Chapter 5

The rest of the garden

Not everything in a cultivated plot is a vegetable. Weeds, pests, rot, and the things that keep them in check are all part of the same ecology, and a garden strange enough to grow a Pumpkin King grows strange versions of these too.

None of these are staged. They don’t advance, they don’t bed down, they don’t produce a crowned form. They’re the standing population of a special garden, and they exist to make encounters feel like an ecosystem rather than a creature list.

Several of them are not the party’s problem at all. The Aphid Bloom drains plants and heals off them. The Shearbeetle will always attack a vegetable over a person. The Compost Shambler collapses into soil that heals every plant standing in it. Dropping one of these into a bed produces a three-way fight the party can watch, exploit, or tip.

For creatures that come at the party directly, see Chapter 6.

Gloamsnail

Tiny Beast, Unaligned

A small, unbothered snail that leaves a faintly glowing trail behind it and grazes on magic the way another snail grazes on lettuce — slowly, thoroughly, and without noticing whose it was. Anything crossing the trail breaks the glow, including things that have gone to considerable trouble not to be seen.

AC: 13
Initiative: −2 (8)
HP: 5 (2d4)
Speed: 5 ft., Climb 5 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	3	−4	−4	INT	3	−4	−4
DEX	6	−2	−2	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	11	+0	+0	CHA	5	−3	−3

Immunities: Frightened, Prone
Senses: Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 11
CR: 0 (XP 10; PB +2)

Traits

Gloamtrail. The Gloamsnail leaves a faintly luminous trail that persists for 1 hour. While the trail is intact, the passage of any creature across it is visible as a break in the glow, including creatures that are Invisible or leave no tracks.

Grazes on Magic. If the Gloamsnail spends 1 minute in contact with a magical effect of 1 minute or longer duration, or with a magic item’s active property, that effect ends. It does this without malice and without noticing.

Actions

Rasp. Melee Attack Roll: +0, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1 Piercing damage.

Bonus Actions

Withdraw. The Gloamsnail retreats into its shell. Until it emerges (also a Bonus Action), its AC is 17, it has Resistance to all damage, and its Speed is 0.

Shellmaw

Large Monstrosity, Unaligned

The gloamsnail’s grown cousin, and the reason magic worked in a strange garden so rarely lasts. A shellmaw moves at a crawl and cannot be talked out of arriving; spells thrown at it are swallowed whole and turned into more shellmaw. It is not interested in people. It is interested in what they are carrying.

AC: 17
Initiative: −1 (9)
HP: 95 (10d10+40)
Speed: 15 ft., Climb 15 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	18	+4	+4	INT	6	−2	−2
DEX	8	−1	−1	WIS	14	+2	+4
CON	18	+4	+6	CHA	8	−1	−1

Resistances: Force
Immunities: Frightened, Prone
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 12
CR: 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)

Traits

Magic Resistance. The Shellmaw has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Fed on Magic. Whenever the Shellmaw succeeds on a saving throw against a spell, it gains 5 Temporary Hit Points.

Slow and Certain. The Shellmaw’s Speed can’t be reduced, and it ignores Difficult Terrain.

Actions

Multiattack. The Shellmaw makes one Rasping Tongue attack and one Shell Slam attack.

Rasping Tongue. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 30 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) Piercing damage, and if the target is Large or smaller it is pulled up to 20 feet toward the Shellmaw.

Shell Slam. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) Bludgeoning damage.

Bonus Actions

Withdraw. The Shellmaw retreats into its shell. Until it emerges (also a Bonus Action), its AC is 21, it has Resistance to all damage, and its Speed is 0.

Reactions

Devour Magic. Trigger: A creature the Shellmaw can sense within 30 feet casts a spell of level 3 or lower. Response: The Shellmaw makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a success, it swallows the spell: the spell fails, the slot is expended, and the Shellmaw regains 10 Hit Points.

Aphid Bloom

Medium Swarm Of Tiny Beasts, Unaligned

A cloud of aphids grown to the size of a person, drifting stem to stem and drinking a field dry. It will take a plant over a person every time one is available, and it leaves the ground behind it tacky enough to slow anyone crossing after it.

