Topiary guardian

A topiary guardian is a plant that has been sculpted into the shape of a creature and then animated with arcane magic to serve as a guardian that is as much a construct as a plant creature . They are superb as sentries. While any creature is possible, three typical forms are known: a boar , a lion , and a threehorn (triceratops). [1]

Creation

Making a topiary guardian is an involved process. First, one requires a bush or shrub accurately cut into the shape of a creature; this takes six weeks of careful work with skill in gardening or sculpture. Next, the topiary must be treated with oils and tinctures that are rare and expensive, costing 800 gp for a boar-sized topiary, 2,400 gp for a lion-sized topiary, and a 4,600 gp for a triceratops-sized topiary. [1]

After that, a ritual is performed to animate it. This is necessarily done outside, as the shrub requires soil, sun, and water until the very end. While the topiary guardian is not itself a construct, the spellcaster needs to be versed in the crafting of constructs and to know the spells awaken , geas/quest , and limited wish . Finally, a spirit of the planes [note 1] is magically bound to the plant like a golem to animate it. [1]

Description

Like a traditional topiary , this is a bush or shrub that has been meticulously trimmed and sculpted into the form of an animal. Although they are of the same dimensions as the creatures they resemble, they weigh much less—only a quarter—because they're made of small twigs and branches and a lot of air. They make no sounds, but only rustle. [1]

Abilities

Being basically a bush, a topiary guardian is very difficult to damage with blunt or stabbing weapons. It can only be effectively damaged with slashing weapons, or perhaps a good pair of shears. It is of course also particularly vulnerable to fire. [1]

Being rooted to the ground, a topiary guardian has tremorsense , letting it sense vibrations transmitted via the earth. They can detect any movement on the ground up to 90 feet (27 meters) away away. [1]

By standing completely still, a topiary guardian is almost distinguishable from regular topiaries. It takes an amazingly keen eye to spot it for what it is. Even in motion, it can move very quietly, with no more than faint rustling. [1]

A topiary guardian moves as fast as its animal form can on land. However, whatever its animal form, it cannot climb, burrow, or swim, let alone fly. [1]

Combat

On first sensing a trespasser, a topiary guardian remains completely motionless until they approach within 30​ to ​40 feet (9.1​ to ​12 meters, whereupon they will charge and surprise them. [1]

A topiary guardian's attacks and tactics are similar to those used by the creature it resembles. For example, a boar topiary guardian can gore with wooden tusks and fight ferociously to the death, while a lion can pounce on an opponent and rake it with its thorny claws and a triceratops can gore with its wooden horns and trample with trunk-like feet. [1]

However, a topiary guardian can, if instructed, attack to subdue and tire rather than injure and kill. It is effective either way. [1]

Ecology

Topiary guardians are not natural plant creatures, but spirits of the planes bound to living wood. Thus opinions of druids vary from discomfort to rage at a crime against nature. However, their owners don't care about the druids' or their shrubs' feelings, feeling the extra security outweighs such concerns. [1]

There are stationed alone or in groups of two to eight called "gardens". [1]

Behavior

A topiary guardian will follow any orders given by its creator if they are nearby (no more than 90 feet (27 meters) away). Otherwise, they follow the last instructions they received as well as they could. The creator usually gives them basic instructions like "Attack any creature entering the garden at night". They can be told to subdue and pin trespassers so they can be arrested and questioned by guards, usually if placed at the home of an important person in government. [1]

Uses

Topiary guardians are used to serve as sentries in gardens and courtyards of the estates and palaces of the rich landowners, dragonmarked families, nobles, and monarchs of Khorvaire . They are a decorative defense that easily fits in with normal topiaries and hedges, animating only when a trespasser is detected. In Aundair , Breland , and Thrane , boar topiary guardians are favored, while in Karrnath and formerly Cyre lion topiary guardians are preferred. The great triceratops topiary guardians stand in the gardens of noble dragonmarked families. [1] They can be found in Sharn . [2]

Appendix

Background

The topiary guardian may be based on the topiary hedge animals in The Shining by Stephen King (appearing in the novel and 1997 miniseries, not the 1980 movie). These also include a lion, but not a boar or triceratops.

Notes

  1. While Monster Manual III refers to the Elemental Plane of Earth , it is unclear which plane this should be in the Eberron setting.

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References