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Rare Biome: Cactus
Forests
In the deepest reaches of Vallondes numerous deserts,
conditions occassionally become perfect for a rare
phenomenon: The growth of massive, densely packed cacti
forests. Grown from specialized cacti and populated by a
number of unique creatures found nowhere else, these
strange spectacles have long drawn curious travelers,
explorers, and adventurers.
The inciting factor for the growth of a cactus forest is
suitable growing conditions for the sagorona cactus. Giant
cacti whose roots can potentially stretch hundreds of feet into
craggy or sandy ground, the sagorona appears for all intents
and purposes to be an average, if notably large, cactus. When
its roots find a significant source of water, however, the
cactus' rate of growth increases exponentially and, more
importantly, a pharomone is released to inform other nearby
cacti of the source of water. When the source is large enough,
vast colonies of sagarona can form and a new cactus forest is
born.
Animal Curiosities
The cactus forests are home to a number of rare and unique
flora and fauna communities, many found nowhere else in
vallonde. Foremost among these unique communities are the
calaph cactus monkeys, who seek out and dominate these
habitats wherever they are found. In addition to the other
dangers both large and small that congregate in the
sprawling sagorona fields, exploring the cacti can be a
daunting proposition.
Commonly encountered lounging around on the
precariously positioned blooms of massive sagoronas and
lazily exploring the dark inner reaches of cacti sprawl, calaph
cactus monkeys are intelligent, capable creatures foiled in
their ambitions by an insatiable desire for the hallucinagenic
liquid produced in the bodies of a small, round species of
cacti that only grows in the shadow of fully grown sagoronas.
While cactus monkeys are often in a cactus juice induced
stupor, they are also highly territorial and place great value on
particularly ripe cacti fields. Caring little for material
possessions and creating only simple tools and clothing for
themselves, the monkeys live lives of indulgence and relative
ease as long as their clan controls sufficient amounts of drug-
producing cacti.
Rarely, a cactus forest can dredge magical energy from the
depths of the earthen abyss, channeled quietly to the surface
along the extensive root systems of the sprawl. When this
happens, the results can be both fantastic and frightening as
creatures in the forest grow to massive proportions and the
plant-life begins to exhibit strange qualities. Many curious
adventures have fallen wide-eyed to the crushing blows of the
cactus blights, given life by the forest's magic and deceptively
disguised as ordinary cacti. While not inherently evil like the
blights found in other environments, the cactus blight
nonetheless subsists by bathing itself in the nourishing
lifeblood of living creatures and thus must kill to remain alive.
Cactus Forest Random Encounters
d8 Encounter
1 Four walking corpses, mummified by the environment.
2 A lone cactus monkey, absorbed in consuming the
liquid from a small cactus.
3 A cactus blight waiting in ambush.
4 A roc searching the sprawl for prey.
5 A druid and jackal companion tending a small garden
of interesting flowers and multicolored cacti.
6 A zaratan resting peacefully in the center of a small,
clear pool.
7 A pack of hyenas searching for carrion
8 A defensive half-ogre in a makeshift, ramshackle hut
 Cactus Blight
Large plant, neutral

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65)
Speed 30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19 (+4) 8 (-1) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened

Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 10
Languages Druidic
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

False Appearance. While the bling remains

Calaph Cactus Monkey
Small beast, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON
8 (-1) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a cactus.
Painful Spines. Creatures that strike the blight with
an unarmed attack or grapple with it are subject to
1d6 painful spines as if by the blight's Piercing
Slam action. If a creature accumulates 10 or more
painful spines, they have disadvantage on attack
rolls and Vulnerability: Bludgeoning until the
number of spines attached to the creature
becomes 9 or fewer. As an action, a creature can
remove 10 spines from themselves or another
creature, or 5 can be removed as a bonus action.
When a spine is removed it deals 1 piercing
damage to the creature.
Actions
Multiattack. The blight makes four attacks with its
piercing slam.
Piercing Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning
INT WIS CHA damage and 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage and the
target is pierced by 1d6 painful spines.

Senses Passive Perception 11

Languages --
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Torprous Mind. The cactus juice the calaph

monkeys constantly consume puts them into a
semi-lucid state during which they are immune to
mind-influencing effects.
Rudimentary Language. The monkey cannot speak
but is able to effectively communicate complex
ideas to other cactus monkeys through
vocalizations and body language.

Actions
Laced Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach
5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d4-1) piercing damage and
the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw. On a failure, the target gains 1 level of
exhaustion.