AC: 12
Initiative: +2 (12)
HP: 22 (5d8)
Speed: 10 ft., Climb 20 ft., Fly 10 ft. (hover)

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	4	−3	−3	INT	1	−5	−5
DEX	14	+2	+2	WIS	8	−1	−1
CON	10	+0	+0	CHA	2	−4	−4

Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Senses: Blindsight 15 ft., Passive Perception 9
CR: 1/4 (XP 50; PB +2)

Traits

Swarm. The Bloom can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny Beast. It can’t regain Hit Points or gain Temporary Hit Points, except from Sap Drain.

Honeydew. The ground beneath the Bloom’s space becomes sticky Difficult Terrain for 1 minute after it leaves.

Actions

Sap Drain. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 0 ft., one creature in the Bloom’s space. Hit: 5 (2d4) Piercing damage, or 2 (1d4) if the Bloom is at half Hit Points or fewer. If the target is a Plant, the Bloom regains Hit Points equal to the damage dealt.

Bindweed Creeper

Medium Plant, Unaligned

The weed that outlives everyone. A bindweed creeper strangles what it can reach and comes back from any scrap of root left behind, which is why the only reliable way to be rid of one is to dig the whole thing out, and why hardly anyone ever does.

AC: 12
Initiative: +0 (10)
HP: 30 (4d8+12)
Speed: 15 ft., Climb 15 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	15	+2	+2	INT	1	−5	−5
DEX	10	+0	+0	WIS	6	−2	−2
CON	16	+3	+3	CHA	1	−5	−5

Vulnerabilities: Fire
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened
Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 8
CR: 1 (XP 200; PB +2)

Traits

Rampant Regrowth. If the Creeper is reduced to 0 Hit Points by damage that isn’t Fire or Radiant, it regrows in the same space with 1 Hit Point after 1 minute. This can be prevented by digging out the root — an action and a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, or 5 minutes with any digging tool.

Rooted Grip. The Creeper has Advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to avoid being moved against its will.

Actions

Strangling Tendril. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 10 ft. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it has the Grappled condition (escape DC 12).

Constrict. Each creature Grappled by the Creeper takes 9 (2d8) Bludgeoning damage and has the Restrained condition until the Grapple ends.

Sting-Choir

Medium Swarm Of Tiny Beasts, Unaligned

A nest of wasps that hums before it comes, and the hum is a warning worth taking. Sting-choirs live in the hedges around cultivated ground and boil out of them all at once.

AC: 13
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 44 (8d8+8)
Speed: 5 ft., Fly 40 ft. (hover)

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	6	−2	−2	INT	1	−5	−5
DEX	16	+3	+3	WIS	12	+1	+1
CON	12	+1	+1	CHA	4	−3	−3

Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Immunities: Poison; Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Senses: Blindsight 15 ft., Passive Perception 11
CR: 2 (XP 450; PB +2)

Traits

Swarm. The Choir can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny Beast. It can’t regain Hit Points or gain Temporary Hit Points.

Rising Hum. The first time each round the Choir takes damage, its note climbs. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature within 30 feet that can hear it. Failure: the Frightened condition until the end of its next turn.

Actions

Stings. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 0 ft., one creature in the Choir’s space. Hit: 14 (4d6) Piercing damage, or 7 (2d6) if the Choir is at half Hit Points or fewer, and the target makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure it has the Poisoned condition until the end of its next turn.

Boil Out (Recharge 5–6). The Choir moves up to its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature whose space it passes through. Failure: 10 (3d6) Poison damage. Success: Half damage.

Compost Shambler

Large Ooze, Unaligned

A heap that got warm enough to move. A compost shambler is everything a garden has thrown away, walking, and it is hot inside from its own rotting. Killing one is a kindness to the plants: it collapses into soil so rich that anything green standing in it begins to mend.

AC: 9
Initiative: −2 (8)
HP: 105 (10d10+50)
Speed: 20 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	2	−4	−4
DEX	6	−2	−2	WIS	6	−2	−2
CON	20	+5	+5	CHA	1	−5	−5

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire
Immunities: Poison; Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
CR: 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Amorphous. The Shambler can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing.

Heat of Decay. A compost heap runs hot. A creature that starts its turn Engulfed by the Shambler takes 5 (2d4) Fire damage in addition to any other effect.

