Monster Monday: Green Man, Guardian of Wood and Field

Today's Monster Monday is the green man, a powerful plant spirit from European folk mythology.  The green man acts as a guardian of nature and a protector of communities that show proper respect to the wilds, but also as an avenger against those who despoil the wilderness and threaten his sacred groves.

via Wikimedia

Unlike most other nature spirits - such as dryads and nymphs - a green man does not avoid human settlements, and in fact it is not uncommon to see a green man visiting a rural planting festival to bless the year's crops.  But for all his tolerance of humanity, a green man's wrath is to be feared like none other.  He commands a withering array of plant magics capable of turning the whole forest against any who cross him.

via Wikimedia

The green man is a common decorative motif, especially in the British Isles.  Its origins remain uncertain, but many have attempted to connect it back to pre-Christian beliefs and nature deities like Pan and Silvanus.  Others have seen connections to the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight, wherein King Arthur's nephew does battle with a jolly green giant.  The green man is also connected to the Jack-in-Green, a leafy figure that appears in some rural English folk festivals.  Is the green man an echo of Europe's pagan past, preserved through time by folk memory and sculptural motifs?  Or did sculptors just like carving leafy faces?  This may remain an unsolved mystery, like the question of why there are so many medieval illustrations of knights fighting snails.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2017 Jonah Bomgaars.

This man is covered head-to-toe in green leaves; his face appears to be an intricate mask of leaves

Green Man                CR 10

XP 9,600

N Medium fey

Init +10; Senses low-light vision, greensight, plant sense 120 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+6 dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)

hp 127 (17d6+68)

Fort +9, Ref +16, Will +15

DR 5/cold iron; Immune charm, magical sleep

Vulnerability cold, fire

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee +2 quarterstaff +11/+11/+6 (1d6+5) or 2 vines +15 (2d6+3 plus disarm, drag, entangle, reposition, or trip)

Ranged ranged touch attack +14

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11^th)

   constant – greensight, speak with plants

   at will – charm plant (as charm animal, but for plant-type creatures; DC 16), enhance water, faerie fire, entangle (DC 16), shillelagh, warp wood

   5/day – burst of nettles (DC 18), cure light wounds, deep slumber (DC 18), goodberry, sickening entanglement (DC 17), tree shape, wilderness soldiers

   3/day – bless, cure moderate wounds, fire seeds (DC 21), plant growth, spike growth, thorn body, thorny entanglement (DC 18), tree stride

   1/day – control weather, green caress (DC 21), heal, liveoak, protection from energy, wall of thorns

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 18

Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 27

Feats Dodge, Double Slice, Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (vines)

Skills Acrobatics +19, Bluff +8, Climb +7, Diplomacy +17, Heal +20, Knowledge (geography) +22, Knowledge (local) +22, Knowledge (nature) +22, Perception +25, Sense Motive +23, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +24 (+28 in dense vegetation)

Languages Common, Sylvan

SQ advanced woodland stride, green man’s blessing, produce plant

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Advanced Woodland Stride (Ex)

A green man can move through any sort of undergrowth (thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.  Both natural and magically manipulated undergrowth can be ignored in this way.   In addition, the green man leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked by normal means therein.  He gains a +4 bonus on Stealth checks made in areas of dense vegetation, such as forests. 

Green Man’s Blessing (Su)

As a standard action, a green man may touch a single willing creature, granting them the effects of barkskin, hide from plants, forest friend, and pass without trace.  The effects last for a number of hours equal to the Green Man’s Charisma modifier (usually 4). 

Plant Sense (Su)

A green man knows the type, location, and general condition of all plants and plant creatures within 120 feet.   By concentrating for 1 round (a full-round action), he can sense the location of anything touching any plant within that area. 

Produce Plant (Ex)

As a move action, a green man can cause any kind of locally available seed, berry, flower, or leaf to sprout from his body.  This power can be used to provide berries for the goodberry spell and acorns or holly for the fire seeds spell.  It can also be used to grow potent medicinal herbs which grant a +2 bonus on heal checks, or edible herbs which provide a +2 bonus on Profession (cook) checks.  

Vines (Ex)

A green man can cause long vines to sprout from his arms and mouth.  These vines act as whips, including the 15 foot reach, but unlike whips they deal 2d6 damage and can deal lethal damage even to armored opponents.  The green man treats these vines as natural attacks.  He can make disarm, drag, reposition, and trip combat maneuvers with these vines as part of an attack without provoking an attack of opportunity.  He can also cause a struck creature to become entangled for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier (usually 4). 

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forest

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

The green man is a forest spirit with deep connections to the local landscape and plantlife.  He is generally considered to be a protector of nature and a bringer of fortune to those who share his values.  Communities who pay appropriate respects to a green man (making ritual offerings to him, inviting him to festivals, helping to protect his sacred groves) are often blessed with a bounty of crops or other good fortune.  He is also known for protecting lost travelers in the wilderness and granting them his blessings.  However, when someone violates his beloved woods or threatens a friendly community, his wrath can be great, bringing with it the wrath of the entire forest.   

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-your jolly green d20 despot