FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (main trunk)
MOVE: Nil
HIT DICE: 10 (main trunk)
% IN LAIR: 100%
TREASURE TYPE: [C]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1-6 thorn missiles
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5 per thorn
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous fruit; missiles; root drain; multiple attacks
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Root system; immune to will-force spells
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
SIZE: L (trunk 30'-60' tall, branches and roots up to 120' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII/2850 + 14/hp

    The bohun tree, or "tree of death," is
found only in deep woodlands. Such trees
are always solitary, but are surrounded by
other varieties of trees on which they feed.
The bohun tree, usually brownish grey or
greenish grey, can be distinguished by its
massive trunk and unique blossoms.

    The bohun tree's branches usually start
10 to 12 feet above the ground and spread
out horizontally from the top of the trunk;
on them hang thick clusters of dark red,
luscious fruits. These smooth- and soft-skinned
fruits resemble giant grapes, and if
bruised or cut open, they exude a vapor
with a 60' radius that either induces sleep (80% chance),
paralyzes the lungs and slays
by suffocation (10%), or has no effect
(10%). This effect (or lack of one) is determined
separately for each fruits that bursts.
A would-be victim is entitled to a save vs.
poison to avoid either of the damaging
effects. The tree will deliberately cause 1
fruit to burst every other round if it is attacked.
The vapor's odor resembles that of
crushed apples or fresh cider.

    The flesh of the fruit may be fatally poisonous
if ingested (eater must save vs.
poison at -4), causing painful acidic reactions
within the stomach. A victim will
usually go into violent convulsions that will
continue even after he has fainted from the
pain, lasting 2-8 turns until death occurs.
Ninety percent of all elves, centaurs, and
satyrs are immune to the effects of the tree's
poison. Pixies, treants, stirges, and undead
creatures are entirely immune.

    Against creatures that approach too
closely, a bohun tree directs the thorns that
grow on its branches between fruit clusters.
These 18-inch-long thorns are flexible,
sharp, and weighted so they will fly true.
They are fired from the tree by menas of
sap pressure. A bohun tree has 30-60 thorns
at any time, and can regrow 1-4 per day
after some have been fired. It hurls these
with deadly accuracy and force (as a 10 HD
monster hurling missiles) up to 9", firing
1-6 per round at targets within range (medium
and long range modifiers apply). The
thorns do 2-5 points of damage each.

    The bohun tree has keen eyesight; hundreds
of compound eyes stud fissures in the
trunk and grow amid the fruit clusters. It
uses this eyesight to home in on targets
of its thorn attacks and also to locate assailants
that it can entrap with its roots. The
bohun tree can send roots tunneling
through the ground, breaking the surface
where a target is located and (on a successful
"to hit" roll) binding the target's arms
or legs (50% chance of either). A target
immobilized in this way is more likely to be
hit by attacks from the tree's thorns (+4 to
hit vs. any target in range). Only one root
will attach to any target, and a maximum of
5-8 roots will attack in this way during any
single combat episode. A root is AC 9 and
has an effective strength of 17 so that its
grip can be broken only by a character or
creature with a strength of 18 or greater.
Each root that attaches to a target will take
2-7 points of damage (determine separately
for each root) before being severed.

    A bohun tree will cease combat when all
of its thorns are gone or after the loss of all
of its attacking roots. It can be slain if the
main trunk takes damage equal to its hit
points (root damage does not count in this
total), or by the application of a power word
kill spell.
 

    by Ed Greenwood