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FREQUENCY: Uncommon

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Dungeon Level III])


FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Temperate Wilderness Forest], [Temperate Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Wilderness Mountains], [Temperate Wilderness Hills], [Temperate Wilderness Plains], [Temperate Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Tropical Wilderness Forest], [Tropical Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains], [Tropical Wilderness Hills], [Tropical Wilderness Plains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert])

NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: Stalks 6; base 4
MOVE: 3"
HIT DICE: Stalks 2+4; base 1+4
% IN LAIR: 50%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 ~ 16
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10/-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: [SB]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: Variable
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 120 + 4

SAVES, Stalks: 13.14.15.16.16
SAVES, Base: 14.15.16.17.17

This strange creature was originally named in the belief that it was a plant;
though it displays behaviour which supports that theory,
it also has many qualities which are not plant-like
(though the druidic spells relating to plants affect it, curiously enough). <>

The whipweed has two stalks, thin and whip-like with a few
appendages which look like small leaves. When fully grown, the stalks
are up to 15' long, though smailer specimens are just as common. The
stalks are connected to a spheroidal base or 'body' which contains a
small brain and is equipped with eight small legs; the creature is thus
capable of limited movement and can withdraw the root-like
appendages below its body from the earth to permit locomotion. The
whipweed hates sunlight so is usually found underground or in the
heart of a deep forest. It draws its sustenance from the remains of its
animal prey, though it has no mouth and its food appears to be absorbed
by the stalks and transferred internally to the body.

Its need to embed its 'roots' into the earth is not fully understood;
certainly the creature can survive apparently without limit in rocky
areas containing virtually no soil, and a small crevice in a rock appears
to be quite sufficient to cater for its need to root from time to time.

It attacks anything which moves within range of its stalks,
each stalk hitting as a monster with 3 HD and capable of inflicting 1-10 HP of damage.

<Multiattack:> The stalks will attack different victims if two are in range.

If a stalk is 'killed', the body is not affected, and to kill the creature the body must be destroyed.
If the body is destroyed (reduced to zero HP or below) the whipweed dies but the stalks <?>
go into a mad frenzy for one melee round before they become inert;
during this time they attack three times each and each attack inflicts
double the normal damage on the victim if successful.

If both stalks are destroyed the base/body will attempt to escape.
 

by Bob Scurfield