Thornhide Stitchers

From: Fletchers Folly

Thornhide Stitchers are bear-sized creatures that resemble a patchwork of different forest animals, with fur interwoven with vibrant moss and bark. Their most striking feature is the long, thorn-like quills that protrude from their backs, which they can launch at intruders. These creatures are the guardians of the Crafting Halls, created by the chaos master to protect his domain. They possess a rudimentary form of crafting ability, able to mend their patchwork hides using materials from the dungeon itself. Thornhide Stitchers are solitary by nature but fiercely territorial, attacking anything that they perceive as a threat to their domain.

Lore Expansion: The Thornhide Stitchers are not merely creations of the chaos master but embodiments of his longing for protection and his deep-rooted connection to the forest and its myriad forms of life. Once a simple craftsman, the chaos master’s transformation imbued him with the chaotic magic that now saturates Fletcher’s Folly, allowing him to conceive guardians that mirror his new-found complexity and creativity. The Stitchers, with their patchwork hides, represent the chaotic master’s desire to merge the various facets of the forest into a single form. Their ability to mend themselves is a testament to the enduring nature of the forest, constantly growing and healing from the wounds inflicted upon it. The thorn-like quills they wield are not just weapons but a symbol of the forest’s defiance against those who would seek to disturb its peace.

Tier One Stats and Skills:

• Size: Large (Bear-sized)
• Health Points (HP): 30
• Armor Class (AC): 13 (Natural armor)
• Speed: 30 ft. (walking)

Attacks:

• Quill Launch: Ranged Attack; +5 to hit, range 60/120 ft., 1d8+3 piercing damage. The Stitcher can launch quills from its back at one or multiple targets within range.
• Patchwork Slam: Melee Attack; +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 2d6+4 bludgeoning damage. Uses its patchwork limbs to deliver a powerful blow.

Skills:

• Crafting Repair: Once per day, a Thornhide Stitcher can heal itself for 1d10+2 HP by mending its patchwork hide with materials from the environment.
• Camouflage: Due to their patchwork hides of moss and bark, Stitchers can blend into forested environments, giving them advantage on Stealth checks when stationary.

Vulnerabilities:

• Fire: Their moss and bark interwoven fur makes them particularly vulnerable to fire. They take double damage from fire-based attacks.
• Isolation: Being solitary creatures, they don’t call for help or work in groups, making them susceptible to strategies that isolate them further or pit them against multiple adversaries.

Strategy: Thornhide Stitchers prefer ambush tactics, using their camouflage to blend into their surroundings before launching a surprise attack with their quills. If enemies get too close, they switch to using their powerful Patchwork Slam. In combat, they aim to keep their distance, using their environment to their advantage while pelting foes with quills from afar.

Size:

• Height: Approximately 7-8 feet when standing on hind legs.
• Weight: Around 400-500 pounds, given their dense patchwork hide and muscular build.

Tags: Creature, Guardian, Magical Beast, Forest Dweller

The Thornhide Stitchers stand as formidable guardians within Fletcher’s Folly, challenging adventurers with their unique abilities and resilience. Engaging them requires careful planning, with a strategy that considers their vulnerabilities and leverages the environment to the adventurers’ advantage.

Battle Engagement of Thornhide Stitchers:

Thornhide Stitchers engage in battle with a mix of cunning and brute force, reflective of the chaotic magic that birthed them. Initially, they rely on their natural camouflage, blending seamlessly into the forested or overgrown environments of Fletcher’s Folly’s Crafting Halls. This ability allows them to wait, undetected, for the opportune moment to launch a surprise attack, often starting with a barrage of their quill projectiles to weaken and disorient their prey from a distance.

Once engaged in combat, Stitchers are relentless. If their initial quill launch successfully hits, they assess whether to close in for a melee attack or continue their assault from a distance, depending on the number and strength of their opponents. Their intelligence, a gift from their chaotic creation, enables them to target the most threatening adversary first or the one they perceive as the weakest link to break the cohesion among their enemies.

