Woodwraith Guardian

Designed by Kaylene Doss

Woodwraiths are fey creatures made of bark and moss however that wasn't always the case. Woodwraiths were once regular people who were cursed by powerful fey magic and bound to magical forests. Woodwraiths are typically peaceful and keep to themselves, staying within their forest homes. Most Woodwraiths have accepted their fate enjoying their longevity and tranquil lives. 

The Woodwraith emerges from the trunk of a tree, its body a patchwork of rough, splintered bark forming a gaunt, skeletal structure. The bark, rough and cracked, forms distinct, rib-like contours, with patches of moss and small, vine-like tendrils clinging to its crevices. Its knotted limbs are gnarled with age. The Woodwraith's arms end in long, jagged claws, each resembling a sharp, blackened thorn. Its eyes shine like brilliant orbs of amber, glowing with an inner fire that cuts through the shade of the forest. The unblinking and unyielding eyes seem to pierce the very soul with grief. Silent and enigmatic, it moves with an eerie grace, as if it were part of the natural world yet entirely separate from it.

Treehouse-bound. A powerful fey spirit of the forest can curse a creature, transforming it into a Woodwraith and binding it to the mansion within a great tree. A fey spirit often does so as punishment when the creature harms or threatens its forest. As long as the curse remains, the Woodwraith is bound to the tree and cannot travel more than 160 feet from it. If someone other than a Woodwraith destroys the tree, it will lift the curse, and the Woodwraith will return to its original form and be free to leave its prison. At the DM's discretion, a Remove Curse or Wish spell could restore a Woodwraith to their original form.

The Guardians are the most duty-bound of all Woodwraiths. They serve a master, protect a home, or have some other sworn duty to uphold. To a Guardian, breaking their oath and failing to do their duty means a fate worse than death: eternal shame.

Unrelenting Devotion. Woodwraith Guardians are the paladins of the Woodwraiths. They’re no more inclined to good or evil as their kin, but their relentless and fervent dedication to the oaths they take grants them access to the same types of magic as traditional paladins.