Xenobiology 101 – Cursed Climbing Roses (Genesys)

October 5, 2020 Linda Whitson Astral Projections, Lore Check 0

Astral Projections presents a literary Halloween! For October, I am providing stats inspired by tales from my favorite fantasy authors. First up is the return of the scariest, creepiest roses ever, inspired by fantasy romance author Grace Draven, which I previously worked up for D&D 5e.

These vicious flowering vines are the result of strong curses, whether cast on purpose (often as a barrier or trap) by a skilled mage or blindly by a vindictive, untrained person with some tiny magical ability. The latter are often a deathbed curse, so the tales claim.
Cursed Roses can climb over or through almost anything, fill up even large spaces (indoors or out). The vines twine around sleeping victims, entangling them in the tough vines, digging the long, sharp thorns into flesh. They will do the same to those who try to destroy or get through them.

The large blooms’ colors range from a fresh-blood crimson to an almost-black shade of dark red. These blooms often appear distorted, like opened, fanged mouths and the movements of the vines and leaves makes a sound closer to hissing than rustling. Many of those tormented by these flowers swear they are genuinely malevolent and nearly sentient.

CURSED CLIMBING ROSES [Rival]
Malevolent plant

Characteristics
Brawn 4
Agility 2
Intellect 1
Cunning 2
Willpower 1
Presence 1

Skills: Brawl 3

Ability
Cursed Climber. The vines of Cursed Roses can climb up walls. They can also grow through or over fences, into open windows and doors, through large cracks or breaks, etc. They ignore difficult terrain.

Soak: 4      Defense (m/r): 0/0      Wound Threshold: 20

Equipment
Vicious Thorn Vines (Brawl, Damage 6, Critical 4, Medium Range, Pierce 1, Entangle 3, Burn 1)

Design & Play Notes: The Cursed Rose Vines are, of course, the traditional challenge for Sleeping Beauty’s prince. Darker versions of the fairy tale, many by modern writers, feature roses which do much nastier things than simply impeding would-be rescuers of princesses. One of those modern variants is Grace Draven’s wonderful fantasy romance novel Entreat Me. These Rose Vines are based off her scary floral descriptions. (Caution: the novel includes “adult” scenes–you have been warned.)

The stats represent Cursed Rose Vines that have infiltrated some small (that is, everything is within the Close range band) bedchamber, solar, or garden to attack those inside. If it suits your purposes, Cursed Rose Vines can be much larger; yes, even big enough to cover a castle’s grounds. For vines filling such larger areas, treat as difficult or even impassible terrain, in addition to the other effects.
(My D&D 5e stats for the Cursed Climbing Roses are here.)

Image: Baccara rose, a real black-red rose

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Linda Whitson

Contributing Writer & Copy Editor at D20 Radio
Linda Whitson is a long-time RPGer, amateur musician & artist, & an officer in the Rebel Legion Star Wars costuming club. Linda met her husband in an AD&D game and they have 2 teenagers, an anime fangirl daughter and a son who plays on his university's quidditch team. She is the Lead Mod of D20 Radio's forums and Copy Editor for the blog. Linda can be reached at GMLinda@d20radio.com

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