Blightstump Staff
Staff, very rare (requires attunement)
A blightstump staff is a vile weapon crafted from the twisted, corrupted wood of a tree stump tainted by the blood of a hag. Gnarled and thick, the wood pulses with a sickly green glow, and its bark appears to squirm as if bubbling from internal pressure. Large knots slowly migrate over its surface while tiny, biting insects scurry along the gaps in the bark—and eerie shriveled faces often manifest on the bark, quickly disappearing when observed.
When used as a melee weapon, a blightstump staff is formidable and deadly: instead of the normal damage die for a quarterstaff, this malevolent bludgeon deals 1d10 when wielded one-handed and 1d12 as a versatile weapon.
The staff is home to a colony of carnivorous insects that emerge on command. Once per day and as an action, you may cast insect plague (DC 16). These summoned insects take on a dark, unnaturally green and black appearance reflecting the corrupting hag magic of the blightstump.
You can also call upon the evil that thrives within the blightstump staff, using its connection to the darkest regions of Vaelda Faera to conjure a minor blightstump. Once per day, you can use an action to summon one of these chaotic evil, twisted root-like creatures (statistics provided). Once summoned, the blightstump will remain at your side until it is slain—or until it is no longer satisfied with your company. Initially, the creature will obey your commands, but after two hours, and every subsequent two hours, the blightstump becomes hungry, requiring a small beast or tiny fey creature to devour. If not sated, the blightstump will become increasingly irritable and may act unpredictably, attacking nearby targets, including you, eating whatever it can find until it is satisfied.
In addition to its magical abilities, a blightstump staff slowly and subtly corrupts the surrounding area, draining life from non-magical plants within 10 feet. Initially, affected plants show minor signs of decay, but over the course of an hour, plants smaller than a tiny creature, such as grass and small flowers, wither and die.
Attunement to the blightstump staff may only be accomplished by one who has suffered a wound from a hag—from combat, a curse, or even a willingly accepted injury as part of a bargain or other interaction. This wound must have dealt a minimum of 1 point of damage, symbolizing a memorable connection between the wielder and the veil magic of the dark fey.
Minor Blightstump
Medium Fey Plant, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 (14d10 + 8)
Speed: 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
Skills: Stealth +4, Perception +3
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages: Understands Sylvan but cannot speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The blightstump makes one Bash attack and one Bite attack.
Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the blightstump’s roots. A blightstump may only have one creature grappled at a time.
Swarm of Insects (Recharge 5–6). The blightstump releases a swarm of carnivorous insects in a 10-foot radius that lasts until the start of its next turn. Each creature other than the blightstump that enters or begins its turn in the swarm must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 piercing damage.
Description: A blightstump is a thick, multi-limbed tree stump corrupted by the blood of hags and infested with malevolent, carnivorous insects. It crawls over the ground with several roots that snake through soil or plod along over stone and other hard surfaces. In combat, a blightstump rams into enemies, bashes them with its roots, or bites them with an entangling maw—and when particularly agitated, it unleashes a swarm of biting insects.