Infernal Blight Stalker
INFERNAL BLIGHT STALKER CREATURE 3
[UNCOMMON] [MEDIUM] [FIEND] [PLANT]
Infernal blight stalkers are mature growths of the corruption spreading through the Palakar's damaged roots. Their bodies hang between trees like masses of wet bark and strangling vines, shot through with ember-red fissures and thin veins of unnatural gold. Unlike lesser blightlings, stalkers actively seize living prey, dragging victims into corrupted vegetation while woody fibers spread beneath their flesh.
Perception +9; darkvision
Languages understands Infernal and Sylvan but can't speak
Skills Athletics +12, Stealth +9 (+11 in forests), Survival +9
Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +2, Cha +0
AC 19
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +9
HP 52
Resistances fire 5
Weaknesses vitality 5
Speed 25 feet, climb 20 feet
Melee ◆ claw +12, Damage 1d8+6 slashing plus infernal lignification
Melee ◆ barbed tendril +12 (reach 10 feet), Damage 1d6+6 bludgeoning
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Infernal Lignification [curse] [primal]
When the stalker damages a living creature with its claw, the target must attempt a DC 19 Fortitude save. Dark woody fibers form beneath the skin while ember-colored veins trace through the affected flesh.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes a –5-foot status penalty to its Speeds until the start of its next turn.
Failure The creature becomes clumsy 1 and takes a –5-foot status penalty to its Speeds for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, it can attempt another DC 19 Fortitude save, ending the effect on a success.
Critical Failure The creature becomes slowed 1 until the end of its next turn and is clumsy 1 with a –10-foot status penalty to its Speeds. After the slowed condition ends, the remaining effects continue as a failure until the creature succeeds at its save.
Barbed Seizure ◆
Requirements The stalker's previous action was a successful barbed tendril Strike against a creature.
Effect The stalker attempts an Athletics check to Grapple the struck creature. Its tendril's 10-foot reach applies to this attempt.
Root-Haul ◆
Requirements The stalker has a creature grabbed with a tendril.
Effect The stalker violently retracts its tendril, moving the grabbed creature up to 10 feet toward the stalker. The creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage. This movement does not trigger reactions based on movement.
Hellroot Snare ◆◆ [fire] [primal]
Frequency once per 1d4 rounds
The stalker plunges several tendrils into the soil. Black roots split open with infernal heat in a 10-foot burst within 30 feet. Creatures in the area attempt a DC 19 Reflex save.
Critical Success No damage or other effect.
Success The creature takes half of 2d6 piercing plus 1d6 fire damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is off-guard until the beginning of its next turn as roots coil around its legs.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is immobilized by the roots. It can Escape against DC 19.
The burst becomes difficult terrain until the beginning of the stalker's next turn.
Burning Sap ↻ [fire]
Trigger A creature within 5 feet deals slashing or piercing damage to the stalker.
Effect Burning black sap sprays from the wound. The triggering creature attempts a DC 18 Reflex save.
Critical Success Unaffected.
Success 1 fire damage.
Failure 1d6 fire damage.
Critical Failure 1d6 fire damage and dazzled until the end of the creature's next turn.
RECALL KNOWLEDGE & INVESTIGATION
These checks are normally made by the character taking the relevant action. Do not automatically have the entire party roll. Other characters can Aid or investigate a different question.
Recall Knowledge — Nature or Religion DC 20
The base level-appropriate identification is easier, but the DC is increased because infernal blight stalkers are uncommon hybrid creatures. Once the party has encountered and successfully identified one, the GM can use DC 18 for later specimens.
Success The character identifies the creature as a forest blight growth corrupted by infernal influence. Reveal one useful fact appropriate to the situation, such as its vitality weakness, fire resistance, lignification ability, or ability to restrain creatures with roots.
Critical Success Reveal two useful facts. The character also realizes that the infernal qualities are grafted onto an existing primal blight rather than indicating that the creature is a naturally occurring devil.
Failure The character recalls no reliable information.
Critical Failure Provide plausible but incorrect information, such as identifying it as a naturally occurring fire-resistant forest predator or assuming that ordinary fire is particularly effective against it.
Track a Stalker — Survival DC 18
Success reveals snapped branches, dragged furrows, patches of black sap, and roots growing unnaturally toward the creature's path.
On a critical success, the character notices that the corrupted roots consistently become thicker in one direction, providing a clue toward the nearest blight source node.
Study the Black Sap — Nature or Crafting DC 18
Success confirms that the sap contains both living plant material and something mineral-like that does not belong in ordinary vegetation.
On a critical success, the character recognizes tiny gold-colored crystalline veins embedded throughout it. These match contamination later found near Golden Hand excavation equipment and infernal anchors.
Examine a Lignified Victim — Medicine or Nature DC 18
Success establishes that the woody growth is invading living tissue rather than merely growing over the victim's skin.
On a critical success, the character determines that the growth is behaving like an extension of a larger organism—the affected tissue seems to be trying to root itself toward something elsewhere in the forest.
Recognize the Infernal Contamination — Religion DC 19
Success identifies the ember heat, gold veining, and supernatural avaricious qualities as infernal corruption.
On a critical success, the character recognizes thematic associations with avarice, ownership, and infernal wealth. This can become an early clue toward Mammon once the party has other evidence connecting the Golden Hand to the blight.
TACTICS
The stalker prefers to attack from trees, ruined structures, or dense undergrowth. It opens with Hellroot Snare to disrupt the party, then uses its tendrils to isolate vulnerable characters.
Once it grabs a creature, it uses Root-Haul to drag that target away from allies or deeper into difficult terrain before attacking with its claws and spreading lignification.
Like other manifestations of the blight, it displays an unnatural hostility toward fey and creatures using primal magic.
GM NOTES
Role: Controller / grappler.
Creature Level: 3.
Adventure Function: The stalker is the point where the party should begin realizing that the blight is not simply "evil vegetation." Its infernal qualities are becoming organized and increasingly connected to something below the forest.
Encounter Clue: A slain stalker's major roots continue twitching for several minutes and slowly turn toward the nearest active blight source node. A character who notices this can use Survival or Nature to follow the direction.
Do Not Require a Group Check: If one player examines the corpse, that player makes the relevant check. If another character studies the roots while someone else examines the sap, those are legitimately separate investigations and can produce separate rolls.