Root of All Evil
Sometimes, a victory in combat against an evil foe will be inexplicably derailed by a blighted, black root, springing from the earth to spirit the villain away just as the finishing blow has been dealt, leaving behind only a freshly burrowed tunnel entrance that caves in after d6 minutes.
Delving into the tunnel is the only way to catch up to the retreating Root of Evil, if you move faster then it burrows. When a Root of Evil is defeated, it shrivels and turns to dust, but the tunnel remains. After d20 hours of further descent, daring adventurers will reach its end: the Root of All Evil.
The place from which some believe all evil springs is a tangled supermass of dark matter infused with negative energy, reaching out into all material planes, manifesting as the blighted opposite of Yggdrasil – the nexus of a monstrous, twisting network of roots that traverse the earth, absorbing the evil that should by rights have been cleansed and spawning it back into the world, reinvigorated and reshaped.
Encountering the Root
When an evil creature is reduced to 0 hp, roll equal to or under the Challenge Rating of the creature on a d100 for a Root of Evil to appear, acting immediately. Do not roll for creatures with Challenge Ratings lower then 1.
Root of Evil
Huge plant, neutral evil
- Armor Class 17
- Hit Points 115 (10d12 + 50)
- Speed 30 ft., burrow 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 1 (-5) 18 (+4) 10 (+0)
- Skills Perception +8
- Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
- Damage Resistances cold, bludgeoning, piercing
- Damage Immunities poison, necrotic, psychic
- Condition Immunities all
- Senses darkvision 60 ft.(360 degrees)
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Actions
Grab. Melee Attack: +9 to hit, reach 20ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Double damage against evil creatures. Hit targets are grappled. No limit to the number of targets grappled simultaneously. When hit, a non-evil creature must make a DC14 Charisma saving throw or its alignment becomes neutral evil.
Trash (Recharge 5-6). All creatures within 20 feet of the root take 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage, half on a successful DC15 Dexterity saving throw.
Entangling Tendrils. All creatures within 60 feet of the root must make a DC15 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the Root is killed.
Root of All Evil
Gargantuan plant, neutral evil
- Armor Class 21
- Hit Points 243 (18d12 + 126)
- Speed 10 ft., burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 8 (-1) 25 (+7) 3 (-4) 26 (+8) 18 (+4)
- Saving Throws Str +14 Con +13, Wis +14
- Skills Perception +14
- Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
- Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, bludgeoning, piercing
- Damage Immunities poison, necrotic, psychic
- Condition Immunities all
- Senses telepathy 120 ft.
- Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
World of Woe. As the Root fills their heads with visions of vilest imaginable deeds, all creatures within 120 feet of it must make a DC18 Wisdom saving throw every round or go insane as per the confusion spell. Non-evil creatures must make an additional DC14 Charisma saving throw or their alignment is changed to neutral evil.
Lure of Evil. All evil creatures within 120 feet of the Root are drawn towards it at a rate of 30 feet per round.
Regeneration. The Root regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn. If the root is reduced to 0 hit points, its regeneration kicks in on a 5 or 6 on a d6, roll every round. Evil cannot be killed, only defeated.
Actions
Multiattack. The Root makes four grab attacks and one absorb attack.
Grab. Melee Attack: +14 to hit, reach 120ft., one target. Hit: 29 (6d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage. Double damage against evil creatures. Hit targets are grappled. No limit to the number of targets grappled simultaneously.
Absorb. Melee Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5ft., 16 targets. Hit: 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. Any creature hit takes the damage automatically every round until the Root reaches 0 hit points.
Legendary Actions
The Root of All Evil can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below.
Spasm. The Root of All Evil makes one grab attack. Spawn. (costs two actions) One CR d12 evil creature appears up to 100 feet away and acts immediately. Sprout. (costs three actions) One Root of Evil appears and acts immediately.
