Hoppercorn

Hoppercorn CR 4

XP 1,200
CG Medium fey
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 27 (6d6+6)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7; +2 resistance vs. evil; poison
DR 5/cold iron Immune charm, compulsion
Weaknesses homebound

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +8 (1d4)
Ranged masterwork longbow +9 (1d8)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +9)

Constant—speak with animals; protection from evil
At will—entangle (DC 15)
3/day—charm person (DC 15), deep slumber (DC 17), cure light wounds
1/day—suggestion (DC 17), cure moderate wounds

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 18
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 18
Feats Great Fortitude, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +9, Escape Artist +15, Handle Animal +10,Knowledge (nature) +11, Perception +11, Stealth +15, Survival +8
Languages Common, Sylvan, Elven
SQ homebound, mental hop, unicorn bond

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Homebound (Su)

A hoppercorn is never far from their home. A hoppercorn will designate a forest as her home. It is an area of 1d12x5 miles, but it can be smaller if she chooses. This is otherwise similar to the dryad‘s tree dependent quality except the hoppercorn will make a physical shelter (or take a natural one such as a cave) and can not physical go further than 300 feet of it on her own. With the hoppercorn’s permission one can move her to a new home.

Mental Hop (Sp)

While a hoppercorn cannot physically leave her shelter, she can “hop” or mentally project herself anywhere within her home without error at will. However this mental projection is invisible and incorporeal. Creatures with the see invisibility spell can see this projection but the hoppercorn cannot communicate with them outside of visual cues unless she becomes corporeal, see below, or a mental link is established. She may also use speak with animals to communicate with the local fauna. She is affected by force spells as normal.

Once per day, a hoppercorn can make herself both visible and corporeal for 1d4 minutes. The hoppercorn can interact and use spell-like abilities as if she were physically there and is equally vulnerable. If reduced to 0 hit points or below in this form, the hoppercorn’s projection “hops” back into her body and she immediately dropped to -1 hit points and is stable. However she remains in a coma for as many hours as minutes she would have stay corporeal. The only true way to slay a hoppercorn is to kill her in her shelter.

Unicorn Bond (Su)

Due to her nature, a hoppercorn can bond with a mateless unicorn. Such bonds are permanent and the two will work together to protect their chosen forest, the hoppercorn aware of any threats and the unicorn quelling them. The hoppercorn has a mental connection with her unicorn, allowing them to share senses and thoughts. If a hoppercorn has such a bond, raise the CR by 1.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests
Organization solitary, pair, or grove (3–8)
Treasure standard (dagger, masterwork longbow with 20 arrows, other treasure)

While uncommon, it is not unknown for a dryad and a unicorn to inhabit the same forest. In such cases the dryad and unicorn interact rarely, the unicorn more than willing to give the dryad it’s tree and its space. However when the dryad or her tree is in danger, the two will work together in its defense. Exposure to the unicorn’s magic for prolonged periods can result in impregnation of the dryad. Such pregnancies are extremely rare but they always result in a hoppercorn, a creature which possesses the mother’s looks and magic mixed in with the father’s own healing and protective magics and horn.

Hoppercorns are more bound to a forest than either of her parents and will fight as fiercely as both of them for it. However, her inability to leave her home limits her power. When her forest is threatened, she will use the local animals to repel invaders. Those who cross a hoppercorn will find their travels plagued by bears and wolves, while raccoons and other rodents slowly steal their supplies. However, if you earn one’s favor, you will never find yourself lost or wanting of food and water. If in grave danger, a hoppercorn might even show herself to give aid.

Hoppercorns are extremely reclusive, partly because of their binding, and partly because so many non-animals present a threat to her forest. Like many fey, she has a weakness for honey and other sweet tasting things. Many adventurers have awoken to find their wines or fruits missing when walking through a hoppercorn’s forest. Many such adventurers have used this to befriend a hoppercorn. Other protectors of the forest (druids and rangers mostly) impress her so much she will reveal herself. Such friendships are lasting and a hoppercorn may even invite her friends back to her shelter to meet in person.