Fertile Death. When the Shambler is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it collapses into a 10-foot square of extraordinarily rich soil. Any Plant that starts its turn in that square regains 5 Hit Points. The soil remains potent for 24 hours.

Actions

Slam. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4) Acid damage.

Engulf. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 13, one Medium or smaller creature in the Shambler’s space or within 5 feet of it. Failure: the target is engulfed. An engulfed creature has the Restrained and Blinded conditions, can’t breathe, has Total Cover from outside effects, and takes 7 (2d6) Acid damage plus 5 (2d4) Fire damage at the start of each of its turns. It can escape with a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. The Shambler can engulf one creature at a time.

Scarecrow

Medium Construct, Neutral

Somebody’s scarecrow, standing where it was put — which is where it stays, because it knows exactly where its post is and will not go far from it. Most never wake at all. The ones that do are still, in their way, doing the job they were made for. Setting one alight is a mistake.

AC: 16
Initiative: +2 (12)
HP: 90 (12d8+36)
Speed: 30 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	8	−1	−1
DEX	14	+2	+5	WIS	14	+2	+2
CON	16	+3	+3	CHA	13	+1	+1

Vulnerabilities: Fire
Immunities: Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages: Understands the language of its maker but can’t speak
CR: 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)

Traits

False Appearance. While the Scarecrow is motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary scarecrow.

Bound to the Plot. The Scarecrow always knows the exact direction and distance to the post it was raised on, wherever it is and however it got there. It can’t willingly move more than 300 feet from that post, and if forced beyond that distance it has the Incapacitated condition until it is returned.

Kindling. The moment the Scarecrow has taken 45 or more Fire damage over the course of a single combat, it catches, and it does not go out. It immediately becomes the Wick, acting on its own Initiative from that point on, and regains a number of Hit Points equal to the total Fire damage it has taken during this combat.

Actions

Multiattack. The Scarecrow makes two Claw attacks and uses Terrifying Glare.

Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) Slashing damage.

Terrifying Glare. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 13, one creature the Scarecrow can see within 30 feet. Failure: the target has the Frightened condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. If the target fails by 5 or more, it instead has the Paralyzed condition until the end of its next turn, and then has the Frightened condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns.

Wick

Medium Construct, Neutral Evil

A scarecrow that was set on fire and did not stop. The Wick has been alight since that night, and burning it off its post appears to have freed it of everything else as well: it still knows exactly where the post is, and it has no intention of going back. Whatever it was raised to guard, it is not guarding now.

AC: 17
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 133 (14d8+70)
Speed: 35 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	18	+4	+4	INT	10	+0	+0
DEX	16	+3	+6	WIS	16	+3	+6
CON	20	+5	+5	CHA	16	+3	+6

Immunities: Fire, Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Skills: Intimidation +6, Stealth +6
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages: Understands the language of its maker and speaks with the voice of whoever burned it
CR: 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)

Traits

Still Burning. The Wick has been alight since the night it was set on fire and has not gone out. It sheds Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 20 feet. A creature that touches the Wick or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet takes 5 (2d4) Fire damage, and unattended flammable objects it moves through ignite. While the Wick has fewer than half its Hit Points it burns harder, and its Speed increases by 10 feet.

Unbound. The Wick always knows the exact direction and distance to the post it was raised on, wherever it is and however it got there. It is not bound to it, and can choose to abandon its post and move as far away from it as it wants.

False Appearance. While motionless, the Wick is indistinguishable from a smoldering ruin of a scarecrow. This fools nobody at night.

Actions

Multiattack. The Wick makes three Char Claw attacks, or two Char Claw attacks and uses Ruinous Glare.

Char Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) Slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) Fire damage.

Ruinous Glare. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot Cone that can see the Wick. Failure: 18 (4d8) Psychic damage, and the target has the Frightened condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. If a target fails by 5 or more, it instead has the Paralyzed condition until the end of its next turn, and then has the Frightened condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns.

Shearbeetle

Large Beast, Unaligned

A beetle the size of an ox, with mandibles built for stems. It will go for a vegetable over a person every single time — it is not brave, it is hungry — and a bed with a shearbeetle in it is a bed with a three-cornered fight in it.

