Emerald Legion Sporebound
Creature 6Former Emerald Legion wardens were elite guardians charged with containing magical plagues. Those who died within the Heartwood Vault were never truly laid to rest. The Crimson Mire threaded their bones with mycelium, preserving fragments of memory beneath an alien fungal intelligence.
```Perception +15; darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet
```Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan, Aklo; can’t speak normally; telepathy 60 feet with creatures infected by Emerald Spores
Skills Arcana +13, Athletics +16, Nature +15, Stealth +13, Survival +15
Str +5, Dex +3, Con +5, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +0
```AC 24; Fort +17, Ref +13, Will +15
```HP 125
Immunities disease
Resistances poison 10, mental 5
Weaknesses fire 10
Emerald Mycelium
The Sporebound ignores difficult terrain caused by plants, fungus, or shallow water.
When the Sporebound is reduced to 0 Hit Points, spores erupt from its body. Unless its remains take at least 10 fire damage before the end of the next round, it regenerates with 20 Hit Points after 1 minute.
Emerald Resonance Aura, Primal
Aura 15 feet. The Heartwood Vault’s magical resonance empowers nearby fungal life.
A living creature that enters the aura or begins its turn in the aura must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save.
- Critical Success
- The creature is unaffected and temporarily immune for 24 hours.
- Success
- The creature is unaffected.
- Failure
- The creature becomes Spore-Touched until the end of its next turn.
- Critical Failure
- The creature becomes Spore-Touched for 1 minute.
Speed 25 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet
```Melee Emerald Blade +18
Damage 2d8+8 slashing plus Emerald Spores
Melee Mycelial Tendril +18 Reach 15 feet
Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning, and the target is grabbed
Emerald Spores
A creature damaged by the Sporebound’s Emerald Blade must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save.
- Critical Success
- The creature is unaffected.
- Success
- The creature is unaffected.
- Failure
- The creature takes 1d6 persistent poison damage. If it is already Spore-Touched, it is also sickened 1.
- Critical Failure
- The creature takes 2d6 persistent poison damage and is sickened 2.
Legion Charge
The Sporebound Strides twice and then makes one Emerald Blade Strike against a creature within reach.
If the Strike hits a Spore-Touched creature, it deals an additional 2d6 mental damage as ancient Emerald Legion memories flood the target’s mind.
Mycelial Burst Primal, Poison
The Sporebound releases a cloud of luminous spores in a 20-foot emanation. Each living creature in the area must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save.
- Critical Success
- The creature is unaffected.
- Success
- The creature takes 1d6 poison damage.
- Failure
- The creature takes 3d6 poison damage and becomes Spore-Touched until the end of its next turn.
- Critical Failure
- The creature takes 6d6 poison damage, becomes sickened 2, and is Spore-Touched for 1 minute.
The area is lightly obscured by glowing emerald spores until the start of the Sporebound’s next turn.
Ancient Guardian
Trigger A creature within the Sporebound’s reach Casts a Spell or Interacts with an Emerald Legion device.
Effect The Sporebound makes a Mycelial Tendril Strike against the triggering creature.
If the Strike hits, the triggering creature must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or the triggering action is disrupted.
Ecology
```Unlike ordinary fungal monsters, Sporebound are tragic remnants of the Emerald Legion. Fragments of their former personalities occasionally surface, causing them to hesitate before striking creatures who display Emerald Legion insignia or speak ancient elven command phrases.
The Sporeborn intelligence exploits these moments of lucidity, turning ancient guardians into unwilling sentinels of the Heartwood Vault. The creatures believe they are still enforcing quarantine, even as they protect the plague they once swore to contain.
Encounter Role Elite guardian, vault sentinel, or minor boss.
```