In close quarters, they utilize their Patchwork Slam, leveraging their considerable mass and strength to deliver devastating blows. Their unique ability to mend themselves using materials from the dungeon makes them enduring adversaries, capable of quickly recovering from minor to moderate injuries and prolonging the fight.

Environment: Thornhide Stitchers are primarily found within the Crafting Halls of Fletcher’s Folly, a section of the dungeon imbued with the essence of creation and chaos. This environment is cluttered with workbenches, tools, magical artifacts, and various crafting materials, reflecting the chaotic master’s affinity for crafting. The Crafting Halls are designed with overgrown sections where natural light filters through cracks and crevices, allowing vegetation to thrive. These conditions are ideal for the Stitchers, providing ample camouflage opportunities and materials for self-repair during and after combat.

Utilization of Remains: The remains of a Thornhide Stitcher are a treasure trove of crafting materials and magical components, highly sought after by artisans, alchemists, and adventurers alike.

• Quills: The long, thorn-like quills can be harvested and used as components for magical arrows or quills, imbued with properties that allow them to pierce magical defenses or carry enchantments more effectively.
• Patchwork Hide: The patchwork hide, a mosaic of fur, moss, and bark, can be processed into armor pieces or magical cloaks. These items retain some of the Stitcher’s camouflage capabilities, offering the wearer enhanced stealth in forested environments or acting as a minor form of natural armor.
• Crafting Materials: The various materials found within their patchwork bodies—ranging from rare woods and metals to enchanted moss—can be repurposed for crafting unique magical items or potions, especially those requiring components with inherent magical properties.

The strategic harvesting and utilization of Thornhide Stitchers’ remains not only pay homage to their origins and the chaotic creativity of the dungeon’s master but also contribute to the cycle of creation and destruction that defines the essence of Fletcher’s Folly.

When encountering a Thornhide Stitcher within the Crafting Halls of Fletcher’s Folly, adventurers are assailed by a complex tapestry of sensory and extra-sensory perceptions. These perceptions provide both advantages and disadvantages, impacting the adventurer’s ability to engage or avoid these formidable guardians.

• Visual Perception
  • What’s Perceived: The Stitcher’s patchwork body, a hulking mass interwoven with vibrant moss and bark, blends almost seamlessly with the overgrown crafting environment. Its quills stand out as menacing spikes, ready to launch at a moment’s notice.
  • Description: The creature’s camouflage makes it difficult to spot until it moves, but its size and the occasional glint in its intelligent eyes can give it away.
  • Positives: Spotting a Stitcher before it attacks can give adventurers a crucial advantage, allowing them to prepare or evade.
  • Negatives: The creature’s natural camouflage can lead to dangerous surprises, with adventurers possibly wandering into striking range unknowingly.
• Auditory Perception
  • What’s Perceived: Subtle sounds of movement, like the rustle of leaves or the soft thud of its paws on the ground, betray the Stitcher’s presence.
  • Description: The creature is surprisingly quiet for its size, but attentive adventurers might catch the occasional unnatural silence when other sounds of the forest seem to pause, indicating a predator’s presence.
  • Positives: Listening for these cues can alert adventurers to the Stitcher’s presence, even when it’s not visible.
  • Negatives: The quietness of the Stitcher can lull adventurers into a false sense of security, making its sudden attacks more shocking.
• Olfactory Perception
  • What’s Perceived: A musty, earthy scent mixed with a hint of something wild and animalistic.
  • Description: This blend of odors resembles that of a damp forest floor after rain but carries an underlying sharpness unique to the creature.
  • Positives: The distinct smell can serve as an early warning of a Stitcher’s nearby presence.
  • Negatives: In a dungeon environment rich with various scents, this olfactory clue can easily be overwhelmed or mistaken for the general mustiness of the surroundings.
• Tactile Perception
  • What’s Perceived: A sudden increase in the ambient magical energy when a Stitcher is about to attack, almost like a static charge in the air.
  • Description: This sensation can manifest as a tingling on the skin or a sudden drop in temperature, signaling the imminent release of the creature’s quills.
  • Positives: This tactile warning can give adventurers a split-second to react or protect themselves.
  • Negatives: The physical sensation of heightened magical energy can be unnerving, potentially causing panic or hesitation.
• Gustatory Perception
  • What’s Perceived: The air within the Crafting Halls might carry a faint, metallic taste when near a Stitcher, a byproduct of the chaotic magic that imbues the creature.
  • Description: This taste is akin to licking a battery or having a coin in one’s mouth, an unmistakable sign of nearby chaotic energies.
  • Positives: It serves as an unusual but effective indicator of the presence of magic, including that of a lurking Stitcher.
  • Negatives: The unpleasant taste can be distracting or even nauseating, especially in prolonged encounters.
• Extra-Sensory Perception
  • What’s Perceived: A subtle, psychic whisper or the feeling of being watched, indicative of the Stitcher’s intelligent presence.
  • Description: This perception might manifest as a prickling at the back of the neck or a sudden compulsion to look in a certain direction, often towards the hidden Stitcher.
  • Positives: Such extra-sensory cues can alert adventurers to danger even when other senses fail.
  • Negatives: The eerie sensation of being observed can induce paranoia, affecting the adventurers’ focus and decision-making.

