Was already working on what was originally a xorn, but it mutated into a treestump-critter with gemstone eyestalks.
I imagine a critter that can phase through stone and dirt would make for a handy farmer, especially if it is partial to eating stones and metal. (Just don’t plow near it in armor.)
The Market Ward of 1912
May 18, 2026
Recently unearthed from the basement archives of a local historical society, this peculiar sketch was found folded inside a 1912 ledger belonging to a produce vendor on the original Roanoke City Market.
While the Roanoke Valley is known for its railroad history, local agricultural folklore from the early 1900s occasionally mentioned a strange, wooden automaton said to wander the farmland outskirts of Salem and Roanoke County. According to the faded journal entries, the creature was constructed from a petrified tree stump and fitted with two crystalline lenses, reportedly salvaged from a broken surveyor instrument used by the Norfolk and Western Railway.
It was said to silently offer giant, unnaturally perfect root vegetables to travelers lost in the heavy morning fog near the Roanoke River. If threatened, however, it defended the old valley crop yields with startling force.
We have translated these forgotten local rumors into a tabletop format for those who wish to weave a piece of lost Roanoke lore into their own campaigns.
The Market Ward of 1912
Large Construct, Unaligned
Armor Class 16 (Petrified Wood)
Hit Points 136 (16d10 plus 48)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 8 (-1) |
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses Passive Perception 18, Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Understands Common but cannot speak. It communicates only through the mechanical clicking of its stalks and the refraction of light through its lenses.
Surveyor Lenses. The unique crystal eyes of the creature grant it superior sight and advantage on all Perception checks. It can flawlessly navigate the thickest Appalachian fog.
Bountiful Ruin. When the Ward drops below half its maximum hit points, its wooden structure splinters, releasing a fragrant cloud of heirloom herbs and soil. All friendly creatures within 10 feet instantly regain 10 hit points.
Actions
Multiattack. The Ward makes two heavy Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 plus 5) bludgeoning damage.
Heirloom Root Toss (Recharge 5 to 6). The Ward produces a dense, oversized radish and hurls it. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30 to 60 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 plus 5) bludgeoning damage. On impact, the vegetable bursts, forcing all creatures within 10 feet to make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for one minute by a cloud of potent, earthy dust.
Prismatic Gaze (1/Day). The crystal surveyor lenses converge into a focused, blinding glare on one creature within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 27 (6d8) psychic damage and become stunned until the end of its next turn, overwhelmed by century old visions of the untouched Roanoke Valley.
#lostroanoke #roanokehistory #forgottenvirginia #appalachianfolklore #roanokecitymarket #dndhomebrew #tabletoplore #salemva