AC: 18
Initiative: +0 (10)
HP: 105 (10d10+50)
Speed: 30 ft., Burrow 15 ft., Fly 20 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	20	+5	+8	INT	2	−4	−4
DEX	10	+0	+0	WIS	10	+0	+0
CON	20	+5	+8	CHA	5	−3	−3

Immunities: Prone
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
CR: 6 (XP 2,300; PB +3)

Traits

Shearing Mandibles. The Shearbeetle’s attacks ignore Resistance to Slashing damage, and treat Immunity to Slashing damage as Resistance.

Voracious. The Shearbeetle has Advantage on attack rolls against Plants, and it will always attack a Plant over any other target if both are in reach.

Clumsy Flier. The Shearbeetle can’t hover, and it falls at the end of any turn in which it doesn’t move at least 20 feet in the air.

Actions

Multiattack. The Shearbeetle makes two Mandibles attacks.

Mandibles. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) Slashing damage. If the target is a Plant, the attack deals an extra 7 (2d6) Slashing damage.

Shear (Recharge 5–6). The Shearbeetle drives forward, mandibles wide. Strength Saving Throw: DC 16, each creature in a 30-foot Line that is 5 feet wide. Failure: 27 (6d6 + 6) Slashing damage, and the target has the Prone condition. Success: Half damage.

Blight Mother

Large Plant, Neutral Evil

A plant that died badly and kept the habit. The Blight Mother trails a cloud of spores that gets into everything, and a plant that dies near one is standing again a moment later, on the wrong side. A bed it has had a season in is not a bed anymore.

AC: 15
Initiative: −1 (9)
HP: 171 (18d10+72)
Speed: 20 ft.

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	16	+3	+3	INT	10	+0	+0
DEX	8	−1	−1	WIS	16	+3	+6
CON	18	+4	+7	CHA	12	+1	+1

Immunities: Poison; Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned
Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +2
Senses: Blindsight 90 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Sylvan, telepathy 120 ft. (with Plants only)
CR: 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)

Traits

Spore Cloud. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 15, each creature that starts its turn in a 20-foot Emanation originating from the Blight Mother. Failure: the Poisoned condition until the start of its next turn, and it can’t regain Hit Points while Poisoned this way.

Raise the Blighted. When a Plant dies within 60 feet of the Blight Mother, it rises as a Blighted Husk at the start of the Mother’s next turn, acting on the Mother’s Initiative. Use the dead creature’s stat block with its Hit Point maximum halved, Immunity to Poison added, and its Intelligence reduced to 2. A Husk obeys the Mother’s telepathic commands, which require no action to issue; a Husk that receives no command takes the Dodge action. Husks crumble when the Mother dies. The Mother can maintain up to four Husks at once.

Actions

Multiattack. The Blight Mother makes two Fruiting Bough attacks.

Fruiting Bough. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) Bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) Poison damage.

Spore Burst (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 15, each creature in a 40-foot Cone. Failure: 36 (8d8) Poison damage, and the target has the Blinded condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage.

Hive-Warden

Large Monstrosity, Unaligned

What a wasp nest grows when the garden is strange enough. A hive-warden knows where every swarm in the field is at any moment and can call them down on whatever it likes, which makes it the most dangerous thing in the hedge and rarely the thing that actually hurts anyone.

AC: 17
Initiative: +3 (13)
HP: 126 (12d10+60)
Speed: 20 ft., Fly 60 ft. (hover)

Ability	Score	Mod	Save	Ability	Score	Mod	Save
STR	18	+4	+4	INT	4	−3	−3
DEX	16	+3	+6	WIS	14	+2	+5
CON	20	+5	+8	CHA	10	+0	+0

Immunities: Poison; Poisoned
Skills: Perception +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 15
CR: 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)

Traits

Flyby. The Hive-Warden doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Hive Sense. The Hive-Warden knows the location of every Swarm within 300 feet and can’t be surprised while any is within that range.

Actions

Multiattack. The Hive-Warden makes one Sting attack and one Mandibles attack.

Sting. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) Piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) Poison damage, and the target makes a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure it has the Poisoned condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns.

Mandibles. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) Slashing damage.

Venom Spray (Recharge 5–6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 16, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: 33 (6d10) Poison damage. Success: Half damage.

Bonus Actions

Call the Choir (1/Day). Two Sting-Choirs arrive from the surrounding garden in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet, acting on the Hive-Warden’s Initiative.