Buy me a coffeeJack-O’-Lantern, “Cursed Guardian of the Gloomwood.”
“Beware the Jack-O’-Lantern: The Sinister Plant Monster Born from Druidic Magic and Haunted Spirits!”
The Jack-O’-Lantern is a hauntingly mesmerizing creature that stands about 6 feet tall, its body composed of intertwining vines and leaves, giving it a rough, humanoid silhouette. Atop its frame is a large, sinister pumpkin head, its skin mottled and rough, resembling an ancient gourd. The carved face on the pumpkin is twisted into a menacing grin, with jagged teeth and hollow eyes that glow with an eerie, eldritch fire.
This glow flickers like a candle’s flame, casting ominous shadows that dance around its form. Long, flexible tendrils extend from its body, resembling limbs, which it uses to attack or ensnare prey. In some cases, it may be seen wielding crude tools like a rusty pitchfork or a wicked scythe, enhancing its frightening appearance.
Behavior
Jack-O’-Lanterns are solitary creatures that exhibit cunning and predatory behavior. They are naturally stealthy, often lurking in dark, overgrown areas or near abandoned farms where their presence is less likely to be detected. They can remain motionless for extended periods, waiting patiently for unsuspecting victims. When they do move, they do so with an eerie grace, their tendrils swaying softly as they stalk their prey. Their demeanor can vary depending on the animating spirit within; some may display a more malevolent disposition, while others might be slightly more playful, using illusions or tricks to confuse and terrify before attacking.
Habitat
Jack-O’-Lanterns typically inhabit dense forests, overgrown fields, and rural farmlands, thriving in areas rich with plant life. They prefer secluded locations where they can conceal themselves among the underbrush, making it easy to ambush their prey. These creatures are often drawn to places that have a strong connection to nature, particularly where druidic magic has once flourished. Abandoned homesteads or decaying farms are also prime habitats, allowing them to blend into the remnants of human civilization.
Modus Operandi
A Jack-O’-Lantern’s modus operandi revolves around stealth and surprise. It utilizes its natural camouflage to remain hidden until a target is within range. Once prey is detected, it springs into action, using its agile tendrils to grab and constrict. If it can isolate a target, it employs its rend attack to inflict brutal damage. Additionally, the creature can unleash fire seeds as a ranged attack, creating explosive bursts of flame to deter or confuse enemies. It often employs psychological tactics as well, using its glowing face and eerie presence to instill fear before launching an assault.
Motivation
The primary motivation of a Jack-O’-Lantern is survival, driven by the instinct to protect its territory and hunt for sustenance. However, there is also a darker, more complex motivation tied to the spirit animating it. Depending on the spirit’s nature, a Jack-O’-Lantern might seek vengeance against the living, representing the lingering wrath of the dead, or simply exist as a guardian of nature’s secrets. They are sometimes compelled to fulfill the desires of their creators, making them unpredictable. Their connection to both the natural world and the supernatural makes them formidable beings, blending the primal instincts of a predator with the eerie allure of a cursed spirit.
Jack-O-Lantern 5e
Jack-O-Lantern Pathfinder
Jack-O’-Lantern
Medium plant, neutral evil
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed: 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) | 1 (-5) | 10 (+0) | 2 (-4) |
Saving Throws:
- Dexterity +5
- Wisdom +3
Damage Immunities:
- Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities:
- Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened
Senses:Jack-O’-Lantern
- Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages:
- Understands Common and Sylvan but cannot speak.
Challenge Rating: 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Magic Resistance:
The Jack-O’-Lantern has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Glowing Aura:
At the start of each of its turns, the Jack-O’-Lantern sheds dim light in a 15-foot radius. Creatures within this area must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
Actions
Multiattack:
It makes three attacks: two with its Slam and one with Constrict.
1. Slam:
- Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10) fire damage.
2. Constrict:
- Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Medium or smaller creature.
- Hit: 14 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the Jack-O’-Lantern can’t use this attack against another target.
