Monster Monday: The Kapre

(You can find a fee pdf of this writeup over at Nosfecatu's Patreon page! This is pretty much identical, except that one references OGL spells. This one does not. I am unsure which format I prefer right now.)

The kapre is a forest giant with an affinity for trees. It is known to lair within the branches of older ones, but even the branches of younger trees are somehow able to withstand its great weight without snapping. It is also capable of moving through trees as if they were the smoke of its famed cigar. Despite its appearance as an unkempt, cigar-smoking giant, the kapre has the emotional intelligence (and relative lack of malice) of a child.

The cigar of the kapre allows it to exhale its fey smoke. Through it, the giant has access to magics that deceive the senses and mire the mind. It is also unique – at least one kapre’s “cigar” is actually a pipe, for example – and it never burns out while the kapre is alive. Some even speculate that the pipe is an extension of the kapre’s spirit, and that the kapre will die if it is ever unlit. Regardless, the cigar is a sought-after item by both eccentric collectors and those who just relish the thought of smoking it.

The kapre has a protecting nature, but not a sharing one. It will keep every branch of its favorite trees safe, but it will take a lot of convincing to get it to share their fruits. It is also known for its fondness for children, for his emotional temperament is closes to that of a child. If understood, the kapre can become a sort of immortal guardian figure to them. Unfortunately, the parents of children tend to mistake the kapre for a common, child-eating ogre. If deprived of those it wants to protect, the kapre can enter a destructive tantrum that can level villages.

KAPRE

Large giant

Defense

HP        102

AC        16 (barkskin)  

FEY SMOKE               Aura 10 ft. The kapre is surrounded by supernatural smoke that deceives the senses. Anyone other than the kapre perceives the area as heavily obscured if it relies on sight or scent.

VULNERABLE bronze weapons, fire

Statistics

STR 19 (+4)  DEX 10 (+0)  CON 16 (+3)

INT 7 (-2)  WIS 14 (+2)  CHA 9 (-1)  

UTA 14 (+2) SKILL +1d6

Interaction

SPEED                  30 ft. climb 20 ft., walks through trees

SKILLED            Arcana, Intimidate

EXPERT              Stealth

Actions

SLAM (WEAPON)

Strength, 1d8. Two attacks.

SMOKE SORCERY (MAGIC, RECHARGE 4 – 6)        

Utang. Through the fey smoke of the its cigar, the kapre can perform one of the following magics:

·         Ignite the smoke into flame, dealing 8d6 damage to anyone within.

·         Have someone inhaling the smoke forget the last ten minutes it experienced.

·         Polymorph itself into a giant goat or giant boar.

·         Slow time for those inhaling the smoke by half, halving all movement for one minute.

·         Enter one tree within its smoke and come out in a different tree within its domain.

The GM can call for saving throws, as appropriate. After the kapre uses this magic, its fey smoke deactivates until the start of its next turn.

Optional Systems

TREE TRICK (MAGIC)

The kapre can attune itself to a tree. Once attuned, it can climb that tree and enter a cozy, extradimensional space that it calls home. The kapre can peek through the trees outside its home, but those outside cannot see it. (It will probably smell its tobacco, though.) If the tree is ever destroyed, the home and anything in it is lost, forever.

CIGAR CLUB (MAGIC)

As an action, the kapre can grow its cigar into the size of a great club. Treat it as a weapon that deals 2d8 plus 1d6 fire damage. The kapre can attack twice with its cigar club using one action. (Its CR is unaffected.)

Mechanical Systems

Hit dice     12

CR               5