Monster: Autumn Swirl

Autumn Swirl

A mass of swirling red, yellow, and orange leaves dances against the wind currents.

CR 5; XP 1,600
CN Fine Fey (swarm)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0

Defense
AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+8 size)
hp 42 (12d6)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune weapon damage
Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee swarm (3d6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 16), shared flammability, wither vegetation

Statistics
Str 1, Dex 10, Con 10, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB —; CMD —
Skills Fly +16
Languages recognizes Sylvan

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, flock (2–5), or blight (6–12)
Treasure none

Special Abilities

Shared Flammability (Ex) All creatures within the autumn swirl's space share its vulnerability to fire weakness, suffering double damage from area fire effects, and +50% fire damage from non-area sources.

Vulnerable To Fire (Ex) An autumn swirl are highly flammable. Area effects that deal fire damage inflict double damage on an autumn swirl. Burning weapons, such as torches, flaming weapons, and flame blades can be used to attack them despite their immunity to weapons. They inflict their fire damage only, increased by 50% due to fire vulnerability. Flaming sphere and similar fire-based effects that affect targets by sharing their space inflict damage to an autumn swirl.

Wither Vegetation (Ex) An autumn swirl inflicts its swarm damage on vegetation, plants, and Plant creatures ignoring their hardness and damage reduction (except DR/epic or DR/mythic). When an autumn swirl kills a Plant creature, it gains fast healing 1 for a number of rounds equal to the creature's HD.

Autumn swirls are swarms of lesser otherworldly spirits of entropy and withering infusing fallen leaves. They dance on the winds when it's not raining, though they occasionally attack living beings and plants that disturb the inevitability of autumn's decay. They might survive into early winter before they wither and die themselves, and they can be found guarding fair glades and copses belonging to more powerful autumn fey.