3. Fire Seeds (Recharge 5–6):
It magically creates three seeds that explode on impact. Each seed is a ranged attack with a +6 to hit, range 60 ft.
- Hit: 14 (4d6) fire damage in a 20-foot radius. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking half damage on a successful save.
Tactics
- Ambush Predator: The Jack-O’-Lantern prefers to lie in wait, using its Glowing Aura to lure in unsuspecting adventurers. It can hide in thickets or behind trees, using its environment to surprise its prey.
- Constrict and Control: Once it has a target grappled, the Jack-O’-Lantern will use its Constrict ability to restrain and deal damage. It will focus on vulnerable targets first, trying to isolate them from their party.
- Fire Seeds for Area Denial: When threatened by multiple foes, the Jack-O’-Lantern will use its Fire Seeds ability to force enemies out of cover and into a position where it can attack them.
- Retreat into Shadows: If heavily damaged, the Jack-O’-Lantern will use the forest to its advantage, retreating into the darkness to regroup and plan its next ambush.
Lore
Jack-O’-Lanterns are the malevolent guardians of cursed forests, brought to life by dark magic and the spirits of the dead. Their grotesque appearances and fearsome abilities make them both a warning and a danger to all who enter their domains. Legends say that they were once innocent pumpkins, transformed by the anger of the fey spirits they failed to protect, now driven by a desire for vengeance against the living.
Environment
Habitat: Jack-O’-Lanterns thrive in haunted woods, abandoned farms, or any places steeped in decay and darkness. They often appear around Halloween or during harvest festivals, drawing power from the fear and energy of those nearby.
This creature is a roughly humanoid shaped tangle of vines and leaves with a large pumpkin for its head. The pumpkin-head bears a leering face that appears to have been carved there, and glows from within with an eldritch fire.
A Jack-O’-Lantern is an animated plant creature brought to life by a combination of druidic magic and fey sprits. The nature of the face generally reflects the alignment of the animating spirit. A jack-o-lantern attacks with its many tendrils, rending and tearing at its prey. Occasionally one will be armed with a pitchfork or Scythe.
| Jack-O-Lantern CR 3 |
| XP 800 N Medium plant Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +1 natural) hp 33 (6d8+6) Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2 Immune plant traits |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee 3 slams +6 (1d6+2 plus grab) or pitchfork +6 (1d6+3) Special Attacks constrict (1d6+2), rend (2 slams, 2d6+3) Spell-like Abilities (CL 11th); 1/day–fire seeds (first version only on its own seeds, ranged touch +7, DC 17) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Constitution 13, Intelligence 6, Wisdom 11, Charisma 2 Base Atk +4; CMB +6 (+10 to grapple); CMD 20 Feats Dodge, Mobility, Skill Focus (Stealth) Skills Perception +6, Stealth +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth Gear rusty pitchfork |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any land Organization solitary Treasure none |
Creating a Jack-O-Lantern
To create a jack-o-lantern, the caster must be a druid of at least 11th level. Creating a jack-o-lantern involves placing a single pumpkin seed into the mouth of a corpse and burying it in an open field. The body must be that of a humanoid of at least 6th level; the jack-o-lantern has the same
HD and alignment as the humanoid did in life. Once the body is buried, the creator must cast control plants, awaken, summon nature’s ally IV, and fire seeds – in that order.
The pumpkin plant that grows from it must be carefully nurtured and tended, requiring a DC 15 Profession (farmer) check. The farming check does not need to be made by the creator. Several pumpkins will grow on the vine, one of which will contain the essence of the nature spirit that will eventually animate the plant. The creator must make a DC 20 Knowledge (nature) check to determine which pumpkin holds the essence – all others must be picked off the vine and discarded. By harvest time, if the creator chose the right pumpkin, the jack-o-lantern will animate and seek out is creator for instructions.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Tome of Horrors Complete
Jack-O-Lantern from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Erica Balsley..