Encountering a Thornhide Stitcher is a multi-sensory experience that challenges adventurers to remain alert and responsive to both the natural and supernatural cues that herald its presence. Recognizing these signs can mean the difference between a successful engagement and a fatal surprise.

The Legend of the Thornwoven Guardian

In ancient epochs, when the world was a tapestry of untold mysteries, there existed a creature of forest and shadow, the Thornwoven Guardian. Born from the heartwood of the whispering woods and the depths of uncharted chaos, it roamed the boundary of realms unseen and realms known.

The Guardian was neither beast nor spirit but something betwixt, crafted from the earth’s fabric by a master whose name time has swallowed. This master, a weaver of wonders and sower of discord, sought protection for his arcane sanctum. So, he gathered the essence of the wildwood, the cunning of the creatures, and the remnants of creation’s chaos. With these, he wove the form of the Guardian, imbuing it with a sliver of his own boundless curiosity and a spark of the primal chaos.

As epochs passed, the tale of the Guardian grew entwined with legends of a hidden realm, a place of untold power and unspeakable secrets. Many a brave soul ventured into the dense thicket of the whispering woods, lured by whispers of power and the allure of the unknown. Yet, the path was ever guarded by the Thornwoven Guardian, its form melding with the forest, unseen yet ever-watchful.

One moonlit night, a wayfarer, wise to the ways of the world yet innocent of its deeper mysteries, found herself at the forest’s edge. With a heart brimming with courage and a spirit kindled with curiosity, she stepped into the embrace of the ancient woods. It wasn’t long before the air grew thick with magic, and the forest seemed to close in around her.

Then, from the shadows, the Guardian emerged, a fearsome figure of thorn and vine, its eyes alight with an eerie glow. The wayfarer stood her ground, her resolve as strong as the earth beneath her feet. “I seek not power nor secrets,” she spoke, her voice steady, “but the passage through your realm, to understand the mysteries that lie beyond.”

The Guardian, taken aback by her sincerity and unmarred by the greed that had tainted so many before her, found itself at a crossroads. For the first time, it pondered the nature of its existence, bound to protect yet yearning to understand the world beyond its charge.

With a sound like the rustling of leaves, the Guardian stepped aside, allowing the wayfarer passage. And so, she walked through the whispering woods, her path unbarred, her quest for understanding unended.

