Fantasy NPC: King Allfern

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

King Allfern

A tall figure of bark, branches, leaves, moss, and regal presence.

CR 8; 4,800 XP

LN Large Plant

Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +18

Defense
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)

hp 102 (12d8+48); regeneration 5 (plant-killing magic)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +9

DR 10/slashing; Immune plant traits

Offense
Speed 40 ft.; woodland stride, trackless step

Melee 4 slams +14 (1d6+6)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks wrath of the forest

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +14)

Constant—speak with plants

1/day—commune with nature, plant growth, transport via plants (only within his kingdom)

1/month—awaken (plant only)

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 15

Base Atk +9; CMB +16; CMD 28
Feats Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes

Skills Diplomacy +14, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Knowledge (nobility) +14, Perception +18

Language Common, Giant, Goblin, Sylvan

Notable Gear a silver crown grown into his bark that might hold some old royal magic

Wrath Of The Forest (Su) As a standard action, king Allfern can command a living tree or other sturdy plant within 60 feet to lash and strike against a nearby target, with reach of 15 feet, +14 attack bonus, and dealing 2d6+9 points of bludgeoning damage on hit, or grapple a Medium or smaller creature without provoking attacks of opportunity (CMB +16, CMD 26, the tree continues to maintain hold on a grappled creature without additional commands until the target escapes). As a full-round action, he might similarly command a tree to make a single attack against each target within its reach, though he can't repeat such command for 1d4+1 rounds thereafter.

King Allfern sought to rule his forest kingdom peacefully and wisely, but it wasn't meant to be so. An ancient feud between a cult of a witch-goddess and a druidic sect flared again during his reign. While the esoteric background behind the struggle remained obtuse to common folk, its echoes impacted their lives; they relied at various times on aid and advice of both learned but haughty druids, and versatile but greedy witches. As his attempts of mediation failed, and the conflict escalated, with the sides resorting to flinging curses and sending first monsters after each other, the king was finally swayed by the words of his advisors and aligned himself with the druids against the witches.

Pushed to the brink, the witches called upon the power of their goddess, preparing dreadful ritual that would turn the tide of the conflict and change the kingdom forever... In a desperate bid to thwart the power unleashed by the witch-cult, the druidic circle invoked their magic, turning overnight the king and his kin, his retinue, his sworn vassals, and his subjects, into trees.

They failed to warn the king beforehand, though, and when he found himself turning into a tree, the sense of betrayal changed him into much-much more. Immediately, he lashed against his still human druid-advisors for perceived treason before they could explain to him they intended it merely as a protective and a temporary measure. The lesser druids who survived his wrath were forever banished from his presence, under the pain of death, his ears forever deaf to their words.

On the next sunrise, the king walked out of his now overgrown keep and found his realm changed. Majority of his subjects were turned into trees, bushes, and other growing plants. A few of them, retained sapience and mobility like the king himself, and even a smaller fraction were unchanged, mostly those who lived deeper in the forests, further from the capital, less caring about the kingdom and less tied into the community of its subjects.

Without the druids, the transformation could not be reversed, leaving the realm even wilder and forlorn than it was. King Allfern still cares for his lands and his subjects, sapient or not, now holding a grudge against both the traitorous druids and the meddling witches. With limited presence and merely a few subjects capable of following his rule, he reluctantly allowed some fey and other beings to settle in his woods, as long as they protect the people turned into trees from harm.