topiary fanart of Sackboy from Little Big Planet. Why the name of a badass, godlike giant Slavic forest trickster was given to a bunch of little leafy dudes is beyond me (probably someone needed a name so they just looked through a thesaurus instead of doing research or making something up). These diminutive construct 'leshys' (why not 'leshies' - as English linguistics would suggest - or 'leshiye' - a transliteration of the actual Russian plural?) show up a lot in Pathfinder: Ultimate Wilderness, which reminded me that I needed to stat up proper leshies. The name 'borovoi' - one of several alternate names for the leshy - means 'man of the forest'.

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

Before you stands a greenish giant with a mossy beard and a rack of wooden antlers

Borovoi        CR 10

XP 9,600

CN Large fey (shapeshifter)

Init +6; Senses low-light vision, greensight; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+2 Dex, +11 natural, -1 size)

hp 127 (17d6+68)

Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +16

DR 10/cold iron; Immune cold

Resist electricity 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee large quarterstaff +16/+11 (3d6+14) or 2 slams +16 (1d8+9)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Ranged rock +10 (2d8+13) 120ft.

Special Attacks rock throwing (120 ft.)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10^th)

   constant – greensight, pass without trace, shillelagh

   at will – entangle (DC 17), ghost sound (natural sounds only; DC 16), goodberry, make lost (DC 18), tree shape

   3/day – cure moderate wounds, forest friend, hunter’s blessing, nature’s exile (DC 19), summon nature’s ally III (1d3 wolves), tree stride

   1/day – control weather, find the path, grove of respite, summon nature’s ally V (1d3 grizzly bears or 1d4+1 wolves)

STATISTICS

Str 28, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 22, Cha 15

Base Atk +8; CMB +18; CMD 29

Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Defensive Combat Training, Great Fortitude, Improved Bullrush, Improved Initiative, Power Attack

Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +24, Knowledge (geography) +21, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (nature) +21, Perception +26, Sense Motive +13, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +11

Languages Sylvan

SQ change shape (alter self, Medium humanoid)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Storm Rage (Su)

When brought down to 50% of its total hit points or lower, the borovoi goes into a rage, as the barbarian rage ability, gaining a +4 morale bonus to its Strength and Constitution scores, a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, and a -2 penalty to AC. In addition, the rage triggers a sudden shift in the weather, as if by the spell control weather except the change is immediate. The result is either a thunderstorm or hurricane-force winds, which affect an area within a 3 mile radius and persist for a number of hours equal to the number of rounds the borovoi spent raging. This rage lasts until the borovoi is rendered unconscious or until the end of the fight, and the borovoi then becomes fatigued for 1 hour.

Summoning Circle (Su)

Within a borovoi’s forest, anyone can attempt to summon him. The hopeful summoner must make a circle of birch branches in the shape of a wagon wheel and call upon the borovoi for aid, a task requiring a DC 18 Survival check. The borovoi is alerted to the construction of such a summoning circle within their domain, and gains intuitive knowledge of its location and of the creatures in its immediate vicinity, as if by the spell scrying. The borovoi also knows the alignment of the creature who built the circle. If the borovoi finds the request for aid compelling, he may choose to appear in the summoning circle at any time within one minute of its construction, appearing as if by the spell greater teleportation. Once there, the borovoi and the summoner may bargain over the terms of their deal – the borovoi is not easily swayed by the plight of mortals and often requires a steep price. In the course of fulfilling such a bargain or enforcing its price, the borovoi may cast the following spells once per week at 10^th level: geas, greater bestow curse, and limited wish.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or cold forests

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

The borovoi - also known as borewit, lesovoi, or leshii – is the overlord of the forest. Borovoi are giant-sized fey creature with greenish or brownish skin and beards like the moss that hangs from old trees. From their pine-needle hair protrude twin antler-like branches that often bear needles and cones. Each borovoi rules over a large swath of forest – when a territorial dispute arises, the storms generated by the two borovoi fighting can level stands of ancient wood.

   Borovoi have a cruel sense of humor and delight in tricking mortals who wander unknowing into their forest. They confuse travelers and lead them from their path, confound hunters with sudden noises, and sometimes even kidnap humans to act as servants or brides. They can take human form to further their schemes, leading the unwary astray in the guise of an old beggar or kindly huntsman. And when their ire is raised, they battle with great fury, calling the wolves and bears of the wood to their aid. The desperate, lost, and badly injured sometimes call upon the borovoi for aid, allowing the powerful forest spirit to get the best of them in a deal in exchange for safe passage out of the forest, aid in battle, or some other valuable boon. Borovoi especially delight in leading travelers to certain doom, then saving their lives in exchange for their freedom or some other high price. 

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Plot Hooks and Encounter Ideas

• Lost in the woods, and with starvation and harsh winter weather closing in, the PCs stumble across an old hermit's hut. The ancient man (actually a borovoi in disguise) says that the lord of the forest might be able to help them out, and teaches them how to summon a borovoi.
• Every Spring, two ornery borovoi battle over a stretch of forest and the resulting storms destroy so many old trees that local woodcutters worry they may soon be put out of a job. Can brave adventurers adjudicate this property dispute and save the local economy?
• A wealthy boyar's only daughter has disappeared into a borovoi's woods. He offers a handsome reward for her liberation, but when the party arrives at the borovoi's home, they find the daughter fled there of her own volition and doesn't want to go back to her old life.

-your miško velnias d20 despot