Moral of the Story: In the heart of ancient tales, where truth and myth entwine, lies the lesson that strength is not in the guarding of secrets, but in the courage to explore the unknown, and wisdom is not in possession, but in the quest for understanding.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• STR: 80
• CON: 70
• SIZ: 85
• DEX: 50
• INT: 40
• POW: 60
• HP: 15
• Build: +1
• Damage Bonus: +1D4
• Armor: 3 points (Natural Bark Skin)
• Attacks: Quill Launch 40% (1D8+db), Slam 55% (1D6+db)
• Skills: Stealth 65%, Track 50%
• Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points upon witnessing
• Special Abilities:
  • Regeneration: Can regenerate 2 HP per round for 3 rounds once per day.
  • Camouflage: Can use its Stealth skill with advantage in forested environments.

Blades in the Dark

Thornhide Stitcher

• Large Beast
• Tier II
• Quality: II
• Scale: 1
• Attributes: Prowess 2, Finesse 1, Resolve 1
• Harm: 2 (Quill Launch), 2 (Slam)
• Armor: 1 (Thick Bark and Moss Hide)
• Special Abilities:
  • Regenerate: Once per engagement, it can recover from a level of harm.
  • Camouflaged: Gains +1d to any roll for concealment in natural environments.
• Usage: As a guardian or obstacle, the Stitcher poses a significant physical threat and requires clever planning or magical means to bypass or defeat.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• Large monstrosity, unaligned
• Armor Class: 13 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points: 58 (9d10 + 9)
• Speed: 30 ft.
• STR: 17 (+3), DEX: 14 (+2), CON: 13 (+1), INT: 7 (-2), WIS: 12 (+1), CHA: 6 (-2)
• Senses: Passive Perception 11
• Languages: —
• Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
• Actions:
  • Multiattack: The Stitcher makes two attacks: one with its quill launch and one with its slam.
  • Quill Launch: Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  • Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
• Special Abilities:
  • Regeneration: The Stitcher regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.

Knave

Thornhide Stitcher

• (10+ HD)
• Armor Defense (AD): 13
• Hit Dice (HD): 10
• Attack Bonus (AB): +10
• Damage: Quills (1d8), Slam (1d10)
• Morale: 12
• Special:
  • Regeneration: Recovers 1 HD worth of hit points every other round.
  • Camouflage: Has advantage on rolls for hiding in natural surroundings.

Fate Core System

Thornhide Stitcher

• High Concept: Camouflaged Guardian of the Crafting Halls
• Trouble: Vulnerable to Fire
• Other Aspects: Naturally Stealthy, Regenerative Bark Skin, Crafty Ambusher
• Skills:
  • Great (+4): Physique
  • Good (+3): Fight, Stealth
  • Fair (+2): Notice, Athletics
  • Average (+1): Craft, Will
• Stunts:
  • Quill Barrage: Once per battle, can attack all enemies in a zone at +3 Fight.
  • Regeneration: Can use a Fate point to instantly recover from a moderate consequence related to physical harm.
• Stress: ❑❑❑❑
• Consequences:
  • Mild (-2): Easily healed wound
  • Moderate (-4): Regenerates next scene
  • Severe (-6): Regenerates in one session

