| Notes |
Leshens dwell in dense, primeval woods. Fiercely territorial creatures, they hunt with stealth and cunning as their only companions. Leshens resemble tall humanoids with plant-like appendages wearing a deer skull with antlers and a torn leather tunic usually adorned with human skulls. The older the leshen is, the more, magical it would look, for example, a leshen hundreds of years old would attain moose antlers, runes carved into the antlers and skull and would appear either greener or browner than the young ones and appear to have moss growing on their bodies. Leshens old enough to earn the appellation "ancient" wield advanced skills and tactics that make them particularly dangerous.
A leshen will turn nature itself against those that trespass on his lands. They use their inborn magic to control the plants and animals within their territory and so when stalking them, half the battle is merely getting near enough to strike. Animals, even timid and harmless ones, will be taken by a frenzy that will only stop with the death of the intruders, attacking on sight anyone they cross path with. Roots will sprout from the ground trying to grapple, crush and strangle the unwary, burying them into deep earthy tombs, never to be seen again.
Thankfully, it's difficult to unknowingly stumble into the territory of a leshen. The borders of its charge are warded with totems made of roots, stones, plants and animal bones, hanging from trees or stacked on mounds. One may also have to destroy a leshen's warding totems to rid a forest of its presence. The totems are the eyes and ears of the leshen throughout the forest and crossing or destroying one is a sure way to declare war on the creature. leshens are also known to be able to appear and disappear unexpectedly near their totems. Leshens hold these totems very dear to them as it marks their territory and destroying them will provoke the creature.
When attempting to fight leshens, it is recommended to find and destroy the leshen's "magical warding totems". These totems support the creatures formidible combat prowess, and represent deer skulls on sticks or tall rocks with other adornments such as flowers and paint. Sometimes leshens can "mark" villagers in villages near its lair. This mark revives the leshen a couple of days after its death until the marked person is moved far away from the leshen's lair, or killed. Usually the leshen takes the bodies of its victims and wedges them in magical roots it summoned as a warning to others. Leshens can live for centuries and choose to die if they get old enough or are defeated in battle, when this happens the leshen summons piercing roots from underneath it and impales itself using the roots.
In some areas of the world these creatures form the centre of local cults. Peasants living near their woods make offerings to them, usually of hares and birds, though human blood is not unheard of. This fact has given rise to many legends about helpful Leshens chasing game towards hunters, helping lost travellers find their way in the forest or saving them from bandits. Sadly, these tales do not have an ounce of truth in them. Leshens see men only as sources of energy on which to feed. They drain the life force of those who live nearby until only limpid husks remain.
Vulnerable to fire
Ignores armour and damage reductions.
Magic Totem.
Some Leshens create magical totems that increase their strength, in such cases these totems should be destroyed before or while fighting them. Simply made from rocks, bones and sticks but powerful enough to turn the tide of battle. These totems are protected by a magical force which can make destroying them particularly troublesome, requiring fire, magic blade or a spell to destroy. These magical totems increase the Leshens strength. For each totem within the territory, the Leshen gains +1 Action point and at the end of the round each totem allows the Leshen to heal 2 hits to all locations.
Rebirth Mark.
Leshens can create for themselves a kind of immortality in the following way: the Leshen wounds a lost traveller passing through its woods with its claws and casts a black magic curse on him. For as long as the individual marked in this way stays near its territory, the Leshen will be reborn every time it dies. Such Leshens can only be defeated by driving away, killing or powerfully dispelling the person they have marked. If the Leshen dies while it still has a person marked, whenever that person returns to the leshens territory it will be reborn. The Leshen must wait at least 2 days after death to be reborn. If the Leshen does not currently have a mark, a successful it will mark the target.
Pack Hunter.
In combat Leshens use not only their long claws but also their many allies: wolves, who unfailingly answer their call, or ravens, which harass and distract the Leshen's opponent. It is rare to find a Leshen alone, especially once it senses your presence. The Leshen can summon 1d4 wolves 3 times per day, they arrive on the next turn.
Smoke form
As an evade action the Leshen can become a mist like smoke and become invaluable to all attack. this allows it to travel to an area with 30' avoiding the attack and disengaging from combat. It also spawns crows that swarm anyone within 5 foot radius, they attack as a large flock and do 1 damage over AP and also distract like bats (see classic fantasy. However they disperse after 1 attack.
One with nature
Leshens are able to bend plant life the their will and make it aid them in combat. Its territory is usually covered with its prey still entwined within thick roots that have pierced their body. The Leshen can direct the roots to attack up to 3 enemies within 60' and if not evaded they will achieve an automatic low hit location entangle on the area struck. |
Encounter Generator
