A new monster: the Boumbom

This week I bring you an idea for a creature to put in your games, the Boumbom (which is new to me, although there's a chance someone else has come up with something similar and I am just not aware of it).

The concept for this creature came to me while talking with my Dutch partner, when she told me that in her language tree is boom (pronounced boum), to which I replied Then how do you say bomb? -Bom. 

In that moment an image appeared in my mind: an animated tree (is Treant copyrighted by the big corporation? Should I avoid it?) with fire powers. Yeah, that seems inspiring. But where would that come from?

I thought about it for a while, and the idea I came up with was a group of Druids focused on the fire element, maybe part of a bigger cult or worshipping Fire as a sort of deity, working together to enchant the forest around their hideout to create these guards, which would be indistinguishable from normal trees while in their "resting state", but when they awaken their branches burst into flames, and that's how they attack. Of course, they'd be immune to fire damage.

I have not come up with a stat block for them yet, although I'm sure it would not be too difficult to hack one for the existing living trees to fit this description; moreover, I think it'd be possible to adapt this monster to different elements, as different Druid circles might have tried to do the same with their element, be it lightning or ice or whatever fits the theme of your adventures. Maybe there are multiple groups of Druids competing in your world, and after the first one came up with the idea, others have copied them! That would be a fun way to have different factions intertwine.

This week's post is not too long, but I hope it will give you ideas to add these creatures and factions to your game (or maybe create something else inspired by them).

This is all for this week, see you next Sunday for my next post!

May your dice never betray you,
Kirhon


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