[Chris Rice]

I give Steve Jackson Games permission to use this material.

Forest Guardians

These creatures are created by powerful Druidic magic with the purpose of protecting a specific location. To create the Forest Guardian, the Druid selects a tree or bush to be the subject of the enchantment. When the enchantment is complete, the Guardian will remain dormant and hidden until the conditions of it's animation are met.

These conditions may be as simple as "allow no one to enter the glade" or could be more specific such as "attack any dwarves using the path."

Once animated, the Forest Guardian will separate from its parent tree and assume a man-shaped form of twisted roots, bark and branches. This takes 1 turn. The Guardian will then attack without mercy and continue attacking until its enemies have left the designated area or is has been destroyed. If it succeeds in its task it will return to its parent tree where all damage will be healed.

ST20 DX9 IQ0 MA6

Armour 4
Damage 1+2 (initial)

If a Forest Guardian scores a hit that causes any damage, they will wrap their root-like arms around their target. On subsequent turns they do not need to roll to hit but do +1 damage (cumulatively) each turn to a maximum of 1+6, as they squeeze the life from their foe.

The only way to make a Forest Guardian let go is to cause enough damage in one blow to knock it down (this requires 10 points of damage after armour protection.)

Forest Guardians are immune to Images and Illusions and to any other magics that require the subject to have a mind.

They are immune to damage from arrows and other missile weapons but take +1 damage per die from axes, fire or lightning.

There will often be more than one Guardian at a protected location.