Sanguine Oaks (Vampire)
Humans make excellent fertilizers. Blood and bone, gristle and sinew, all break down so well in the soil, and the trees are ever so hungry for nutrients. Besides, humans are horrible. They bring axes and fire, chopping and burning until the forests are all gone. They treat plants as objects, wooden growths that aren’t properly alive because their version of life differs from the bags of flesh and blood that overpopulate the planet.
Sometimes the trees get hungry. Other times they get angry. The consequence is the same - the tree feeds on the blood of animals in an ancient ritual known only to plants, then uproots itself to go on the hunt. Kindred recognize these plants as some form of vampiric cousin, although most assume they are some form of mandragora. Underestimating the oaks is dangerous, as they are much more intelligent and cunning than their ghoul counterparts and can grow far more powerful.
Despite their name, any tree can become sanguine oak. When still, they appear to be nothing more than an ordinary tree under everything but the most dangerously close inspection. Although the variety of species oaks arise from, they all have something in common, a hollow in their trunk, large enough for a person to fit inside. This hollow is the tree’s maw, capable of extracting blood and pulping flesh into fertilizer. More than one anthophile has met a sticky end by climbing inside a sanguine oak to investigate the hollow, only to find the entrance sealed and vines clamped over their mouth.
Sanguine Oak
Mask: Conformist Dirge: Monstrer Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2, Strength 6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 7, Presence 1, Manipulation 2, Composure 3 Skills: Brawl 4, Stealth 4 (In Plain Sight), Survival 2 Blood Potency: 1 Vitae/per turn: 10/1 Disciplines: Nightmare 2, Obfuscate 1, Resilience 3 Willpower: 5 Initiative: +5 Defense: 2 Speed: 13 Size: 10 Health: 17 Weapons/Attacks: Branch (10 dice, +2 B, Grapple) Armour: 2/2 Entombed Alive: When a Sanguine Oak successfully restrains an opponent in a grapple (Vampire: the Requiem 2e p. 177), it shoves the helpless victim into a hollow in its trunk. Roots, vines, and other cutaneous protrusions press into the victim’s flesh as the oak drains blood from the unfortunate soul. This uses the same rules as the violent Kiss, but it happens automatically, and the oak can take other actions on its turn. Other characters may rescue the victim with two consecutive successful Grapple moves or a single Exceptional Success. Regular oaks may only have one victim in their hollow at a time. Note: If y'all made it down here... I'm struggling right now. I don't really want to open up why because it is very raw and personal. Making these monsters helps, interacting with the RPG community helps, and I can't say how much I appreciate everyone in the CofD community. If you've got in you to follow me on Patreon, even if its the free follow, that would mean a lot to me right now.
