A long-lived direfly hive transforms the oldest of trees into terrifying deadwoods; lumbering husks enveloping a network of blood-red honeycombs. While this is certainly a grisly result, the transformation of a dryad attached to an infested tree is far worse. The fey resembles the plant she’s bound to; hollowed and on the verge of death. Her bark-like skin is riven, with blood honey dripping from the wounds. The dryad’s malformed mouth hangs open with more cloying crimson fluid streaming out. This leaves the fey’s chin and chest ruddy and sticky. The top of the dryad’s head is broken open by a honeycomb crown complete with lazily buzzing direflies.

Hollowed Mind. It’s not only the dryad’s body that has been eaten from the inside but her mind as well. The burrowing of direfly larva has left the fey’s brain riddled with holes resulting in a greatly diminished intellect and sapped will. This allows the autumn court to hold sway over the afflicted dryad when normally they’d balk at the autumn fey’s goals. Many who encounter a deadwood dryad liken them to a zombie.

Deadwood Dryad

medium fey, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 52 (8d8+16)

Speed 30ft

Str 10 Dex 14 Con 15 Int 3 Wis 8 Cha 6

Damage Immunities poison

darkvision, 60ft, passive Perception 9.

Languages understands elvish and sylvan but cannot speak

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Magic Resistance:

The fey has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Infested Stride.

Once on its turn, the dryad can use 10 ft. of movement to step magically into one living, infested tree within its reach and emerge from a second living, infested tree within 60 ft. of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 ft. of the second tree. Both trees must be large or bigger. An infested tree is a one stricken by a fungal infection or by a swarm of direflies.

Actions

Multiattack:

The deadwood dryad can make 2 claw attacks as one action.

Claws:

Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. In addition, if the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.

Wretched Retching (Recharge 5-6):

The deadwood dryad vomits a 20 foot cone of blood honey. All creatures within the area must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity save or take 13(4d6) poison damage and are restrained for the next minute. On success, a creature takes half as much damage and is not restrained.

As an action, a restrained creature may attempt a DC 12 Strength check to end the effect. A creature may use its action to try and pull another creature free with a DC 12 Strength check, freeing the restrained creature on success.

Reactions

Direfly Sting.

After taking damage from an attack or spell, the deadwood dryad focuses her direfly infestation on a creature that damaged her if it is within 90ft. The vile insects swarm the target which must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma save or take 7 (2d6) psychic damage and suffer disadvantage on all attack and skill rolls until the end of its next turn.