Numenera & Cypher System

Thornhide Stitcher

• Level: 4
• Health: 20
• Armor: 2
• Damage Inflicted: 4 points
• Movement: Short
• Modifications: Stealth as level 5, resistance to physical damage except fire.
• Combat: Uses camouflage to launch surprise attacks, dealing 4 points of damage with its thorns at range or through slamming into opponents.
• Interactions: Not intelligent in a traditional sense, it reacts mostly to perceived threats to its domain.
• Special Abilities:
  • Regeneration: Restores 3 health points each round it is not taking fire damage.
  • Thorn Volley: Can unleash a volley of thorns in a wide arc as an area attack once every other round.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• Creature 3
• Perception: +9; darkvision
• Skills: Athletics +11, Stealth +11 (+13 in natural environments), Survival +8
• Str: +4, Dex: +2, Con: +3, Int: -2, Wis: +1, Cha: -2
• AC: 18; Fort: +10, Ref: +9, Will: +7
• HP: 60; Weaknesses: Fire 5
• Speed: 25 feet
• Melee: [one-action] Slam +11 (agile), Damage 2d8+6 bludgeoning
• Ranged: [one-action] Quill +13 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 1d10+6 piercing
• Special Abilities:
  • Regenerative Hide: As long as the Stitcher is not exposed to fire, it regains 5 HP at the beginning of its turn.
  • Camouflage: In natural environments, the Stitcher can use an action to blend into the surroundings, gaining a +2 bonus to Stealth checks.

Savage Worlds

Thornhide Stitcher

• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
• Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d10, Throwing d6
• Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
• Special Abilities:
  • Armor +2: Natural barkskin provides armor.
  • Regeneration: Fast Regeneration. Recovers 2 wounds per hour unless exposed to fire.
  • Quills: Can launch quills up to 12/24/48 range, Str+d4 damage.
  • Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from fire-based attacks.
  • Camouflage: +2 to Stealth rolls in natural environments.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• Type: Critter (Awakened)
• Attributes: Body 8, Agility 4, Reaction 5, Strength 6, Willpower 3, Logic 1, Intuition 3, Charisma 1, Edge 2, Essence 6, Magic 4
• Skills: Athletics 6, Stealth 8, Unarmed Combat 6
• Powers:
  • Camouflage: Gains Edge when making Stealth tests in natural environments.
  • Natural Weapon (Quills): Damage Value 8P, AP -1, Fire Mode: SS, Ammo: (10) Quills regenerate after 24 hours.
  • Regeneration: Can regenerate 1 point of Physical damage each Combat Turn.
• Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Fire (Damage from fire-based attacks is increased by 2).

Starfinder

Thornhide Stitcher

• CR: 4
• EAC: 16; KAC: 18
• HP: 58
• Fort: +6; Ref: +6; Will: +3
• Abilities: Str +3, Dex +2, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +1, Cha -2
• Skills: Stealth +13, Survival +10
• Attack: Quill (Ranged +8, Damage 1d8+4 Piercing)
• Attack: Slam (Melee +10, Damage 1d6+6 Bludgeoning)
• Special Abilities:
  • Regeneration: Regains 5 HP at the start of its turn; fire damage pauses this ability for 1 round.
  • Camouflage: +4 bonus to Stealth checks in forested or overgrown environments.
• Weaknesses: Takes an additional 50% damage from fire-based attacks.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• UPP: 887211
• Armor: 3 (Tough Hide)
• Hit Points: 35 (Endurance)
• Attack: Quill throw (+1, 3d6 Damage, Range 3), Slam (+2, 4d6 Damage)
• Traits:
  • Camouflage: Gains a bonus to Stealth checks in natural environments.
  • Regeneration: Heals 2d6 hit points per hour.
• Skills: Stealth 2, Recon 1, Melee (unarmed) 1
• Weakness: Fire. Takes double damage from fire or extreme heat.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Thornhide Stitcher

• Type: Beast
• M: 4
• WS: 35
• BS: 25
• S: 40
• T: 50
• I: 30
• Ag: 20
• Dex: 20
• Int: 14
• WP: 28
• Fel: 10
• Wounds: 22
• Skills: Stealth (Rural) 45, Intimidate 30
• Talents: Hardy, Regeneration, Terrifying
• Traits:
  • Camouflage: +20 to Stealth Tests in natural surroundings.
  • Natural Armor: 2 (Thick Hide)
  • Regeneration: Restores 1 Wound per round.
  • Ranged Attack (Quills): 10m, 9 Damage, Pen 0.
  • Weakness (Fire): Receives +1 Damage from fire attacks.
• Weapons: Quills (Ranged), Fists (Melee)