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thecreaturecodex · 2 years

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Phytoi

Image © @chimeride

[The Alexandrian Romances are a genre of medieval fiction we’ve seen before on the Codex, with the skolex and the odontotyrannus. A staple of the genre is Alexander’s army encountering one or more of the “monstrous races”, the various humanoids said to live outside the boundaries of civilization. Some of these, like the blemmyae and the sciapods, are found in Pliny, but others, like the phytoi, are unique to specific versions of the Romances (and the ones that later plagiarized them). ]

Phytoi CR 9 CN Monstrous Humanoid This enormous humanoid giant is taller than a building. It has long, thin horns and long craggy feet, and serrated blades grow along its arms from wrist to elbow.

The phytoi are enormous giant-like humanoids that dwell in forested hills. They are renowned for their skill at woodcraft, using their immense bladed arms to cut down trees and process lumber. They tend to dwell in small villages in rough terrain, surrounded by a palisade for extra defense. Phytoi are omnivorous with a taste for nuts and fruit, and their villages are surrounded by food forests that provide their staples and attract game.

A phytoi is not necessarily hostile to all comers, but they expect others to respect their boundaries and leave their territory alone. Phytoi are very large and intimidating, and usually try to stop fights before they occur with their size and threats. If combat ensues, they prefer to use their natural weapons rather than manufactured ones, although they will hurl trees as missiles if enemies keep their distance. They are sure-footed, and attempt to flee over cliffs or crags in order to slow pursuers.

A phytoi stands about 35 feet tall. Male phytoi have horns growing from their crown, but these are delicate and more useful for display and ritual sparring than for lethal violence.

Phytoi CR 9 XP 6,400 CN Gargantuan monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, Perception +14 Defense AC 22, touch 7, flat-footed 21 (-4 size, +1 Dex, +15 natural) hp 114 (12d10+48) Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +11 DR 3/- Offense Speed 40 ft. Melee 2 armblades +17 (3d6+8) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. Special Attacks deadfall burst, trample (3d6+12, DC 24) Statistics Str 26, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12 Base Atk +12; CMB +24 (+26 sunder); CMD 35 (37 vs. sunder) Feats Dazzling Display, Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (armblade) Skills Acrobatics +12 (+16 jumping), Climb +23, Craft (carpentry) +11, Intimidate +21, Perception +14, Survival +14; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Climb Languages Common, Giant SQ sure-footed Ecology Environment temperate hills Organization solitary, pair, party (3-8) or clan (4-40) Treasure standard Special Abilities Armblades (Ex) The armblade of a phytoi is a primary natural weapon that deals slashing damage. Attacks made with an armblade ignore the first 5 points of hardness of a wooden creature or object. Deadfall Burst (Ex) As a standard action, a phytoi can throw a log or tree 100 feet. It bursts in a 5 foot radius, dealing 2d8+8 points of bludgeoning and piercing damage to all creatures in the area (Reflex DC 24 halves). The save DC is Strength based. Sure Footed (Ex) A phytoi gains a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks, and is not considered flat-footed while balancing or climbing.

#phytoi #Alexander the Great #pathfinder 1e #world tour #medieval romance #chimeride

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chimeride · 2 years

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Phytoi, the 217th Known One.

Suggested by @thecreaturecodex

“We finally entered a large forest of trees called anaphanta, which produced a most peculiar fruit: enormous apples as large as gourds. The inhabitants, the Phytoi, a people some twenty-four ells in height, had horns that were around one and one-half ell and had long feet. But their forearms were saws. When they caught sight of us, they rushed to meet us. Horrified at their appearance, I ordered that one be captured. When we attacked them while shouting and blowing the trumpets, they fled.” - Travels to the Otherworld and Other Fantastic Realms: Medieval Journeys into the Beyond, Claude Lecouteux, Corinne Lecouteux

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