Sleeping Willow

Huge plant, neutral evil

Armor Class 19 (windy whispers)
Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
Speed 10 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	8 (-1)	21 (+5)	7 (-2)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)

Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Senses Tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Understands Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan but can’t speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• False Appearance. While the sleeping willow remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.
• Siege Monster. The sleeping willow deals double damage to objects and structures.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The sleeping willow makes four exhausting slam attacks.
• Exhausting Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target’s Constitution score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies and is absorbed by the sleeping willows roots if this reduces its Constitution to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The sleeping willow heals or gains 10 temporary hit points for each point of Constitution drain. These temporary hit points last a 1 week.
• Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
• Slumber Spores. A 30-foot radius of spores extends from the sleeping willow. These spores can go around corners and affect only creatures that breath and sleeps. Affected creatures must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or fall asleep for 10 minutes. If the target takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw to wake up. Any target that is asleep within 30 feet of the sleeping willow at the start of its turn also suffers Constitution drain as described under its exhausting slam attack.

ABOUT

Sleeping willows are slow-moving, carnivorous plant creatures with evil dispositions. Most sleeping willows make their home among groves or areas of normal willow trees where they can use their natural appearance to their advantage. Though capable of movement, the sleeping willow only moves at night, so as not to be detected or seen.

Once a hunting area becomes depopulated or scarce, the sleeping willow moves on to better hunting grounds where it takes root and repeats the above cycle of waiting, hunting, and moving on to a new location. Sleeping willows do not collect treasure but the treasure from their past victims is often scattered about the base of the tree. Sleeping willows do not mind this, for they know that greedy treasure-seekers will be lured in by this and it makes catching a meal that much easier.

Deadly Grove. A sleeping willow appears as a normal willow tree (and is often mistaken for such) standing 15 or more feet tall. Some species have been rumored to reach heights in excess of 30 feet. Its trunk is 2 feet or more in diameter and dark brown in color. From the trunk sprout branches that end in long drooping and graceful twigs.

The sleeping willow is crowned with leaves of green or brownish-green.

Tactics: A sleeping willow prefers to attack from ambush when potential prey wanders too close to it. Once prey is in range, the sleeping willow releases its spores and then attacks with its branches, grabbing its prey in its vise-like grip. Grappled creatures are drained of their body fluids and absorbed by the tree. A grove of sleeping willows act in concert against multiple opponents, aiding one another when necessary until the opponents are slain or flee.